Laura had to keep Cilla talking. “Why?”
“She cheated on me with a man.”
“Let me go, Cilla. We can talk about this.”
Cilla merely tugged harder and dragged Laura off her feet. They moved beneath the loggia. With the sharp edge of the knife nudging her throat, Laura was afraid to fight her. “It was you in Amanda’s bedchamber,” she gasped. “Dressed as a man.”
“Amanda often invited me to her room in the early days. She gave me a key and showed me the secret passage. I wore a man’s clothes then too. Amanda thought it was amusing.”
“Where is the secret passage?”
“Has Nathaniel not shown you?” She clucked her tongue. “It lies behind the large tapestry in the upper corridor near your bedchamber. Steps lead down to one of the storerooms near the sea door. When Nathaniel was away, I slipped inside often. I couldn’t stay away even after all her things were gone.”
“Those coral beads were hers.”
“She owed me.” Cilla pushed Laura along the path toward the cliff edge. “I doubted anyone would notice a small thing of little value. But you’re smart, Laura. Too smart for your own good.”
“You wanted something to remember Amanda by. Once she was dead, you had nothing.”
Cilla growled like a wounded animal. “Shut up.”
“You tried to drown me.”
“I didn’t plan to kill you,” Cilla said, her matter-of-fact tone oddly pitiless. “But you saw me in Amanda’s bedchamber.”
“It was dark. I didn’t know it was you.”
“No. When no one came to accuse me after you turned up safe and sound, I knew I was in the clear. You fool! I was going away. I wouldn’t have tried to hurt you again. But now I must.” She dug the knife in, and a sharp pain stung Laura’s throat. Warm blood trickled down her neck beneath her collar. “Howdidyou survive the sea? You told me you couldn’t swim. I was amazed.”
Laura swallowed. “The tide washed me onto the causeway.”
“The tide won’t help you this time.”
“Cilla!” Laura cried. “You won’t get away with it. Nathaniel knows I’m here.”
“I’ll tell him it was an accident. Why would he suspect me? We are friends, and I have a perfect reason to leave Wolfram. I’ll be gone in a matter of days.”
The sheer drop was only a few feet away. It was now or never. The prick of the knife had brought Laura to life. Cilla would not be dissuaded. She was intent on carrying out her awful threat. At the prospect of a grim death like Amanda’s, Laura’s determination to stay alive hammered at her. She wanted her baby. She wanted her life with Nathaniel. What would become of him if he lost her too? She gathered the last of her strength and shoved away from Cilla. The effort brought Laura to her knees. Cilla bent over her and struggled to regain her grip.
“Orsino! Sebastian!” Laurayelled.
The dogs bounded around the corner of the cottage. Cilla laughed and shook her head. “Useless animals. Nathaniel chose them for their looks. As he chose his wives.”
Looming over Laura, she raised the bloody knife.
With a growl, Sebastian ran at Cilla. The dog leapt up and struck her on the chest. Cilla went reeling. Sebastian showed his teeth, ready to springagain.
“Get away, you stupid animal.” Cilla slashed at the dog but missed. The knife flew out of her hand and soared through the air. She stepped back, all her concentration focused on catchingit.
Laura watched in horror as the grassy cliff edge gave way beneath Cilla’s feet. For one long moment, she teetered there, disbelief registering on her face, her hands grasping at air. Then with a shrill cry, she was gone.
“Oh my God,” Lauracried.
Sobbing, she touched the cut on her throat, her fingers coming away sticky. The dogs whined, unsettled by the smell of blood, and milled aroundher.
“Good dogs!”
Laura climbed shakily to her feet. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she edged as close as she dared. The white-crested waves pounded the base of the cliff and surged in a cloud of spray, eddying around the jagged rocks. She searched the deep green water for some sign of Cilla, but there was nothing. Worried that the dogs might get too close to the edge, she stumbled away, calling them to heel.
