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The blow sent the man crashing backward over his chair, blood streaming from his nose as he hit the floor hard.

Leila couldn’t help but feel immense satisfaction at that.

St. John hauled him upright, securing his restraints once more.

“Now then,” St. John said pleasantly, pulling up another chair to sit facing their captive. “Let’s have a conversation about your recent activities, shall we?”

“What activities, St. John? Are you out of your mind?”

“We know who you are,” Payne said gruffly. “I know you were behind my abduction.”

The Cardinal let out an easy laugh. “Is this a jest? I thought once out of Oxford, these kinds of pranks went out of style.”

“No need to play coy, Townsend,” Gideon said. “We’ve discovered the documents linking you to the Brotherhood. More importantly, this woman here identifies you as their leader, the Cardinal.”

The Cardinal looked at her with an empty gaze and frowned, as if not recognizing her. “I have not seen this woman in my entire life. Besides, Payne, I wasn’t in London when you were abducted. I didn’t even want to come back. I thought we had established that. I only wanted to help. And I did help. I helped you raise your estates from the ashes, did I not?”

“You used them to elevate your dirty business.”

“You are mad,” the Cardinal spat.

They continued asking questions, pressing for answers, but all he did was deflect and deny.

This man whom Leila had called the Cardinal was rather convincing. She understood how he had managed to fool everyone for so long. He looked completely baffled, and for a moment, even Leila was convinced they had the wrong man. Perhaps he had an identical twin?

But that wasn’t it. The man before her, who pretended innocence, had recognized her just moments ago.

Yet he maintained his denial throughout the interrogation, pleading to be let go.

After a few minutes of fruitless questioning, Leila couldn’t take it anymore. “Where’s Emir?” she asked sharply.

He looked at her with a forlorn gaze. “I have no idea who Emir is. You’ve got the wrong man.”

Frustrated, Leila stormed out of the room.

Gideon followed closely behind.

“We’re wasting our time here,” Leila said.

“Perhaps he needs a little more persuasion.” Leila understood he meant something more insidious than that, but she didn’t care.

“Then you can do that. I will be looking for my brother in the meantime.”

She strode toward the stairs, determined to turn the cellar upside down in her search for her little brother. Gideon fell into step with her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, glancing at his determined profile.

“Helping you look for your brother.”

“What about questioning the Cardinal? Persuading him to tell you everything?”

He shrugged. “I have absolute faith in St. John. Besides, perhaps he will be more open with his cousin without us in the room.”

“I thought your priority was to end the Brotherhood and uncover the truth about their ugly organization.”

He nodded slowly. “It is, but right now, my priority is to help you find your brother.”

Leila squeezed his hand, her heart swelling with gratitude.