"You have long since taken control of this household and have, therefore, gotten in the habit of taking command and issuing orders in other matters as well," Gideon concluded. "Is that what you are saying, Miss Pomeroy?"

She smiled, obviously pleased at his perception. "Precisely. I see you do comprehend. I am certain you are aware that in any given situation someone has to make decisions and supply direction."

"Rather like on board ship?" Gideon stifled a fleeting grin as he imagined Harriet Pomeroy in command of one of His Majesty's ships of the line. She would look quite arresting in a naval uniform, he decided. Based on what he had observed thus far, he was willing to wager a sizable sum that Miss Pomeroy's derriere would do interesting things to a pair of breeches.

"Yes, just like on board ship," Harriet said. "Well, in this household, that someone who makes the decisions is generally me."

"I see."

"Now, then. I seriously doubt that you have come all this way from your estates in the north simply to satisfy your curiosity about a female who wrote you in somewhat forceful terms. You do care about matters here in Upper Biddleton, my lord. Admit it."

Gideon shrugged, inserting the letter back into his pocket. "I will not argue the point, Miss Pomeroy. I am here, so let us get on with the matter. Perhaps you will be so kind as to tell me exactly what this dark menace is that you alluded to in your letter and why it must be handled with grave discretion?"

Harriet's soft mouth curved wryly. "Oh, dear. In addition to sounding somewhat peremptory, I did express myself in somewhat sinister tones, did I not? My letter must have sounded like something out of one of Mrs. Radcliffe's gothic novels."

"Yes, Miss Pomeroy, it did." Gideon saw no reason to mention that he had reread the letter on several occasions. There had been something about the spirited appeal for assistance and the lively, if overly dramatic turn of phrase which had made him very curious to meet the author in person.

"Well, the thing is, sir, I wanted to be certain to get your full attention."

"I assure you that you have it."

Harriet sat forward again, clasping her hands in front of her once more in a businesslike manner. "To be perfectly blunt, my lord, I have recently learned that Upper Biddleton is apparently being used as a headquarters for a ring of dangerous thieves and cutthroats."

Gideon's wry amusement dissolved. He wondered suddenly if he was dealing with a madwoman. "Perhaps you would care to clarify that observation, Miss Pomeroy?"

"The caves, my lord. You must recall the vast array of caves in the cliffs? They lie beneath your lands." She waved a hand impatiently toward the open front door, indicating the stark cliffs below the rectory that guarded the lands along the coast. "The villains are using one of the caverns in the cliffs above the beach."

"I recall the caves well enough. They were never of any use to the estate. My family has always allowed fossil hunters and curiosity seekers to explore them at will." Gideon frowned. "Are you telling me someone is using them for illegal activities?"

"Precisely, my lord. I discovered the fact a couple of weeks ago when I was exploring a new passage in the cliffs." Harriet's eyes lit with enthusiasm. "I have made the most promising discoveries in that particular passage, sir. A lovely femur, among other things—" She broke off abruptly.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not." Harriet wrinkled her nose in a small self-deprecating grimace. "Forgive me, my lord. I digress. I tend to do that when I get on the subject of my fossils. You cannot possibly be interested in my explorations. Now, then, as to the matter of the caves being used for criminal purposes."

"Pray continue," Gideon murmured. "This grows more interesting by the moment."

"Yes, well, as I said, I was exploring a new passageway the other morning and—"

"Is that not a rather dangerous pastime, Miss Pomeroy? People have been lost for days in those caves. A few have died in them."

"I assure you, I am very careful. I use a lamp and I mark my route. My father showed me how to explore properly. Now, then, on one of my recent trips I came across a marvelous cavern. As big as a drawing room. And filled with the most promising formations." Harriet narrowed her eyes. "It was also filled with what appears to be ill-gotten loot."

"Loot?"

"Loot, booty, swag. You must know what I mean, sir. Stolen goods."

"Ah. Loot. Yes, of course." Gideon no longer cared if she was a madwoman. The lady was quite the most intriguing female he had encountered in ages. "What sort of loot, Miss Pomeroy?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "Let me see. There were some excellent silver serving pieces. Some very fine gold candlesticks. A bit of jewelry. It all appeared to be of the first quality, my lord. I suspected at once that it did not come from around Upper Biddleton."

"What made you think that?"

"We have one or two houses in the district that boast such excellent pieces, to be sure, but the theft of any items from those homes would have been news. There have been no such reports."

"I see."

"I suspect the items are being brought in at night from elsewhere and stored in the caves until the owners have quite given up on locating them. I was once told that the Bow Street Runners frequently apprehend thieves when the villains try to sell the goods."

"You are well informed."

"Yes, well, it is obvious some particularly clever villains have hit upon the notion of storing stolen goods in my caves until such time as the furor and concern have died down. The items are then no doubt removed and taken to Bath or London to be sold to various pawnshops and jewelers."

"Miss Pomeroy." Gideon was beginning to wonder for the first time if there really was something dangerous going on in the cliff caves. "May I inquire as to why you have not taken this matter up with my steward and the local magistrate?"

"Our local magistrate is quite old now, sir. He could not possibly deal with this situation and, if I may be frank, I do not have a great deal of faith in your new steward, Mr. Crane." Harriet's lips pursed. "I hesitate to say this, my lord, but I feel it is possible he is aware of the ring's activities and is turning a blind eye to them."

Gideon narrowed his eyes. "That is a very serious charge, Miss Pomeroy."

"Yes, I know. But I simply cannot trust the man. I have no notion of what made you hire him in the first place."

"He was the first one to apply for the post when it became open," Gideon said, dismissing the matter. "His references were excellent."

"Yes, well, be that as it may, I still do not care for the man. Now, then, on to facts. I have on at least two occasions witnessed men going into the caves late at night. They carried parcels into the caverns, but when they returned to the beach they were empty-handed."

"Late at night?"

"After midnight, to be precise. Only when the tide is out, of course. The caves are inaccessible when the tide is in."

Gideon considered that news and found it deeply disturbing. The thought of Miss Pomeroy running about unprotected in the middle of the night was a distinctly unpleasant one. Especially if she happened to be correct in her conclusions about what was going on in the caves. The lady was clearly not well supervised.

"What in God's name were you doing down on the beach in the middle of the night, Miss Pomeroy?"

"I was keeping watch, of course. From the window of my bedchamber I can see a portion of the beach. After I discovered the stolen goods in my caves, I began maintaining a regular vigil. When I spotted lights down on the beach one night, I grew suspicious and went out to have a closer look."

Gideon was incredulous. "You actually left the safety of your house late at night for the purposes of following men you suspected to be thieves?"