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"Much of a hand at whist, Colonel Fraser?" MacDonald glanced at hily "I recoe with chess, in terreater advantage, in that it can be played against a greater number" The hard-bitten lines of his face relaxed e that it is possible to earn a living by it, which is seldoame, sir," Jamie returned, with extreme dryness

MacDonald was a half-pay officer, with neither official duties nor an active regiment It was by no er salary by the acquisition of sht be sold or traded No price was being asked--now--but that didn’t ave a brief nod in acknowledgment of the situation, and MacDonald nodded in turn, satisfied He would say what he wanted, in good tiued to learn who this Bonnet oose’s arse he’d dropped out of"

MacDonald’s coh, and he could learn nothing further of the mysterious Bonnet--save the effect he had on those who had h, ye learn as much from what men don’t say, as what they do? Or fro for Jaht of us at play Three werefree with their speculations, but I could see they kent nay more of Mr Bonnet than I did myself Two more seemed neither to know nor to care, but the last two--" He shook his head "They became very quiet, sir Like those ill not speak of the devil, for fear of suht with speculation

"You are faentleht," MacDonald responded promptly "Both particular friends of the Governor"

"Merchants?"

"Aht in Edenton and Plyton, and Edenton Priestly has business concerns in Boston, as well," MacDonald added as an afterthought "Though I know little of their nature Oh--and Wright’s a banker"

Jaether beneath the tails of his coat as he walked; no one could see how tightly his fingers clenched

"I believe I have heard of Mr Wright," he said "Phillip Wylie entleman of that name owns a plantation near his own"

MacDonald nodded in affirone quite red, and small broken blood vessels stood out in his cheeks,

"Aye, that would be Four Chi a back tooth as he thought

"Ye mean to kill him, then?"

"Of course not," Jah places?"

MacDonald looked at him sharply, then aith a brief snort

"Aye Just so"

They paced side by side for several moments without speech, each occupied with his private calculations--and each aware of the other’s

The news of Bonnet’s associations cut both ways; on the one hand, it would likely make the man easier to find On the other, those associations would co It wouldn’t stop Jamie--and MacDonald clearly perceived that--but it was a ht, to be sure

MacDonald himself was a considerable complication Bonnet’s business associates would be interested to hear that someone meant to cut off their source of profit--and would be more than likely to take action to prevent it They would also pay well for the news that their golden goose was threatened; a prospect MacDonald would naturally appreciate

There was no ih; Jamie lacked the means for bribery, and that was a poor recourse in any case, as a lanced at MacDonald, who htly, then turned his head away No, intimidation wouldn’t serve, even had he a mind to threaten one who’d done him a service What, then? He could scarcely knock MacDonald on the head, only to prevent his spilling to Wright, Priestly, or Butler

Well, and if it could not be bribery or force, the only thing left to stop the man’s mouth was blackmail Which presented its own co--for the moment--to MacDonald’s discredit A man who lived as the Major did al theered another

"How did ye hear that I sought news of Stephen Bonnet?" he de in on MacDonald’s own conte more firmly

"I heard it from a half dozen different sources, sir, in places froistrates’ courts Your interest is well known, I fear But not," he added delicately, with a sideways glance, "its reason"

Jarunted, deep in his throat It see a wide net had brought him his fish--but without doubt, it had also caused ripples that ht Bonnet--then so did Bonnet

Perhaps this was a bad thing; or perhaps it was not If Brianna were to hear of it--she had been outspoken in her desire that he leave Bonnet to his own fate That was nonsense, of course, but he hadn’t argued with her; only listened with every appearance of consideration She need know nothing until the man was safely dead, after all If an unere to reach her before that, thoughHe had only begun to turn the possibilities over in his hterthat would be Mrs MacKenzie, would it?"

"Does it htened briefly