Harriet smiled very brightly, well aware of the curious stares they were drawing. "Gracious. We certainly would not want to become the focus of public attention, would we?"

"We already are the focus of public scrutiny."

"Precisely my point, sir," she murmured. "What is a public argument here or there? People are going to stare, regardless. We might as well have our squabbles take place in the park for all the world to see and enjoy."

Gideon gave a small, muffled exclamation that could have been either a laugh or a groan of despair. "Harriet, you are impossible. If we were anyplace other than the park at this moment, do you know what I would do?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Nothing violent, I trust."

"Of course not." Gideon looked thoroughly disgusted. "No matter what anyone tells you, I would not hurt you, Harriet."

Harriet bit her lip, sensing the angry pain behind the words. She could not imagine Gideon using his great strength against her. Whenever she recalled the night they had spent together in the cavern, she was overwhelmed anew with memories of the way he had controlled his own magnificent physical power.

"Forgive me, Gideon I know very well that you would never become violent with me."

His eyes met hers suddenly. "How can you be so certain, Harriet? Do you trust me that much, little one?"

She felt herself turning pink. Her eyes slid away from his and she focused intently on the ears of the horses. "You forget how intimately I am acquainted with you, St. Justin."

"Believe me, I do not forget for one single moment," Gideon said. "I lie awake at nights remembering just how intimately we are acquainted. I have not been sleeping at all well lately, Harriet, and it is all your fault. You have invaded my dreams."

"Oh." Harriet was not certain how to respond to that. She could not tell just how much Gideon minded having his dreams invaded. She wondered if she should mention the fact that he was currently invading hers. "I am sorry you are not sleeping well, sir I occasionally have a problem with sleep myself."

Gideon's mouth curved wryly. "While you no doubt spend the occasional restless night thinking about fossil teeth, I fill in the sleepless hours imagining just how I shall make love to you when I finally have you in my bed."

"Gideon."

"And making love to you is what I would do to you right now if we were not sitting in an open carnage in the middle of a public park."

"Gideon, hush."

"Remember that the next time you are tempted to get mouthy with your future lord and master, Miss Pomeroy." Gideon smiled in unsubtle threat. "Every time you challenge him, you can rest assured he will get even by thinking up new and unique ways to make you shudder and throb with pleasure in his arms."

Harriet was shocked into speechlessness, an event which appeared to give Gideon great satisfaction.

Harriet sensed an odd undercurrent of tension in Lady Youngstreet's drawing room when she attended the hastily called special meeting of the Fossils and Antiquities Society. She felt Lord Fry's gaze on her several times during the session and she was aware of Lord Applegate looking at her with a curious resoluteness. Lady Youngstreet appeared strangely excited, as if she harbored a secret of some sort.

The Society had been convened on short notice by Lady Youngstreet to hear a lecture from a Mr. Crisply. Mr. Crisply gave a rather boring talk designed to show quite clearly that there was no way fossil animals could be the predecessors of modern animals. To give credence to the bizarre notion that there might have been earlier versions of contemporary animals was ludicrous, he claimed.

"To accept such an outlandish idea," Mr. Crisply warned in ominous tones, "would open the door to the blasphemous and scientifically impossible theory that human beings might have had some previous ancestors who were far different than the humans of today."

No one, of course, could countenance such an outrageous suggestion. At least not publicly. There was a desultory round of applause when Mr. Crisply finished his talk.

As the crowd broke up into smaller conversational groups, Lord Fry leaned over to murmur to Harriet. "I say. An excellent talk, eh, Miss Pomeroy?"

"Quite excellent," she responded politely. "I was somewhat disappointed he did not mention fossil teeth, however."

"Yes, well, perhaps next time." Lord Fry gave a start. "I say, that reminds me. After the meeting this afternoon, Lady Youngstreet, Applegate, and myself are going to visit a friend who has a most amazing collection of fossil teeth. Would you care to join us?"

Harriet was instantly enthusiastic. "I should be delighted to do so. Does your friend live very far from here?"

"On the outskirts of Town," Fry said. "We shall be taking Lady Youngstreet's carriage."

"Thank you so much for inviting me, sir. I would love to see your friend's teeth."

"Thought so." Fry smiled with satisfaction.

"I shall send a short note to my aunt's house letting her know I shall be somewhat late returning this afternoon," Harriet said. "I would not want my family to worry."

"As you wish," Fry murmured. "Expect Lady Youngstreet can arrange for a member of her staff to deliver it."

Late that afternoon as the last of the other members of the Society took their leave, Harriet was handed up into Lady Youngstreet's old-fashioned traveling coach. Lady Youngstreet smiled benignly as Harriet seated herself beside her.

"I always use this coach for traveling any distance in Town," Lady Youngstreet said. "So much more comfortable than the newer style of Town carriage."

Fry and Applegate sat down across from the ladies on the maroon velvet cushions. Harriet could not help but notice that their expressions were very strained.

"This should be a most enjoyable journey," Lady Youngstreet said.

"I am quite looking forward to it," Harriet said. "I just happen to have my sketchbook in my reticule. "Do you suppose this gentleman with the collection of fossil teeth will allow me to make some drawings?"

"I expect he can be persuaded," Lord Fry mumbled.

The heavy old carriage set off slowly through the crowded streets. When it reached the outskirts of the city, however, it did not slow. Instead, the coachman urged the four-horse team into a sedate canter.

Harriet began to grow uneasy. She glanced out the window and noticed that they were leaving the city and were now in open country. "Are we getting close to your friend's house, Lord Fry?"

Lord Fry turned a dark shade of red. He cleared his throat. "Ahem. I think it's time you were told what is happening, my dear Miss Pomeroy."

"Yes, indeed." Lady Youngstreet patted her hand reassuringly. Her eyes were bright with excitement. "You may rest easy, Harriet. As your faithful friends, we have taken it upon ourselves to rescue you from marriage to the Beast of Blackthorne Hall."

Harriet stared at her. "I beg your pardon?"

Lord Applegate ran his finger around his high cravat and looked more resolute than ever. "We are headed for Gretna Green, Miss Pomeroy."

"Gretna Green? You are kidnapping me?"

Lord Fry frowned. "Not at all, Miss Pomeroy. We are rescuing you. We have been working on our plan since shortly after St. Justin arrived in London. It has become clear he is going to continue to play his wicked games with you. We could not allow it. You are our friend, a fellow fossil collector. We will do what we must."

"Dear heaven," Harriet whispered, stunned. "But why Gretna Green?"

Applegate squared his rather thin shoulders. "It will be my great pleasure to marry you there, Miss Pomeroy. We have decided it is the only way to put a stop to St. Justin's machinations."

"Marry me? Good grief." Harriet did not know whether to laugh or scream. "St. Justin is going to be furious."