Page 104 of A Devious Secret

“We are much more forceful when it comes to rooting out the truth,” Hawthorne replied.

Stephen lifted his brow. “You don’t intend to interrogate Benjamin, do you?”

With a glance at Benjamin, Hawthorne replied, “We do.”

“Why not let the guards at Newgate handle it?” Stephen asked.

Haddington gave him a smug look. “I assure you that we are much more proficient at discovering the truth than the guards are.”

“Why would you sully your hands with this?” Stephen prodded. “Why not leave it to the magistrate?”

“Because we don’t have time to ask politely,” Haddington said. “Not when we are dealing with a French spy.”

Benjamin put his hands up. “I am no spy,” he asserted. “Furthermore, there is no need to torture me. I will tell you what you want to know, assuming you don’t take me to Newgate.”

“We shall see,” Hawthorne said.

“Listen, I did nothing wrong,” Benjamin stated. “The French threatened my family if I didn’t cooperate with them. I had no choice.”

Hawthorne turned to face Benjamin. “Everyone has a choice. You chose poorly.”

“What was I supposed to do?” Benjamin asked. “I couldn’t let my family die because of me.”

Hawthorne grabbed Benjamin’s arm. “We will continue this conversation at Newgate.”

Benjamin jerked back his arm. “I am not going to Newgate. I did nothing that any sane person wouldn’t do.”

“I doubt that,” Hawthorne responded.

Benjamin reached into his boot and pulled out a dagger. “If I go to Newgate, my family will be ruined,” he said, holding it up.

Hawthorne glanced at the knife, appearing unconcerned by the threat. “What is your plan?” he asked. “You have a knife, and we all have pistols.”

Benjamin’s eyes grew panicked. “You don’t understand. I was forced to give up the route our ship was heading. I had no idea they were going to attack us.”

“You what?!” Stephen exclaimed.

“I had no choice, Captain,” Benjamin said. “They threatened me and my family. What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have come to me,” Stephen replied.

“And what could you have done?” Benjamin asked. “I was approached by a man before our ship was deployed and I wasn’t in a position to say no.”

Stephen took a commanding step. “Your actions caused the death of your comrades.”

“I know, and I live with that realization every day,” Benjamin said. “Don’t you think I regret my actions?”

“You are not the man that I thought you were,” Stephen declared. “You are a traitor and deserve a traitor’s death.”

“I am no traitor!” Benjamin exclaimed. “I was forced to do it.”

Stephen pointed his pistol at Benjamin and cocked it. “I should kill you for what you’ve done.”

“It wasn’t my fault—”

“It was!” Stephen exclaimed, speaking over him. “You gave the French our coordinates. You put us in the position to be attacked.”

“I didn’t know they would attack,” Benjamin said.