Sure enough, a red-faced Aunt Eliza was revealed. She screeched out a string of extremely rude words as she wriggled and thrashed. Although Aunt Eliza might not have been as weak as she pretended, she couldn’t break Hannah’s grip.
“So that is the Purveyor,” Hannah’s father said, his tone practically nonchalant. But then again, he’d served under afemale pirate captain, and more importantly, he’d never met Eoin’s aunt.
Aunt Eliza. The idea of her as the Purveyor still boggled. Yet as the initial shock began to dissipate, Eoin methodically reexamined the facts. Her exaggerated histrionics would have obscured the normal visual clues that he gathered about people, and her theatrics had typically made him glance quickly away. He’d foolishly dismissed her, believing that there was nothing to observe.
Aunt Eliza was the one who was always reading the paper. Gossip. She adored it. And evidently, she’d parlayed it into a profession—a treasonous but lucrative vocation, nonetheless.
“I do not know what you are talking about!” Aunt Eliza cried. “What is this about a purveyor? I was abducted by that man over there! He claims he is my half brother, and he wants revenge on my family! Please unhand me! My nerves can no longer tolerate this! Oh dear, I am feeling so very faint!”
Upon her last exclamation, Aunt Eliza simply collapsed against Hannah. However, Hannah was not so easily fooled, and she kept her arms tightly banded about the older woman.
“Oh, stop feigning to be a silly goose!” Hannah harrumphed. “We know you aren’t the flibbertigibbet that you pretend to be.”
Aunt Eliza only moaned weakly, her head lolling against Hannah’s shoulder. This time, Eoin did not immediately look away, but he studied her closely. She was an impeccable actress. Even her skin had turned as white as early morning mist. But considering that her entire illegal business was about to be exposed, it was no wonder that her already pale cheeks had lost even more color.
“I didn’t take her captive!” The Hugh look-alike crossed his arms over his barrel-like chest. “She is…”
Eoin’s potential half uncle suddenly went silent. Eoin glanced back at his aunt and found her glaring at her underling. She’d cleverly angled her head, so that Hannah’s elbow was shielding her face from everyone except her accomplice. But Eoin was just at the proper angle to catch a glimpse of her glower.
Eoin stepped between his aunt and the fellow. Pointing his chin toward the desk and then the chests in the room, he addressed his friends. “I believe we’ll find more proof of the Purveyor’s schemes in there.”
“I smell smoke!” Aunt Eliza cried out as she now flopped her head against Hannah’s arm. “It is a fire! We’re all doomed.”
“You may be,” Hannah informed Eliza blithely, “but the rest of us will be just fine.”
Everyone from the Black Sheep swarmed to the desk and the chests. The other hooded females shrank against the wall. It was clear that they were not going to defend Eliza. Eoin’s long-lost uncle nervously watched the proceedings.
“The authorities will likely believe you were in charge.” Eoin advanced on the man.
“We’re all going to die, Paul!” Eliza shrieked again as she lifted her head to gaze straight at her minion.
“It is clear that my aunt has artfully arranged matters to make you the scapegoat for her crimes. If she has indeed been engaged in treason, the sovereign will easily believe her manipulations. But if you are honest, we may be able to persuade King George otherwise.” Eoin made certain not to appear either too threatening or too cajoling.
Paul rubbed his hands against his breeches as he glanced warily between Eoin and Eliza. The flickering firelight reflected in the sweat beading upon the man’s forehead, casting him inan almost shimmering glow. Paul’s tongue flicked out as he licked his lips.
Yes, the man was about to crack—and Eoin wanted him to break in his direction. “Why do think Aunt Eliza chose you? It is clear that she wanted you to be mistaken for Uncle Hugh or Uncle Francis, but if you believe they will be found guilty over you, you are sorely mistaken. They will fight the accusations and will win simply due to their noble status.”
Paul’s whole body jerked. “But they know everything!”
“The gin!” Hannah cried out. “Eliza must have been bribing them with gin and money!”
“It now makes sense how they could afford clothing that my grandfather hadn’t financed,” Eoin said before he turned his attention back to Paul. “But even if it can be proved that they accepted bribes, that does not make them the masterminds. And the king will punish the leader the most.”
“The king! Why would King George bother himself about a handful of nobs paying a few pence for their indiscretions?” Paul worked at his neckerchief, his blue eyes flicking anxiously to Eliza as if he expected some explanation or perhaps a savior. He received neither.
“Do not try to fool us,” Eoin said. “We know the Purveyor has been selling secrets to the French.”
“How? How do you know that?” Paul swung so fast in Eliza’s direction that his perspiration flung into the air, winking in the firelight.
“Here is one of the log entries.” Sophia walked over to them, jabbing her finger at the account book. It was still in code, but Sophia must have been gambling on the fact that Paul wouldn’t know the difference.
“I—I cannot read.”
“An excuse that will not save you, I am afraid.” Eoin kept his tone steady as his calm delivery seemed only to make Paul unravel more. “But I am literate, and I can assure you that there are plenty of records that will damn the Purveyor. Now, I ask again. Is this your study or is it the clandestine office of another?”
“It’s La—”
“No.” The single word from Eliza was not a shriek or even remotely a scream. Despite the loudness of her exclamation, it was almost tranquil, especially in contrast to her normal hectic shouts.
