Free Emily Baker by Luck Of The Devil

take that ta mean yer intentions is honorable, sir. ’Cause the woman I’m thinking ye seek is a regular angel and I’d hate ta be the cause of any worry fer her.”
    “I mean the lady no harm.” The leather merchant’s caution surprised Garrett more because he recognized the urge to protect Maura Fitzgerald. Despite the suspicions her activities aroused, there was a part of him that felt willing to do almost anything to keep the light of laughter in the depths of her eyes and the smile on her lips.
    “Well now, that would most likely be Mrs. Eagan, proprietress of Eagan’s Drapers.” The man nodded toward the street. “Three doors down on Hawkins Street. Next ta the wine shop. She was a tad early this morning, but she comes by hackney near every day.”
    “Eagan? A draper’s?” What use would Maura Fitzgerald have for a calming potion at a draper’s? From the elegant charm of her home’s reception room, she did not appear to have the sort of taste that would send a fabric and household goods merchant into fits.
    So the woman Greer described was almost certainly not the woman he sought after all. Had Maura Fitzgerald changed her mind regarding her destination or had she been aware she was being watched and deliberately misled any observer. A hysterical girl, customers and evasion. Could her behavior be any more suspicious?
    “You’re sure the name is Eagan?” he asked.
    “Aye. Came here from Meath after her husband’s death and opened a shop and apprentice program.” Now that he’d decided to trust Garrett, Seamus’s cousin proved a fountain of information. “Keeps a real neat shop and even gave my wife a nice discount on some table linens last winter on account of us being practically neighbors.”
    The widow Eagan could not possibly be Maura Fitzgerald. Still Mrs. Eagan’s former home in County Meath begged further consideration given a slender connection to the missing Jane Fuller. Garrett worked to keep his concern from showing on his face as he thanked Greer and sauntered casually toward Hawkins Street.
    He passed a whitewashed storefront with a simple, carved, wooden sign proclaiming it as Eagan’s Drapers. On one side was a bakery, and beyond was a wine merchant. If he could have thought of a single reason to go inside and confront the owner of the drapery, he would have done so.
    He most certainly would look out of place in a drapers, especially still dressed in his evening wear. He might have pulled off a coincidental meeting in a saddle shop, but however would he explain his presence in a draper’s?
    On the off chance that Mrs. Eagan was not another name for Mrs. Fitzgerald, he would wait until he had a chance to confirm or refute his suspicions. Or find out what kind of game she was playing. But in the grand scheme of things he had to place time and manpower on priorities and deviling as she might be. Maura Fitzgerald was not yet one, even with her connection to Stanhope.
    He rubbed his chin. It was well past time he returned to his lodgings to bathe and dress for the day ahead. He hoped there’d be some word from Sean regarding his search for Jane Fuller and Daniel on the late-night exploits he’d shared last night after leaving the card party. Following their meeting at The Brazen Head, he’d set Seamus to scouting out Eagan’s under cover of his cousin’s shop and try to figure out how best to extricate Stanhope from his mistress’s grip without completely stripping the lad of his manhood.
     
     
    “Here ye go, Mrs. Eagan. A nice cuppa tea will help put ye ta rights.”
    Mrs. Polhaven bustled into Maura’s office carrying a steaming kettle in one hand and a dainty blue cup and saucer in the other. Her gray-sprinkled curls bounced below her lace-trimmed hat, and a broad grin creased plump cheeks even as a pair of discerning blue eyes fixed on her employer.
    Maura smiled in return as she pushed back from the long oak table that served as her desk. She wasn’t getting much of