She glanced up, hoping this was an acceptable first thing. It was common knowledge among sailors, but it was useful.
Northumberland stared back with a bland, patient half smile. He looked... indulgent. He looked as if he wasindulgingthis first answer. He flicked the coin into the air.
Isobel gritted her teeth and added, “I sailed to England in early October, and it was harrowing to say the least. The sooner you go and return, the better.”
Without waiting for his comment, she forged ahead. “Despite this, the country itself is not a frozen tundra. Only the highlands see snowfall and it’s not much colder than Scotland. Even so, do not underestimate its remoteness, and provision accordingly. And by provision, Iwould suggest bringing anything you may require, including food, in your kit. There is no guarantee of sustenance once you venture beyond the port cities, and even in port, storehouses and merchants may be low on supplies or refuse to trade with foreigners.”
Northumberland nodded slowly. He didn’t dismiss this advice but he was hardly writing any of it down.
Fine, she thought.Flick your coin and pay me no mind.
“A third thing,” she recited, “is that Icelandic ‘society’ is comprised of ruling families who operate lowland farms. They control the country in an uneasy alliance with politicians in Denmark. If you wish for something to happen in Iceland, you’ll want the backing of at least a few of these families. Iceland is like England in this. The landed families are in charge.”
Another nod, almost as if he was a professor and she was his pupil. Annoyance began to burn the back of her shoulders, and she was compelled, suddenly, to tell him something he would absolutelynotknow. Something that would wipe the indulgent expression from his face.
“Ah... you mentionedpirates?” she ventured. This had been the very last item on her list, a detail she’d not intended to mention.
“There is only one pirate band with whichI’mfamiliar,” she mused casually, “and they conceal their ships in the ice caves of Vatnajökull, a glacier field to theeast. So if your plan is to sail to Reykjavík and take them by surprise, you’ll be on the wrong side of the island.”
She said it calmly, the way she’d said the North Sea was stormy in winter. But she raised her eyebrows when she’d finished—There, I’ve said it—and cocked her head.What have you to say to this?
The duke had gone still and now blinked rapidly, a man with a bug in his eye. The coin fell to the ground.
That’s more like it, she thought.
Then she remembered it was not her purpose to astound or impress the duke; she’d come to be forgettable and disposable.
“How many things was that?” she asked lightly.
“Four,” he said.
“Right. Well, the only other thing I can think of is a sort of attitudinal quality you may encounter among the people there. They can be distrustful of outsiders. I’m not sure what manner of diplomacy you plan to employ, but they do not enjoy ‘collaboration’ with foreigners, even allies who come in peace. So, prepare yourself for incalcitrant locals at best, hostility at worst.”
And that was it. Five things.
Isobel took a deep breath. She patted both knees with her hands, a gesture ofMy work here is done.She tightened her gloves.
“That is five,” he stated.
“Yes, that’s five.”
By design, she’d gone soft on the fifth thing. Really, what more was there to say? Telling him about Iceland’s naturally heated pools, the lava flows, or the aurora borealis was a waste of time. These could be gleaned from any geography book and ultimately made no difference to pirate rescue or diplomacy. He didn’t need to know the magical parts of Iceland. She was not selling him a holiday. She’d only met him to reveal a few things and make him go away.
“And now my questions,” he said.
“Which I may answer or may not answer.”
“Right,” he said, “but that I hope youwillanswer.”
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees—the pose of a man conspiring with a trusted confidant.
We are not conspiring nor confidants, she reminded in her head.
“The pirates...” Northumberland said, refocusing her attention. “Are you saying that youknowthese pirates?”
“Ah...” said Isobel, immediately recognizing her mistake. Too much—she’d said too much. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’ve made no secret of my purpose, Miss Tinker. From the beginning, I’ve said that I’ve been charged with rescuing Englishmen frompirates—my own cousin is among their group. And now you’re suggesting that you actuallyknowthem?”
