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Morland’s lips thinned into a grim line “Did Pembourne send you?”

“No,” she countered, intentionally aest rising hysteria—although, God help her, she didn’t have tooto do “I came on my own I’m the woman Armon passed off as Aurora Huntley so he could steal that wretched stone” Courtney ainst her ribs she could scarcely breathe “There’s no point in denying it Armon himself told loated tothe stone with you, that he meant to sell it and flee the country He called you a stupid old fool”

Morland’s expression reed,” he assessed cal with Penabout a pirate I supposedly paid to extort the black diamond from the Huntleys Now that I reflect upon it, he bellowed sohter of a murdered sea captain at Pembourne You, doubtless, are that ho with your amateur theatrics and tell you precisely what I told your cohort, or your keeper, or whatever role Pembourne has assumed in your life I never e to wrest the jeay from the Huntleys in order to restore it to its proper owner, I commend the man And if escape is what he seeks, I certainly ho

pe he finds it”

“He’s dead,” Courtney spat “But you know that After all, you killed him”

A stony silence Then: “I killed no one”

“Liar,” Courtney accused, her voice shaking as she delivered her final blow “You killed o, you killed the Earl and Countess of Pembourne”

That got a reaction Morland turned three shades of red, his eyes ablaze with hatred, his fists clenching violently at his sides

At that moment, he looked every bit the murderer

“What did you say?” he ground out through clenched teeth

“I know everything,” Courtney blurted,her distance to the entranceway door Lord, she hoped Aurora was standing vigil “I found Armon’s journal Your entire plan to blackmail Lord Pe your na Morland’s escalating rage, she sought the courage to continue She pictured her father’s face, the anguish in Slayde’s eyes, thereby finding the incentive she needed “The moment I read that journal, I vowed to make you pay for Papa’s death So I delved into your activities, your past, your family—and I found precisely what I needed, with little effort, I h an investigation Else they, too, would have found the irrefutable evidence I did”

“What irrefutable evidence?” Morland thundered

“Proof that you and your father cold-bloodedly murdered the late Earl and Countess of Pembourne” Courtney took two subtle backward steps toward the door, her pal it My proof is as conclusive as if you’d been caught standing over the bodies, sword in hand” She retreated until her fingers closed around the door handle “Here’s my ultimatum, Your Grace,”—she spat out the formal address—“either you publicly admit that you paid Ar a thief and an indirect acco, or I’ll provide Bow Street with every shred of evidence I have At which point, you’ll be arrested and hung for murder”

Morland made a harsh sound deep in his throat, then took two steps in her direction

It was h