Free Unlikely Traitors by Clare Langley-Hawthorne

Harrison
    Harrison’s brow lifted in surprise, but he answered. “Yes, or rather I arranged for that to be undertaken. It will take some time of course. Fingerprint analysis is a relatively new science after all and I’m not sure what they will be able to find.”
    Ursula pursed her lips, deep in thought. “So tell me,” she said, trying to ignore the pounding in her head. “What did these files purport to say?”
    Harrison hastily took a bite of bread and cheese and a quick swig of tea before answering. “One of the files provides details of an alleged meeting in December 1911 at the castle of Lord Wrotham’s cousin, Count Frederich von Bernstorff-Hollweg.”
    “Second cousin,” Ursula reminded him.
    “Yes, well…” Harrison continued awkwardly. “As you, no doubt, know by now, the Count is one the main witnesses in the case against Lord Wrotham. But at this meeting there was also a man called Fergus McTiernay—another old friend of Lord Wrotham’s from Balliol.”
    “Yes,” Ursula prompted him.
    “McTiernay is a known Irish Republican sympathizer even though he’s a gentleman. Special Branch has been watching him for years but, up till now, we always believed he was an advocate of political rather than military action. But at this meeting it seems as though plans to sell information regarding the naval defenses on the South-West coast of England were discussed—a plan that ultimately led to a conspiracy to assassinate and overthrow the British government in Ireland.”
    Harrison took some more bread and cheese and Ursula noticed how much his manners reminded her of her father. It was in way he hesitated as he decided how to hold the knife and his deliberations on how best to tear the bread. It was always the first thing that revealed your class, she thought ruefully. Harrison, like her father, never could escape his origins.
    Ursula got to her feet, crossed the room and picked up her notepad and pencil. She returned to her seat and starting taking notes.
    “Tell me more about McTiernay and Lord Wrotham’s cousin,” Ursula said.
    “The Count is a well-known philanderer with a reputation for dabbling in whatever get rich scheme he can get his hands on. Hardly a stellar witness, yet, given his title, he moves easily among both German and British high society.”
    “Are he and Lord Wrotham estranged, is that why he is testifying against him?” Ursula asked.
    “I was rather hoping you might be able to tell us that—for as far as we know the two men were good friends as well as relations. The Count is also said to be favored by the Kaiser himself—possibly because of his military aspirations, but, most likely, because of his business associations.”
    Ursula watched Harrison, her expression becoming steadily more guarded. “As I’ve already told you,” she said. “Lord Wrotham has never spoken to me about the Count or his dealings with him…”
    “The Count spends most of the year on the continent, but in the past we’ve had no reason to suspect he was a German agent. Perhaps Lord Wrotham mentioned meeting with the Count whilst he was been in Europe?”
    “No, as I said Lord Wrotham has never mentioned the Count at all.”
    “Supposedly the Count was Lord Wrotham and McTiernay’s contact in Germany,” Harrison continued. “The deal was made to sell the information on the basis that Germany would supply arms to the Irish Republican Brotherhood and provide further military support should there be an uprising in Ireland or a war with Germany.”
    “That part still doesn’t make any sense to me, given Lord Wrotham’s politics.”
    Harrison exhaled loudly. “I know, but Admiral Smythe seemed to think—at least in the files we found—that Lord Wrotham had been drawn to the nationalist cause in his youth and, since working with the Admiral on a number of missions, had become disillusioned with the British government. Given his family ties with Germany, financial problems with his estate,