Page 141 of A Devious Secret

Chapter Twenty

Gemma watched the scene in front of her in stunned silence. Henry was leveling a pistol at Lord Haddington’s head, and she had little doubt that he would make good on his promise to kill him. After all, he had killed his own brother without showing any hint of remorse. She didn’t even know what he was capable of anymore.

Henry cocked the pistol and pressed it up against Lord Haddington’s temple. “Drop your pistols, now!”

Evie leaned over and placed the pistol onto the ground. “Do as he says,” she urged.

“If we do, then we are dead men,” Stephen responded.

“You must trust me,” Evie said in a hushed voice.

Stephen hesitated for only a moment before he dropped his pistol to the ground. “I hope you know what you are doing,” he muttered under his breath.

Henry lowered the pistol in his hand. “You insult me, Mr. Wycomb,” he said. “You actually thought you could stage a rescue with the help of Lord and Lady Haddington.”

Stephen shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“You brought them to die.”

“This fight is far from over,” Stephen asserted.

Henry chuckled dryly. “You have lost!” he exclaimed. “Admit it. You were outplayed.”

“I will admit no such thing.”

“You were always too cocky for your own good,” Henry said. “I will take great pleasure in killing you.”

Gemma gasped. “You will do no such thing,” she said as she went to stand in front of Stephen. “You will have to kill me first.”

“Gemma…” Stephen started from behind him.

She turned and spoke over him. “Henry killed Baldwin. I refuse to let him kill you, too.”

Stephen’s jaw clenched. “How do you know he killed Baldwin?”

“He confessed it to me,” Gemma replied. “He poisoned him so he could marry me and get the land that Baldwin left me.”

“I thought that property was worthless,” Stephen said.

“Henry lied to me, about everything,” Gemma responded. “None of it was true.”

Stephen shifted his gaze towards Henry. “Is this true?”

“It is,” Henry replied in a bored tone. “But I do not know why it matters to you. You will be long dead when I marry Gemma.”

“I think you are underestimating me,” Stephen said.

Henry put his hands up. “You boarded the ship with the help of a useless lord and lady,” he said. “What did you think would happen?”

“They are far from useless,” Stephen pressed.

Henry pointed the pistol at Gemma. “I don’t want to kill you, my dear,” he said. “But I will if you do not step out of the way.”

Gemma felt panic well up inside of her. She couldn’t just let him kill Stephen. She needed to think of a plan, and quickly.

“What if I willingly marry you?” Gemma asked. “Will you let Stephen and Lord and Lady Haddington live?”

Henry shook his head. “I’m afraid not. They know too much.”