Lucian slowly lifted his head. He blew out a long, painful breath and shook his head. “It’s not often that I’m at a loss for words.”
“That’s true,” Mrs. Howard acknowledged, the edge of her mouth tilting up in a smile.
Lucian lifted the corner of his mouth in a half-smile too. “You’re not sacked, Mrs. Howard.”
She nodded. “You must know I never would have shared such details with Gemma if I didn’t know for certain she would only use them to help you.”
“Gemma?” He crinkled his brow.
“She asked me to call her that a long time ago.” Mrs. Howard winked at him.
“That sounds like her.” He expelled his breath again and scrubbed both hands through his hair this time. “I suppose I’ll have a servants’ riot on my hands if I don’t convince her to stay with me.”
“I believe so, Your Grace.” Mrs. Howard walked over to him, reached up, and put a hand on Lucian’s shoulder. “I am certain she is in love with you. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.”
Her gave his long-time servant, his long-timefriend, a wry smile. “And I’m fairly certain I’ve ruined things with her.” He shook his head sadly.
Mrs. Howard patted his shoulder. “Where there is love, there is always hope, Your Grace.”
Lucian nodded. Slowly. “Thank you for telling Gemma the truth, Mrs. Howard. I never would have been brave enough to do it myself.”
“Yes, you would.” She turned to leave.
“And please,” Lucian added, “if you’re going to call my wife Gemma, call me Lucian. At least when we’re alone.” He returned the housekeeper’s wink.
“Oh, I can’t do that, Your Grace.” Mrs. Howard shook her head forcefully. “Old habits, you know?”
“Seems we’ll both have to try something that makes us uncomfortable then,” Lucian replied.
Mrs. Howard smiled and nodded.
Lucian tipped back his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He paced away from Mrs. Howard. It was all so obvious now. Now that Gemma was gone. He’d pushed her away. He’d been frightened when she’d asked about his childhood. He’d been looking for a fight, a reason to mistrust her. Because he hadn’t been able to believe, toaccept, that she was as wonderful as she was. And that she could love him as deeply as he had begun to hope she could. But the most frightening part of all had been when he’d realized how deeply he’d begun to love her.
After all, if you push someone away with a stupid fight, they can’t prove you were right about them all along. You pushed away the chance at being hurt. And Gemma hadn’t been acting. Just as Mrs. Howard said, Gemma had merely been frightenedfor their unborn child. A child that even now might be growing inside of her. And how he hoped it was so. Of course, Gemma had been concerned. Any loving mother—and Gemma would be themostloving mother—would want an assurance that her child would be treated with love and kindness.
“I’m madly in love with her, you know,” Lucian admitted. As soon as the words were past his lips, it felt as if a hundred-stone weight had lifted from his shoulders.
“Oh, I know.” Mrs. Howard opened the door and glanced back at him. “And I also know that you need to find that woman and treat her as if she is more important than anything in this world for the rest of her days.”
Lucian hung his head. “She is. She truly is.”
O
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
That Night, The Earl of Pembroke’s Town House
For just a moment—a fleeting second—right after she woke, Gemma thought she was in her bed at Lucian’s town house. Snuggled and warm. If she would just reach out, she could touch him, and —
She blinked open her eyes to be confronted with the awful realization that she was not at home. She was in Pembroke’s town house. Locked in a bedchamber. And no one knew she was here.
She pushed herself up sharply and scanned the room. She was alone, thank heavens. Darkness had descended outside. She’d fallen asleep on the bed, and according to the clock on the nearby mantel, it was past nine.
Pembroke had not yet returned. Gemma was thankful for the reprieve from his odious company, but she’d been left to guess at why he’d done this outrageous thing. What could he possibly think he would do? Keep her hidden in his home? It made no sense.
He’d said he would only keep her here temporarily. But what did that mean? Did he plan to hurt her? Kill her? Take her somewhere else? She had no earthly idea, and with each passing moment, her anxiety grew.
A knock sounded on the door, startling her. Should she pretend to still be asleep? If it was Pembroke, that might be the safest measure.
