Page 108 of Ravished

"Yes."

Hardcastle scowled. "Your lady meant well, you know."

"She overreacted to a situation that was entirely under control."

"Yes, well, trust you were not too hard on her last night. I know you were somewhat annoyed."

Gideon arched one brow. "Harriet and I discussed the matter. You need not be concerned for her."

"Damnation, man. What was it all about? A duel? With Morland? What in God's name possessed you to challenge Morland?"

"He attacked Harriet in Mr. Humboldt's Museum. She saved herself by hitting him over the head with a large stone. Unfortunately, he survived the experience. So I challenged him. All very simple and straightforward, really, but Harriet was alarmed by it all."

"Morland attacked Harriet?" Hardcastle was clearly shocked. "Why in hell would he do that?"

Gideon studied the guest list in front of him. "Probably because he knew he could not seduce her the way he had Deirdre." He checked off one of the names with his pen.

"Deirdre."

There was a long silence. Gideon did not look up. He continued checking off names.

"Are you telling me Morland seduced Deirdre Rushton six years ago?" Hardcastle finally asked.

"Yes. I believe I mentioned once or twice that she had been having an affair with another man and that I, myself, had never touched her."

"Yes, but—"

"But you thought the babe she carried was mine," Gideon said. "I do recall denying it on one or two occasions, but no one was paying much attention."

"She was a rector's daughter." But there was no defensive heat in his voice, just a great sadness. "And she told her housekeeper and her father that the child was yours. Why would she lie when she was going to kill herself?"

"I have often wondered that myself. But Deirdre told a great many lies during that time. What was one more?"

Hardcastle wrinkled his brow. "Did you know at the time that Morland had been with her?"

"She told me so herself that last night. Later, when it was all over, there was no way to prove it. Morland was still married at the time and his poor wife had enough to cope with as it was."

"His wife? I seem to remember her vaguely. A rather melancholy creature. No spirit."

Gideon paused, remembering. "Rumor had it that he was not kind to her. I saw no reason to accuse him publicly of seducing Deirdre. No one would have believed me and it would only have brought further distress to Morland's sad little wife."

"I see. I was aware that you no longer were seen in Morland's company, but I assumed it was because Morland had turned against you along with everyone else in Society. Instead it was you who cut off the friendship."

"Yes."

"It was a difficult time for all of us," Hardcastle said. "Your brother had died only a few months before. Your mother had still not recovered from the shock."

"Neither had you," Gideon said coldly. "It was becoming clear that you never would recover."

"He was my firstborn son," Hardcastle said slowly. "My only son for a long, long while. Your mother was unable to conceive for several years after Randal was born. He was all we had and he was everything a son and heir is supposed to be. It was, perhaps, inevitable that he was the favored one, even after you came along."

"And equally inevitable that I could never take his place in your eyes. You made that very clear, sir."

Hardcastle met Gideon's gaze. "As I said, it was a great shock losing Randal and then having to face the scandal of Deirdre's death a short time later. We needed time to adjust, Gideon."

"No doubt." Gideon looked down at his lists. At least he and his father were not yelling at each other, he thought. This was the first time they had ever actually talked about the past in reasonable tones. "There is something I would like to know. Did you ever believe any of the other tales that were whispered about?"

Hardcastle scowled. "Don't be an ass. Of course we never believed for one moment that you had anything to do with Randal's death. I admit I thought that you had behaved dishonorably toward Deirdre Rushton, but neither your mother nor I ever thought for one moment that you were a murderer."

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