CHAPTER THIRTEEN
That Night, The Kents’ Ballroom
Gemma was prepared to make the most of it. The Kents’ ball, that was. Her terrible husband had already taken off toward Lord Kent’s study the moment they’d arrived. But that would not keep her from having a wonderful time. Her friends and family were here. She intended to enjoy herself in their company. The devil take Grovemont.
She breezed through the crowd, lifting the skirts of her sky-blue gown. She was wearing her favorite diamond necklace tonight. One that made her feel like a regal duchess. One that Mama had given her. She was still without earbobs. And now that she was married, Mama would no longer have a reason to try to coax her into wearing the hateful things. Her husband might be awful, but there were some perks of being a duchess.
Gemma craned her neck, searching for Griffin and Meredith. But she kept getting distracted. Every time she thought about the haughty way Grovemont had insisted she’d tricked him into marriage, she wanted to scream with frustration. She’d no more wanted to marry him than he’d wanted to marry her.She’d assumed she would have time to explain it to him, to ask his forgiveness for the way they’d started in life. But now she realized he wasn’t interested in listening to her explanation. He’d already made up his mind. She was guilty.
“Gemma, there you are,” came Meredith’s pretty voice behind her. “Where is Grovemont?”
Gemma turned to greet her sister-in-law and brother with a big, false smile. “Oh, he must be around here somewhere. I just saw him.”
Gemma spent the next hour chatting and laughing with Griffin and Meredith. Of course, she didn’t mention a thing about her unhappy marriage. It would only make Griffin feel guilty if he knew how bad it was. And it was her fault, not his. He deserved no guilt.
“Is Grovemont planning to take you to his country estate in Devon?” Griffin asked.
Gemma still had the fake smile pinned to her face, but her brother’s question made her frown. One of the many hideous things her husband had said to her last night came winging back through her brain. “Iwill be making all the decisions from now on. Including where you live.”
She hadn’t given that part of his diatribe much thought, but now she couldn’t forget it. “I have kept you here in town to keep up appearances,” he’d also said. Did he intend to send her away? If so, where? And when?
It would be an outlandish thing for him to do. Surely, he wouldn’t — Oh, dear. Another memory came to her then. A memory from the day after her wedding, when she’d asked Mrs. Howard if the maids would be moving her things from the trunks to the wardrobe and the dressing room. Mrs. Howard had lowered her gaze and replied, “Not at this time, my lady.”
Gemma had assumed she meantthat day. She’d guessed the maids were busy helping with the wedding ball, which stood toreason. But as the days progressed and her items were still in the trunks, she’d questioned Mrs. Howard again and had received yet another vague answer.
Now, Gemma had a sinking feeling she knew why the housekeeper had been so vague. Grovemont intended to send Gemma away. Where? Who knew? For how long? It was anyone’s guess. But she was certain about it, and she intended to confront the man at the earliest opportunity.
“Excuse me,” she said to Griffin and Meredith. “I think I see Cecily.”
Gemma couldn’t leave fast enough. She didn’t want Griffin and Meredith to see the panic that was undoubtedly in her eyes. And shehadseen her good friend Cecily Grundy standing near the entrance. She made her way over to her friend, intent upon rescuing poor Cecily from her awful mother.
“He’s going to send me away,” Gemma whispered as soon as she and Cecily were alone near the wall a few minutes later.
“Who?” Cecily asked, blinking her bright cornflower-blue eyes at Gemma.
“Grovemont, of course,” Gemma replied.
Cecily’s mouth formed a perfect O. “Where is he sending you?”
“I don’t know. But I intend to find out. I?—”
“Oh, don’t look now, Gemma. But Lord Pembroke is coming this way. You know that Lady Mary has set her sights on him now that Grovemont is lost to her. She’s warned us all away from him, of course.”
Gemma fought the urge to roll her eyes. Apparently, Lady Mary was back to her old foibles. “I was hoping Mary would stop with that nonsense.”
“Oh, no. Not Mary,” Cecily replied, shaking her head. “Seems Pembroke is her new prey. Which means, I, for one, intend to stay far away from him. I’ll see you later.” And with that, Cecilydisappeared into the crowd just before Pembroke arrived at Gemma’s side.
“Your Grace,” Pembroke said, bowing over her hand. “It’s good to see you this evening.”
“Good evening, Lord Pembroke,” Gemma replied, smiling at the earl.
“You look beautiful tonight as always. Will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
Gemma gave him a beatific smile. Cecily might want to stay far away from Lord Pembroke, but Gemma was a duchess now. She had absolutely nothing to fear from Mary Costner. Of course, she would dance with Lord Pembroke. Besides, better to dance with a gentleman who seemed to want to dance with her than with her ill-tempered husband, who did it out of obligation.
“I’d be delighted,” she easily replied, placing her arm on Lord Pembroke’s proffered one. Pembroke led her to the dance floor.
Lucian glared at the dancers.Was thatPembrokewith his wifeagain? That made three nights in a row. It was unseemly for a married woman to dance so often with a man who was not her husband. Did Pembrokewanthis nose broken? Lucian stalked toward the dance floor.
