Page 27 of Lord of Deception

Chapter Twenty-One

Alys’ mouth went dry. Suddenly, she wished she had a goblet of wine to hand. Several goblets.

“A spy? But you said you were banished from court and being punished. You said naught about spying.”

“I know, my dove. I regret not being able to tell you before. Nay, do not pull away from me. Be angered if you will, but don’t cast me off. We must work together, else both of us may be damned.”

This did not sound promising. And, once again, Kit had deceived her. Where would it all end?

He interrupted her gloomy thoughts. “Have you heard of Sir Francis Walsingham?”

What did Walsingham have to do with anything? “Aye. He ranks highly in the queen’s esteem, does he not?” Ah, of course. He was Elizabeth’s spymaster, his main aim being to ensure the stability of her reign. A finger of dread ran down Alys’ spine as she realized the significance of Kit’s confession.

“He is a personal friend of mine,” Kit continued. “To whom I owe a debt of honor. The queen required me to repay him by becoming a spy until she felt I’d done my penance for that unfortunate entanglement with a lady of which I spoke before. Now, you must not reveal anything I’m about to tell you.”

“Who do you think I would tell?”

“Your cousin. Sir Thomas Kirlham, Richard Avery.”

As if she would confide in any one of them. “The first two care nothing for me—the latter I barely know as yet.”

“There are ways in which they can press you. That’s why I have been so loath to reveal myself before now. They are my enemies, Alys. They are also enemies of the queen, the state and everyone in the land who upholds the English church and the rule of the Tudor monarchy.”

“How can you be sure?” How could such things have been happening at Selwood, and she not know about them? Underground tunnels, plots against the queen, secret visits by Spanish Catholics?

“I can find no other explanation for what I’ve observed.”

Kit’s uncompromising words made her shiver, but he immediately pulled her to him, so her head rested against the unshaven roughness of his chin. He stared out across the darkening water, his fingers lightly stroking her shoulder. “This is not going to be easy for you, but I expect you to be brave.”

“I’ll try.”

“Do you know of Mary of Scotland?”

She nodded. Queen Elizabeth’s cousin was a perpetual thorn in the monarch’s side. “Then you may know also that Walsingham has untangled a web of intrigue surrounding her. There have been plots uncovered, plots to destroy Elizabeth and set her cousin on the throne, thus making this a Catholic country once again. The Scots have long favored the French, and the King of Spain is no friend to England.”

Yes, she’d heard about the plots. But not a whisper of anything so close to home. “Kirlham may be guilty of conspiracy, but no firm evidence has yet been found to condemn him. He has been seen paying pageboys to deliver messages to someone at court—numerous messages, but no one has yet been able to intercept them, or discover for whom they are intended. Some have speculated he is writing poetry for a forbidden lover—but you’ve seen what manner of man he is. Can you imagine it?”

She shook her head. Kirlham was the least romantic man she’d ever met.

“Has no one asked him what they are?”

“Nay. If he is part of a plot to topple Elizabeth, there’ll be others involved. Only by subtlety will every single one be caught, and only then will Bess’ throne be safe. Walsingham hopes that if the fellow’s given enough rope, he’ll eventually hang himself. I think I’m on the verge of discovering exactly what the game is, which is why I’ve returned to Selwood. All I need is the means to flush the plotters out.”

She raised a hand to silence him. “But what of Avery, what of Kate? What makes you think they are part of this intrigue?”

“I overheard a conversation ’twixt Kirlham and Avery, referring to their joint ‘cause’. They had been spying on you, and they spoke of Kate’s deceitful behavior—she would have us think her far less cunning than she is. All must be duly punished—I hope you can bear that, dear heart. I know you dislike your cousin, but you’re not vindictive. If you aid me, a grateful Queen Bess will ensure you are rewarded with the manor of Selwood.”

A steely cold seeped through Alys’ body. She backed out of Kit’s embrace and stood up, glaring down at him. This man had fooled her—he’d fooled all of them. And now he wanted to destroy everything, tear apart the only family she had.

“In truth, I am not fond of Kate, but neither am I fond of dissemblers like you. By making me keep your secret, you’ve gulled me into betraying my own people. That was an unkind thing to do, Kit. You should have told me long before this moment about your mission.”

He got to his feet as well and took her by the shoulders. “Alys, I’m sorry. You must understand I knew not whom to trust. My life would be at stake if I made a single wrong move. Please, join with me to bring the traitors down—don’t run the risk of being found guilty by association. I swear to fight for you with every last ounce of my strength, but if I fail, you could end up in the Tower with the rest of them, awaiting the royal pleasure. What good will Selwood do you then?”

How could she bear to inherit a house stained with blood and betrayal? “I don’t care about getting Selwood—my conscience, my soul, mean more to me than mere bricks and mortar. I don’t want to be a Judas, condemning my nearest kin for gain.”

“Forgive me. I worded that badly. But surely your conscience requires you to abide by the law, both lay and religious? Your cousin and her friends are doing quite the opposite. And they care not one whit for you.”

“That doesn’t mean I want them dead!” She was overwhelmed now, as his disclosure—and all its horrifying ramifications—sank in. She turned away, but he caught at her elbow.

“Where are you going? What will you do?”

“Oh, be not afeared I’ll give you away.” She wrenched out of his grip. “I’m not that unchristian. I only ask that you do whatever you have to without my help. Nay, I ask for more than that. Leave Selwood now. We go to Norfolk next week—send one of Walsingham’s henchmen to spy on us there if you must. If proof of their guilt is found, I will take my chances. I know my own soul to be clean, and if there is any justice in Heaven, I’ll be found innocent of collusion. Then I’ll at least have the satisfaction of knowing I never betrayed what little family I have left.”

As if to echo her mood, a low growl of thunder sounded off in the distance. She looked up to see the sky had become ominously dark. Moments later, the first fat drops of rain splashed down on her shoulders. Soon, the surface of the old pond fizzed under the onslaught of raindrops.

Kit stood before her, a shadowy figure in the gloom, hands held out in supplication. “Alys, please don’t go. Not like this.”

If she didn’t go now, she’d be soaked to the skin. There was no more to say anyway. She could barely think straight, confused, betrayed by this impostor.

Had his loving tenderness towards her been false as well?

“I don’t want to set eyes on you ever again, Kit Ludlow, do you hear me?”

She picked up her skirts and ran back along the path, heading for the house as fast as she could, praying he’d not follow her.

Hot tears mingled with the runnels of rain on her cheeks.

So this was what it felt like to have a broken heart.