Gemma gulped. The metal pressing into her side proved how serious the man was.
The moment they made it up the stone stairs and into the town house, Gemma wrenched from his arm. “What do you intend to do with me?” She glanced around frantically, but there was no butler or any other servants to be found.
“I must hide you.”
“Hide me.” Fear gripped her spine. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Only temporarily. Until the news breaks.”
She furrowed her brow again and shook her head. The man wasn’t making any sense. “What news?”
“The news of your impending divorce, of course.” His smile was dark.
“My what?”
“Your divorce,” he repeated. “There’s been a rumor for quite some time now that you want a divorce from your dear husband, the duke.”
What? How in the world hadthatrumor spread? Gemma, Cecily, and Lady Clare were the only three who knew about it, and Gemma would stake her life that Cecily and Clare hadn’t said anything.
“That’s not true,” she insisted. “I?—”
Oh, God. Wait. Now that she thought on it, she’d mentioned to Pembroke upon occasion that while divorce would be frowned upon, it was an option. Which meant Pembroke knew she’d been considering it. It was her own fault. The rumor had been spread by Pembroke himself.
“When has thetonever cared about the truth?” Pembroke scoffed. “I only need the rumor, not the truth. Now walk.” He pointed the pistol toward the staircase.
Oh, God. They were going upstairs.
By the time they made it to the landing on the third floor, Gemma was shaking so badly she could hardly walk. But Pembroke pushed her ahead of him, and they went all the way down to the far end of the corridor, to the last door in the hallway. Pembroke opened it and pushed her inside. “I’ll be back for you later.”
The door closed behind her, and Gemma barely had time to register relief at the fact that she wasn’t about to be imminently raped before she rushed over to the nearest window. It was locked. Nailed shut from the outside, apparently.
She took a deep breath before trying each of the three other windows. They were all the same. Apparently, Pembroke hadplanned this little abduction well. But how had he known she’d be shopping today?
Oh, God. He must have been following her. He could have been waiting for her for days. Hadn’t Meredith said that he’d asked after her recently?
Doing her best to calm her nerves, Gemma made her way over to the bed and took a seat atop the mattress. She needed to think. Surely, there was a servant here who could help. Or had Pembroke dismissed the servants? She hadn’t seen a butler. Or anyone else, for that matter. What was Pembroke’s plan? And how exactly would the rumor of her divorce help it?
Would Lucian figure out where she’d gone? How could he? No one had seen her with Pembroke. Not even Anna.
Gemma was still miserably contemplating her options when the door cracked open again and Pembroke’s head appeared. It was almost as if she’d conjured him with her thoughts. “I paid a maid to leave a note for your husband telling him you want a divorce. Hewon’tbe looking for you.”
O
CHAPTER FORTY
Later That Afternoon, The Duke of Grovemont’s Bedchamber
Lucian crumpled the blasted note in his fist. It had been left on the foot of his bed. He’d found it just now after returning from his club. Alongside the afternoon edition ofThe Times.
Both the note and the paper had been clear. Gemma wanted a divorce. She was leaving him.
His eyes narrowed to slits. She couldn’t do this. She’d signed a blasted contract. Didn’t she realize she was forfeiting their agreement?
He paced away from the bed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. Damn it. He shouldn’t have been so crass this morning. He should have stopped and thought about what he’d said to her. He knew he’d be setting back his own objective, but he’d been so angry and uncomfortable when she’d begun asking questions about his childhood. Any mention of his parents put him on edge. And, of course, his reaction had been to lash out at her, incorrect though it had been.
Now he wouldn’t have the opportunity to make things right. And, honestly, did he even deserve another chance?
She wasn’t entirely without fault either, of course. He’d thought they’d been getting closer these last several days. But the first sign of any trouble, and she’d left him. Disregarded their contract and taken off.
