brutally honest, I may have a few by-blows. But they are irrelevant.” He waved his hand in gesture of dismissal.
Gemma’s ears burned. Tiredness had finally taken its toll on her. The night had been emotionally exhausting for her. If they didn’t find a way to get rid of Herrer soon, he was going to kill someone. Stewart was still alive, even though he was bleeding terribly, and she knew he had to get medical treatment soon.
“Than, take me. Just as I’ve offered you before. I am the next in line to Mallory.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 52
We were very close to each other during our childhoods. My brother took your brother, so to be fair, you should take me! It is the only logical course of action.”
“To be fair, I should take his brother.” His eyes glittered like dark chips of onyx at her.
“Too late. The war already did that,” she whispered, her voice welling with pain.
A raging burning sensation crawled into her chest, impairing her ability to breathe evenly.
He inclined his head. His obsidian like eyes still glinted with hatred. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she exhaled. The moment suspended between them, like a frozen pendulum. For one brief second, they were locked in their own battle of wills. Now she knew who the true villain in her life was. She’d been so childish when she’d rebelled against Mallory choosing Hart for her.
Hart was a good man. Maybe one of the best she’d ever know. And, if she truly reached into her heart, she knew she cared nothing for Kilworth. If she made it out of this mess with Herrer alive, she would marry Hart gladly. He had shown her the true measure of a man, he had shown her kindness and tolerance, and he had shown her tenderness—all within a very short span of time. If she wasn’t completely in love with him now, she knew her heart was already falling. Her heart quickened when she heard his voice, and saw his face. They may have only known each other for a day, but she had experienced a lifetime of emotions during that short period, and finally, she was becoming the sort of woman and daughter her mother had probably always hoped for.
“I will take you up on your generous offer, Lady Gemma. You will be happy to know that I will also spare your niece, and her American mother. I always did have a hankering for the lovely English roses.”
Her stomach churned. “I thought you were going to—”
Her voice trailed off. He smiled craftily. It was a beastly sickening smile, which made her want to heave.
“I must have been misunderstood. I wasn’t going to kill my hostages, what sort of worth would they be to me if they were dead? No, I was going to make Mallory suffer in a much worse way. I was going to take his life and make it my own, I have a very nice estate in Spain, and it is coming back to its former glory before the war. I should like to have you with me there. You are quite beautiful.”
“I’d rather be dead,” she decided, loosening her hold on Stewart as she stood up.
“Shoot me now, and spare me one more minute of your company.”
He ignored her and nodded to one of his men. The man came toward her and
guided her toward Herrer. The viselike grip he put on her wrist, made her grit her teeth together.
“We have made a bargain, you will uphold what I believe to be your end of it.”
She remained silent. She didn’t want him to turn around and kill Stewart just for the fun of it.
“I will uphold my end, I am always a woman of my word,” she vowed, lifting her head high.
“Excellent to hear. Now, at least I will be able to send detailed letters to your brother telling him how much I am enjoying his sister.”
“My brother will come after me.”
“I don’t think he will. Because if he does, you’ll end up dead.”
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 53
“You don’t frighten me.”
“Perhaps, I don’t. But my partner no doubt will. Oh, he has been known to strike the fear of God into
Gemma’s ears burned. Tiredness had finally taken its toll on her. The night had been emotionally exhausting for her. If they didn’t find a way to get rid of Herrer soon, he was going to kill someone. Stewart was still alive, even though he was bleeding terribly, and she knew he had to get medical treatment soon.
“Than, take me. Just as I’ve offered you before. I am the next in line to Mallory.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 52
We were very close to each other during our childhoods. My brother took your brother, so to be fair, you should take me! It is the only logical course of action.”
“To be fair, I should take his brother.” His eyes glittered like dark chips of onyx at her.
“Too late. The war already did that,” she whispered, her voice welling with pain.
A raging burning sensation crawled into her chest, impairing her ability to breathe evenly.
He inclined his head. His obsidian like eyes still glinted with hatred. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she exhaled. The moment suspended between them, like a frozen pendulum. For one brief second, they were locked in their own battle of wills. Now she knew who the true villain in her life was. She’d been so childish when she’d rebelled against Mallory choosing Hart for her.
Hart was a good man. Maybe one of the best she’d ever know. And, if she truly reached into her heart, she knew she cared nothing for Kilworth. If she made it out of this mess with Herrer alive, she would marry Hart gladly. He had shown her the true measure of a man, he had shown her kindness and tolerance, and he had shown her tenderness—all within a very short span of time. If she wasn’t completely in love with him now, she knew her heart was already falling. Her heart quickened when she heard his voice, and saw his face. They may have only known each other for a day, but she had experienced a lifetime of emotions during that short period, and finally, she was becoming the sort of woman and daughter her mother had probably always hoped for.
“I will take you up on your generous offer, Lady Gemma. You will be happy to know that I will also spare your niece, and her American mother. I always did have a hankering for the lovely English roses.”
Her stomach churned. “I thought you were going to—”
Her voice trailed off. He smiled craftily. It was a beastly sickening smile, which made her want to heave.
“I must have been misunderstood. I wasn’t going to kill my hostages, what sort of worth would they be to me if they were dead? No, I was going to make Mallory suffer in a much worse way. I was going to take his life and make it my own, I have a very nice estate in Spain, and it is coming back to its former glory before the war. I should like to have you with me there. You are quite beautiful.”
“I’d rather be dead,” she decided, loosening her hold on Stewart as she stood up.
“Shoot me now, and spare me one more minute of your company.”
He ignored her and nodded to one of his men. The man came toward her and
guided her toward Herrer. The viselike grip he put on her wrist, made her grit her teeth together.
“We have made a bargain, you will uphold what I believe to be your end of it.”
She remained silent. She didn’t want him to turn around and kill Stewart just for the fun of it.
“I will uphold my end, I am always a woman of my word,” she vowed, lifting her head high.
“Excellent to hear. Now, at least I will be able to send detailed letters to your brother telling him how much I am enjoying his sister.”
“My brother will come after me.”
“I don’t think he will. Because if he does, you’ll end up dead.”
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 53
“You don’t frighten me.”
“Perhaps, I don’t. But my partner no doubt will. Oh, he has been known to strike the fear of God into
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