"You have no money, Brenna."
"Aye." Her voice was unnaturally subdued.
"But Lord Windham said that unless the debt was paid by midnight, he would send Cordell to debtor's prison. I knew that would bring shame to his sisters. And so I agreed to allow Lord Windham to hold the jewels until Cordell could arrange to pay his debt." Her voice began to break, and she knew that the tears were starting. She quickly swallowed them back.
"Today, when Richard told me about your first marriage, I knew that I had to retrieve the jewels before you discovered what I had done. And so I came here to plead my case. Alas, it was what Lord Windham had expected."
"Let the lady go, Windham. This is between the two of us."
"If I let her go, you will run me through with your sword." Windham gave an evil smile.
"But unless you lay down your sword, I intend to run the lady through with this knife." He paused, seeing the fury in Morgan's eyes.
"Which shall it be?"
Without a word Morgan let his sword drop to the floor with a clatter.
"That is very wise. Grey. We would not want the lady to end up like the last one."
Morgan went very still. His eyes blazed.
"How would you know how Catherine died unless..." His tone hardened.
"It was you. God in heaven. All those years ago, it was you."
At the stunned expression on Morgan's face, Windham said, "She did not fight as well as the Lady Brenna. Perhaps it was the baby that slowed her down. Or perhaps she had already lost her will to live. At any rate, I realized she would be of no further use to me. And I feared you would persuade her to reveal my name."
Morgan's voice was barely more than a whisper.
"She took her secret to the grave. Why would you risk the truth now?"
"Because I have nothing to lose. You will never leave this room. My secret dies with you."
"There were so many beautiful women, Windham. Why did you choose Catherine?"
"Why did you? We were both young and eager to taste the nectar of all the flowers in the realm." His eyes narrowed.
"But you always seemed to have everything I wanted. The finest estate.
The most precious jewels. And then, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I could not let you win again. I vowed to have the woman, and to make you suffer."
"But you are a wealthy man. You did not need my gold or jewels. Why did you force her to steal?"
"She was a proud woman. The queen's own cousin. It pleased me to see her humbled like a beggar. And I knew how much it would shame you.
Aye. You are a sore that has festered upon my soul since we were lads.
Brenna saw the pain etched on Morgan's face, and heard it in his tone.
"Then the fight is between us." Morgan forced his tone to remain even.
If it took every ounce of his willpower, he would keep Windham from exploding and perhaps harming Brenna.
"Let the woman go. And I will face your wrath without a weapon."
"I intend to keep the woman." Windham's tone grew sharper.
"And as for you, you are no longer a threat to me. You are doomed."
"Why this elaborate plot, Windham? Why now?" Morgan studied the distance between them. Somehow he had to get to Windham and wrestle the knife from him before he could use it on Brenna. For now, he would keep him talking.
"If you wanted me dead, why have you gone to such trouble to bring me here? The deed could have just as easily been done at Greystone Abbey."
"I tried that. And came upon the lady in your bed. Besides, I needed you away from your home today."
Morgan tensed.
"Why?"
Windham gave another shrill laugh.
"I need you as far away from the queen as possible."
Morgan felt his blood freeze.
"What has this to do with the queen?"
"At this very minute Elizabeth is preparing herself for a hunt. But what she does not realize is that she will be the one hunted."
"Elizabeth will not go to the forest without me."
"She has already received a note from you telling her that you have been called away on urgent business, but that you want her to accompany me and the others."
So his instincts had been correct. Morgan felt a rush of self-loathing. Though he had known of the queen's peril, he had allowed his own troubles to blind him.
"You are the one who caused those mysterious accidents."
"Accidents. Aye. And each time I have been thwarted in my efforts.
But not this time. Today the gods smile upon me, Grey. Today the monarchy will be brought down by my hand." Windham chuckled, enjoying the feeling of importance.
"The queen is dead. Long live the king."
"Who has bought your loyalty, Windham?"
Never before had Windham dared to reveal his allegiance. But with success so close at hand, he was feeling expansive.
"Norfolk." He spoke the name like a deity.
"He is the queen's own cousin. Surely he would not give the order for her murder."