Ravished by Amanda Quick Page A

brought the waltz to Upper Biddleton."
    "I sense that in the minds of some of the good folk here tonight that is equivalent to having brought the plague to the village."
    "They'll all survive the arrival of the waltz. And as for me, I am grateful."
    "Are you, indeed, Miss Pomeroy?"
    "Oh, yes. I have been worried about Felicity not having a chance to practice her steps before she goes to London. Now she will have the opportunity to do so."
    "And what about you?" Gideon watched her closely as he spun her into a sweeping turn. "Are you glad of the chance to practice the waltz so that you will be prepared, in the event you get to London?"
    "I seriously doubt that I shall dance the waltz in Town. It is Felicity who is to have a Season, not me." Harriet smiled. "But I must say it is a very exciting dance, my lord, and you perform it very well. Of course, I am not surprised to find you are an excellent dancer. You move so soundlessly and so smoothly in every other way."
    He lowered his lashes in surprise. "Thank you. As it has been six years since I last attempted to dance, I shall take that as a great compliment." Gideon guided her into another sweeping turn.
    Harriet gave herself up to the music, deeply aware of the warmth and strength of Gideon's hand on the small of her back. It brought back heated memories of the kiss in the cave and she knew she was blushing. She prayed that everyone, including Gideon, would attribute the heat in her face to the warmth of the room and the energetic dancing.
    "I am surprised to see you here tonight, my lord," Harriet said. She was trying to be blase about the fact that she was actually dancing the waltz. "I would not have thought our little assembly would interest you."
    "It does not interest me. You interest me, Miss Pomeroy."
    Her eyes widened in shock. "Me, my lord?"
    "Yes, you."
    "Oh." Then a thought struck her. She smiled brilliantly up at him. "Yes, of course, now I understand."
    "Do you?" He gave her a strange glance. "I am certainly glad one of us does."
    She ignored that cryptic comment as her brain finally took charge of her spinning emotions. "You no doubt want to inform me about your plans to catch the thieves. You knew it would be difficult to arrange another private meeting without causing comment, so you came here tonight in hopes of being able to speak to me under the guise of socializing."
    "I congratulate you on your logical turn of mind, Miss Pomeroy."
    "Well?" She looked up at him expectantly.
    "Well, what?"
    She gave a small, exasperated exclamation. "Tell me about your plans. Is everything arranged? Have you contacted the Bow Street Runners? How have you decided to handle Mr. Crane? I wish to know all the details."
    Gideon eyed her for a few seconds. Then his mouth curved in a faint smile. "I have not revealed my true intentions to Crane thus far and I have sent word to Bow Street. The arrangements for removing the thieves from your caves are under way, Miss Pomeroy. I trust you will be satisfied with my performance."
    "I am certain I shall be quite satisfied. Tell me the whole of it. What, precisely, will happen now?"
    "You must leave that to me, Miss Pomeroy."
    "But I wish to know how it will all work, sir," she said impatiently.
    "You must trust me, Miss Pomeroy."
    "That is not the point, my lord."
    "I fear it is very much the point." Gideon's smile was unreadable. "Do you think you can manage to do that, Miss Pomeroy?"
    "Do what? Trust you? Of course. I know you will do what you have promised to do. But I wish to know the details, sir. I am involved in this matter. Those are my caves, after all."
    "Your caves?"
    Harriet flushed and chewed briefly on her lower lip. "Very well, perhaps they do not exactly belong to me, but I am not about to let someone such as Mr. Venable claim them, either."
    "Calm yourself, Miss Pomeroy. You have my word that you will have exclusive rights to dig up any old bones that may lie in those caves."
    She smiled tentatively. "I have your word