Elizabeth fussed as Kate laid her back down on the bed and began pulling on her clothes. She had to be downstairs before the authorities arrived. There must be something she could do, something she could say to keep Elizabeth from growing up without a father.
She dressed in record time then hurried down the sweeping staircase with Elizabeth clutched to her chest, terrified of what she might find. The servants were milling around outside the library door and talking in excited whispers, but when they saw her they quieted.
“What happened?” Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat, determined not to let on that she already knew. “I thought I heard a gunshot.”
“There was a gunshot, Lady Kathryn. It came from the library.” The butler, Jenkins, stepped forward, his solemn face more animated than she’d ever seen it. “We’re not sure what happened. Lionel is in there now talking with the earl’s sons.”
Sons? Had Daniel been involved? She pushed through the crowd, stopping only to hand Elizabeth to her nurse. Perhaps, if only Lionel knew what had happened, there was still something that could be done.
The butler tried to block her way. “I don’t think you should go in there, milady.”
Kate gave the man her most scathing glare. “Kindly step aside, sir. I am the lady of this house, and I intend to find out exactly what happened.”
The butler looked as though he’d like to argue with her some more, but he let her pass. Head held high, Kate stepped past him and tried the library door.
It was locked.
Heat rising in her cheeks and intensely aware of her audience, Kate rapped on the closed oak panel. There was silence for a long moment, and then the door opened.
Lionel, the huge, gruff footman who accompanied her father-in-law everywhere he went, stood in the opening, blocking her view of the room beyond. The angry look in his eyes gentled when he saw her. “I’m sorry, milady. There’s been a horrible crime committed here tonight. You’ll have to wait out here with the others until the constable comes.”
“Let her in, Lionel.”
Kate had never been so glad to hear Daniel’s voice. She slipped past the giant footman, only to come to an abrupt halt when she saw Sutcliffe lying on the library floor in a pool of blood.
She lifted her hand to her throat, closing her eyes in an effort to block out the terrible sight.He’d done it. Talon had chosen vengeance over love. Her heart shattered at this final, irrefutable proof that he’d never loved her.
“Kate?” Talon’s voice was soft and low, and she realized he’d come up behind her.
She whirled to face him, all dignity and restraint gone. “Was it worth it? Was killing this man worth losing me and your daughter?”
Pain sparked in the depths of his eyes. “I know I hurt you tonight. I know you’re angry, but please, let me explain.”
“Explain what?” She turned her back, unable to look at him for another minute, unable to listen to him rationalize yet another terrible betrayal. “There’s nothing left to say. You made your decision.”
“It’s not what you think, Kate.” Daniel took her arm and drew her to a chair. “Talon didn’t kill him. I did.”
Kate sat down, staring at her husband in shock. “You, Daniel?” Her gaze flicked to Talon, who said nothing, just stared at her with those blue, blue eyes.
Daniel nodded and sank back on his heels. There was grief on his face, but also a strength and steadiness she’d never seen there before. “Yes. I did this.”
Lionel cleared his throat. “Are you sure you should be telling her this, sir?”
Daniel made a dismissive gesture. “I trust her more than I trust myself.”
Talon stepped forward, placing his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “I was going to do it. I wasn’t thinking straight. All I wanted was revenge.”
“That’s not true,” Daniel said. “He wouldn’t have done it. He had too much to lose, and all three of us knew it. I told Father you and I were going to get an annulment, that you and Talon had my blessing to marry. The old bastard started to lose it. But instead of admitting defeat, he kept on. He started taunting me...”
Kate shuddered, wondering what Sutcliffe had said to drive a gentle man like Daniel to murder, but she realized she was better off not knowing.
“Oh, Daniel. What will become of you?” She couldn’t imagine Daniel in prison, let alone sentenced to death.
“Nothing will happen to the lad, Lady Kathryn.” There was a faint challenge in Lionel’s voice. “We’ve decided to claim Lord Sutcliffe was killed by a prowler.”
She let her gaze drift over the face of each of the three men in the room and realized they had things well in hand. As usual, her presence wasn’t required at all.
Talon took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Why don’t you take the baby and go back upstairs? The constable will be here shortly, and there’s no reason for you to have to endure all their questions. Daniel and I will take care of everything.”
She stared into his eyes, trying to see beyond his quiet words, wondering where on earth this strange turn of events had left them. Questions trembled on the edge of her tongue, but she held them back. She’d already said everything she had to say. The next move was up to him.
“All right,” she whispered, turning her face away from her father- in-law’s bloody corpse.
“I’ll come up after everything is settled,” he promised her, squeezing her hand gently before releasing it. “We still have a lot to talk about.”
Hope soared anew, but she schooled her face, nodding as though she could care less, determined not to let her emotions show. He’d already broken her heart once tonight, and she wouldn’t allow him to do so again.
Before she left, she hugged Daniel, pressing her lips to his cheek. “Everything will be all right,” she told him. “This is a beginning, not an end.”
