Harriet gasped and recoiled another step. She forgot all about the cavern full of stolen goods. “I do not believe it.”
“Thank you, Miss Pomeroy.” He inclined his head with mocking politeness. “But I assure you that everyone else certainly does.”
“Oh.” Harriet recovered herself. “Yes. Well, as I said, it is no concern of mine.” She spun about to hasten toward the cave entrance. Her face was flaming. She should have kept her mouth shut, she told herself furiously. The whole situation was unbelievably embarrassing.
A few minutes later Harriet breathed a sigh of relief as she reached her goal. The dark opening in the cliff wall loomed dimly in the mist. If she had not known precisely where it was located she would have missed it in the fog.
“This is the entrance, my lord.” Harriet halted and turned once more to face him. “The cavern the thieves are using lies some distance inside this passageway.”
Gideon gazed at the opening in the cliff for a moment and then set down the bag he had carried. “I believe we will need the lamps how.”
“Yes. One cannot see a thing once one is more than a few steps inside the entrance.”
Harriet watched Gideon light the lamps. For all their size and power, his hands moved with an unexpected grace and deftness. When he held one of the lamps out to her, his eyes caught hers studying him. He smiled without any sign of real warmth. The scar on his face twisted evilly.
“Have you started to have a few second thoughts about going into the caves alone with me, Miss Pomeroy?”
She glowered at him and practically snatched the lamp from his hand. “Of course not. Let us get on with it.”
Harriet stepped through the narrow entrance and held the lamp aloft. Tendrils of fog had drifted into the cave and caused the lamp to throw strange shadows against the damp rock walls. She shivered and wondered why this passage seemed so extraordinarily eerie and forbidding this morning. She reminded herself that this was certainly not the first time she had been alone in it.
It was the viscount’s presence that was making her nervous, she decided. She really must get a firm grasp on her imagination. Stick to the business at hand, she lectured herself silently.
Gideon came up behind her, moving with his noiseless, gliding tread. The glow of his lamp added to the bizarre shadows on the walls. He looked around, his face set in disapproving lines. “Have you been in the habit of entering these caves alone, Miss Pomeroy, or do you generally have someone accompany you?”
“When my father was alive, he was usually my companion. He was the one who instilled an interest in fossils in me, you see. He was always an avid collector and he took me with him on his explorations from the time I was old enough to walk. But since he was carried off by the fever, I have always gone exploring alone.”
“I do not think it a particularly sound notion.”
She slanted him a wary glance. “So you have said. But I assure you my father and I learned to explore caves long before we moved to Upper Biddleton. I am an expert. This way, my lord.” She walked deeper into the cave, chillingly aware of Gideon hard on her heels. “I trust you are not one of those people who become unsettled in confined areas such as this?”
“I assure you, it takes a great deal to unsettle my nerves, Miss Pomeroy.”
She swallowed. “Yes, well many people do have a problem in caves. But the passage is actually quite comfortably wide, as you can see. It does not get much narrower than this even at its smallest point.”
“Your notion of comfort is somewhat different than my own, Miss Pomeroy.” Gideon’s tone was dry.
Harriet glanced back and saw that he was having to stoop and angle his massive shoulders in order to get through the passage. “You are rather large, are you not?”
“A good deal larger than you, Miss Pomeroy.”
She bit her lip. “Well, do try not to get stuck. It would be very awkward.”
“Yes, it would. Especially given the fact that this portion of the cave is obviously flooded when the tide is in.” Gideon examined the dripping rock walls. A small, pale crab scurried out of the glare of the lamplight and darted into the shadows.
“All the lower portions of these caverns along the base of the cliffs are filled with seawater during high tide,” Harriet said, moving forward again. “That should be extremely useful information for you to utilize when you plan how you will apprehend the thieves. The villains are, after all, only around late at night and only when the tide is out. Any scheme constructed for catching them will need to be based on those facts.”
“Thank you, Miss Pomeroy, I shall bear that in mind.”
She frowned at his sarcasm. “I was merely trying to assist you in this matter.”
“Hmm.”
“Need I remind you, my lord, that I am the one who has been observing the villains? It seems to me you should be glad of the opportunity to consult with me on how best to go about laying a trap for them.”
“And I would remind you, Miss Pomeroy, that I used to live in this district. I am well aware of the terrain.”
“Yes, I know, but you have no doubt forgotten a great many small details. And due to my extensive explorations I am something of an expert on these caves.”
“I promise you, Miss Pomeroy, that should I need your advice, I will request it.”
Irritation overcame Harriet’s wariness. “You would no doubt enjoy somewhat broader social acceptance, sir, if you would contrive to be more polite.”
“I have no particular interest in expanding my social life.”
“Apparently not,” she muttered. She was about to say something more on the subject when she skidded on a stray bit of seaweed that had been left behind by the departing waters. She slipped and reached out to catch herself. Her gloved hand slid along the slimy wall without finding purchase. “Good grief.”
“I have you,” Gideon said calmly. His arm circled her waist and pulled her securely back against his broad chest.
“Excuse me.” Harriet was suddenly breathless as she found herself locked to Gideon. His arm was like a band of steel, hard and utterly unyielding.
She could feel the solid, muscled outlines of his chest against her back. The broad toe of one of his massive boots had somehow wedged itself intimately between her feet. She was acutely conscious of the pressure of his thigh against her buttocks.
When she took a deep breath she caught the warm, masculine scent of his body. It was richly laced with the smell of damp wool and leather. She tensed instinctively at the unaccustomed sensation of being held so close to a man.
“You must exercise more care, Miss Pomeroy.” Gideon released her. “Or you will surely come to a bad end in these caves.”
“I promise you, I have never been in the least bit of danger in these caves.”
“Until now?” He gave her a bland look of inquiry.
Harriet decided to ignore that. “This way, my lord. It is only a little farther now.” She straightened her pelisse and the skirts of her gown. Then she took a firmer grip on the lamp, held it boldly aloft, and strode forward into the bowels of the cave.
Gideon followed in silence, only the play of light and shadows on wet stone giving any indication of his presence. Harriet did not venture to say another word about plans and schemes for apprehending thieves. She led him along the gradual upward incline of the sloping passageway until they reached the point where the seawaters did not lap during high tide.
The cave walls and floor were dry here, although a bone-chilling cold permeated the atmosphere. Harriet automatically studied the rocky surfaces as the lamplight struck them. Her customary enthusiasm for fossils got the better of her.
“Do you know, I found a wonderful fossil leaf embedded in a stone here in this portion of the cave.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “Have you by any chance read Mr. Parkinson’s articles on the importance of relating fossil plants to the stratum in which they are found?”
“No, Miss Pomeroy, I have not.”
“Well, it is the most amazing thing, you know. Similar fossil plants are found in exactly the same strata throughout England, no matter how deep the strata happen to be. It appears to be true on the Continent as well.”
“Fascinating.” Gideon sounded amused rather than fascinated, however. “You certainly are passionate on the subject.”
“I can see the subject of fossils is of little interest to you, but I assure you, sir, that there is much about the past to be learned from them. I, myself, have great hopes of someday discovering something of importance here in these caves. I have made several intriguing finds already.”
“So have I,” Gideon murmured.
Unable to decide just what he meant by that remark and not at all certain she wished to know, Harriet lapsed back into silence. Her aunt had assured her that she tended to bore people who did not share her enthusiasm for her favorite subject.
A few minutes later she turned a corner in the passageway ahead and halted at the entrance to a large cavern. Harriet stepped through the opening and held the lamp higher to throw light on the array of canvas bags that sat in the center of the rocky floor. She looked at Gideon as he followed her into the chamber.
“This is it, my lord.” She waited with a sense of expectation for him to appear properly astounded by the sight of the stolen goods stacked in the stone chamber.
Gideon said nothing as he moved farther inside. But his expression was satisfyingly serious as he stopped near a canvas bag. He crouched beside it and untied the leather thong that closed it.
Harriet watched as he held his lamp higher to peer inside the sack. He studied the contents for a moment and then plunged his gloved hand inside. He withdrew a beautifully chased silver candlestick.
“Very interesting.” Gideon watched the light gleam on the silver. “Do you know, when you told me the tale of this cavern yesterday, Miss Pomeroy, I confess I had a few doubts. I wondered if you were perhaps indulging an over-ambitious imagination. But now I have to agree there is something illegal going on here.”
“You see what I mean when I say the items must be from some other locale, my lord? If something very fine such as that candlestick had gone missing around Upper Biddleton, we would have heard about it.”
“I take your point.” Gideon retied the thong and rose to his feet. His heavy greatcoat flowed around him like a cloak as he moved to another sack.
Harriet watched him for a moment longer and then lost interest. She had already given the goods a cursory examination when she had first discovered them.
Her main interest, as always, was the cave itself. Something deep within her was certain that untold treasures lay in wait here in this place, treasures that had nothing to do with stolen jewelry or silver candlesticks.
Harriet wandered over to take a closer look at an interesting jumble of rock. “I trust you will deal with the villains quickly, St. Justin,” she remarked as she ran her gloved fingers over a faint outline embedded in the stone. “I am very eager to explore this cavern properly.”
“I can see that.”
Harriet frowned intently as she bent closer to view the outline. “I can tell from your tone of voice that you think I am ordering you about again. I am sorry to annoy you, my lord, but I really am getting most impatient. I have been forced to wait several days already for you to arrive and now I suppose I shall have to wait a bit longer until the villains are apprehended.”
“No doubt.”
She glanced back at where he was hunkered down beside another sack. “How long will it take you to act?”
“I cannot give you an answer just yet. You must allow me to deal with the matter as I see fit.”
“I trust you will not be long about it.”
“Miss Pomeroy, if you will recall, you summoned me here to Upper Biddleton because you wanted to turn the problem over to me. Very well. You have done so. I am now in charge of clearing the villains out of your precious cavern: I will keep you informed of my progress.” Gideon spoke absently, his attention on a fistful of glittering stones that he was removing from the sack.
“Yes, but—” Harriet broke off. “What have you got there?”
“A necklace. A rather valuable one, I should say. Assuming these stones are genuine.”
“They probably are.” Harriet shrugged the matter aside. She had no particular interest in the necklace except insofar as she wanted it out of her cavern. “I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of hiding a fake necklace in here.” She turned back to her examination of the fossil outline and peered intently at it. There was something about it….
“Good heavens,” Harriet whispered in gathering excitement.
“What is it?”
“There is something very interesting here, my lord.” She held the lamp closer to the surface of the stone. “I am not precisely certain, but it may very well be the edge of a tooth.” Harriet studied the outline in the rock. “And it appears to be still attached to a portion of the jaw.”
“A great thrill for you, apparently.”
“Well, of course it is. A tooth that is still embedded in a jaw is ever so much more easy to identify than one that is not. If only I could use my mallet and chisel to get it out of this rock today.” She whipped around anxiously, willing him to understand the importance of retrieving the fossil for study. “I do not suppose I dare …?”
“No.” Gideon dropped the glittering necklace back into the sack and rose to his feet. “You are not to use your tools in here until we have cleaned out this nest of thieves. You were quite right to hold off on your work in this cavern, Miss Pomeroy. We do not wish to alarm this ring of cutthroats.”
“You think they might move their stolen goods elsewhere if they thought they had been discovered?”
“I am far more concerned that if anyone saw evidence of fossil collecting in here, the trail would lead straight back to you. There cannot be that many collectors in the district.”
Harriet eyed the rocky outcropping in frustration. The thought of leaving this new discovery behind was very upsetting. “But what if someone else finds my tooth?”
“I doubt anyone will notice your precious tooth. Not when there is a fortune in gems and silver sitting in the middle of this chamber.”
Harriet scowled thoughtfully and tapped the toe of her half boot. “I am not so certain my tooth will be safe here. I have told you before that there are a great many unscrupulous fossil collectors about these days. Perhaps I should just chisel this one little bit out of the rock and trust that no one will notice—Oh”
Gideon had set down his lamp and taken two long strides forward. He was suddenly looming over her, one huge hand planted against the cave wall behind her head. She was caged between his solid body and the equally solid rock. Her eyes widened.
“Miss Pomeroy,” Gideon said very softly, each word spaced for maximum emphasis, “I will say this once more and once more only. You are going to stay out of this cavern until further notice. Indeed, you will not come anywhere near this place until I say it is safe to do so. In fact, you will stay out of all the cliff caves until I have taken care of matters.”
“Really, St. Justin, you go too far.”
He leaned closer. The yellow glare from the lamp in Harriet’s hand cast his harsh features into demonic relief. For a moment he truly looked like the beast he was reputed to be.
“You will not,” Gideon said through his teeth, “hunt fossils anywhere on this beach until I have given you express permission to do so.”
“Now see here, sir, if you think I will tolerate this sort of behavior from you, you may think again. I have no intention of giving up all fossil hunting along this beach until such time as you see fit to allow it. I have certain rights in this matter.”
“You have no rights in this, Miss Pomeroy. You have clearly come to think of these caves as your personal property, but I would like to remind you that my family happens to own every square inch of the land that is presently over your head,” Gideon bit out. “If I catch
you anywhere near these caves I shall consider it trespassing.”
She eyed him furiously, trying to determine if he was actually serious. “Is that so? And what will you do, sir? Have me clapped into prison or transported? Do not be ridiculous.”
“Perhaps I shall find another way to punish you for disobeying me, Miss Pomeroy. I am St. Justin, remember? The Beast of Blackthorne Hall.” His eyes gleamed in the golden light. The scar on his face was a vivid, savage slash of old pain and mortal danger.
“Stop this intimidation at once,” Harriet ordered, albeit rather weakly.
He leaned closer. “The local people think I am a man totally lacking in honor when it comes to dealing with women. Ask anyone around here and he will tell you I am the devil himself where innocent young ladies are concerned.”
“Rubbish.” Harriet’s fingers were trembling on the lamp, but she held her ground. “I believe you are deliberately trying to frighten me, sir.”
“Damn right.” His hand closed around the nape of her neck. The leather of his glove was rough against her skin.
Harriet abruptly read the intent in him, but it was too late to run. Gideon’s fierce, leonine eyes flamed behind his hooded dark lashes. He brought his mouth heavily down on hers in a crushing kiss.
Harriet stood transfixed for a timeless instant. She could not move, could not even think. Nothing she had ever experienced in her entire twenty-four and a half years had prepared her for Gideon’s embrace.
He groaned heavily, the sound reverberating deep in his chest. His big hand flexed with startling gentleness around her throat, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. And then he was urging her closer to the fierce warmth of his own body. The heavy greatcoat brushed against Harriet’s legs.
She could not seem to catch her breath. After the initial shock, a shimmering, glittering excitement roared through her. When Gideon removed the lamp from her limp, unresisting fingers, she scarcely noticed.
Without conscious volition, Harriet raised her hands to his shoulders and sank her fingers into the heavy wool of his coat. She did not know whether she was trying to push him away or pull him closer.