"Have no fear," Applegate said. "I shall protect you."

"And I shall assist him," Lord Fry proclaimed.

"So shall I." Lady Youngstreet patted Harriet's hand. "In addition, we have the coachman to aid us. Never fear. You are safe from the Beast, my dear. Now, then, I have brought along a little something to warm the bones. A little nip of brandy always makes a long journey less tiresome, don't you think?"

"I say. Excellent notion, my dear." Fry gave Lady Youngstreet an approving smile as she drew a bottle out of her large reticule.

"Good grief," Harriet said again. Then realization struck her. She frowned. "Does this mean, Lord Fry, that you do not know a friend who has a collection of fossil teeth?"

"Afraid not, my dear," Fry said as he took the brandy bottle from Lady Youngstreet.

"What a disappointment," Harriet said. She sat back in the plush seat of the lumbering coach and resigned herself to wait for Gideon.

She knew it would not take him long to set out after her, and when he finally caught up with the Youngstreet carriage, he would not be in a pleasant frame of mind.

She knew she would have to protect her friends from Gideon's wrath.

Gideon concealed his surprise when Felicity Pomeroy and her aunt were shown into his library very late in the afternoon. Neither lady looked happy, he noticed as he rose to his feet. And Harriet had not accompanied them.

He sensed trouble.

"Good afternoon, ladies," he said as they sat down across from his desk. "To what do I owe the honor of this unexpected visit?"

Effie glanced at Felicity, who nodded encouragingly. Effie turned back to Gideon. "Thank heavens we have found you at home, sir."

"I intend to dine in tonight," he murmured by way of explanation. He folded his hands on the desk in front of him and waited patiently for Effie to get to the point.

"This is a little awkward, my lord." Effie cast another uncertain glance at Felicity, who gave her another brisk nod. "I am not precisely certain we ought to have troubled you. It is rather complicated to explain, you see. However, if what we believe has happened has, indeed, occurred, we are all facing another disaster of monumental proportions."

"Disaster?" Gideon arched an inquiring brow at Felicity. "This is a matter that involves Harriet, then?"

"Yes, my lord," Felicity said firmly. "It does. My aunt is obviously reluctant to explain, but I will get straight to the point. The plain fact is, sir, she has disappeared.»

"Disappeared?"

"We believe she has been kidnapped and is at this very moment being spirited off to Gretna Green."

Gideon felt as if he had just stepped off a cliff. Of all the things he had expected to hear from these two, that had not been one of them. Gretna Green. There was only one reason why anyone went to Gretna Green.

"What in the name of hell are you talking about?" Gideon demanded very softly.

Effie flinched at the harshness of his tone. "We do not know for certain that she has been kidnapped," she said hastily. "That is to say, there is a slight possibility that something of the nature is afoot. But even if she has gone north, it may transpire that she has done so quite willingly."

"Nonsense," said Felicity. "She would not have gone willingly. She is determined to marry St. Justin, even if he has been exhibiting her to Society as if she were an exotic pet."

Gideon scowled at Felicity. "An exotic pet? What the devil is this talk of a pet?"

Effie turned to Felicity before the girl could answer. "She is with Lady Youngstreet, Felicity. And while Lady Youngstreet is known for her eccentricities, I have never heard of her kidnapping anyone."

Gideon held up a hand. "I would like a clear and succinct explanation, if you please I think you had better go first, Miss Pomeroy."

"There is no use pretending or trying to put a polite face on it." Felicity looked straight at Gideon. "I believe Harriet has been kidnapped by certain overzealous members of the Fossils and Antiquities Society."

"Good God," Gideon muttered. His mind instantly conjured up an image of the worshipful glances he had caught Applegate giving Harriet. How many others in the Society had succumbed to her charms? he wondered. "What makes you think that bunch has made off with her?"

Felicity gazed at him intently. "Harriet went to a meeting of the Society this afternoon. A short while ago we had a note from her telling us that some friends were taking her to visit a gentleman who collects fossil teeth, but I have reason to believe that was not the truth."

Gideon ignored Effie, who was muttering something about not being absolutely certain of events. He concentrated on Felicity. "What makes you believe Harriet is not off somewhere viewing fossil teeth, Miss Pomeroy?"

"I questioned the young footman who brought us the note. He said Harriet, Lady Youngstreet, Lord Fry, and Lord Applegate had all gotten into Lady Youngstreet's traveling coach, not her Town carriage. Furthermore, when I made further inquiries, I learned that several bags were put aboard the coach before it left."

Gideon's hand tightened into a fist. He forced himself to relax his fingers one by one. "I see. What makes you suspect Gretna Green?"

Felicity's lovely mouth tightened grimly. "Aunt Effie and I have just come from Lady Youngstreet's house. We questioned her butler and a couple of the maids. The coachman apparently confided to one of the maids shortly before he left that he had been instructed to prepare for a very fast trip to the north."

Effie sighed. "The fact that Lord Applegate has been muttering a great deal lately about saving my niece from marriage to you, sir, makes us suspect that he may have decided to take matters into his own hands. Lady Youngstreet and Lord Fry have apparently assisted him in doing so."

Gideon's insides were turning to ice. "I did not realize Applegate was worrying about saving my fiancée."

"Well, he would hardly mention the notion in your presence, my lord," Felicity said matter-of-factly. "But the truth is, he has talked enough about saving Harriet for the matter to have become the subject of a great deal of gossip."

"I see." Gossip that had not been repeated to him, Gideon realized. He looked at Effie. "I find it interesting that you have come directly to me, Mrs. Ashecombe. May I conclude from this that you would rather your niece married me than Applegate?"

"Not particularly," Effie said bluntly. "But it is too late to have it otherwise. This crazed notion of a runaway marriage to Applegate is going to cause even more of a scandalbroth than we are already dealing with now."

"So I am the lesser of two evils," Gideon observed.

"Precisely, sir."

"How nice to know my offer of marriage is favored on such practical grounds."

Effie's eyes narrowed slightly. "The situation is worse than you know, St. Justin. Rumors of the night you and Harriet spent in that dreadful cave may have reached Town. I got the barest hint of it last night at the Wraxham soiree. In addition to all the other gossip, people may soon be wondering if Harriet was, indeed, compromised by you. Her reputation cannot withstand this kidnapping affair."

"It would be one thing if we actually thought Harriet would marry Applegate," Felicity explained pragmatically.

"Ah, yes. Indeed it would." Gideon's fingers clamped around the small figure of a bird that sat on his desk.

"However," Felicity continued, "we know that even if they get her to Gretna Green, Harriet will not marry Applegate."

Gideon ran his thumb along the bird's wing. "You do not believe so?"

"She considers herself committed to you, my lord. Harriet would never break a commitment of that nature. When they all return from the north with Harriet not wed to Applegate, the tale will be all over Town. We are already dealing with quite enough speculation on your forthcoming marriage to my sister as it is."