Ravished. Part 24

Felicity promptly dazzled them both with a smile. "Good evening, gentlemen. How nice to see you both here tonight. You are acquainted with my sister, the new Viscountess St. Justin?"

"A pleasure to see you back in Town, madam," the first Adonis said with a graceful bow. His eyes were filled with brief speculation.

"A pleasure. Congratulations on your recent marriage." The second Adonis imitated the other's courtly bow and then both men turned their attention back to Felicity.

At the rear of the box Adelaide and Effie chatted with an aging dowager dressed in black. Harriet overheard the woman remark to Effie that the entire family must be greatly relieved the marriage had actually taken place.

"We are, of course, delighted with the alliance," Effie said serenely, and then added, lying through her teeth, "We were disappointed, naturally, that the young people could not wait for a formal wedding. But love must have its way, eh?"

"Someone had his way, all right," the dowager muttered. "And if you ask me, it was St. Justin."

Well aware that she was the subject of several curious glances from the other boxes, Harriet leaned over the railing to watch a fight that had broken out down below in the pits. She was unaware of the latest visitor to the box until she heard a familiar masculine voice greeting Adelaide and Effie.

"Oh, good evening, Mr. Morland," Effie said brightly. "So nice to see you tonight."

"I have come to pay my respects to the new Viscountess St. Justin," Bryce said.

"But of course," Effie said.

Harriet turned around in her seat and saw Bryce standing over her. His golden hair gleamed in the lights and his smile was laced with charm. She recalled Gideon's warning. He is not the angel he appears to be.

"Good evening, Mr. Morland." Harriet smiled politely.

"Madam." Bryce seated himself on the velvet-covered chair beside her. He lowered his voice as he gazed into her eyes. "You are looking very lovely tonight."

"Thank you, sir."

"I learned only this morning that you were back in Town," Bryce said. "And that you were married."

Harriet inclined her head. Most people at least offered a token wish of congratulations. "Yes."

"The rumors surrounding your sudden departure from Town a few days ago were most alarming."

"Were they?" Harriet shrugged. "I was not alarmed by any of the events I cannot imagine why anyone else was."

"Some of us feared for your safety," Bryce said softly.

"Nonsense. I was never for one moment in any danger. I cannot imagine where anyone got such a notion."

Bryce smiled sadly. "Those of us who were concerned for you felt we had reason to fear when we learned that St. Justin had followed you and your friends."

"Well, now you know that there was nothing at all to be concerned about," Harriet said firmly.

"You are a very brave lady, madam. " Bryce bowed his head in tribute. "You have my utmost admiration."

Harriet glared at him. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Never mind. It is not important. And the deed is done." Bryce nodded his head at the crowd. "Do the stares and comments bother you? You are the latest curiosity on the social scene, Lady St. Justin. The bride of the Beast of Blackthorne Hall."

Harriet drew back in anger. "I have asked you most specifically not to call my husband by that terrible name. Please leave this box, Mr. Morland."

"I did not mean to offend, madam. I am merely repeating what the whole world is saying. Would you kill the messenger who brings the bad news?"

"Yes, if it becomes necessary to do so in order to stop him from repeating such news." She waved her fan at him in dismissal. "Now, do take your leave, sir. I am in no mood for such nonsense."

"As you wish." Bryce rose to his feet and grasped her hand before she realized his intention. He bowed over her fingers. "Allow me to tell you once more that you have my greatest admiration."

"Really, Mr. Morland, that is quite enough."

He lowered his voice so that only she could hear. "Your bravery is becoming a legend in the ton. It is not every woman who could face the prospect of sharing the marriage bed with a monster like St. Justin."

Harriet s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand out of his grasp just as the velvet curtains parted once more. Gideon stepped into the box. His eyes went instantly to Bryce.

"St. Justin." Bryce gave him a laconic smile. "I was just congratulating your new bride."

"Were you, indeed?" Gideon turned his back on Bryce to greet Effie, Adelaide, and Felicity. Then he looked at Harriet, his eyes searching her expression coolly.

Harriet summoned up a quick smile, anxious not to give Gideon any reason to be provoked with Bryce. The business with Applegate had been a near thing. It had not been easy convincing Gideon to call off the challenge.

"There you are, my lord," Harriet said easily. "I was wondering if you would put in an appearance tonight."

Gideon walked over to Harriet, brus.h.i.+ng past Bryce as if the other man were an unseen ghost. He bent over Harriet's hand and kissed her fingers. "I told you I would meet up with you here," he reminded her softly.

"Yes, of course you did." Harriet was fl.u.s.tered. She could sense the hostility between the two men and she did not want any trouble. "Do sit down, sir. The second act is about to begin." She nodded aloofly at Bryce, who was watching Gideon with brooding eyes. "Good night, Mr. Morland. Thank you for stopping by to congratulate me."

"Good night, madam." Bryce disappeared through the velvet curtains.

"Was he disturbing you in any way?" Gideon asked quietly as he sat down beside Harriet.

"Heavens, no." Harriet unfurled her fan and quickly began fanning herself. "He was merely being polite." She caught her sister's eye. Felicity gave her an inquiring glance, silently asking if everything was all right. Harriet tried to convey, equally silently, that everything was under control.

"I am pleased to hear it." Gideon lounged arrogantly in the chair beside Harriet, his proprietary att.i.tude toward her plain for everyone else in the theater to see. "Are you enjoying the performance?"

"Not particularly," Harriet said. "One cannot hear much of it, for one thing. The crowd is very loud tonight. Some of the people down below started pelting the stage with orange peelings just before the intermission."

Adelaide chuckled. "Harriet is still under the impression one actually goes to the theater to see and hear the performance, St. Justin. We have told her that is the least important reason for attending."

Gideon's mouth curved faintly. He gazed out at the crowd with obvious satisfaction. "Quite right."

Harriet stirred uneasily in her chair. She had had quite enough of being put on display as the bride of the Beast of Blackthorne Hall.

Late that night, when her maid had finally left her bedchamber and she was alone at last, Harriet decided the time had come to confront Gideon.

She went to the door that connected her bedchamber to Gideon's and put her ear against the panel. She was just in time to hear Gideon's valet take his leave. Harriet opened the door and went straight into the other room.

"I would like to speak to you, my lord," she announced.

Gideon, wearing a black dressing gown, was pouring himself a gla.s.s of brandy. He glanced up, one brow lifting slightly. "Of course, my dear. I was just about to come to your bedchamber. But as you are here, you may as well join me in a gla.s.s of brandy."

"No, thank you. I do not care for any."

"I detect a certain edge in your tone." Gideon took a swallow of his brandy and regarded her closely. "Are you annoyed with me for some reason, Harriet?"

"Yes, I am. Gideon, I did not want to go to the theater tonight. I went because you insisted on it."

"I thought you would enjoy being with your family and rea.s.suring them that you are safely wed. They need no longer worry about whether or not you will be ravished and abandoned by me. You are now the Viscountess St. Justin and nothing can alter that."

"That was not why you insisted I go, and you know it. Gideon, my sister thinks you are putting me on display as if I were a rare species of pet. Is that true? Because if it is, I do not like it. I have had enough."

"You are a very rare creature, my dear." His eyes gleamed. "Very rare, indeed."

"That is quite untrue, my lord. I am a perfectly ordinary female who now happens to be your wife. Gideon, I do not want to be an exhibition any longer. Have you not proven whatever it is you feel you must prove to Society?"

"Whatever your sister says, I did not send you to the theater tonight in order to exhibit you, Harriet."

"Are you quite certain of that, my lord?" she asked softly.

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. Of course I am certain. What a ridiculous question. I thought you would enjoy being with your family and I thought you would enjoy the theater. That is all there was to it."

"Very well," Harriet said, "the next time you suggest I go someplace I do not particularly wish to go, I will feel quite free to refuse."

He gave her an annoyed look. "Harriet, you are a married woman now. You will do as you are bid."

"Ah-hah. Then you intend to order me to go to places I do not wish to go?"

"Harrieta""

"If you do start giving me such orders, then I must conclude that you have some other motive than pleasing me in mind," Harriet said. "Thus far the only motive I can come up with is your desire to exhibit me."

"I am not exhibiting you." Gideon downed the brandy with an irritated expression.

"Then let us go back to Upper Biddleton," Harriet said quickly. "Neither of us is particularly fond of Town life. Let us go home."

"Are you so eager to get back to your fossils, then?"

"Naturally I am eager to get back to them. You know how concerned I am about someone else finding the other bones that go with my tooth. And as you are not enjoying Society any more than I am, I see no reason why we should not go back to Upper Biddleton."

"You and your b.l.o.o.d.y d.a.m.n fossils," he growled. "Is that all you can think about?"

Harriet suddenly realized that he was no longer merely annoyed. Gideon was growing angry. "You know better than that, my lord."

"Is that so? Tell me, my dear, where do I rank in relation to your fossils? Other husbands have to worry about compet.i.tion from men such as Morland. My fate is to find myself competing with a bunch of old bones and teeth."

"Gideon, this is turning into an idiotic argument. I do not understand you tonight, my lord."

Gideon swore softly. "I am not certain I understand myself tonight. I am not in the best of moods, Harriet. Perhaps you had better go to bed."

Harriet went toward him. She put her hand on his arm and looked up into his hard face. "What is wrong, Gideon?"

"Nothing is wrong."

"Do not fob me off like that. I know something has happened to turn you surly like this."

"According to you I am naturally surly."

"Not all the time," she retorted. "Tell me what has annoyed you, Gideon. Was it the fact that Mr. Morland came by our box at the theater?"

Gideon moved away from her. He went over to where the brandy sat on the small end table and poured himself another gla.s.s. "I will deal with Morland."

"Gideon. " Harriet was shocked. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying I will deal with him."

"St. Justin, you listen to me," Harriet snapped. "Do not dare contemplate the notion of trying to provoke Mr. Morland into a duel. Not for one single moment. Do you understand me? I will not have it."

"You are that enamored of him, then?" he drawled.

"For heaven's sake, Gideon, you know that is not true. What is wrong with you tonight?"

"I told you, it might be best if you take yourself off to bed, madam."

"I will not be sent off to bed like an errant child while you storm about in here like a greata a greata"

"Beast?"

"No, not like a beast," Harriet yelled. "Like a temperamental, difficult, insensitive husband who does not trust his wife."

That stopped him. Gideon stared at her. "I trust you, Harriet."

She read that simple truth in his eyes and a part of her that had been very cold grew much warmer. "Well," she mumbled, "you are most certainly not acting like it."

His tawny eyes were almost gold in the firelight. "There is no one else on the face of this earth whom I trust as completely as I trust you. Do not ever forget that."

Harriet felt a giddy rush of happiness. "Do you mean that?"

"I never say anything I do not mean."

"Oh, Gideon, that is the nicest thing you have ever said to me." She rushed across the room and threw herself into his arms.

"My G.o.d, how could you think I did not trust you?" He put down his brandy gla.s.s and wrapped her close. "Never doubt it, my sweet."

"If you trust me," she whispered against his chest, "why are you concerned with Mr. Morland?"

"He is dangerous," Gideon said simply.

"How do you know that?"

"I know him well. He used to call himself my friend. We had, after all, spent a portion of our childhood together. His family lived near Blackthorne Hall for some years while we were growing up. They eventually moved away. I met Morland again in London when I came down from university. He still called himself my friend, even after he slashed my face open with a fencing blade."