Ravished (36 page)

And she was making absolutely no progress trying to break down Gideon's stubborn, autocratic insistence on handling the thing by himself.

Harriet was standing with a small group of friends from the Fossils and Antiquities Society when Felicity found her.

"Applegate and Fry have arrived," Felicity announced. "I saw them a moment ago. I believe they are looking for your husband."

Lady Youngstreet's eyes took on an air of excitement. "This is it, then. Fry said they were going to track Morland down this afternoon one way or another and force him to agree to a time and place."

"Oh, dear," Harriet said, feeling helpless.

"I daresay I have never heard of a duel taking place amid so much publicity before," one of the other members of the group muttered. "Very odd."

Sir George, an expert on femurs, looked grave. "They will have to be cautious or the authorities will discover the time and place. Arrests will be made."

"Good God," Harriet whispered. She was momentarily staggered by the notion of Gideon in prison.

Felicity patted her arm reassuringly. "Do not worry, Harriet. I do not believe St. Justin would have started this unless he knew how to finish it properly."

"That is what he keeps saying." Harriet stood on tiptoe to see if she could spot Gideon. His size usually made it quite easy to find him in a crowd.

He was standing on the far side of the ballroom near the windows. Harriet thought she could just make out the top of Lord Fry's bald head next to him.

A ripple of conversation washed over the crowd. It began at the far side of the ballroom and crested like a wave in Harriet's direction.

The murmur of voices grew louder as the wave rolled toward her.

"What is it?" Harriet asked Felicity. "What is going on?"

"I do not know yet. Something has happened." Felicity waited expectantly.

Sir George assumed a worldly air. "Expect the location has been established. Probably agreed on pistols. No one uses rapiers anymore. Much too old-fashioned."

"May as well hold the thing in Drury Lane and invite the tow," Lady Youngstreet observed.

Harriet clutched Felicity's arm. "What am I going to do? I cannot allow St. Justin to fight this duel."

"Wait and see what happens," Felicity advised.

The roar of conversation was closer now, almost upon them. A few words could be heard clearly.

"Left for the Continent…"

"… Not a word to anyone…"

"Even his own staff did not know…"

"A damnable coward…"

"… Always said he was too handsome for his own good. Obviously no backbone in the man…"

Someone leaned over to speak to Lady Youngstreet. Lady Youngstreet listened attentively and then turned to make the announcement to the small group gathered around Harriet. Everyone waited breathlessly.

"Morland has fled to the Continent," Lady Youngstreet stated. "Packed his bags and vanished in the middle of the night. Did not even inform his staff. His creditors will be pounding on his door in the morning."

Everyone broke into excited conversation. Harriet felt dazed. She tried to catch Lady Youngstreet's attention. "Do you mean there will not be a duel?"

"Apparently not. Morland has turned coward and fled," Lady Youngstreet said. "St. Justin has driven him right out of the country."

Sir George nodded, looking wise. "Always said St. Justin had plenty of gumption. Had to have it in order to put up with the sort of thing he's faced during the past few years."

"Obviously the things that were said about him must have been lies," Lady Youngstreet declared. "Our Harriet would never have married him if he had not been a man of strong character."

The other members of the group murmured agreement.

Harriet was so relieved, she barely heard what the others were saying. "Felicity, there is not going to be a duel."

"Yes, I know." Felicity laughed. "You can stop quarreling with St. Justin now. It is all over. And if I am not mistaken, I believe your husband has managed to wipe the stain off his honor in the process. Quite remarkable."

"There never was a stain on his honor," Harriet said automatically. "It was all just gossip."

"Yes, well, that is apparently everyone else's opinion now, too." Felicity smiled. "Amazing how swiftly Society can do an about-face, is it not? Everyone prefers to back an obvious winner. St. Justin is going to wake up tomorrow morning and discover that he is all the rage."

But Harriet was no longer listening. She saw the crowd part and realized that Gideon was striding toward her through the huge throng. Several people attempted to speak to him, but Gideon looked neither to the right nor the left. His gleaming gaze was fixed on Harriet and it did not waver as he came to a halt in front of her and took her hand.

"I believe they are about to play a waltz, my dear. Will you favor me with this dance?"

"Oh, Gideon,
yes
. " Harriet cried softly. She rushed into his arms.

Gideon laughed exultantly as he swept her out onto the dance floor.

A long while later, seated in the carriage on the trip home, Harriet confronted Gideon. It was the first time she had had him alone all evening.

"Is it truly over, Gideon?"

"It would appear so. It took some work for Applegate and Fry to discover what happened to Morland, but they finally tracked down the facts this evening. I think they were quite disappointed to learn that he had fled the country. They had been looking forward to fulfilling all their duties as seconds."

Harriet eyed him intently. "Tell me, Gideon, is this the way you planned it all along? Did you know Morland would run away rather than face you in a duel?"

Gideon shrugged. "It was a distinct possibility from the start. I knew him to be a coward."

"You should have told me, Gideon I have been so worried."

"I could not be certain it would work out this way. Which was why I did not confide in you, my dear. I did not want to raise your hopes. There was still the chance that I would actually have to meet him and I knew the notion upset you."

Harriet was torn between relief and anger. "I do wish you would discuss things with me, my lord. It is very annoying to be kept in the dark."

"I did what I thought was best, Harriet."

"Your notion of what is best does not always coincide with mine," she told him forcefully. "You are far too accustomed to acting without bothering with explanations. You must learn to curb that tendency."

Gideon smiled faintly. "Are you going to spend the rest of the night lecturing me, my dear? Personally, I can think of other things I would rather do."

Harriet sighed as the carriage came to a halt in front of the townhouse. "If I were not so terribly relieved to know you are safe, I vow, I would lecture you all night and straight through until morning."

"But I am safe," Gideon drawled softly as a footman opened the door. "And you are relieved. So we shall skip the lectures and go to bed, hmm?"

Harriet threw him a wry glance as she was handed down. Gideon stepped down behind her, took her arm, and guided her up the steps. He was still smiling.

The door opened and Owl appeared. His dour face looked even more grim than usual. "Good evening, my lady. Your lordship."

Harriet eyed him warily. "Has someone died, Owl?"

"No, madam." Owl looked at Gideon. "We have guests."

"Guests?" Gideon stopped smiling. "Who the hell is paying us a visit at this late hour? I have not extended an invitation to anyone."

"Your parents have arrived, sir."

Harriet was delighted. "Wonderful."

"My
parents
," Gideon exploded. His eyes darkened with anger. "Bloody hell. What the devil are they doing here?"

Owl switched his gaze to Harriet. "I am told they received an invitation from Lady St. Justin, sir."

"Yes, indeed." Harriet ignored Gideon as he turned on her, his face set in lines of growing fury. "I invited them because I thought they might be able to assist me in stopping the dreadful nonsense with Mr. Morland."

"You invited them? Without my permission?" Gideon asked in a dangerous voice.

"I did what I thought was best, my lord. If you do not confide in me, you cannot expect me to confide every little thing in you." Harriet hurried past him up the steps to greet her in-laws.

The Earl and Countess of Hardcastle were seated in the library in front of the fire. They had been supplied with a pot of tea. They both glanced up with expressions of alarm and anxiety as Harriet rushed into the library.

The earl glanced first at Harriet and then he looked past her at Gideon. He scowled at his son, who returned the look with an equally fierce expression.

"We received a note," Hardcastle said gruffly. "Something about events of a dire nature that threatened scandal, bloodshed, and possible murder."

"Hell," said Gideon. "Harriet always did have a way with notes."

Chapter Eighteen

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Two hours later Gideon kicked open the connecting door between Harriet's bedchamber and his own and stalked into his wife's room. He was spoiling for battle.

Harriet sat up in bed against the pillows. She was prepared, more or less, for this confrontation. She was well aware that Gideon had been keeping a tight rein on his temper since the moment they had arrived home to find his parents waiting for them in the library.

Gideon had been civil to the earl and his mother. Barely. He had even given them a brief summary of events which had appeared to stun them.

It was clear that he was not feeling at all civil toward Harriet, however. Everyone had been extremely nervous about that fact except Harriet.

Gideon clamped a hand around the carved bedpost at the foot of the bed. He had undressed except for his breeches. The candlelight highlighted the contoured muscles of his broad shoulders and chest as he loomed in the shadows. His eyes glinted.

"I am not pleased with you, madam," Gideon said grimly.

"Yes, I can see that, my lord."

"How dare you take it upon yourself to issue an invitation to my parents?"

"I was desperate. You were running about London making plans for a duel and you would not listen to me. I had to find a way to stop you."

"I had everything under control," Gideon raged. He released the bedpost and moved closer. "Everything except you, obviously.
Damnation
, woman. A man is supposed to be master in his own home."

"Well, you are master in this home. For the most part." Harriet tried a placating smile. "But now and again one or two things pop up which require me to take forceful action. You were in one of your stubborn moods and you refused to listen to me."

"The business with Morland was my affair."

"It also involved me, Gideon. You challenged him in the first place because of me."

"That is beside the point."

"No, it is not." Harriet drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. "I was just as involved as you were. Why are you so angry?"

"You know why. Because you did not consult with me before you summoned my parents." Gideon's voice was harsh. "I do not want them here. I am barely on speaking terms with them, in case you had failed to notice. I cannot imagine what you thought sending for them would accomplish."

"They care about you and I knew they would be concerned that you were planning to risk your neck in a duel."

"Concerned about me? Bloody hell. The only reason they would care if I got killed in a duel is that it would mean the end of the line."

"How can you say that? You saw your mother's face tonight when we walked into the library She was very much alarmed for you."

"Very well, I will allow that my mother may still retain some feeling for me. But all my father wants from me is a grandson, and for that he needs me alive. But do not fool yourself into believing he actually cares what happens to me beyond that."

"Oh, Gideon, I am certain that is not true." Harriet scrambled to her knees and touched his arm. "Your father does care about you. It is just that he is every bit as stubborn and arrogant and proud as you are. In addition, he is a great deal older than you are. Probably much more set in his ways."

"I may not have his years of experience," Gideon bit out, "but I can be just as set in my ways as he can. Trust me."

"Rubbish. You are much more tolerant and flexible than he is."

Gideon's brows rose. "I am?"

"Certainly. Just look at how much you tolerate from me."

"There is that," Gideon muttered. "I have tolerated far too much from you, madam."

"Gideon, I am trying to make a point here. Listen to me. If you wish to be on friendly terms with your father again, you must make it easy for him. He will not know how to break down the walls that have built up over the past six years."

"Why should I bother to be on friendly terms with him? He is the one who turned his back on me."

"Not completely, Gideon. He has trusted you with the management of his estates."

"He did not have much choice," Gideon retorted. "I'm the only son he's got left."

"He has not cut off all communication," Harriet continued. "You go to visit him fairly often. Look how you dashed off to see him after we spent the night in the cave."

"My father only issues a command for me to visit when he thinks he is dying."

"Perhaps he feels he must use his health as an excuse to summon you."

Gideon stared at her. "Good God. How in hell's name did you reach that conclusion?"

"I examined the facts in a logical fashion. You will notice he did not let his health concerns keep him from racing to your rescue tonight. He came because he cared what happened to you."

Gideon's big hands closed over her shoulders. He leaned close. "My father did not rush to my rescue tonight. He is here because you managed to alarm my mother and caused both of them to think that I was about to put an end to the Earls of Hardcastle. That is the only reason he is here. And I have had enough of this nonsense."

"So have I Gideon, I want you to promise me you will be polite to your father. Give him a chance to repair the rift between you."