Page 115 of A Devious Secret

“Do I not get a say in all of this?” she asked defiantly.

“Not any longer,” Henry replied. “I have tried to be patient with you but you are intent on ruining your reputation and mine.”

“That was never my intention.”

“Then what was?” Henry asked. “You are consorting with a shipbuilder for heaven’s sake. That man is not even worth your attention.”

“I disagree.”

Henry looked bored. “What was your intention?” he asked. “Marry a shipbuilder and be shunned by high Society?”

“So be it.”

Henry scoffed. “Baldwin would be so disappointed in you right now. He valued duty above all else and you are throwing away everything you have worked for.”

“Baldwin did value duty, but he believed in following your heart.”

“Your heart?” Henry asked. “What does love have to do with this?”

“Everything.”

Henry took a step closer to her. “You are so weak, Gemma,” he said. “How can you claim you loved Baldwin as deeply as you did if you fall for the first man that shows you interest?”

“I loved Baldwin.”

“Clearly, you did not.”

“That is not fair of you to say,” Gemma said. “You do not know my heart.”

Henry placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in. “You are fooling yourself,” he said. “You don’t have to settle for a shipbuilder.”

“I am not settling.”

“If you are worried about your future, I will continue to care for you, assuming you agree to a few changes to our current situation.”

Gemma hoped she had misheard Henry. “Pardon?”

A slow, possessive smile came to Henry’s lips. “I have not failed to notice what a beautiful woman you are, and I would be happy to share a bedchamber with you.”

She blinked. “You wish for me to be your mistress?”

“I didn’t want to rush you, but I can see you are ready now.”

Gemma stepped out of his arms. “I am no man’s mistress.”

Henry looked displeased. “Yet you are whoring yourself with a shipbuilder,” he spat out.

“I am doing no such thing!” she exclaimed. “Stephen has been nothing but honorable to me, unlike you.”

“Stephen?” Henry asked. “You are calling each other by your given names now?”

“We are,” Gemma said.

Henry narrowed his eyes. “I thought you were a sensible woman, but I can see that I was wrong,” he said. “You havenothing to your name and have lived off my good graces since my brother died.”

“For which I have been most grateful—”

Henry cut her off. “You have a funny way of showing that,” he growled. “Does Mr. Wycomb know that you have nothing to your name?”