“I had everything under control,” Gideon raged. He released the bedpost and moved closer. “Everything except you, obviously. Damnation, woman. A man is supposed to be master in his own home.”
“Well, you are master in this home. For the most part.” Harriet tried a placating smile. “But now and again one or two things pop up which require me to take forceful action. You were in one of your stubborn moods and you refused to listen to me.”
“The business with Morland was my affair.”
“It also involved me, Gideon. You challenged him in the first place because of me.”
“That is beside the point.”
“No, it is not.” Harriet drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. “I was just as involved as you were. Why are you so angry?”
“You know why. Because you did not consult with me before you summoned my parents.” Gideon’s voice was harsh. “I do not want them here. I am barely on speaking terms with them, in case you had failed to notice. I cannot imagine what you thought sending for them would accomplish.”
“They care about you and I knew they would be concerned that you were planning to risk your neck in a duel.”
“Concerned about me? Bloody hell. The only reason they would care if I got killed in a duel is that it would mean the end of the line.”
“How can you say that? You saw your mother’s face tonight when we walked into the library. She was very much alarmed for you.”
“Very well, I will allow that my mother may still retain some feeling for me. But all my father wants from me is a grandson, and for that he needs me alive. But do not fool yourself into believing he actually cares what happens to me beyond that.”
“Oh, Gideon, I am certain that is not true.” Harriet scrambled to her knees and touched his arm. “Your father does care about you. It is just that he is every bit as stubborn and arrogant and proud as you are. In addition, he is a great deal older than you are. Probably much more set in his ways.”
“I may not have his years of experience,” Gideon bit out, “but I can be just as set in my ways as he can. Trust me.”
“Rubbish. You are much more tolerant and flexible than he is.”
Gideon’s brows rose. “I am?”
“Certainly. Just look at how much you tolerate from me.”
“There is that,” Gideon muttered. “I have tolerated far too much from you, madam.”
“Gideon, I am trying to make a point here. Listen to me. If you wish to be on friendly terms with your father again, you must make it easy for him. He will not know how to break down the walls that have built up over the past six years.”
“Why should I bother to be on friendly terms with him? He is the one who turned his back on me.”
“Not completely, Gideon. He has trusted you with the management of his estates.”
“He did not have much choice,” Gideon retorted. “I’m the only son he’s got left.”
“He has not cut off all communication,” Harriet continued. “You go to visit him fairly often. Look how you dashed off to see him after we spent the night in the cave.”
“My father only issues a command for me to visit when he thinks he is dying.”
“Perhaps he feels he must use his health as an excuse to summon you.”
Gideon stared at her. “Good God. How in hell’s name did you reach that conclusion?”
“I examined the facts in a logical fashion. You will notice he did not let his health concerns keep him from racing to your rescue tonight. He came because he cared what happened to you.”
Gideon’s big hands closed over her shoulders. He leaned close. “My father did not rush to my rescue tonight. He is here because you managed to alarm my mother and caused both of them to think that I was about to put an end to the Earls of Hardcastle. That is the only reason he is here. And I have had enough of this nonsense.”
“So have I. Gideon, I want you to promise me you will be polite to your father. Give him a chance to repair the rift between you.”
“I do not want to talk about my father anymore tonight. I am here to talk to you, madam.”
Harriet eyed him expectantly. “What do you wish to discuss?”
“Your duties as a wife. Henceforth, you will consult with me before making major decisions such as the one you took when you contacted my parents. Is that quite clear?”
“I will strike a bargain with you, my lord.” Harriet smiled tremulously. “I will promise to consult with you, provided you will consult with me. I want your word of honor that in future you will discuss matters such as this foolish business of challenging Mr. Morland to a duel.”
“There was no duel. Why in bloody hell do you keep harping on it?”
“Because I know you, Gideon. I know full well that there would have been a duel if Mr. Morland had not conveniently disgraced himself by running off to the Continent. And if things had gone wrong, you might have been killed. I could not bear the thought of that.”
Gideon’s eyes were brilliant suddenly. “Because you love me?”
“Yes,” Harriet nearly shouted. “How many times do I have to tell you that I love you?”
“I think,” Gideon said as he pushed her down onto her back and sprawled heavily across her, “that you will have to tell me many, many times. Countless times. And you will have to go on saying it for the rest of your life.”
“Very well, my lord.” Harriet put her arms around his neck and drew him close. “I love you.”
“Show me,” he said, his hands already moving on her.
She did.
Six years ago Gideon had forgotten how to love. But Harriet dared to hope that he was relearning the skill.
The next morning Gideon retreated to the library directly after breakfast. He was in no mood to deal with either of his parents. They were in the house and there was little he could do about it. He could hardly kick them out. But he had decided that, as Harriet had invited them to London, Harriet could damn well entertain them.
Gideon told himself he had other, more important matters to attend to.
He sat at his desk and studied the final version of his list of suspicious persons. It had been an exacting and frustrating job trying to cull names of possible thieves from the guest lists. There were literally dozens of people who showed up on everyone’s list.
Which was not to say that they had all accepted the invitations, of course. At any given time during the Season certain people were all the rage and received invitations to every soiree, ball, and card party. No one expected them to attend any but the most exclusive functions, however.
One of the problems Gideon faced was that he did not know how to tell who, after receiving an invitation, might have actually attended what. It struck him that he did not have a firm grasp on who was currently in fashion and who was not, who might have accepted an invitation and who would have disdained it.
It was all very complicated for a man who had been out of Society for the past six years.
The door opened just as Gideon was going through the long list one more time in an effort to refine it. His father walked hesitantly into the room and stopped.
“Your wife said I might find you in here,” Hardcastle said.
“Was there something you wanted, sir?”
“I’d like a word with you, if you don’t mind.”
Gideon shrugged. “Please sit down.”
The earl crossed the room and seated himself on the other side of the desk. “Busy, eh?”
“A project I have been working on for a few days now.”
“I see. Well.” Hardcastle glanced around the library and cleared his throat once or twice. “I realize you were unaware that Harriet had sent for your mother and me.”
“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 somewha
t 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 Rush-ton 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.”
Gideon met his father’s clear, unflinching gaze and relaxed slightly. “I am glad.” He had never known for certain which of the tales his parents had heard and believed. There had been so many stories going around six years ago, each worse than the last.
“What is that you are working on?” Hardcastle asked after a moment.
Gideon hesitated and then decided to explain. “I told you I was continuing to search for the mastermind behind the ring of thieves which was using the caves.”
“I remember you saying it was probably someone who was accepted in Society and who also had an interest in the fossils. You, ah, mentioned that I was a likely candidate,” Hardcastle murmured.
Gideon glanced up and saw the ironic gleam in his father’s eyes. “You will be relieved to know that I have removed you from the list of suspicious persons.”
“On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that you have not been going into Society lately. I need someone who is moving freely about in London, attending parties and the like,” Gideon said. “You and mother have been living like hermits at Hardcastle House for years.”
“My health, you know.” The earl gave him a shrewd glance.
“As Harriet pointed out last night, your health did not keep you from rushing here to Town when you got her note.”
“I have been feeling somewhat better of late.”
Gideon smiled coolly. “No doubt because you are hopeful of gaining a grandson soon.”
Hardcastle shrugged. “It is certainly past time…. Your list appears to be a rather long one.”
“It is proving difficult to know who would have had knowledge of the caves of Upper Biddleton. Every time I make inquiries at my club I discover that yet another member has taken up an interest in collecting fossils. I had no notion so many people were fascinated with old bones.”
“Perhaps I can help. During my fossil collecting days I met many otters who were similarly inclined. I might recognize some of the names on your list.”
Gideon hesitated and then turned the list around so that his father could peruse it.
“Interesting,” Hardcastle said absently as he ran his finger down the list. “I think you can remove Donnelly and Jenkins. As I recall, they rarely leave London and would certainly not go anywhere as unfashionable as Upper Biddleton. Their interest in fossils is limited.”
Gideon eyed his father and then leaned forward to put a checkmark next to the names. “Very well,” he said stiffly.
“Do you mind if I ask why you are so determined to catch this mystery man?”
“As soon as we return to Upper Biddleton, Harriet will head straight back to her precious caves. I want to be certain it is safe for her. I cannot be sure it is until I know that whoever was operating the ring of thieves has been apprehended. Next time she might stumble into a gang of cutthroats, not just their stolen goods.”
Hardcastle’s eyes were sharp. “I see. You believe this master thief will return to the caves?”
“I see no reason why he would not wish to set up another similar operation as soon as the excitement has died down. He no doubt knows I cannot stay in Upper Biddleton all the time to keep an eye on the beach. And the scheme itself worked very well until Harriet accidentally stumbled into that cavern. Yes, I think he might try it again.”
Hardcastle’s brows came together. “In that case, we had best get to work.” He glanced at the next two names on the list. “Restonville and Shadwick both have fortunes that would make Midas blush. They would have no need to resort to running a ring of thieves.”
“Very well.” Gideon checked off two more names.
He and his father continued to work for several minutes, gradually shortening the list. They were midway through the task when Harriet and Lady Hardcastle breezed into the room, dressed to go out. Gideon and his father rose politely.
“Just thought we would let you know that we are going shopping, my lord,” Harriet said airily. “Your mother has e
xpressed a desire to see the latest fashions.”
“I am in desperate need of a new bonnet and some fabric for one or two new gowns,” Lady Hardcastle said. She gave Harriet a tentative smile.
Gideon did not miss the expression in his mother’s eyes when she looked at Harriet. It occurred to him that his wife was successfully charming his mother, just as she did everyone else.
“Nothing like a shopping expedition to give two women an opportunity to get to know each other,” Harriet said briskly. “Your mother and I have so much in common, my lord.”
Gideon arched a brow. “Such as?”
“You, of course.” Harriet grinned.
Lady Hardcastle’s gaze flitted anxiously back and forth between her husband and son. “I see you two are occupied.”
“Quite so,” Hardcastle said. “We are going over Gideon’s list of suspicious persons.”
Harriet’s eyes widened. “Suspicious persons?”
Gideon groaned. “I meant to warn you not to say anything about it,” he growled to his father.
“What is this about suspicious persons?” Harriet demanded eagerly.
“I am looking for someone who might have organized that ring of thieves who invaded the caves,” Gideon explained shortly. “I have reason to believe it is a person who is admitted to the best drawing rooms. That person must also be someone who might have had an opportunity to know about the caverns in the cliffs.”
“A fossil collector, perhaps?”
Gideon nodded reluctantly. “Yes. Quite possibly.”
“What a brilliant notion. Fossil collectors can be a very unscrupulous lot, as I have told you, my lord.” Harriet said. Enthusiasm lit her eyes. “Mayhap I can help. I have made the acquaintance of many collectors here in London and I can think of several who strike me as a bit shady.”
Gideon smiled ruefully. “You find the vast majority of your colleagues untrustworthy. I do not think your opinions would help us narrow the list much. Nevertheless, you can give me the names of the members of your Fossils and Antiquities Society. I can compare it to my lists.”
“Certainly. I shall work on it as soon as we return from shopping.”
Lady Hardcastle glanced at her husband. “Who is on the list thus far?”