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No fighting. No escaping.
Her only defense was something she excelled at, getting men to talk. Though she seriously doubted any success with Gilroy—he wasn’t a normal man. Addled and far from normal, from everything she’d witnessed.
But it was her only option.
She moved her left leg, clanking the metal onto the stone floor just to check that the clamp was attached to a chain. Her leg jerked to a stop. Damn. A short chain.
She opened her eyes fully.
Gilroy lifted the glass of what looked to be brandy to his lips, tilting it back and taking a long swig. Staring at her, he thunked the glass onto the table next to the lone sputtering candle as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “The blessed bride awakens.”
Juliet pushed herself upright, blinking like she’d just woken. Her head swiveled as she looked about the room. She’d been right. No windows, stone walls, a curved stone ceiling, one arched doorway behind her with a thick wooden plank door set in place. An undercroft of some sort. A prison if there ever was one.
Ness had been right. Gilroy wasn’t about to let his property go without a fight.
Her gaze swung back to Gilroy as she forced her countenance and her voice as neutral as possible. “Whatever this is, Gilroy, I know you didn’t mean this—Ness, me. I know why you did what you did to Ness. She didn’t give you a child. She had chances—so many chances—and she couldn’t deliver.”
He blinked hard, his head snapping back and cocking to the side. She hadn’t delivered the screaming and begging that he’d been ready for. Good. And his movements were slow, drunk. Even better.
The side of his face lifted in a sneer. “Aye. The wench was worthless.”
Talking about Ness in past terms. Good.
She nodded, her lips pursing in empathy. “It must be hard knowing the fate of the earldom rests on your shoulders and having a wife that did not fulfill her part of the bargain. You should have been luckier in your choice. It must be so hard.”
His eyes narrowed at her, his words tepid, as though he was sticking a toe into shark-filled waters. “It is.”
“I understand.” She sighed, her hand flipping up in the air. “With all the peers I’ve known, I’ve been told, time and again, what a burden it can be—the immense responsibility of securing the future. The pressure of it and all it entails.”
“The peers you know at your whorehouse in London?”
Hell no.Evan told him—told him what she was. Her chin dipped down as she stifled her reaction. “Evan told you where I’m from?”
He shook his head. “He did not. I just know.”
“Well then, you know I must hear things there that aren’t openly talked about amongst the peerage. It is a great responsibility, taking on a title, and you have willingly sacrificed yourself to that end for your family—not at all a small feat.”
Gilroy exhaled a long breath. “Evan doesn’t understand that.”
“Oh, but I think he does, and he appreciates it more than you know. He’s told me so. Does he not tell you that?”
“No.”
Her shoulders lifted. “Oh, well, he should.” Her look centered on him. “He did this for you, you realize? I agreed to help him, though I didn’t think it would end with me being chained to a floor.” She tugged at her left foot for emphasis.
“What do ye mean he did this for me?”
“He thought it would be better this way. Ness is gone. You can divorce her by abandonment and move on with a new wife. It suits all parties and it doesn’t put blood on your hands.”
“Ye think I care about blood on my hands?”
“A new wife might—one that is strong and virile and can give you the heir you’ve always wanted. She might question what happened to your first wife if it looked like foul play was involved. But with abandonment, you are the injured party.” Her hands lifted in excitement and she pointed to him. “A devoted husband left by the woman he loved. You will have your pick of fine women that will be able to give you a child. I have several that I’m already thinking of introducing you to that may make splendid choices.”
“You think it matters now? A new wife what with you and Evan now married?” He leaned further forward, balancing his forearms on his knees as his words seethed. “He swore he wouldn’t marry ye, but witch that you are, ye trapped him.”
She set a confused smile to her lips. “But you are the only way forward for the earldom, as I cannot bring forth a child.”
His eyes opened wide and he almost fell off the chair as his left arm slipped off the top of his thigh. “What did ye say?”
