Lady Thief Read Online Free PDF

From Wellesley. He plans to invade Southern France by crossing the Pyrenees. You can bet the French would love to know that.”
    Jason looked suitably impressed. “Aye, they would at that. But, who could ’ave stolen the dispatches? Seems to me they’d be kept under lock and key.”
    Jenny sighed. “They should have been, but things are very confused at the War Office these days.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “And how would you know that, lass?”
    She smiled easily. “You’re asking awkward questions again, Jason.”
    Jason leaned back with a grunt. “If that ain’t just like a woman. Here I am trying my poor best to help you catch this spy of yours, and you won’t even answer a simple question.”
    Jenny relented with a rueful smile. “Well, don’t get in a huff. I know what goes on in the War Office because I keep my ears open, that’s all.”
    He looked irritated. “You could ’ave said so in the first place. You didn’t ’ave to be so bloody mysterious about it.”
    She chuckled softly. “You should watch that temper of yours, Jason. It’ll get you into trouble one of these days.”
    “Never mind my temper. What do you mean to do about those dispatches?”
    She shrugged. “Return them to the War Office.” With a thoughtful frown, she continued slowly. “But I think I’ll hang on to them for a few days at least.”
    “Why?”
    “I’d like to be able to tell them who stole the dispatches.”
    “Aye.” Jason responded wryly, “I can see it now. You just walk up to the War Office (wearing your mask, o’course), knock on the door, and then tell whoever answers that you’re the Cat and that you’d like to give them back some important dispatches that was stolen. Then you tell ’em who stole the dispatches, and leave.” He shook his head. “Not bloody likely. They’d ’ave a noose ’round your neck afore you could open your mouth.”
    Jenny smiled faintly. “That wasn’t quite how I planned to do it, Jason.”
    “ Any way you plan, it is wrong. The Runners want you, lass—they want you bad.”
    “ Damn the Runners,” she responded irritably. “I’ll do whatever I have to do. If they catch me, they just catch me.”
    “Now, lass—”
    “Stop calling me lass.”
    “Then tell me your Christian name.” He glared at her.
    “What am I supposed to call you if I don’t know your name?”
    Grudgingly, she replied, “Jenny. My name’s Jenny.”
    “ Jenny , then. You’ve made fools of the Runners for more than a year, but your luck won’t hold out forever. Sooner or later they will catch you, and then this spy of yours will be free to go on selling information to France. If you mean to catch the spy afore the Runner catch you , you got to be careful, la-er-Jenny.”
    “Jason, I have every intention of being careful. I don’t want the Runners to catch me, I assure you. But my most important task is to discover the identity of the spy.” Beneath her breath, she muttered, “I only hope he’s the right one.”
    As low as the words were, Jason caught them. With a quizzical tilt of his head, he asked, “What do you mean ‘right one’?”
    Jenny shrugged. “Nothing. Forget it.”
    After a moment of frowning silence, Jason’s air of puzzlement vanished. Slowly, he said, “You ain’t looking for spies—you’re looking for one spy. Who is he, Jenny? Why is he so important to you?”
    Glaring at him, she responded, “I said to forget it. It isn’t important—and it isn’t any of your business.”
    “Jenny . . .” He hesitated, and then continued gruffly, “If I knew why you’re looking for this spy, why he’s so important to you, I mean, then maybe I could help.”
    For a long moment, Jenny was silent. Then, slowly, she said, “This particular spy is also a murderer. He killed someone very dear to me. I intend to see that he pays for it.”
    “Who did he kill, lass?”
    “My father.”
    “I’m sorry, Jenny.” He shook his head slowly. “I guess maybe you want this