Crouch rubbed the side of his nose with his hook. “It’s not much news I ’ave to tell ye, m’lady. I sent the boys after the truth about Lord Carlisle—’im that’s callin’ ’imself Lord Carlisle—and so far they’ve only verified that ’e did come in on the Mary Rose, as ’e said.”

Charlotte frowned. “That’s all you’ve been able to find out in a month? That the Pretender was on a ship?”

“It’s not easy trackin’ down a crew that’s been given a three-week leave, m’lady. I ’ad to send Thomas and Charles into the country to talk to the boatswain, and ’ire a couple of Runners to hunt down the other crew. I talked to the captain meself, but all ’e’d tell me was that McGregor joined ’is crew in Shanghai, tellin’ some story about being kidnapped and left there, and that while ’e was obviously a gent, ’e knew ’is way around a ship all right and tight.”

“That tells me nothing other than part of his fable—about having worked on merchant ships—is correct. It gives me no proof whatsoever as to his false claim against Alasdair’s title. That is what I expect you to provide, Crouch!”

“I’m investigatin’ the gent as best I can, Lady Charlotte. ’E’s not been forthcomin’ about showin’ me proof of ’is ancestry—’e says ’e gave that to ’is solicitor and I ’ad no right askin’ to see it.”

“Ha! A convenient excuse, I call that.” Charlotte tapped her fingers on the small table near her as she worried over what to do next. “I’m very disappointed in your investigation, Crouch, I don’t mind telling you that. Very disappointed. I had counted on you to clear the matter up before his lordship regained his health, and now here it is four weeks later and what do I have to tell my husband but that his faux cousin apparently had served on a ship from England to China and back. I need not point out that many men have done such, and none of them are claiming to be Dare’s missing cousin.”

“No m’lady,” Crouch said with humility that was only slightly ruined by the twitching of the scar that ran down one cheek to the edge of his mouth. “’Is lordship’s solicitor ’asn’t any word?”

Her finger tapping began to take on a drumming quality. She frowned all sorts of wrinkle-inducing frowns whenever she thought of what Dare’s less-than-useless legal representatives had said in their latest missive. “Nothing I wish to hear. He says the Pretender has proof of his claim, but he has yet to verify the details. Verify!” Charlotte snorted the last word as she snatched up one of Gillian’s fans and fanned herself with vigor. “His solicitor isn’t even trying to disprove the Pretender’s claim; he’s too busy trying to verify it. That’s why I hired you, Crouch. To do what the solicitors wouldn’t!”

“And I told ye I’d only take on the job if I was to find the truth, not fit the facts to suit ye.”