Page 90 of Ravished

"Yes, I am." Harriet marched to the carriage. "Let us be off. I am late enough getting home as it is."

Beth's eyes widened at the sight of her dusty yellow gown and pelisse. "Dear me, ma'am, yer lovely dress is ruined. All those dirty old bones and such. I should have brought along an apron for you to use."

"Never mind, Beth." Harriet seated herself in the carriage. "Kindly hurry. I am anxious to get home."

"Yes, ma'am."

The lad who had taken the tickets stared at her. "What happened to the other gentleman? The one who said he wanted to study fossils in private?"

Harriet smiled coolly. "I have no notion. I did not see anyone else about when I left."

The lad scratched his head. "He must have come out when I wasn't lookin'."

"I daresay." Harriet gave the signal to the coachman to be off. "I am certain it is none of our concern."

Twenty minutes later, Harriet was handed down from the carriage in front of Gideon's townhouse. She still could not decide how much to tell her husband.

On the one hand she wanted to throw herself into his arms and tell him everything. She needed to talk to someone about the dreadful events in Mr. Humboldt's Museum.

On the other hand, she was terribly afraid of what Gideon might decide to do. He would not let such an affront to his wife pass without vengeance.

Gideon was lounging in the doorway of the library when Harriet walked into the hall. He smiled at the sight of her dusty clothes.

"From the dirt on your gown, it would appear you had a most enjoyable time at Mr. Humboldt's Museum, madam."

"It was a very interesting experience, my lord. I cannot wait to tell you all about it." Harriet's fingers shook as she stripped off her gloves.

She realized she was experiencing some sort of physical reaction to the awful events in the museum. Her whole body felt unnatural. She could not seem to stop the fine, almost invisible shivers that were rippling through her.

Harriet walked straight past Gideon into the library. His perceptive eyes rested thoughtfully on her face and his indulgent smile vanished. He closed the door of the library and turned to confront her.

"What has happened, Harriet?"

Harriet turned toward him, struggling for words. She felt torn apart by her body's reaction to the violence. She could no longer control herself.

With a soft cry she ran to Gideon and threw herself against his solid frame, seeking the comfort of his reassuring strength.

"Oh, Gideon, the most terrible thing has happened. I may have killed Mr. Morland."

Chapter Sixteen

It was not easy getting the whole tale out of her. Gideon summoned his patience and held Harriet close while she gave him a disjointed explanation that involved forged fossils, a stone with a fish embedded in it, and Bryce Morland.

It was Morland's name that sent cold rage surging through Gideon.

"So I threw the stone down at him." Harriet lifted her head from Gideon's shoulder. "And it struck him. There was blood, Gideon. A lot of it. And then he fell to the floor and I cannot be certain, but he may have hit his head on the cabinets. When I went to get the key out of his pocket he did not move. Gideon, what are we going to do? Do you think I will hang for the murder of Mr. Morland?"

Gideon controlled his fury with an effort of will. "No," he said. "You most certainly will not hang for murder. I will not allow it."

Harriet's shoulders slumped in relief. "Thank you, my lord. That is very reassuring. I have been so worried." She grabbed the huge white handkerchief he held out to her and blotted her eyes. "Will we be obliged to go abroad to avoid the scandal, do you think?"

"No, I do not believe that will be necessary." Gideon's gut twisted.Morland had gone too far this time.

"Thank goodness." Harriet sniffed into the handkerchief. "I would hate to have to go abroad at this particular moment. I am so anxious to get back to Upper Biddleton so that I can continue my work. And I expect it would be rather difficult for you to supervise your family's estates from abroad."

"No doubt." Gideon gripped her shoulders firmly. "Harriet, are you quite certain he did not hurt you?"

She shook her head impatiently and blew into the handkerchief once more. "No, no, I am fine, my lord. Except for this gown, of course, which is no doubt ruined. But I cannot blame that entirely on Mr. Morland. In truth I had already gotten it quite dirty by the time he showed up."

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