Page 71 of Ravished

Gideon's smile faded. "What about it?"

"Gideon, I want you to promise me that you will not challenge Applegate to a duel."

"Do not concern yourself with the matter, Harriet." He kissed a warm, soft breast.

She pushed herself up on her elbow and leaned over him. Her expression was very intent. "I am very serious about this, my lord. I will have your word on it."

"It is none of your affair." He smiled as he put his hand on her sweetly curved belly. He imagined his seed planted in her, growing even now, perhaps. The image was making him hard again.

"Itismy affair," Harriet insisted. "I will not allow you to challenge poor Applegate simply because he and the others made off with me today."

"For God's sake, Harriet. They kidnapped you."

"Rubbish. There was no ransom demand."

Gideon scowled. "That is beside the point. Applegate tried to carry you off and I will deal with him. That is all there is to it."

"No. That is not all there is to it. You are not to shoot him, Gideon, do you hear me?"

Gideon was getting impatient. His shaft was already taut with renewed desire. "I will not kill him, if that is what you are worrying about I have no wish to be obliged to leave the country."

"Leave the country," she echoed, looking horrified. "Is that what will happen if you kill someone in a duel?"

"Unfortunately the authorities, while prepared to turn a blind eye to some aspects of dueling, will not overlook a little matter of killing one's opponent." Gideon grimaced. "No matter how much he deserves it."

Harriet sat straight up in bed. "That is the outside of enough. I will not tolerate you taking any such risks."

He put his hand on her leg. "You do not want me to be obliged to leave the country?"

"Of course not," she muttered.

"Harriet, you are overreacting to this. I have given you my word that I will not kill Applegate. But you must understand that I cannot allow his actions today to stand unchallenged. If gossip gets around that I let one man get away with such damnable games, it is highly probable that someone else may try something similar. Or worse."

"Nonsense. I am hardly likely to get into another coach with some strange man." Harriet slid out of bed and reached for her chemise.

"It may not be a strange man who encourages you into the next waiting coach," Gideon said quietly. He watched her. "It may be someone you know. Someone you trust."

"Impossible. I shall be on my guard." Harriet started to pace up and down in front of the dying fire. The glow from the embers shone through the thin fabric of the chemise, revealing the curves of her breasts and thighs. "Gideon, please promise me you will not fight Applegate."

"You go too far when you ask me to refrain. Say no more about the matter."

She glowered at him, still pacing furiously. "You cannot expect me to simply stop talking about it."

"Why not?" he asked mildly, his gaze on the enticing curve of her buttocks. He did not think he would ever get his fill of this woman.

"I am very serious about this, my lord," she declared. "I will not tolerate any dueling on my account. I mean every word In any event, it is totally unnecessary. Nothing happened and Lord Applegate meant no real harm. In his own way he and the others were trying to protect me."

"Damn it, Harriet—"

"Furthermore, he has devoted himself to the study of geology and fossils. I will wager he knows absolutely nothing about dueling."

"That is not my problem," Gideon said.

"It will serve no purpose to shoot him."

"I have already explained that it will serve a purpose."

She rounded on him like a small tigress. "Gideon, you must promise me now, tonight, that you will not go through with this challenge."

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