Page 65 of Ravished

Applegate lifted his chin. "It is all right, Miss Pomeroy. I do not mind dying on your behalf."

"Well, I mind," Harriet said. She smiled at him through the coach window. "You are very kind, Lord Applegate. And very brave. But I simply cannot allow anyone to engage in a duel over what amounted to nothing more than a ride in the country."

Lady Youngstreet perked up. "Exactly. Ride in the country. That's all it was."

Fry looked doubtful. "Trifle more than a jaunt, my dear. We were going to get the gel married, if you will recall."

Harriet paid no attention to Lord Fry. She looked up into Gideon's scowling face. "Let us be on our way, St. Justin. It is getting late. We must allow my friends to start back to town."

"Yes, indeed," Lady Youngstreet said quickly. "Must be off." She seized Fry's walking stick and rapped the roof of the coach. "Turn around," she called loudly. "And be quick about it."

The coachman, who had been listening to the proceedings with an air of boredom, took a last nip at his own bottle and picked up the reins. He guided the horses into a wide turn and the heavy coach moved ponderously off down the road toward London.

Applegate sat gazing wistfully through the window at Harriet until the vehicle rounded a curve and disappeared from sight.

"Well, then," Harriet said cheerfully as she straightened her bonnet. "That's over and done. We should no doubt be off ourselves, my lord. I vow it is going to be a long drive back to Town."

Gideon caught her chin between thumb and forefinger and tilted her face up so that she could not hide her eyes beneath the bonnet rim. It was almost dark, but Harriet could see his grim expression quite clearly.

"Harriet, do not for one minute allow yourself to believe that this matter is over and done," Gideon said.

She bit her lip. "Oh, dear. I had a feeling you would be somewhat annoyed."

"That is putting it mildly."

"The thing is," she assured him, "it really was nothing more than an inconvenience for all concerned. My friends meant no harm. I admit you have been put to a great deal of trouble and I am sorry for it, but nothing happened that required you to threaten Applegate in that odious fashion."

"Damnation, woman. He tried to run off with you."

"And he was very careful to bring along a pair of chaperones. You cannot fault him when it comes to observing the proprieties."

"Bloody hell, Harriet—"

"Even if he had succeeded in getting me all the way to Gretna Green, which is highly unlikely, nothing dreadful would have occurred. We would simply have turned around and come back again."

"I cannot believe I am standing around on the open road debating this with you." Gideon took Harriet's arm and drew her to the waiting phaeton. "The man had every intention of making a runaway marriage with you." He tossed Harriet lightly up onto the seat.

Harriet adjusted her skirts as Gideon vaulted up beside her and picked up the reins. "Surely, my lord, you do not believe I would have actually married Applegate. I am engaged to you."

Gideon gave her an oblique look as he turned his team back toward London, driving them rather slowly. "That fact did not deter your friends from trying to rescue you from my clutches."

"Yes, well, they simply do not understand that I am content to be in your clutches, my lord."

Gideon did not respond to that. He fell silent for a time, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Harriet took a deep breath of the chilled night air. The clouds had begun to clear and the stars were appearing.

There was something very romantic about the highway at night, she thought. Nothing seemed quite real. She felt as if she were caught up in a dream world with Gideon and the horses, racing into the night along a ribbon of mysterious road that might lead anywhere.

The phaeton rounded a bend and the lights of an inn appeared in the distance.

"Harriet?" Gideon said quietly.

"Yes, my lord?"

"I do not want to go through this sort of nonsense again."

"I understand, my lord. I know you were greatly inconvenienced."

"That is not quite what I meant." Gideon's eyes were on the inn lights up ahead. "I am trying to tell you that I would like to end the engagement."

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