"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l," Harriet muttered aloud, thoroughly frustrated. There was nothing to be done. She would simply have to wait out here in the cavern until the man returned. Then she would tell him in very strong terms that she had Gideon's personal guarantee that these caves were to be explored only by her.

She was standing there impatiently, arms folded under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, when a very large hand descended heavily on her shoulder. It gripped her firmly and spun her around.

"Dear G.o.d, what on eartha"" Harriet gave a small shriek of alarm and then realized it was Gideon who had come through the narrow opening behind her. "Oh, my lord, it is only you. Thank heaven. You gave me quite a start."

"You deserve a lot more than a bad start," Gideon muttered. "I ought to put you over my knee. What the devil are you doing here? I told you that you were not to go into these caves until after the thieves have been apprehended."

Harriet scowled. "Yes, I know, my lord. But you will understand why I had to come down here when I tell you that I just happened to look out my window a short while ago and saw another collector sneaking in here."

"The h.e.l.l you did." Gideon glanced toward the tunnel. He had a lamp in his hand, but it was not lit.

"I most certainly did," Harriet a.s.sured him. "I did not think to bring a lamp, so I am waiting here for him to return."

"And just what in h.e.l.l were you planning to do when he showed up?"

She lifted her chin. "I was going to inform him that I have exclusive rights to explore the caves under your lands, sir. I intend to warn him that if he continues to trespa.s.s, you will have him arrested."

Gideon shook his head in disgust. "You and your b.l.o.o.d.y d.a.m.n fossils." He was clearly about to continue in that vein when he was interrupted by a faint whistling from the tunnel.

"There he is now," Harriet said quickly. She turned around and saw the glow of a lamp deep in the corridor. "This is excellent timing, my lord. You will be here to back me up when I tell him he has no right to be in these caves."

The whistling grew louder and the glare of the lamp shone brighter. A moment later a small, wiry man dressed in a heavy coat, a low-crowned hat, and badly worn boots emerged from the tunnel. It was the same man Harriet had seen on the beach. The lamp in his hand revealed a narrow, pinched face and beady eyes. He stopped short when he saw Gideon and Harriet standing in the outer cavern.

"Mornin', my lord. I see you made it right on time. Don't know many of your sort who bestir themselves afore noon. Brought a friend along, I see." The little man gave Harriet a surprisingly deep bow. "Mornin' to you, ma'am."

Harriet frowned. "Who are you, sir, and what do you think you are doing in my caves?"

"Your caves?" The little man scrunched his face up into a twisted grin. "Not the way I heard it."

"For all intents and purposes, these caves belong to me," Harriet said firmly. "His lordship will explain."

Gideon gave Harriet a wry glance. "I think I had better do just that before this gets any more confused. Miss Pomeroy, allow me to introduce Mr. Dobbs of Bow Street."

Harriet stared at the little man. "Bow Street? You are a Runner, sir?"

"I have that distinguished honor, ma'am." Dobbs gave her another courtly bow.

"How exciting." Harriet glanced at Gideon. "Then your plans are in place and ready to be carried out?"

"With any luck we will apprehend the thieves the next time they arrive to store their goods." Gideon nodded at the little man. "Dobbs here will keep a nightly watch on these caves for the next few weeks."

"I am delighted to hear that." Harriet looked at Dobbs. "I believe there are at least two men involved and sometimes a third man has accompanied the others. Will you be able to handle that many villains by yourself, Mr. Dobbs?"

"If it be necessary," Dobbs said. "However, I expect to have some a.s.sistance. His lordship here and I have agreed upon a signal. When I spot the villains on the beach, I will use a lamp to flash a message from the top of he cliffs."

"My butler and I will take shifts watching for the signal every night when the tide is out until the thieves are apprehended," Gideon explained. "When we see Mr. Dobbs's light flashing, we will come down to the beach and make certain all goes according to plan."

Harriet nodded approvingly. "It seems like an excellent arrangement. Every bit as clever as the one I, myself, was constructing."

"Thank you," Gideon said dryly.

"However," Harriet continued, "I do have one small suggestion to make, if I may."

"No," said Gideon, "I do not think that will be necessary, thank you." He looked at Dobbs. "Did you find the chamber where the goods are being cached?"

"That I did, sir. Followed your little sketch right to the proper cavern. A very impressive collection of loot, it is." Dobbs's eyes gleamed. "I recognize a good bit of it. Several of those items were reported missing and we've been keeping an eye out for 'em. No wonder we never turned 'em up in Town. They was bein' kept outa sight until everyone forgot about 'em. Very clever. Very clever, indeed. "

"As Mr. Dobbs will get rewards when he returns the stolen goods to their rightful owners," Gideon murmured to Harriet, "you may rest a.s.sured his enthusiasm for keeping a close watch on the caves is high."

"Yes, of course." Harriet smiled at Dobbs. "Do you know, I have never actually met a Bow Street Runner before. I have a great many questions I would like to ask you about your work, Mr. Dobbs."

Dobbs beamed with modest importance. "Certainly, ma'am. Ask away."

Gideon raised a gloved hand. "Not now. Dobbs, I am certain you will want to remove yourself from the vicinity as quickly as possible now that you have your bearings. No point taking any chances. We would not want anyone to see you hanging about."

"Right you are, sir. Well, then, I'll be off. Good day to you, ma'am." Dobbs gave Harriet another bow and ambled out of the cave.

Harriet watched him go. "Well, that is certainly a relief. I must say I am very pleased to see that things are going ahead at a rapid pace. Excellent job, my lord. But I do wish you had consulted me."

"I rarely consult anyone, Miss Pomeroy. I prefer to operate on my own."

"I see." Harriet frowned, but there did not seem to be much point in arguing about his autocratic methods. The plans were set and they seemed suitable. She would have to be content. "I suppose I had best be off, myself, before I am missed at the house."

Gideon loomed menacingly over her, blocking the entrance of the cavern. "One moment, Miss Pomeroy. I intend to get something quite clear between us before I allow you to return to your home."

"Yes, my lord?"

"You are to stay out of these caves until this business is finished." Gideon s.p.a.ced the words evenly between set teeth. "I will not tell you again. Do you understand?"

Harriet blinked. "Yes, of course I understand. However, my lord, I am not a child. I am quite capable of exercising caution when necessary."

"Caution? You call it cautious to come down onto the beach this morning to pursue a strange man into this cavern? That was not an act of caution, it was the action of a brainless little twit."

"I am not a twit," Harriet flared, furious now. "I a.s.sumed Mr. Dobbs was another fossil collector and he was heading straight for my caves."

"Well, you were wrong, weren't you? He was not another fossil collector at all. It was fortunate he happened to be a Runner. He could have just as easily been one of the thieves sent here to check on the loot."

"I have told you, the thieves never come here during the day. And I would appreciate it if you would kindly stop yelling at me, my lord. I am the one who alerted you to what was going on here, if you will recall. I am the one who discovered the thieves in the first place. You should consider me, at the very least, a partner in this endeavor. I am only trying to protect my fossils."

"d.a.m.n your fossils. Is that all you can think about, Miss Pomeroy?"

"For the most part, yes," she snapped.

"What about your reputation? Has it occurred to you just what could happen to it if you continue flitting about chasing thieves and Runners and every other stranger who invades this beach? Don't you give a b.l.o.o.d.y d.a.m.n for what people would say and think if they find out what you're up to at all hours of the day and night?"

Harriet was genuinely enraged now. She was not accustomed to anyone except Aunt Effie lecturing her and she had long ago learned to ignore much of what Effie said. Gideon was different. It was impossible to ignore him when he towered over her like this and snarled.

"I do not particularly care what people will say," Harriet declared. "I am not overly concerned with my reputation. I have no reason to be concerned with it, as I have no interest in marriage."

Gideon's eyes glittered in the shadows. "You little fool. You think the only thing you are risking is an offer of marriage which you do not want in the first place?"

"Yes."

"You are wrong." Gideon wrapped his big hand around the nape of her neck and forced her chin up higher so that she was obliged to look straight into his eyes. "You have no notion of what you are risking. You do not know what it is like to lose your reputation and your honor. If you did, you would not make such ridiculous statements."

Harriet heard the savage pain in his voice and her anger dissolved. She suddenly realized he was talking from the depths of his own bitter experience. "My lord, I did not mean to imply that one's honor was worthless. I only meant that I do not care what others say about it."

"Then you are, indeed, a fool," he rasped. "Shall I tell you what it is like to have the whole world believe you to be lacking in honor? To have your reputation torn to shreds? To know that everyone, including your own family, thinks you are not worthy of the t.i.tle of gentleman?"

"Oh, Gideon." Harriet touched his hand gently.

"Shall I tell you what it's like to walk into a ballroom and know that everyone present is whispering about your past? Can you really have any notion of what it feels like to play a hand of cards at your club and wonder if someone will accuse you of cheating behind your back should you happen to win? After all, a man whose honor is in question will probably cheat at cards, will he not?"

"Gideon, pleasea""

"Do you know what it's like to lose your friends?"

"Well, no, buta""

"Do you know what it's like to have everyone ready to believe the worst of you?"

"Gideon, stop this."

"Do you know what it's like to have your own father question your honor?"

"Your own father?" Harriet was shocked.

"When you are rich and powerful," Gideon said, "no one will challenge you to your face or give you a chance to explain yourself. All the whispers are behind your back. You are left with no means of clearing your own name. And after a while you realize there is no point in even attempting to do so. No one wants the truth. All anyone wants is the chance to add more fuel to the fires of gossip. The whispers become so loud that sometimes you think you will drown in them."

"Dear heaven."

"That is what it is like to lose your honor and your reputation, Miss Harriet Pomeroy. Think well before you take any more risks." Gideon released her. "Now go on home before I decide to take you at your word and show you what it really means to ignore the world's opinion."

Harriet drew her cloak securely around her and fixed him with a steady gaze. "I would have you know that I do not believe you to be lacking in honor, my lord. I do not think a man who truly lacked honor would have such a care for mine. Or grieve so much for what he, himself, has lost. I am sorry for what you have suffered. I can see that it has caused you much pain."

"I do not want your G.o.dd.a.m.ned pity," Gideon roared. "Get out of here. Now."

Harriet realized in that moment that there was no way to reach past the wall of rage and private anguish Gideon had built around himself. She had provoked the beast in him and he was threatening to turn on her.

Without a word Harriet walked past him to the cave entrance. There she turned once more to look at him.

"Good day, my lord. I shall look forward to the culmination of your clever plans."

Mrs. Treadwell's arrival at the rectory that afternoon set the household into a brief flurry of activity. Effie handled the matter beautifully. Harriet had to admit her aunt had a definite skill at that sort of thing. She was at her best when called upon to navigate the dangerous waters of polite intercourse.

Mrs. Treadwell was the wife of one of the more prominent landholders in the district. Her husband devoted himself to his hunting hounds and Mrs. Treadwell devoted herself to sitting in judgment on social matters in the neighborhood.

She was a stoutly built woman who favored dark gowns and matching turbans. Today she was an imposing figure in a gray bombazine walking dress and a heavy gray turban that completely concealed her thin, gray hair.

Taken aback by the unexpected visit, Effie rallied instantly. Within moments she had her visitor seated in the parlor and tea prepared. Harriet was obliged to leave the study and Felicity politely left her needlework to help entertain Mrs. Treadwell.

"What a pleasant surprise, Mrs. Treadwell." Effie arranged herself on the sofa and graciously poured tea. "We always enjoy having visitors here at the rectory." She smiled pointedly as she handed a cup and saucer to her guest. "Even on short notice."

Harriet exchanged a knowing grin with Felicity.

"I fear this is something more than a mere social call," Mrs. Treadwell said. "It has come to my attention that a rather unfortunate occurrence took place last night at the local a.s.sembly."

"Really?" Effie sipped her tea and offered no a.s.sistance.

"I am told St. Justin appeared."

"I believe he did," Effie agreed.

"And ordered a waltz to be played," Mrs. Treadwell continued ominously. "Which he then danced with your niece, Harriet."

"It was great fun, actually," Harriet said cheerfully.

"Yes, it was." Felicity smiled at Mrs. Treadwell. "Everyone enjoyed the waltz very much. We are all hoping it will be played again at the next a.s.sembly."

"That remains to be seen, Miss Pomeroy." Mrs. Treadwell straightened her already stiff spine. "As shockingly inappropriate as it was to have the waltz played, I am far more concerned with the fact that St. Justin danced with you, Harriet. And only you. According to the information I received, he left after the single dance."

"I imagine he was rather bored by our little a.s.sembly," Effie said coolly before Harriet could respond. "One dance was no doubt sufficient to a.s.sure him that he would not enjoy himself if he stayed. I am certain he is accustomed to more elevated entertainments."

"You are missing the point, Mrs. Ashecombe," Mrs. Treadwell told Effie in a rising tone. "St. Justin danced with your niece. The waltz, no less. True, it was Harriet, not Felicity, to whom he showed so much undesirable attention. Nevertheless, it was an extremely reckless piece of business."

"I was there the entire time," Effie stated flatly. "You may rest a.s.sured I kept an eye on the situation."

"Nevertheless," Mrs. Treadwell said, "he left the a.s.sembly without bothering to ask anyone else to partner him. He singled out your niece for his attentions. You must be aware that such an event will be remarked upon by all and sundry."

"Will it, indeed?" Effie's brows rose quellingly.

"Yes, it will," Mrs. Treadwell stated grimly. "People are already talking about it. That is why I have taken it upon myself to come here this morning."

"So kind of you," Harriet murmured, unable to resist. She caught Felicity's eye and barely restrained another grin.

Mrs. Treadwell focused on Effie. "I am very well aware that you are new in the district, Mrs. Ashecombe. You cannot be expected to know St. Justin's reputation. Indeed, it is such as should not be discussed in front of innocent young ladies."

"Then, as there are two innocent young ladies present, perhaps we should cease discussing it," Effie suggested mildly.

"I will only say this," Mrs. Treadwell plowed on determinedly, "the man is a menace to all innocent young females. He is called the Beast of Blackthorne Hall precisely because he is responsible for the ruination of another young woman who once lived in this very house. She took her own life because of him. On top of that, there were even rumors of murder when his older brother died. Do I make myself clear, Mrs. Ashecombe?"

"Perfectly, Mrs. Treadwell. Perfectly. Will you have some more tea?" Effie picked up the pot.

Mrs. Treadwell glowered at her in frustration. She put down her cup and saucer with a clatter and stood up abruptly. "I have done my duty. You have been warned, Mrs. Ashecombe. You have the responsibility for these two young ladies on your shoulders. I trust you will attend to that responsibility."

"I shall endeavor to do my best," Effie said coldly.

"Good day to you, Mrs. Treadwell. I do hope that the next time you come to call you will give us some notice. Otherwise you might not find us at home. I shall summon my housekeeper to show you to the door."