Page 22 of Guardian Angel
He made that statement as a boast, then waited a full minute for Caine to appreciate his explanation. âI gave myself that nickname. Itâs fitting, ainât it, girl?â
âYes, Uncle, itâs very fitting. Your heartâs as black as night.â
âItâs good of you to say so,â Harry replied. He reached up and patted her hand. âAs soon as me men get back from their errand, Iâm leaving for the Wharf. I could use a spot of supper to hold me over.â
âI shall see to it at once,â Jade said. She immediately moved toward the doors, deliberately making a wide path of Caineâs chair. When she reached the entrance to the foyer, she turned back to her uncle. âPlease donât let Nathan and Caine fight while Iâm gone, Harry.â
âI wouldnât be caring,â Harry called out.
âBut I would care,â she returned. âPlease, Harry?â
âAll right then, I wonât let them fight.â
As soon as the door shut behind Jade, Harry whispered, âSheâs a piece of work, that one. I should have cut her face years ago. Sheâs too pretty for her own safety. âTis the reason I had to leave her behind so many times. Couldnât trust me men when my back was turned.â
âSheâs so pretty,â Nathan snapped, âthat some dishonorable men would take advantage.â
âLet it go for now, Nathan,â Colin interjected. He opened his eyes and looked at Caine. âMy brotherâs an honorable man.â
âLike hell,â Nathan growled.
Caine wasnât paying any attention to the conversation now. Heâd homed in on Harryâs casually stated comment that heâd left Jade behind. Where did he leave her? Who watched over her when he was away? There sure as hell hadnât been a woman there, or she would have known a little more about the facts of life.
âWhatâs all this talk about?â Harry demanded, drawing Caineâs attention again.
âAlthough it isnât in your nature, Iâm asking you to be patient, Harry,â Colin requested. âThereâs been a little misunderstanding, thatâs all.â
âClear it up quick then,â Harry ordered.
âDamn it, Colin, I know all I need to know,â Nathan said. âYour brotherâs a bastard . . .â
âYou were born out of wedlock, son?â Harry interrupted. He looked absolutely thrilled by that possibility.
Caine sighed. âNo, I wasnât born out of wedlock.â
Harry didnât even try to hide his disappointment, another fact that made absolutely no sense to Caine.
âThen you canât be going by that nickname,â he instructed. âOnly those born with the stigma can boast of it. A manâs only as good as his nickname,â he added with a nod.
âOr a woman,â Colin interjected.
Caine looked incredulous. Colin tried not to laugh. âHarry? Tell him about Bastard Bull,â he suggested.
âColin, for Godâs sake,â Caine began.
âIn time, Caine,â his brother whispered. âI need a little more time to gather my thoughts.â
Caine nodded. âAll right,â he said. He turned to Harry then. âTell me about Bastard Bull.â
âHe werenât a bastard after all,â Harry stated with a scowl. âHe just said he was so he could sign on with us. He knew the store I put in nicknames. When we found out heâd lied, we tossed him overboard with the garbage.â
âThey happened to be in the middle of the ocean at the time,â Colin drawled out. âPagan wouldnât let him drown, though.â
âHow very considerate of you,â Caine muttered to Nathan.
âNow there was this other bloke, a good, strong man . . .â
Caine let out a long sigh. He leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes, and decided he was going to have to wait until all this ridiculous talk about nicknames was finished. Colin seemed to be enjoying the conversation and he had asked for time. His brother looked half asleep now . . . and so damned pale.
For a good ten minutes or more Harry continued with his dissertation. When he finally finished, Nathan said, âJade has a special nickname, too.â
âIâll be telling it,â Harry stated. âIâm the one who came up with the special name, after all.â
Nathan nodded. âAll right, Harry, you tell it.â
Everyone was watching Caine now. If heâd bothered to open his eyes, he would have seen their smiles.
Caine was having difficulty holding onto his patience. âAnd what is her special nickname, Harry?â he finally asked, his tone weary.
âWell now, me boy,â Harry drawled out. âWe like to call her Pagan.â
Chapter Twelve
He didnât take the news at all well. For the longest time, he simply refused to believe Jade could possibly be Pagan. Only a man could get away with such daring feats, only a man.
Colin, Harry, and Nathan were all watching him closely. When he shook his head in denial, they nodded in unison.
âI can see youâre having trouble accepting this,â Colin said. His expression was sympathetic. âBut it is true, Caine. Harry gave her that nickname years ago because . . .â
âIâll be telling it,â Harry interrupted. âIt was the color of her hair, son. As red as hellâs fire it was when she was a youngster.â
It was apparent from the look on Caineâs face that he still didnât accept. Harry thought he didnât understand the reason for her special nickname. âShe was as wild as the devil back then, too,â he explained. âJust like a pagan baby, she was.â
Caineâs expression slowly turned from disbelief to fury. Both Colin and Harry became uneasy. Only Nathan seemed to be enjoying the moment. âWould a man be apt to leave a rose behind, Caine?â he asked, hoping to rub salt in his wounds. âThatâs the work of a woman. Itâs amazing to me that no oneâs figured it out by now. Donât you agree, Colin?â
âYes,â Colin answered, his gaze directed on his brother. âAmazing.â
It was the last remark anyone made for a long while. Harry and Nathan waited for Caine to come to terms with the truth.
Colin knew his brother far better than his friends did. He patiently waited for the explosion.
Jade was in the dining room helping Sterns set the table. As soon as the butler took one look at her face, he knew something was wrong. She looked as pale as the linen tablecloth.
She wouldnât tell him anything but explained that her uncle had arrived and that he and his four men would require supper before they left. She also insisted upon using the finest crystal. Sterns went into the kitchens to order the meal, throwing both the cook and her assistant, Bernice, into a frenzy, and then returned to the dining room.
He found Jade examining a large oval silver platter. âUncle would like this,â she remarked. âThe design is quite magnificent.â
Sterns nodded. âA gift from the King,â he explained. âWhen the Marquess was knighted, Colin threw quite a bash in his honor. The King showed up and gave him that platter. If you turn it over, youâll see the inscription.â
Jade shook her head. She thrust the platter into Sternsâ hands. âHide it.â
âI beg your pardon?â
âHide it, Sterns,â she repeated. She looked around the room, then asked, âAre there any other special things Caine would rather keep?â
âThe silver tea set on the side bar,â he said. âI do believe it has special meaning to miâlord.â
âDid the King give him that, too?â
âNo, the set came from his grandmother.â
âHide it as well, Sterns. Put the things under Caineâs bed. Theyâll be safe there.â
âMiâlady?â Sterns asked. âAre you feeling ill?â
âNo.â
âYou look ill,â Sterns announced. âAnd youâre walking around as though youâre in a trance. I know somethingâs wrong . . .â
Jade walked over to the door, then turned back to Sterns. âYou have been very kind to me, sir. I will always remember that.â
Sterns looked startled. Jade was about to close the door behind her when Caineâs command reached her.
âJad
e!â
The bellow made the crystal goblets rattle. Jade showed no reaction to the summons, but Sterns jumped a foot.
âI believe your employer has just heard some distressing news,â she said. âI had hoped that my uncle would wait . . . it doesnât matter.â
Sterns followed her into the entrance. When she started up the stairs, he called out to her. âI believe miâlord would like you to go to him, Lady Jade.â
She continued up the stairs. âI would be happy to stand by your side,â he promised. âI know his temper can be frightening at times.â
Sterns waited until she was out of sight, then rushed inside the drawing room.
The butler had difficulty maintaining his steely composure when he spotted Colin. âMy God, is that you, Colin?â he stammered out.
âHello, Sterns,â Colin said. âItâs good to see you again. Are you still ordering your lord around?â
Sterns was slow to recover. âI give it my best,â he whispered.
âIs this one a servant, Caine?â Harry asked.
âHeâs a dictator, not a servant,â Colin announced with a grin.
Sterns turned to the older man with the obvious poor eyesight. He tried not to gape.
âIs me supper ready yet?â Harry bellowed.
Sterns decided this one had to be Jadeâs uncle. The stranger sitting next to Colin was too young. âIt is almost ready,â he told him before finally turning to Caine. âI must speak to you at once in the foyer, miâlord. It is a most important matter.â
âNot now, Sterns,â Caine said, his tone weary. âTalk to me later.â
âPerhaps you didnât hear me,â Sterns countered. âThere is a problem that must be resolved immediately. It concerns Lady Jade.â
Caine wasnât at all surprised. âWhatâs she burning now? The kitchens?â
âMiâlord, this isnât the time for jests,â the butler snapped.
âDo I look like Iâm jesting, Sterns?â
The butler folded his arms across his chest. âLady Jade isnât burning anything at the moment,â he said. âSheâs leaving.â
That announcement got just the reaction Sterns was hoping for. He moved out of his lordâs way when he bounded to his feet, and nodded with satisfaction when Caine roared, âThe hell she is!â
The butler waited until his employer had left the room, then turned back to Jadeâs uncle. âDinner will be served in just a moment,â he announced, his haughty tone of voice fully restored.
Caine took the stairs two at a time. His heart was pounding. The thought of her leaving him was untenable. For the first time in his life, he was in a panic. He didnât like the feeling at all.
As soon as he threw the door open to her bedroom, he saw her. The panic left in a rush. He slammed the door shut behind him and leaned against it.
He took a deep breath to try to calm himself. She was pretending he wasnât there. She stood by the side of the bed, folding a gold-colored gown. Her satchel was open and nearly filled to the top.
âYou might as well quit packing,â he said, amazed that his voice sounded so forceful. âYou arenât going anywhere.â
Jade turned to confront him. She was determined to give him a piece of her mind before taking her leave, but when she caught his expression, her heart fell to her stomach and she couldnât remember any of the words she wanted to say to him.
He was so furious, the muscle in the side of his jaw flexed. She stared at it in fascination while she tried to find her courage again.
âIâm never going to let you leave me, Jade,â he said. âNever. Do you hear me?â
She thought everyone in the village was hearing him. Her ear rang from his roar. It took all her strength to stand up to him. She slowly shook her head. âYou called me a whore,â she whispered.
The anguish in her voice got through to him. Some of his anger eased away. âNo, I did not call you a whore.â
âYou thought it,â she countered. âYou were about to shout it to the world.â
âI wasnât,â he returned. âJade, we have more important issues to discuss now.â
She let out a gasp. âMore important than calling me a whore?â
He moved away from the door and started toward her. She immediately backed up a space. âDonât come near me. I never want you to touch me again.â
âThen youâre going to be damned miserable for the rest of your days, Jade. Iâm going to be touching you all the time.â
âYou donât really want me,â she shouted. âYou want the vulnerable, weak woman I pretended to be, Caine. You donât know the real me. No, you donât,â she continued when he shook his head at her. âIâm really very strong, determined, too. I just pretended to need you, you daft man, so that you would feel honor bound to stay by my side. I used all the ploys a weak woman would use, too. Yes, I did! I complained at every opportunity, and I wept whenever I needed to get my way.â
He grabbed hold of her and jerked her up against him. âIâm leaving,â she cried out. âCanât you get that through your thick . . .â
âYouâre staying.â
âI hate you,â she whispered before she burst into tears.
He rested his chin on the top of her head. âNo, you donât hate me,â he whispered.
âI hate everything about you,â she wailed between racking sobs. âBut most of all I hate the way you contradict me.â
âJade?â
âWhat?â
âAre your tears a pretense now?â
She couldnât quit crying long enough to give him a clear answer. âThey most certainly are,â she stammered out. âI never, ever cry,â she added a moment later. âOnly weak women cry.â
âBut youâre not weak, are you, love?â he asked. His smile was gentle, his voice as well, but his grip continued to be as strong as iron, even after she quit her struggle to get away from him.
He wanted to hold her in his arms for the rest of his days. âJade?â
âWhat now?â
âI love you.â
She didnât respond to his vow, but started trembling. He knew he was terrifying her. âYouâre the most confusing woman,â he whispered on a sigh. âGod help me, I do love you, though.â
âI wonât love you,â she stammered out. âI donât even like you. I wonât trust you either.â She ended her list of what she wouldnât do with a loud hiccup.
Caine wasnât the least upset by her denials. âI love you,â he said again. âNow and forever.â
He was content to hold her while she wept. Lord, she did have a store of tears locked inside her.
They must have stood there a full ten minutes before she was able to regain her composure.
She wiped her cheeks on the lapels of his jacket, then pulled away from him. âYouâd better go back downstairs,â she whispered.
âNot without you,â he countered.
âNo,â she replied. âNathan and Harry would know Iâd been crying. Iâm staying here.â
âJade, you canât put off . . .â He stopped in midsentence, then asked, âWhy does it matter if they know youâve been crying or not?â
âI wouldnât be what they expect me to be if I cried,â she answered.
âTry to explain what you meant by that remark?â he asked gently.
She gave him a disgruntled look. âAppearances have to be kept up, Caine.â
She walked over to the bed and sat down. âI donât want to talk about this.â She let out a sigh, then added, âOh, very well. Iâll meet you downstairs . . .â
He was shaking his head at her. âIâll wait for you.â
âYou donât trust me?â
âNo.â
He waited for her temper to explode. She surprised him, however, when she merely shrugged. âGood,â she said. âDonât trust me, Caine. Iâm going to leave at the first opportunity. I wonât stay here and wait for you to leave me. Iâm not a fool.â
He finally understood. She couldnât hide her fear or her vulnerabilit
y from him now. âAnd youâre absolutely certain I would leave you, arenât you, Jade?â
âOf course.â
She replied with such candor that he wasnât certain how to proceed. âEven though Iâve just told you that I love you, you still . . .â
âNathan and Harry love me, too,â she interjected.
Caine gave up trying to reason with her now, guessing it would do his cause little good. He decided heâd have to wait and find another way around her shields.
Caine suddenly wanted to go downstairs and kill both Nathan and Harry. He sighed instead. He couldnât undo the past for her. No, he could only give her a secure, safe future.
âI would never abandon . . .â he stopped himself, then said, âVery well, Jade. You may leave me whenever you want.â
Her eyes widened over that announcement. She looked like she was going to start weeping again, too. Caine felt like an ogre. âAny time you want to leave, do so.â
She turned her gaze to her lap. âThank you.â
âYouâre welcome,â he drawled out. He walked over to her, pulled her to her feet, then tilted her head up. âJust one other little detail,â he added.
âYes?â
âEvery time you leave, Iâm going to come after you. There isnât any place you can hide, Jade. Iâll find you and drag you back here. This is where you belong.â
She tried to push his hand away from her chin. âYouâd never find me,â she whispered.
He could hear the panic in her voice. Caine leaned down and kissed her. He missed her mouth completely when she jerked away from him, then captured her soft lips by cupping the sides of her face and holding her still.
His tongue took possession then. He growled low in his throat when she pinched him, then deepened the kiss. Her tongue finally rubbed against his own, her resistance spent. She wrapped her arms around his waist and melted against him.
âI love you,â he told her again after heâd lifted his head away from her.
She promptly burst into tears again. âAre you going to do that every damned time I tell you I love you?â he demanded.
He was more amused than exasperated with her. She shook her head. âYou donât understand yet,â she whispered. âIt hasnât settled in, Caine.â