Part 22 (1/2)

He swept down upon her, seized her by the waist, and lifted her high into the air. ”And what is your gift to me?” he demanded with a wicked grin.

”Whatever you wish, my lord.” She braced herself against his shoulders and laughed in delight as he swung her around in a circle. ”You have only to name your desires.”

Gideon carried her back to the bed. ”I intend to spend the rest of the night doing exactly that. Each and every one of them. And you shall fulfill them all.”

Chapter Thirteen.

The Earl of Hardcastle was obviously not pleased to have a daughter-in-law presented to him on such short notice.

The Countess of Hardcastle was making an effort to be civil, but it was obvious she was taken aback at the announcement that her son had married so suddenly. Harriet imagined the lady was also somewhat put off by the notion of Gideon having formed an alliance with an unknown creature from Upper Biddleton.

For his part, Gideon was clearly preparing to enjoy the fireworks he had set off by arriving on his parents' doorstep with his new wife.

It was not the most comfortable welcome a new bride had ever experienced. But Harriet consoled herself with the knowledge that it probably was not the worst reception one had ever received, either.

Even though she took a philosophical stand on the matter, there was no getting around the fact that dinner was a rather strained affair. The earl sat stiffly at one end of the long table, his lady at the other.

Gideon sprawled like a great, predatory cat in his chair across from Harriet. His eyes glittered with a watchful amus.e.m.e.nt that Harriet knew could switch instantly into cold anger.

”We understand you have been in London quite recently, Harriet,” Lady Hardcastle murmured.

”Yes, madam, I have.” Harriet helped herself to a small portion of the tongue in red currant sauce that a footman was offering. Tongue was not one of her favorite foods. ”My aunt took me there to acquire a social polish. She convinced me that I needed some, so as not to disgrace myself when I became a viscountess.”

”I see,” Lady Hardcastle said. ”And did you? Acquire a polish, that is?”

”Well, no,” Harriet admitted, adding some potatoes to her plate. She really was quite hungry, she realized. It had been a busy day, what with getting married and the long drive to Hardcastle House. ”At least not a very thorough one. But I decided there was not much point in my becoming polished, as St. Justin certainly is not.”

Lady Hardcastle flinched. She cast an uncertain glance down the table at the earl who grunted something beneath his breath.

Gideon grinned briefly as he picked up his winegla.s.s. ”I am crushed, madam wife, that you think so little of my social skills.”

Harriet frowned at him. ”Well, it is perfectly true. You must admit that you enjoy baiting anyone and everyone in Society. And you are quite willing to quarrel over the smallest of matters. Do not think I have forgotten that ridiculous challenge you planned to issue to poor Applegate.”

The earl looked up sharply. ”What is this about a challenge?”

Lady Hardcastle's hand fluttered in the air. ”Dear heaven. Surely you have not provoked a quarrel with Applegate, Gideon?”

Gideon looked bored, but his eyes were gleaming as he gazed at Harriet. ”Applegate started it.”

The earl bristled. ”How the devil did young Applegate start anything that could possibly lead to a challenge?”

”He kidnapped Harriet. Tried to whisk her off to Gretna Green. I caught up with them yesterday on the road north,” Gideon explained blandly. There was a shocked silence.

”Kidnapped her? Dear G.o.d.” Lady Hardcastle's eyes darted between Gideon and Harriet. ”I do not believe it.”

”Just as well,” Harriet said approvingly. ”Because it was most certainly not a kidnapping. But St. Justin was devilishly stubborn about comprehending that it had all been nothing more than a misunderstanding. However, there is no need to concern yourselves. It is all over and done. There will be no dawn meeting. Is that not so, my lord?”

Gideon shrugged. ”As you say I have agreed not to call out Applegate.”

”This is rather confusing,” lady Hardcastle complained.

Harriet nodded briskly. ”Yes, I know. People often get confused around St. Justin. But that is his own fault, if you ask me. He does not go out of his way to enlighten anyone. Perfectly understandable, of course.”

The earl gave her a belligerent glare. ”What do you mean, it is understandable? Why the devil does he not explain himself?”

Harriet munched a bite of her potatoes and swallowed politely before responding. ”I expect it is because he has gotten very tired of everyone always thinking the worst of him. He has decided to actively encourage them to do so. It is his perverse notion of amus.e.m.e.nt, you see.”

Gideon smiled faintly and cut into the curried rabbit on his plate.

”That is ridiculous,” Lady Hardcastle whispered. She gave her son a searching glance.

Harriet took a sip of her wine. ”Not ridiculous, precisely. One can see how he got in the habit of it. He is very stubborn. And very arrogant. And inclined to be far too secretive about his plans. It does make things difficult from time to time.”

”Charming, madam.” Gideon inclined his head mockingly. ”Ah, the early blissful days of married life when one's wife sees only the best qualities in her new husband. One wonders what you will think of me a year hence.”

The earl paid no attention to Gideon. His gaze sharpened as he fixed it on Harriet. ”I am told that your engagement to my son came about under somewhat unusual circ.u.mstances. Was that a deliberate misunderstanding, too?”

”Hardcastle, really,” Lady Hardcastle admonished, her expression anxious. ”That is hardly a suitable subject for the dinner table.”

Harriet waved off her hostess's concern with a cheerful gesture. ”Not at all. I do not mind discussing the circ.u.mstances of my engagement. It was all an unfortunate chain of events precipitated by me. I wound up quite hopelessly compromised and poor St. Justin was left with no honorable alternative but to marry me. We plan to make the best of things, do we not, my lord?” She smiled encouragingly at Gideon.

”Yes,” Gideon said. ”That is certainly our intention. And I must say, the best is not half bad. At least not at the moment. I feel certain Harriet will adjust to marriage quite adequately, given time.”

”Hah,” Harriet retorted. ”It is you who will be doing the adjusting, sir.”

Gideon's brows rose in silent challenge.

”Just what were the actual events that led to your engagement?” the earl asked ominously.

”Well,” Harriet said, ”St. Justin had set a trap to catch a ring of thieves that were using my caves to hide stolen goods.”

”Hardcastle caves,” Gideon corrected dryly.

”Thieves?” Lady Hardcastle looked baffled. ”What on earth is this about thieves?”

”What's this?” The earl glared at Gideon. ”I was not told of any thieves on Hardcastle lands.”

Gideon lifted one large shoulder in a ma.s.sive, utterly negligent shrug. ”You have not demonstrated much interest in what happens on your estates for some time now, sir. I saw no need to bother you with the details.”

Hardcastle's eyes glittered with anger. ”b.l.o.o.d.y d.a.m.ned arrogant of you, Gideon.”

”Precisely my point.” Harriet looked at Hardcastle with approval for his perceptive observation. ”He has a strong tendency to be that way, sir. Extremely arrogant.”

”Finish the tale of the thieves,” Hardcastle thundered, sounding a great deal like his son when he was in a foul mood.

”Now I know where he gets the tendency,” Harriet murmured.