glaring truth.”
His dark cold eyes flickered with doubt. Then, he chuckled. She felt as if someone had rubbed icicles down her back.
“In that case, I will have to finish your butler off.”
“No! Not that.” She crouched in front of Stewart blocking the Don’s next shot.
She was sitting in a most unladylike position, and yet, she didn’t give a damn.
“I hate to disappoint you, Don Herrer, but you’ll simply have to shoot me first.”
“Such bravery from such a selfish looking woman. How astounding … and in
some ways rather refreshing. Your brother must have remembered me well, since you now know my name.”
“Somehow, I’m thinking you made quite the impression on my brother,” she
lowered her voice and put as much hatred into it as she could muster considering the circumstances. She really wished that Hart would get a move on fighting his way back to reclaiming possession of the house. She had all of these fighting men around her, and yet, why did she find herself staring down the barrel of a pistol?
“And he made quite the impact on me, when he killed my youngest brother. He HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 51
was seventeen … did your brother know that? He was no more than a boy, and your brother took him before he could live into manhood,” he snarled. Rage enveloped his features like a clap of thunder.
She shivered. She could feel the man’s seething hatred for Mallory. In fact, if Mallory had been present, she felt certain that Don Herrer would try to kill him with his bare hands.
“My brother would never kill someone so young without having just cause for it.
Your brother must have been shooting at my brother. I am quite certain that Mallory only acted in self-defense. Men act on instinct in times of war. He can’t be held responsible for his actions during that time.”
“Yes, you can keep on telling yourself that, Lady Gemma. But I’m still going to exact my revenge. I will not leave this estate without having the blood of His Grace’s cherished family on my hands.”
“Your brother was killed during wartime. And yet, you would come and kill us without any provocation? You are a butcher, and a madman. To come after his innocent family is revolting. You, sir, are a disgusting specimen of the human race.”
“I think I’m beginning to like you, Lady Gemma. Do not misconstrue my
affection for devotion. I will still take what I want from the Duke.”
“Not if I have anything to do about it,” she vowed, darting a quick look at Stewart. Smashed porcelain littered the marble floor beneath her, she hadn’t noticed it until now, but since Stewart had been shot, her awareness of her surroundings had intensified. Obviously, Don Herrer had been intent upon damaging as much of the Manor as he could. She looked up at the angel cherubs flanking the main stairwell.
Resting her eyes on the portrait of one of her ancestors, she inhaled deeply. Would she survive this night?
“You are a most unique female. I have only known one or two other women that would be able to bask in your glorious personality. You shine with radiance when you are in such a passionate state. I find myself intrigued by you. I am quite certain your hot-blooded temper could be well used by me in bed. You have such a passionate nature, I can only imagine how beguiling you would be when aroused.”
Dread slithered up and down her spine. She didn’t want Don Herrer putting one finger on her. She shuddered.
“Passionate? Well, if that’s what you want to call it. I, on the other hand, think I am only reacting with negative emotions. I despise you. You aren’t fit to look me in the eye.”
“You should be glad that I am being amused by your defiance, or you would be dead right now. I should like to take my revenge against Mallory by taking all that he treasures … but perhaps, I acted in error. Mallory didn’t take my wife from me, or my children, for I have no wife—and no children that I know of. To be
His dark cold eyes flickered with doubt. Then, he chuckled. She felt as if someone had rubbed icicles down her back.
“In that case, I will have to finish your butler off.”
“No! Not that.” She crouched in front of Stewart blocking the Don’s next shot.
She was sitting in a most unladylike position, and yet, she didn’t give a damn.
“I hate to disappoint you, Don Herrer, but you’ll simply have to shoot me first.”
“Such bravery from such a selfish looking woman. How astounding … and in
some ways rather refreshing. Your brother must have remembered me well, since you now know my name.”
“Somehow, I’m thinking you made quite the impression on my brother,” she
lowered her voice and put as much hatred into it as she could muster considering the circumstances. She really wished that Hart would get a move on fighting his way back to reclaiming possession of the house. She had all of these fighting men around her, and yet, why did she find herself staring down the barrel of a pistol?
“And he made quite the impact on me, when he killed my youngest brother. He HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 51
was seventeen … did your brother know that? He was no more than a boy, and your brother took him before he could live into manhood,” he snarled. Rage enveloped his features like a clap of thunder.
She shivered. She could feel the man’s seething hatred for Mallory. In fact, if Mallory had been present, she felt certain that Don Herrer would try to kill him with his bare hands.
“My brother would never kill someone so young without having just cause for it.
Your brother must have been shooting at my brother. I am quite certain that Mallory only acted in self-defense. Men act on instinct in times of war. He can’t be held responsible for his actions during that time.”
“Yes, you can keep on telling yourself that, Lady Gemma. But I’m still going to exact my revenge. I will not leave this estate without having the blood of His Grace’s cherished family on my hands.”
“Your brother was killed during wartime. And yet, you would come and kill us without any provocation? You are a butcher, and a madman. To come after his innocent family is revolting. You, sir, are a disgusting specimen of the human race.”
“I think I’m beginning to like you, Lady Gemma. Do not misconstrue my
affection for devotion. I will still take what I want from the Duke.”
“Not if I have anything to do about it,” she vowed, darting a quick look at Stewart. Smashed porcelain littered the marble floor beneath her, she hadn’t noticed it until now, but since Stewart had been shot, her awareness of her surroundings had intensified. Obviously, Don Herrer had been intent upon damaging as much of the Manor as he could. She looked up at the angel cherubs flanking the main stairwell.
Resting her eyes on the portrait of one of her ancestors, she inhaled deeply. Would she survive this night?
“You are a most unique female. I have only known one or two other women that would be able to bask in your glorious personality. You shine with radiance when you are in such a passionate state. I find myself intrigued by you. I am quite certain your hot-blooded temper could be well used by me in bed. You have such a passionate nature, I can only imagine how beguiling you would be when aroused.”
Dread slithered up and down her spine. She didn’t want Don Herrer putting one finger on her. She shuddered.
“Passionate? Well, if that’s what you want to call it. I, on the other hand, think I am only reacting with negative emotions. I despise you. You aren’t fit to look me in the eye.”
“You should be glad that I am being amused by your defiance, or you would be dead right now. I should like to take my revenge against Mallory by taking all that he treasures … but perhaps, I acted in error. Mallory didn’t take my wife from me, or my children, for I have no wife—and no children that I know of. To be
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