Brenna froze. For just a moment she had forgotten that the guards were not there to protect her, but to keep her from escaping. And Morgan Grey was not worried about her safety; merely about the way it would look if she disappeared while his soldiers were supposed to be guarding her.
"Could it be that you think the lady is your own personal property?"
Windham saw the way Morgan's eyes darkened and realized that he had hit a nerve. He gave a shrill, nervous laugh.
"So. That is it. You think you are the only one allowed to dally with the prisoner." His voice lifted in agitation.
"Have you already decided how to spend the lady's dowry, and how to cut up her lands to your satisfaction?"
At his words Morgan felt a wave of fury.
"That is not even worthy of a reply. I care not what you think.
Windham." Morgan's voice was low;
his words deliberate.
"Be warned. The lady is off limits to all but the man who petitions the queen for her hand."
Windham's words were slurred.
"Perhaps that is what the lady and I were discussing." He pushed past the guards and stormed away without another word.
Brenna was left alone to face the furious, accusing look on Morgan's face.
Chapter Ten
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You will take my arm, my lady. "
"You do not care to hear what happened?" Her heartbeat was still racing. Her voice trembled. Despite his cold demeanor, she had experienced waves of relief at her rescue from this frightful scene.
Though she had always dealt with her own problems in her own way, she had an unreasonable yearning to cling to him and weep over her embarrassing ordeal.
"Nay. It is finished."
Finished? She studied his shuttered expression, his stiff stance.
"Can it be that you believe that I came here willingly with that evil man?" "You made it abundantly clear that you would do anything to escape me. But if you saw Windham as an ally, you made a poor choice.
Now we will speak of it no more, my lady. But be warned that I will not tolerate such foolishness again."
Brenna glanced at the guards. They stared straight ahead, awaiting orders from their leader.
With a sigh of resignation, she placed her hand on Morgan's sleeve and walked by his side. There was no point in attempting to defend herself. This man was having none of it.
On the dance floor the queen was going through a series of intricate dance steps in the arms of the Duke of Eton. A crowd ringed the room, clapping their hands. As Morgan and Brenna approached, Madeline turned to greet them.
She took one look at Brenna's flushed cheeks and Morgan's unreadable expression and gave a little laugh.
"Mon dieu. You two have been naughty, slipping away like that. Could you not at least wait until the evening is over?"
Morgan's eyes narrowed.
Madeline turned toward the dancers.
"Is Charles not the best dancer in England?"
For a moment her question was met with only silence. Then, to cover the awkward moment, Brenna cleared her throat.
"Aye. He cuts a fine figure with the queen."
Madeline heard the slight tremor in her voice and touched a hand to her cheek.
"You are overwrought, cherie. It is this rogue, Morgan Grey, is it not?"
Feeling the prickle of tears, Brenna shook her head and blinked quickly.
Madeline's concerned look quickly turned to one of understanding.
"Ah.
I see. You are weary then, cherie. "
Brenna nodded, afraid to trust her voice. She had a desperate need to flee this room, these people.
"A pity. For no one can leave until the queen does."
Brenna groaned inwardly and tightened her grip on Morgan's sleeve. If he noticed her discomfort, he gave no indication. He continued to stare at the dancers as though she didn't exist.
In his mind's eye he could still see Brenna locked in Windham's embrace. The little fool. Did she not sense the danger in playing with a man like Windham? He was no better than an animal, deflowering maidens for his selfish pleasure, then leaving them to deal with bruised hearts and sometimes, if the rumors be true, battered bodies.
If she was so desperate to escape that she would even choose Windham for her champion, Morgan would have to save her from her own folly.
The music ended. The queen and the Duke of Eton acknowledged the applause. The duke returned Elizabeth to the arm of her escort. Then the crowd parted as the queen and Lord Windham bid good-night to their guests and headed for the door. There, the queen made a great show of bidding good-night to Lord Windham. When he had dutifully kissed her hand, she clapped for her servants.
Immediately a flock of serving girls and the queen's ladies circled Elizabeth. With a flurry of women's high-pitched voices, the queen and her retinue headed for the royal quarters.
Windham, drunk not only from the amount of ale he'd consumed, but from the attention paid him by the queen, strutted around the room accepting the congratulations of his friends.
The musicians began to play. Many in the crowded room returned to the dance floor, while others followed the queen's example and bid goodnight.
"Now you can rest, cherie." Madeline turned from Brenna and linked hands with her husband as soon as he approached.
He drew her close.
"Will we stay with the revelers, my dear, or would you prefer to return to our quarters?"
"I think I could dance until the morning light."