Page 100 of Ravished

The following morning Harriet was scheduled to join Felicity and Effie on a shopping expedition. She was not looking forward to it. She knew Effie would want to lecture her severely about the events in the Berkstones's ballroom.

When a maid knocked to tell her that her sister and aunt had arrived and were waiting for her, Harriet sealed the letter she had just finished writing.

"You will see this gets into today's post, do you understand?" she said to the maid.

The girl nodded quickly and left to find a footman. Harriet reluctantly picked up her bonnet and went downstairs.

When she reached the hall, however, she saw no sign of Felicity and Effie. "Where are they, Owl?"

"His lordship invited them into the library to visit while they waited for you, madam." Owl opened the door for her.

"I see. Thank you." Harriet whisked into the library and saw Felicity and Effie seated across from Gideon. She groaned.

Gideon rose to his feet, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Good morning, my dear. I see you are ready to leave. What time shall we expect you home?"

The campaign of silence was proving extremely difficult to wage, as Harriet had discovered last night. Nevertheless, she was still making the effort this morning. It was, she had concluded, her only weapon for bringing Gideon to his senses.

Harriet looked at Felicity as she tied her bonnet strings. "You may tell his lordship that after we return from shopping I shall be attending a meeting of the Fossils and Antiquities Society. I shall be back home by four."

Felicity's eyes gleamed with amusement. She delicately cleared her throat and turned to Gideon. "Your wife says she will be back by four, my lord."

"Excellent. Just in time for a ride in the park."

Harriet scowled. "Felicity, please tell his lordship that I do not feel like a drive in the park today."

Felicity hid a grin as she looked at Gideon. "My sister says to tell you that—"

"I heard," Gideon murmured, his eyes on Harriet. "Nevertheless, I wish to ride in the park this afternoon and I know she will want to accompany me. I am most anxious to see her mounted on her new mare."

"What new mare?" Harriet demanded. Then she realized she had addressed the question to Gideon. She rounded on her sister quickly. "Ask his lordship about this new mare he mentioned."

"Good grief," Effie muttered. "I cannot believe this. It is ridiculous."

Felicity, however, was enjoying the game. "My sister is curious about the new mare, sir."

"Yes, I imagine she is. Tell her that the mare arrived in our stables yesterday and she will see her for herself when she joins me for a ride in the park this afternoon."

Harriet glowered at him. "Felicity, kindly tell my husband that I will not be bribed."

Felicity opened her mouth to relay the warning, but Gideon forestalled her. He held up a hand.

"I understand. My wife does not wish me to think I am trying to get her to break her silence with the gift of the mare. Please assure her I have no such intention. The mare was purchased before she stopped speaking to me, so she need have no qualms about riding her."

Harriet flashed him an uncertain glance and then looked at Felicity. "Tell his lordship I thank him for the mare, but I do not feel today would be a good time for me to go riding with him. We would not be able to converse and the ride would be quite tedious."

"She says—" Felicity began.

"Yes, I heard," Gideon said. "The thing is, if I go riding in the park alone today after what happened last night, people will most certainly talk I shall be the subject of a great deal of unpleasant speculation. It is even possible that some will say I am beating my wife."

"Rubbish," Harriet snapped to Felicity.

"I am not so certain about that," Gideon said thoughtfully. "People expect the worst from the Beast of Blackthorne Hall. Beating his wife would be perfectly in keeping with the rumors about him. And after Rushton's dire predictions and accusations last night, everyone will definitely be waiting for the worst to happen. Don't you agree, Mrs. Ashecombe?"

Effie gave him a thoughtful look. "Yes. Very probably. One thing is for certain, there will be no lack of gossip today. What with one thing and another, the two of you have managed to make yourselves notorious."

Harriet gritted her teeth, alarmed at the possibility that he was right. People were always willing to believe the worst of Gideon and he did nothing to stop them. Last night she had actually added to the scandalbroth that always swirled around him. If she was not seen with him today, the rumors of a rift between them would be rampant.

"Very well." Harriet lifted her chin. "Felicity, you may inform his lordship that I shall join him this afternoon for a ride in the park."

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