Page 61 of Ravished

"How nice to know my offer of marriage is favored on such practical grounds."

Effie's eyes narrowed slightly. "The situation is worse than you know, St. Justin. Rumors of the night you and Harriet spent in that dreadful cave may have reached Town. I got the barest hint of it last night at the Wraxham soiree. In addition to all the other gossip, people may soon be wondering if Harriet was, indeed, compromised by you. Her reputation cannot withstand this kidnapping affair."

"It would be one thing if we actually thought Harriet would marry Applegate," Felicity explained pragmatically.

"Ah, yes. Indeed it would." Gideon's fingers clamped around the small figure of a bird that sat on his desk.

"However," Felicity continued, "we know that even if they get her to Gretna Green, Harriet will not marry Applegate."

Gideon ran his thumb along the bird's wing. "You do not believe so?"

"She considers herself committed to you, my lord. Harriet would never break a commitment of that nature. When they all return from the north with Harriet not wed to Applegate, the tale will be all over Town. We are already dealing with quite enough speculation on your forthcoming marriage to my sister as it is."

Effie groaned. "They will all say poor Harriet tried to escape the clutches of the Beast of Blackthorne Hall by running away to Gretna Green and that when she got there Applegate changed his mind. The dear girl will be ruined twice."

Gideon got to his feet and pulled the bell cord to summon his butler. "You are quite right, both of you. There is already enough talk. I shall deal with this matter immediately."

Felicity glanced toward the door as Owl opened it. Then she looked back at Gideon. "You are going after them, my lord?"

"Of course. If, as you say, they have taken Lady Youngstreet's ancient traveling coach, you may rest assured I will overtake them in a short while. That carnage of hers is at least twenty years old. Very heavy and badly sprung. And her animals are almost as old as her coach. They will not be able to make good time."

"Yes, my lord?" Owl inquired in his graveyard tones.

"Order the phaeton horsed with Cyclops and Minotaur and brought around immediately, Owl," Gideon said.

"Very good, my lord. Not a pleasant evening for driving, if I may say so, sir. I feel there may be a storm on the way."

"I will take my chances, Owl. Kindly do not delay relaying my orders."

"As you wish, sir. Never say I did not warn you." Owl withdrew, shutting the door softly behind him.

"Well, then." Effie got to her feet and retied the strings of her bonnet. "I suppose we had best be off, Felicity. We have done all we can."

"Yes, Aunt Effie." Felicity stood up and gave Gideon a sharp look. "My lord, if you do catch up with them—"

"I will most certainly catch up with them, Miss Pomeroy."

She studied his expression for a few seconds and then drew a deep breath. "Yes, well, when you do, sir, I trust you will not be unpleasant to my sister. I am certain she will have a satisfactory explanation for this affair."

"She will no doubt have an explanation." Gideon strode to the door and opened it for the women. "Harriet is never short of explanations. Whether or not it will be a satisfactory one is another matter."

Felicity frowned. "Sir, you must give me your word you will not be harsh with her. I would not have insisted on coming here to tell you what has occurred if I had thought you would be angry with her."

Impatience flared in Gideon at the sight of the concern in Felicity's eyes. "Do not trouble yourself, Miss Pomeroy. Your sister and I understand each other very well."

"That is what she keeps saying," Felicity murmured as she followed her aunt out the door. "I trust you are both correct."

"By the bye," Gideon said as Felicity and Effie stepped out into the hall. "Pack a bag for my fiancée as soon as you return home. I shall stop for it on my way out of Town."

Effie looked suddenly wary. "You do not believe you will be able to return her safely to us before dawn?"

It was Felicity who responded to that. "Of course he will not return her to us this evening, Aunt Effie. Who knows how far Harriet and her friends will have gotten on the road north? In any event, I expect that the next time we see Harriet, she will be a married woman. Is that not right, my lord?"

"Yes," said Gideon. "Quite right. I think the time has come to put an end to this nonsense once and for all. I cannot have all and sundry trying to rescue my fiancée from the Beast of Blackthorne Hall. This sort of thing could become a damned nuisance."

Owl had been wrong in his prediction of the weather. The evening sky was overcast, but there was no rain and the road was dry. Gideon made good progress through the streets of the city, and as soon as he was free of the traffic, he gave his horses the signal to move out at a swifter pace. Cyclops and Minotaur exploded into action, big hooves striking the ground with relentless, rhythmic power.

It would not be truly dark for another two hours. Plenty of time to catch up with Lady Youngstreet's heavy old traveling coach.

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