Free The Counterfeit Lady by Kate Parker

and Berlin. The baron complained in a telegram this morning that he’s been watched too closely to take possession of the plans yet.”
    I was shocked. Such things were not done. I didn’t even think they were possible. “You can’t do that,” I said, my voice rising. “That was a private message from an embassy to its government.”
    His dark look made me clamp my mouth shut. “That it was in code made our task even more difficult. We aren’t supposed to read other nations’ messages. Neither is Germany or any other country. However, on those few occasions when we gain access to dispatches, we do. So does everyone else.”
    “It would start a war if anyone found out,” I whispered.
    “That’s why I must trust you and Lady Phyllida with complete discretion.”
    We both nodded. Then I had to ask, “Why are you trusting us with this? You didn’t have to tell us anything.”
    “You are risking not only social embarrassment but physical danger by taking part in our efforts to stop the transfer of those plans. Someone has already killed to obtain them. They won’t shy away from another murder.”
    He looked at Phyllida. “I shouldn’t be asking you to do this.”
    “Clara died trying to prevent those warship plans from falling into the wrong hands. The least I can do is see that her death is avenged.” Phyllida crossed her arms over her chest and looked from the duke to me as if she thought someone would try to stop her.
    My mind was working furiously. “If Baron von Steubfeld hasn’t been able to get the drawings because he’s too closely watched, he’ll have to change his situation so his movements aren’t so easily observed. Or use someone else to handle them.”
    “We know. We have our ears open for word on how he plans to change the circumstances.”
    “Was that the royal ‘we,’ Your Grace?”
    The tiniest hint of a smirk crossed his mouth. “You didn’t think it was only the Archivist Society working on a problem of national importance, did you?”
    Once again, his attitude annoyed me. “Is there anything else we need to know today? We won’t be able to speak freely tonight. Not if we’re going to deliberately draw an audience.”
    “I suspect Sir Henry Stanford. He’s been watched closely, but he’s not been to the embassy. He did dine with Baron von Steubfeld two nights ago in a restaurant, but no packages passed between them.”
    There was danger in focusing too closely on only a few people. “What about someone else in the German embassy?”
    “Most of the staff at the embassy went home for the summer before the theft. No one has left the country since the burglary, and Scotland Yard has been watching all those still here.”
    “There are three shipbuilders who’ve seen the design to bid on it. Why are you only focusing on Stanford?”
    “The other two weren’t in the Admiralty when Gattenger took out a copy of the plans. They’ve never met von Steubfeld and they aren’t mired in debt. They’re being observed, but there’s no sign either of them is involved.”
    I moved closer to the duke and looked him in the eye. “What has caused this bitterness between yourself and Stanford?”
    “Stanford owes a great deal of money from the expansion of his shipyard. One of the people he owes is me. He’s in arrears in his payments and he and I have had nasty words in public.”
    That might be the only public reason anyone knew of for their argument, but such animosity over a business loan seemed out of character for the duke. “I don’t believe you.”
    “Sorry, Georgina, but sometimes men fall out over investments. It’s really that simple.”
    I didn’t believe him. No, that wasn’t entirely true. I’d put my faith in Blackford before and been rewarded. I trusted him to deliver on his promises. I’d also learned that not everything he said was the truth. “I need to know more about Stanford before I can approach him.”
    Blackford shrugged. “He’s a widower with a