by test
Bitchy, her ass.
Gemma opened her eyes, meeting Hart’s worried gaze. He caught her slumped
form and held her in his arms so she was cradled against him. Wrapping his arms around her, he brought her close to his warm body.
“Take me home.”
“I’m taking you home, Gemma.” Then, she was lulled off into her fevered
dreamland where dead people were alive and Hart was her hero.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 96
Chapter Eighteen
“What’s happened? Did she fall from her horse?” His mother ran through the great hall toward him. Her hair was coming loose from it’s elaborate up do.
“Take her upstairs at once, she is soaked through to the bone.”
“Where’s Maeve?”
“She’s in town visiting her patients there.”
“Someone will have to fetch her.”
“Well, seeing as I’m already bloody well wet, I’ll go and fetch her. She’ll have to ride with me, since it will take too much time to saddle another horse. Warrior has already been through enough, I think. The grooms are getting me a fresh horse as we speak,” Richard declared.
“Go and ride fast and hard,” Hart ordered.
“That’s the only way I ever do anything—fast and hard.” Richard laughed,
delighting in his pun.
“Just get her and bring her to us. Gemma is really sick.”
“I can see that. You’ve come too far to lose her now.”
“I love her, Richard,” Hart proclaimed, fear leaping inside of him.
“In that case, dear brother, I’ll make sure I get Maeve here in time. In the meanwhile, mother will know how to take care of her. She’s a brilliant woman.”
“Why thank you, Richard. Unfortunately, the two of you are wasting precious time that we don’t have. Get a move on, Richard. Hart, take her upstairs, you can get her clothing off her and we’ll get her all bundled up. Then, we wait until the fever breaks.”
“It won’t break soon enough. She’s so delicate,” Hart moaned, dashing toward his chambers at a breakneck pace. To her credit, his mother ran behind him, trying to keep pace with him.
“Delicate health doesn’t happen to run in her family, does it?” his mother asked.
They entered his chamber, and he walked toward the bed.
“I should think so. Her niece was doing poorly when we were there—I wonder if she’s the one that first contracted the fever. I hope she’s recovered … she’s such a little lass.”
“Is she a babe?” his mother asked.
“Aye.”
“Then, I shall pray that she comes through this with her life.”
“Pray for Gemma while you’re at it.”
He looked down at her pale face and then, up at his mother. “I’ll go and warm a nightgown for her … you should strip her out of her clothes while I’m gone. It’s a good thing I had the foresight to get a fire started in this room, or the damp might just kill her,”
Margaret clucked.
Hart hesitated. He’d already seen Gemma naked, but there would be hell to pay when she woke up and found out he’d undressed her.
“Hart? Why are you taking all day?” she asked. “Get to getting her clothing HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 97
off—we should have her dressed again by the time that your brother returns.”
“I—”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t been with her together as husband and wife?” she sighed heavily.
His silence gave her the answer she was seeking.
“Well, you’d best get to wooing and bedding her, or her brother will demand an annulment. At her tender age, he can.”
“She looks younger than she is … I assure you, mother, I abducted an adult.”
“Good. Then, he won’t be able to force an annulment, but she could.”
He gave her a long look. “I’m right, Hart. I have much experience with
marriages, I don’t have to remind you that I was married before your father, and I had that one annulled.”
“You were always meant to marry father.”
“Aye, and when he went and married Richard’s mother, he really threw that plan in the chamber pot. If you’re not going to take off her clothes, I will. You get to hanging the nightgown by the fire so it’s warmed for her.”
He went to do her bidding, as she masterfully relieved Gemma of her soaked
dress and undergarments.
“She is wet right down to the skin, no wonder she is shivering so much.”
“What happened to your first husband?” Hart asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him.
“He is somewhere in England now, I’d warrant. If he’s not already dead. He was a scoundrel.”
“Did you—”
“He and I never truly became husband and wife if that is what you are asking.
No, your father was always the man I had my heart set on. Had he not been so stupid, I would have been Richard’s mother as well. He was warned that insanity ran in Francesca’s family. He thought he was repaying me by marrying her, until he found out I’d been forced into marriage. Then, all bets were off. But it was too late. He’d already gotten Francesca pregnant. That man always did think with his trousers instead of his head.” She sighed mournfully. “You should have seen the game of cat and mouse I played with my first husband, trying to avoid his bed, and how did your dear father repay me? He slept with Francesca.” The slight hint of bitterness tinged her voice. “Of course, it’s all water under the bridge, but it still smarts.”
“Richard does follow in father’s footsteps. He lets his wee man point the way most of the time as well.” Hart grimaced.
“Indeed. I’m glad to know that you have a bit more restraint. You didn’t force her, which is something to be admired in a man. I have raised you well.”
“I don’t think even Richard does that to women .…”
“Aye, but he doesn’t need to. One look from those eyes of his, and the women are hiking up their skirts before he even has to help them.”
He smirked. His mother had Richard completely figured out. The man was
known for his sexual appetite. She was right, though, once Gemma had regained her strength from the fever he had to bed her as soon as possible.
“There. She’s ready for her nightgown.” She glanced over at the clock. “Where is that brother of yours? I told him to ride like the wind.” She looked at the window as HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 98
rain and wind made the glass rattle.
“That’s one hell of a frightful storm .…” Hart handed her the warmed nightgown.
She’d wrapped Gemma in a blanket. Her blond hair had come loose from its pins and now cascaded down over her shoulders. Her hair had turned curly from the rain. He didn’t know her hair was curly, she’d always kept it pinned up or pulled back … and on the one occasion when he’d seen her with it down, she must have straightened it.
“Andrew—don’t go .…” Her rambling made his mother start.
“Andrew?” Margaret looked up at him. “Who is Andrew?”
“Her brother. The one that is dead.”
“Oh.” His mother looked crestfallen. “She sounds so plaintive. They must have been close.”
“Closer than what she is with Mallory.”
“Then, why did you take her? She might have just come with you willingly. She does look at you with a certain amount of admiration in her eyes. I’m sure you were charming her well before you abducted her and attacked her brother. Taking her against her will wasn’t a good idea on your part.”
“I wasn’t thinking, mother. I am regretting it a bit now … besides, Mallory needed to have me throw him off his high horse. He was too smug and preening for my liking.”
“He preens? He must be great friends with the Regent. The Regent would
definitely admire a man like that.”
“Mallory might as well—he seems so superior. Yo
u forget, mother, the Regent is now the King. Mallory never knew what rank I truly held in society … now, he will.”
“Yes, thank you, dear. I keep forgetting that the Regent is now our King. He more or less held that role for a long time before it became official. Alas, Mallory must be stark raving mad by now. When my letter reaches his mother—he will hit the roof again. Too bad we couldn’t see his reaction, Hart. I think it would be truly entertaining.”
“You already sent your letter?” They covered up Gemma. She sat down in a chair by the bedside and he sat down on the bed.
“Yes, Hart, I did. Her mother needed to know you hadn’t dropped her off in the middle of nowhere. They’ll soon know that they are now related to us by marriage.”
“And, he’ll know where to find me.”
“Now, do you actually think I’m that stupid? It will take him awhile to figure out that we’re on this particular isle.”
“Mother .…”
“When he comes, you will have to face the music. You may crown him one, but murdering him is out of the question. That will definitely get you charged, and even my family name wouldn’t be able to pull you out of that particular fire. You can’t possibly think that you can keep Gemma from her family forever. She is a lady of high breeding
… you are a lord of high breeding … the social circles will eventually figure everything out and he will find us through those channels.”
“Thank you for reminding me of that, mother.”
“I’m only pointing out the obvious. This mad scheme of yours was faulted by the get go.”
“I did this for you.”
“I understand that. And I shouldn’t have asked you to put yourself on this HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 99
foolhardy path … I was wrong. I’m sorry, Hart.”
“Now, you tell me.” He chuckled ruefully.
He walked to the window leaving his mother to sit with Gemma. “Richard has arrived. He’s coming up the walk as I speak … with Maeve tucked under his arm.”
“Excellent. He moved like the wind.”
“As always, he races to please you.”
“Hart .…” They both started at the sound of Gemma’s weak voice.
“I’m here.” He moved to her, clasping her cold hand beneath his own. “Her
hands are still cold.”
“She will hopefully warm up soon.”
“I can’t lose her.”
“You won’t … Maeve will save the day like she always does.”
At the mention of her name, Maeve swept into the room.
“What’s happened?”
“Gemma has a raging fever.” He stood up and got out of the way when Maeve
shooed them to the side.
“She doesn’t look good. I’ll get a compress on her head right away and make up a tonic. With all luck, my ministrations will break her fever. Pray for her.”
He folded his arms across his chest, and looked to Richard.
“She looks like a little waif. I hadn’t realized how diminutive in size she was when she was giving me hell.” Richard gave him a rare smile.
“She is a little spitfire.” He grinned despite himself.
“You know, you’re the only man that would put up with the way she acts.”
“Richard! Do not speak like Hart is weak,” Margaret chastised sharply.
“I never said he was weak, mother. I merely stated that most husbands would not put up with her insolent attitude. She is always complaining—”
“Not always, Richard.” His voice was soft not quite above a whisper. “She has a good heart. You might think she’s stubborn and spoiled, but when it comes right down to it, she’s not as petty as she might seem.”
“Well, then, she must be cut from a different cloth than her brother. That man is exasperating.” Richard snorted.
“So much so that you felt the need to graze him with your bullet,” Margaret said angrily.
“That was the butler, mother.” Richard sighed. “If you’re going to get the information from another source,” He glared at Maeve, “Make sure you get the right information. One of my men stabbed Mallory. He’s a tough old bugger, he’s none the worse for wear—he should feel grateful for that. Besides, Mallory St. Martin is pure shite. He needs to pay for what he did to Joseph.”
“He shot him by mistake,” Hart countered, saying the words before he even knew what had happened.
His mother looked up at that remark. “Are you sure?” Her face lost all of its color. Anguish filled her eyes. She looked lost.
“He swears by it,” Hart insisted.
“Then, my son died by a slip of the hand. He was aiming for someone else and misfired. How nice.” Tears welled inside of her eyes. She looked like she was going to break into sobs.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 100
“Mother .…”
“It happened during a war—I never should have remained in Spain. Why didn’t I flee to this island when the war was on? I’ve made so many mistakes—do not follow in my footsteps when it comes to my failures. My children, you must make better decisions than I did. When you have children—do not let them down.”
“You didn’t fail Joseph. I did.” Richard stared down at the floor, not able to meet their mother’s gaze. “He shouldn’t have been with me that day … he was so convinced he had to be my shadow—and when I infiltrated those Boney loving sods, I never thought he’d come with me … I just wanted to find out who was working for the enemy
… and at the time, it assured your safety, you were vulnerable being British. Many were starting to resent you. When our estate was seized, I had no choice but to look as if I was working for the French. I couldn’t allow anything to befall you—or Joseph, and look what my actions cost our family.”
“You never told me that.” Hart’s throat was dry.
“You never asked.” Richard met his gaze. “You always were the loyal brother—
you knew I was a rebel and that I sometimes made the wrong choice—but I never imagined that you actually thought I’d joined the ranks of those bastards? How could I truly side with the ones that were out to kill you? You forget, dear brother, our own father was loyal to the English Crown—I’m not all Spaniard. Besides, any day, we were afraid we’d receive the message that you’d been blown to smithereens. Instead, it was Joseph that we lost. If only he hadn’t been so determined to find the road to glory.”
“War did this to our family. Not Mallory—I must face that.” Margaret
shouldered another heavy sigh.
“It was my fault .…”
“No. You are both mistaken. If it was anyone’s fault—it was mine,” she
interrupted Richard. “I shouldn’t have let him run loose the way he did. He was far too young—and too impetuous. He believed that war was glory—he saw the romance in it—
whereas, I knew better. He was only seventeen. I should have kept him closer to me. I should have known he would follow his older brother to the ends of the Earth and get himself killed in the process.” Her voice broke, she was close to tears. “So much heartache caused by one little mistake.”
“We should stop trying to figure out who was to blame.” Hart tried to keep his voice calm. “Joseph is gone. Nothing will bring him back.”
“Not even revenge against Mallory.” His mother’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“Well, it’s nice that we all agreed on this now—after I’ve taken Gemma and
married her. Look at me! I’m leg-shackled now!”
“No … this is the right thing to do. You made the right choice, Hart. You always would have wanted to marry Gemma. As soon as you set your sights on her, I’m sure you knew what you wanted,” Margaret said wistfully.
“I did.” He smiled. “And now, because of me, she just might very well die.”
“She won’t—she’ll hang on. We have to believe in that right now—it’s the only way to think. We must cleave to that,” Margaret insiste
d.
Richard cleared his throat. “I’m going to go down to the kitchens for a bite to eat.
I’m famished after my—ahem, exerting morning.”
“Exerting, was it?” His mother raised her eyebrow and pinned her eyes on him.
“Do me a favor, Richard.”
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 101
“Anything, mother.” Richard swept into a low bow.
“Richard, do be serious,” Margaret snapped.
“I am.” He met her gaze.
“Cease your messing around with the Widow Baker. She is not worth your time of day—let alone you filling her bed and her body .…”
“Mother!”
“I am not to be silenced, Richard.” Her voice dropped to a low whisper. “This family doesn’t need anymore scandal. We run this island, you must choose a woman that is—you must choose someone with a sense of propriety. Please, Richard. I don’t ask that you marry someone of the social position that Gemma holds, just find and fall in love with someone that you can love and trust.”
“The Widow Baker has had an unfortunate past.”
“We all have unfortunate things in our past—the Widow Baker, however, made
her lot in life. She serviced many of the men on this island, at a cost, Richard … no doubt, she even takes your coin—I beg you to think rationally. Do not seal your fate by marrying a serpent such as she.”
“I have never brought up the subject of marriage. Besides, why have I suddenly become such a concern for you? It is my dear brother that has waged war against one of the most powerful families in England.”
“Mallory, is someone that has lived on the edge of society for many years. I do not fear his wrath—I do however, fear what might become of you if you make too many wrong choices. You shot an innocent man in the attack upon Mallory’s lands, and you stabbed Mallory! You need to learn to control yourself!”
“I control myself when it is necessary, mother.”
“I worry about you, because you are my son, Richard. You have much to be
responsible for. Your father left you a great inheritance, and your mother also left you quite the legacy. Do not squander it.”
“I will not disappoint you.”