HisLadysKeeperfinal.wps (11 page)

“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 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.”

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“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 people.”

“Partner?”

“Yes, didn’t you know? I’ve had a helping hand in my little plot to come here, though I do think my partner wouldn’t like my tactics that I employ. He’s exceedingly chivalrous when it comes to the fairer sex and children. He believes they are to be protected.”

Her stomach turned sour. “Who is this partner?”

“That would be me.”

Hart stepped out of the shadows. Her heart stopped. “Why?” She felt a chord snap inside of her. This was the worst kind of betrayal.

“Because my dearest, there’s more to me than meets the eye.”

HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 54

“We’ve come to an agreement, Lady Gemma and I.” Herrer smiled from ear to ear, his eyes glinting with greed.

“Have you? Because well, I’ll have you know, she’s mine!” Hart stood tall and straight. He commanded a certain regal attitude now, one that she’d never noticed before. It would seem that he was schooled in the art of illusion. The man could play many faces without missing one beat. The look in Hart’s eyes now made her believe he could best any man in battle. She even wondered if he could bloody Mallory. He was danger all rolled into one man. Her blood ran cold.

“She is?” Herrer looked thoughtful. His features softened slightly, his eyes lost a bit of their coldness.

“She is,” Hart accentuated the last word.

Obviously, seeking to drive the point home into Herrer. She felt as if she was being treated like someone’s chattel. She belonged to no man, least of all the type of man that Hart turned out to be.

“Then, of course I will let you have her. You know I can’t deny you anything. I suppose it was your ingenuity that got me this far—and we both lost something of great value to Mallory. Though, if I do not get Lady Gemma, I shall have to have something. I simply must be compensated for all of the strenuous activity I’ve been put through. She could have killed me when she shot me.” He looked to his winged arm. “Why did you let her shoot at me? I thought you were on my side. So, you must see my side of the story, I will not go away from this little adventure without some kind of reward.”

“How does two thousand pounds sound to you?” Hart sighed.

“Excellent.” Herrer grinned broadly. “It wasn’t just my brother that was killed anyway, he was yours as well. I’ll leave you to it, then.” Herrer walked away from them, leaving them alone.

“You should just plunge a dagger through my heart, I knew I was right to hate you from the get go. Mallory should never have trusted you!”

“He trusted me, because I wanted him to. You’ll find in due course that I’m a man that always gets what he wants—when he wants it.”

“You set this entire thing up! You wanted to get Mallory away from the house—

”

“I admit, I wanted to get back at Mallory by taking his wife and child. I was never going to harm Susan or Elizabeth for that matter. But you see, Mallory has caused me more distress and heartbreak than he will ever know. Herrer and I are brothers. We share the same father. As do all of my mother’s children, we all share the same father.

Herrer is older than me. His mother was married to my father before my mother married him. Unfortunately, Herrer’s mother passed when he was a baby—my mother became the only mother he knew. When I left for the war, my brother was only fifteen. When your brother killed him, he was too young to die! He was seventeen! They never should have been in Spain … but no matter, I’ve waited for this day, Herrer knew who had done HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 55

it, and even though I was serving with the English navy at the time, I bided my time, and made certain I traveled in the same circles as your Mallory. I knew Andrew as well. He was a bloody nice bloke. If only Mallory had been the one to die, my ax would have already been grinded, and we wouldn’t be standing here right now, looking at each other as enemies. My mother has been heartbroken since Joseph’s death. She was

inconsolable for a great deal of time. Do you know what it’s like to watch your own mother waste away because she’s lost a child?”

“My mother was torn up with grief when she heard of Andrew’s death. She only continued on because she had other children that needed her. When Mallory discovers your duplicity he will kill you.” Coldness tinged her voice. He looked surprised that she had turned on him so easily.

“Maybe. Maybe not. He killed my brother … and Mallory understands the old eye for an eye sort of justice more than you or I.”

“I can’t believe it’s come down to this. Well, I guess you’d better lead me bound and gagged away from Mallory Hall. I will never be yours the way that you want me to be. But I will stick to my word. You don’t need Elizabeth.”

“She’s hiding in the secret passages, isn’t she? I could root her out—and drag her kicking and screaming with her babe in her arms. My mother would love to have a beautiful baby like Susan around the Estate. She would be in seventh heaven.”

Never again would she trust a man so easily. To think she’d thought him to be a good just man. She needed to have her head examined. Her heart belonged to no man …

she’d been burnt for the last time.

She gave him a withering look, hoping he’d just shut up. “You will never find Elizabeth. The passages are made up of a complex network, if you take the wrong turn you could be lost for hours.”

“How fortuitous for me. Unfortunately, I don’t have hours to spare, at the moment. Your brother could be onto my scent as we speak. The sooner I abscond from this place, the better for both of us.”

“Better for you, perhaps. It would certainly not be better for me. You are not the sort of man I would steal away with in the dead of the bloody night. Leave now, while you can still keep yourself from making another fatal mistake. I might be able to convince Mallory that he doesn’t need to go after you, he might be swayed if I pleaded with him.”

“I’ve seen how much your so-called pleading can sway Mallory. When it comes right down to it, Mallory will do whatever Mallory wants and damn the consequences.

He is a man almost as selfish as you. Except now, he only has concern for his wife and child. You are next to nothing to him. He will be glad to be rid of you. He’s already offered your hand to me in marriage, and I do believe I will take him up on it. You will become my wife whether you like it or not. Put that little shit, Kilworth out of your mind, dearest Gemma. I wasn’t going to take you with me when I first answered Mallory’s call, indeed I had been waiting for the right moment to strike out against your brother, and he served it to me on a silver platter. I must say, he can be quite accommodating.”