“Angry?” Lachlan turned in his chair, and his gaze bounced between Yardley and Cilla, narrowing with each bounce. “What is it?”
“They ordered Cilla to commit sabotage at Scapa Flow.”
“At Scapa?” Lachlan’s voice elevated. “Absolutely not.”
“I told you not to get angry.”
Cilla released an indignant huff. “He has every right to get angry.”
“Aye, I do.” Lachlan shoved back his chair and stood. “Fromthe very beginning, I said I willnae endanger the base, the ships, or the men at Scapa.”
“You did say so,” Yardley said in his maddeningly calm way. “And now we’re telling you to commit sabotage there.”
With a furious groan, Lachlan planted his hands on his hips. “This involves more than British ships. This week the Americans agreed to send a task force to Scapa to escort convoys, freeing the Home Fleet to sail elsewhere. I willnae endanger the ships of our allies, our guests.”
Cilla’s chest ached for him. She loved him relaxed and playful, but she loved him most when he fought for what was right.
“You needn’t endanger our guests.” Yardley gave his uniform jacket a tug. “But find something to blow up.”
“Are we taking orders from Germany now?” Lachlan edged past Yardley and paced a curved path around the Fresnel lens. “I will not. I refuse.”
“You’re taking orders from MI5.” Yardley’s voice hardened. “Come up with a plan. Quickly.”
“I will not.” He paced back in their direction.
Cilla gentled her voice. “Commander, give him time.”
Lachlan fixed his gaze on her. “I dinnae need time. I willnae do it. Even if I wanted to, it cannae be done.”
She gave him a slow nod and addressed the commander. “Kraus understands a plot like this takes time. Besides, we’ll need the Abwehr to send more explosives, yes? So give Lachlan time. You know how his mind works. Give him a week to think about it.”
Lachlan flipped up his hands. “I dinnae need a week. I willnae blow up one of our ships.”
“Of course not,” Cilla said. “Is there a derelict old boat you could blow up? A wreck? A beached boat?”
Lachlan marched away. “No. All refloated or scrapped.”
“You’ve mentioned sinking ships to block channels.”
“Aye, but we’re constructing barriers across those channels.We only need two more blockships to tide us over until construction is complete. The blockships ... no, it’s too soon. Too soon. They’re already scheduled to be sunk in the next fortnight. Cannae make it look like sabotage.”
An annoyed expression crossed Yardley’s face, and he opened his mouth.
Cilla shot him a warning look and tapped her wristwatch. Lachlan needed time.
Lachlan strode back toward the table, shaking his head. “Sabotage at Scapa would be a serious breach of security. My command would be blamed. I dinnae mind taking the blame. My career in the Navy ends when the war does, and my father will hire me no matter what. But I willnae allow Commander Blake or the other men in my command to be blamed.”
A man of sacrificial integrity, and Cilla hugged herself so she wouldn’t run and embrace him.
Lachlan stopped in front of Yardley, his chest rising and falling, his countenance dark. “I’ll do it only if I can take all the blame myself.”
Yardley let out a sharp sigh. “We can’t do that. If the blame fell on you, the Admiralty would have no choice but to remove you from Scapa Flow, possibly even dismiss you from the Navy. You’re far too valuable to us to allow that.”
A loud groan, and Lachlan wheeled away.
“Commander, please?” Cilla said. “Give him a week to think about this. If there’s any possible way, Lachlan will find it. And if Lachlan can’t find a way, no one can. I’ll simply have to tell Kraus it’s impossible.”
“Aye.” Lachlan marched back with a light in his eyes. “Tell him that now.”
