Page 38 of Gentlemen Prefer Heiresses
Then Gina did the very worst thing she could have done.
She flung off her mask.
Lord Montley stared agape.
It was all the evidence she required that the man was flummoxed. Darting forward—
“Gina!” Andrew snaked his arm around her waist and drew her back just as she snatched the gun from the earl’s grasp.
“I’m fine,” she told him as she put the hammer back into place and expertly removed the bullets. She did wish he hadn’t used her name, although based on the open mouths, wide eyes, and the whispers of “Miss Hammersley?” from the onlookers, her identity was no longer a secret.
She was aware of blurred movement as Andrew lunged past her. The sound of bone cracking rent the air. Montley hit the floor.
Andrew had struck him. It was unconscionable, the satisfaction that whipped through her.
Legs akimbo, Andrew stood over the fallen lord. “I’ve not been with your wife in years. With your theatrics, you have caused an innocent woman to put her reputation at risk, you toad.”
“My wife is here somewhere. I know she is. I followed her. I will find her.”
“She’s not worth it while the woman you threatened is worth everything.” He turned to face Gina, gave her a sardonic grin. “Enough adventure for you?”
“What happened tonight will be all over London by morning, the key players identified by name, your reputation ruined. No one will believe you were there out of mere curiosity.”
As the hansom traveled through the streets at a rapid clip, she heard defeat in Andrew’s voice. “I suppose we should have made use of a room then. If my reputation is to be tarnished, we should have taken advantage of it.”
“Gina, this isn’t funny. We can’t make light of it. It isn’t going to go away.”
She knew that. “Lady Montley, was she that woman from all those years ago? The one you loved? The one you didn’t know was married?”
“Gina—”
“Was she?”
“Yes. It appears she’s up to her old tricks. I suppose she’s never been faithful to him.”
She couldn’t care less about the woman’s promiscuity. What bothered her was that the earl had thought Gina was his wife. She couldn’t recall ever meeting the woman. A sick, roiling feeling kept her stomach churning, doubts kept her mind reeling. “Do I remind you of her?”Is that the reason you’ve given me attention, taken me to your bed?
“Good God, no. Why would you think that?” He sounded truly horrified.
“Montley mistook me for his wife.”
“The man is out of his mind with jealousy and rage. He wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Is her hair blond?”
He sighed. “Yes, but not as fair as yours.”
The room had been dimly lit so obviously the earl had not been able to detect the slight difference. “We must be of the same height and body shape.”
“Gina.” He twisted around until he was facing her more squarely, or as squarely as possible when they sat beside each other in the cramped conveyance. “She’s taller than you. She hasn’t your delicate bone structure.”
He cradled her face. “Her eyes...” His head tilted slightly. “They don’t sparkle the way yours do.” He stroked his thumb over her mouth. “I can’t remember how she tasted or how she felt in my arms.”
His scoff, low and self-deprecating, echoed around them. “Once I thought I would never forget anything about her. Now I can hardly remember anything at all. But I do know that I would never mistake another woman—not even your twin should you have one—for you.”
His words were spoken with such sincerity that she nearly wept. “We’re going to be in a great deal of trouble, aren’t we?”
“Unfortunately, I fear I’ve mucked things up rather badly for you.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drew her in close. “But we shall weather it.”
