Page 136 of A Devious Secret

The lines around Henry’s lips tightened. “You will come to terms with it and then we will be blissfully happy. You will see.”

A knock came at the door and a look of annoyance flashed on Henry’s face. He walked over to the door and tossed it open. “What do you want?”

A lanky man in ill-fitting clothes stood at the doorway. “The captain says we can’t leave until tomorrow morning.”

“That is unacceptable!” Henry shouted. “We need to leave tonight.”

“But the tide is not in our favor,” the man replied.

“That matters little to me.”

The lanky man glanced over Henry’s shoulder at her with a look of mild curiosity. “A few hours won’t make a difference, will it?”

Henry grew irate. “Inform the captain that I wish to speak to him.”

“The captain doesn’t like being summoned.”

“I am paying him a lot of money and he will do what I say.”

The man shrugged. “I will tell him, but I don’t know if it will make a lick of difference.”

“Just do as I say,” Henry growled before slamming the door shut.

Gemma watched as Henry started to pace the small cabin with a furrowed brow. She knew once the ship departed she would have no chance of escape. She would be completely at Henry’s whim, and she couldn’t abide by that. Not after what he had just revealed.

Henry stopped pacing and glared at her. “This is all your fault!”

“My fault?” she repeated back in surprise.

“You should have never gone to London for the Season,” Henry said. “Everything was just the way it should be in Hawkinge.”

“In what way?”

“You would have become my mistress and you would never have learned the truth of your property.”

“What truth?”

Henry ran a hand through his hair. “The property that Baldwin left you actually produces about ten thousand pounds a year.”

Gemma’s mouth dropped open. “But you told me it was worthless.”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Henry asked. “I could barely keep the estate afloat and Baldwin left you the most valuable piece of property he owned.”

“You could have told me the truth.”

Henry gave her an amused look. “And lose out on the money the property produced?” he asked. “I think not.”

“I would have helped you.”

With a wave of his hand, Henry said, “It is a moot point. Once we are married, the property will belong to me, as it rightly should have from the beginning.”

Gemma stared up at Henry with disdain. He had wanted her to believe that Baldwin had left her with nothing, proving that he cared little for her. But the opposite was true. Baldwin had willed her a valuable piece of property; one that would ensure she was well taken care of.

“You are a horrible person,” Gemma said.

Henry’s eyes narrowed. “You will watch your tongue.”

“I will not!” Gemma exclaimed. “Baldwin loved me, and he proved it by leaving me that property.”