"No, he was not," Gideon agreed. "Which only goes to prove that my mother's observations about guest lists was correct. At a crush such as this, anyone who is suitably dressed can get inside, if he is clever."
The conversation at the breakfast table the next morning centered on the capture of Mr. Humboldt.
"It will certainly guarantee that your affair will be the talk of the Town today," Lady Hardcastle told Harriet with an amused look. "Everyone will be saying that once again Lord and Lady St. Justin have managed to provide their guests an extraordinary bit of entertainment. Just imagine. The two of you captured an infamous thief right at the height of the soiree."
"It is in all the papers this morning," Hardcastle announced from the other side of the table. He was midway through a stack of newspapers. "Excellent accounts of the whole thing. They are saying Humboldt is the master thief behind a series of burglaries that have taken place during the past several months."
"And St. Justin is a hero for having set the trap that caught him," Harriet said, sending a look full of glowing admiration toward Gideon. "Do the newspapers mention that?"
Gideon glowered at her from the far end of the table. "I trust not."
"Oh, yes. It's all here." Hardcastle put down one paper and picked up another. "They are calling you gallant and clever, my boy. And they describe how you saved your lady from the murderous thief."
"Wonderful," Harriet exclaimed. "I am so glad they got the story right."
Gideon eyed her laconically. "Mr. Humboldt was fleeing for his life when he ran straight into me, my dear. I did not see him attempting to murder anyone. You were the one who looked dangerous. I shall never forget the sight of you with that chamber pot in your hand. Quite alarming."
"Yes, well, I assumed he was after my tooth," Harriet explained.
"The conclusion Mr. Dobbs has reached is that Humboldt had long ago run out of funds to support his museum," Gideon explained. "He apparently resorted to theft in an effort to finance the purchase of more fossils."
Harriet nodded. "A fossil collector will resort to anything when he gets desperate. Poor Mr. Humboldt. I do hope they will not be too hard on him. In a way I can understand his motives."
"At the very least your reputation as a hostess is now firmly established," Lady Hardcastle said with satisfaction. "The ton fears boredom above all things and you have provided them with yet another exciting spectacle."
Harriet was about to reply to that when Owl walked in with the morning post on a silver salver. The letter on top was addressed to Harriet.
"Good heavens," Harriet said as she slit the seal. "It is from Mrs. Stone. I wonder if something is wrong."
"No doubt someone has died a miserable, lingering death or an epidemic has hit Upper Biddleton," Gideon said. "Those are the only sorts of events that would inspire that old biddy to write a letter."
Harriet ignored him, scanning the contents of the short note. She shrieked in dismay as she realized just what she was reading. "Bloody hell."
The earl and his wife looked at her with concern.
"Is something wrong, my dear?" Gideon asked calmly around a mouthful of bacon.
"Everything. " Harriet waved the letter at him. "The most horrible thing has happened. I was afraid of this."
Gideon swallowed his bacon, still unperturbed. "Perhaps you should tell us the contents of the message."
Harriet was so stricken, she could barely speak. "Mrs. Stone says that she has reason to believe another fossil collector has begun exploring my caves. She saw a man on the beach the other day and the next time she caught sight of him, he was carrying a large piece of stone."
Gideon put down his toast. "Let me see that letter."
Harriet handed him the note. "This is a crisis. Someone else may have found the bones that go with my tooth. I must return to Upper Biddleton immediately. And you must send word to someone at Blackthorne Hall, sir. No one else is to be allowed into my caves."
Gideon scanned the note. "I did not realize Mrs. Stone could read and write."
"She has been housekeeper to two rectors," Lady Hardcastle observed. "She has no doubt learned something over the years."
"Either that or she dictated it to someone in the village," the earl said. "It is done all the time."
Gideon put the note down on the table. "I shall send word to Blackthorne Hall, my dear. Anyone who is hanging about the caves will be advised that he is trespassing. Will that satisfy you?"
Harriet shook her head quickly. "That is all well and good, my lord, but I feel I must return at once. I want to assure myself that no one has found the remains of my creature."
"I do not think it is necessary for you to return in person to protect your precious fossils," Gideon began.
"Well, I do." Harriet leaped to her feet. "I shall go upstairs and pack at once. "How soon can we leave, my lord?"
Gideon gave her a quelling look. "I have just said there is no need to rush back to Upper Biddleton."
"Oh, but there is. You have now seen for yourself just how unscrupulous these fossil collectors can be. If someone has found my cave it will do absolutely no good to simply warn him off. He will find a way to sneak back. I know he will."
Hardcastle nodded soberly. "Once a collector has the scent of old bones, it's bloody difficult to put him off it. One can only hope he has not yet discovered Harriet's particular cavern."
Harriet gave her father-in-law a grateful look. "Thank you for understanding, sir. You see, St. Justin? We must go back immediately."
Lady Hardcastle smiled at her son. "There is no reason the two of you cannot go back to Upper Biddleton for a few days and see to this matter. Your father and I will stay here."
Gideon held up a hand in surrender. He looked down the table at Harriet, his gaze indulgent. "Very well, my dear. Start packing."
"Thank you, Gideon." Harriet rushed toward the door. "I shall be ready within the hour."
The coach pulled into the forecourt of Blackthorne Hall shortly after nine in the evening. Gideon knew that fact frustrated Harriet. She wanted to head straight down to the cliffs and actually suggested doing so with the aid of lamps. Gideon put his foot down on that outrageous suggestion.
"No, you are not going down to the cliffs in the middle of the night. Your precious caves can wait until morning," he informed her as the Blackthorne Hall staff hastened to prepare bedchambers and unload the luggage.
Harriet gave him a speculative glance as she went up the stairs beside him. "It would not take long, my lord. I could just pop into the cavern for a moment or two and make certain no one has touched my bones."
Gideon dropped an arm heavily around her shoulders and guided her firmly toward the master bedchambers. "It is far too late for such running about. We have had a long trip and you should be exhausted."
"But I am not at all exhausted, my lord," she assured him quickly.
"Well, I am." He stopped in front of her bedchamber and trapped her against the wall, his hands planted on either side of her head. "And if you are not, you certainly ought to be. Get into bed, madam. In the morning, if the tide is out, you may see to your caves."
Harriet gave a disgruntled sigh. "Very well, my lord. I know I ought to be grateful you have been kind enough to bring me back here so quickly. I realize you were not in any great rush to return to Upper Biddleton. Indeed, it was very good of you, my lord. But then, you are always very kind to me."
Gideon bit back a short oath. "Get into bed. I will join you shortly."
"I thought you were exhausted, my lord."
"Not that exhausted." Gideon reached behind her, opened the door to her bedchamber, and gently urged her inside. He saw her maid waiting for her. He closed the door and went on down the hall to his own bedchamber.