Page 23 of Guardian Angel
âWhat donât I understand?â he asked, his voice filled with tenderness.
âYou donât understand what I am,â she cried.
Caine let out another sigh. He took hold of her hand and dragged her out of the room. They were halfway down the stairs to the foyer when he finally answered her. âI understand, all right. Youâre mine.â
âI hate your possessiveness, too,â she told his back.
Caine paused at the door to the drawing room, then let go of her hand. âIf you try to move away from me while weâre in there, I swear to God Iâll embarrass the hell out of you. Got that?â
She nodded. When he started to open the door, he noticed the change that came over her. Gone was the vulnerable woman heâd just held in his arms. Jade looked quite serene. Caine was so astonished by the change in her, he had to shake his head.
âIâm ready now,â she announced. âBut if you tell Harry we slept together . . .â
âI wonât,â he interjected before she could get herself all worked up again. âUnless you leave my side, of course.â
She gave him a quick glare, then forced a smile on her face and strolled into the room.
The talk stopped as soon as she and Caine entered. Jade sat on the arm of the chair adjacent to the hearth and motioned for him to take the seat.
âIs my supper near to ready?â Harry asked her.
âIn just another minute or two,â Jade answered. âI insisted on the best for you, Uncle. It takes a little longer.â
Harry beamed at her. âIâm the lucky one, having you to take care of me, Pagan,â he crooned.
âDonât call her Pagan.â
That command came out in a harsh whisper. Jade shivered over the anger in Caineâs voice.
Nathan grinned while Harry squinted at Caine. âWhy the hell not? Thatâs her name,â he argued.
âNo, her name is Jade,â Caine snapped out.
âMy name is Pagan.â
Her voice had turned as hard as ice. âIâm sorry you donât like it, Caine, but thatâs . . .â
She quit her explanation when he took hold of her hand and started squeezing.
âHe still doesnât believe it,â Harry said.
Jade didnât answer her uncle, but she secretly believed he was right. Caine certainly wouldnât be holding her hand if it had all settled in. âHe believes all women are weak, Uncle,â she whispered.
Harry snorted. He was about to launch into several of his favorite stories about his Paganâs special abilities when the men heâd sent to the village returned from their errand.
The men lumbered over to Harryâs side.
âWell? What have you got for me, men?â
âEleven pair,â the shorter of the two seamen announced.
While Caine watched in growing astonishment, spectacles of every size and shape were dropped into Harryâs lap. The old man tried on the first pair, squinted at Caine, then took the spectacles off and tossed them over his shoulder.
âWonât do,â he muttered.
The ritual was repeated again and again, until he tried on the eighth pair. Then he let out a happy sigh. âThese do,â he announced.
âUncle, try the others on,â Jade suggested. âThere might be another pair that will do just as well.â
Harry did as she suggested, then tucked another pair in his pocket.
âYou did your task well, men. Iâm proud of you.â
Caineâs head dropped forward. The picture of how Harryâs men had come by the spectacles forced a reluctant smile.
âHalf of England will be squinting before Harry goes home,â Colin predicted with a deep chuckle.
âYou being insulting, boy?â Harry asked.
âNo, just honest,â Colin answered.
Sterns opened the doors then and announced that dinner was now ready to be served.
Harry bounded out of his chair. Nathan and Colin moved out of his way just as he kicked the footstool out of his path. âAre you coming with me, girl?â Harry asked as he charged past Jade.
Caine increased his grip on her hand. âNo, Uncle, Iâm staying here,â Jade called out. âI have a little explaining to do. Enjoy your meal with your men.â
As soon as Harry left the room, Jade motioned for the men to follow. Jimbo looked like he wanted to argue with that command. His expression bordered on hostility. His target was Caine.
Jade simply stared at Jimbo. The silent message got through and the big man hurried out of the room.
âShut the doors behind you,â she called out.
âI might not be able to hear you if you call out,â Jimbo argued.
âYouâll hear me,â Jade promised.
âYouâll hear me too,â Nathan drawled out. âI can take care of my sister, Jimbo.â
âThatâs still to be proven,â Jimbo muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. He gave Caine one last glare, then shut the doors.
âAre you rested enough to explain this problem to Caine? I really would like to get this over with, Colin, so I can leave.â
Caine gave her hand another good squeeze.
âYes, Iâm rested enough,â Colin said. He turned to Nathan, received his nod, then turned his attention back to Caine. âWhen I was in my last year at Oxford, a man by the name of Willburn approached me. He was from the War Office and he was recruiting men to do some undercover work for England. Our country wasnât officially at war with France yet, but everyone knew it was coming. Anyway, Willburn knew you worked for Richards. I was still sworn to secrecy. I should have wondered at the time why I couldnât discuss my duties with you, Caine, but I didnât. You never talked about your work, and I figured that was the way it was supposed to be. In all honesty, I think I was enamored with this spy business.â His expression became sheepish when he added, âI saw myself as Englandâs savior for a while, anyway.â
âHow did you meet Nathan?â Caine asked.
âAlmost a year after Iâd started working for Willburn. We were paired together then. He was recruited in much the same way I was. Eventually Nathan and I became good friends.â He paused to smile at his friend. âNathanâs a hard man to like.â
âIâve noticed,â Caine said.
âGet on with it, Colin,â Nathan ordered.
âIt took a long time to win Nathanâs trust, almost another full year working together as a matter of fact. He didnât confide in me in all that time. Then, on a trip back from France, he told me about the letters Pagan had found.â
Colin shifted positions, grimacing in pain. Nathan caught the expression before anyone else did and immediately righted the stool for his friend. With a gentleness surprising in such a large man, he lifted Colinâs injured leg, slipped a cushion under the heel, then asked, âItâs better now?â
âYes, thank you,â Colin answered. âNow where was I?â
Caine was watching Nathan. He could still see the concern in Nathanâs eyes. He suddenly realized he couldnât hate the man after all.
That revelation was one hell of a disappointment. Caine wanted to hate him. The bastard had deserted his own sister, left her on her own to fend for herself. He was the reason Jade had so many shields guarding her heart, the reason she had had so much pain.
Yet Colin was alive.
âCaine?â Colin asked, drawing his brother back to the discussion. âDo you believe itâs possible for a government to operate within a government?â
âAnything is possible,â Caine answered.
âHave you ever heard of the Tribunal?â Colin asked. His voice had dropped to a whisper.
Both Colin and Nathan exchanged a nod. They were prepared to hear Caineâs denial. Then they were going to knock the breath out of him with the facts theyâd uncovered.
âYes, Iâve heard of the Tribunal.â
Colin was astonished. âYou have?â
âWhen?â Nathan demanded. âHow?â
âThere was an investigation immediately after your fatherâs death, Nathan. The Earl was linked
to all sorts of subversive activities. His lands were confiscated, his children left in poverty . . .â
âHow do you know all this?â Nathan asked.
Caine looked at Jade before answering. âWhen she told me who her father was, I asked Lyon to make some inquiries.â
âWho is this Lyon?â Nathan asked.
âOur friend,â Colin answered.
âCan he be trusted?â Nathan asked.
âHe can,â Colin answered before his brother could. âCaine, that was a safe bet. Lyon wouldnât ask the wrong people the way I did.â
Jadeâs back started aching from her uncomfortable position. She eased her hand away from Caineâs, somewhat surprised when he gave her her freedom. She knew better than to try to leave, though. If Caine was anything, he was reliable. He would embarrass her just as he threatened.
She moved to the chair Harry had vacated, and sat down.
âLyon didnât ask anyone any questions,â Caine explained. âHe simply looked the information up in the files.â
âHe couldnât have,â Jade interjected. âMy fatherâs file was missing.â
Caine raised an eyebrow over that telling remark. âAnd how would you know if it was missing or not?â
She daintily shrugged. âBecause I took it,â she admitted.
âYou what?â
âCaine, the file isnât the issue now,â she rushed out, hoping to placate his rising temper.
âThen how did Lyon . . .â Nathan began.
Caine continued to frown at Jade when he answered her brother. âRichards was Lyonâs director as well as mine. He had his own records. Lyon read those files.â
âWas my father vindicated after the investigation?â Nathan asked.
âNo,â Caine answered. âHe wasnât condemned either, Nathan. There wasnât enough proof.â
âThere is now,â Jade whispered.
âProof to vindicate your father?â Caine asked.
âNo, proof to condemn him. I read Papaâs letters.â
The sadness in her voice tore at his heart. Caine still wanted to throttle her for deceiving him, but he also wanted to be kissing her at the same time.
âCaine, how can you be smiling now?â Colin asked. âThis isnât . . .â
âSorry,â Caine answered, unaware he had been smiling. âI was sidetracked.â
He stared at Jade while he made that admission. She stared at her hands.
âContinue, Colin,â Caine ordered then, turning his attention back to his brother.
âRight after their fatherâs funeral, Pagan . . . I mean, Jade, left with Black Harry. The Earl trusted Harry completely.â
âThatâs difficult to believe,â Caine interjected.
âHarryâs a good man,â Jade said. âHe has a pure heart.â
âIâm sure he does,â Caine agreed. âHowever, you mentioned that there was another close friend, a woman by the name of Lady Briars, who would have been more than willing to take you and Nathan into her home. I just donât understand why your father would have chosen a thief over . . .â
âIt was a question of trust,â Nathan explained. âMy father had turned his heart against England, Caine. He didnât think either one of us would be safe here. Harry was our best bet.â
âWhy didnât he think youâd be safe?â
âThe letters,â Colin answered. âThe Earl kept all the ones he received from the other two. Nathanâs fatherâs operative name was Fox, and he was one of the three in the Tribunal. The other two were called Ice and Prince.â
âMy father was a very idealistic man,â Nathan interjected. âIn the beginning, I think he saved all the letters for future generations. He believed he was doing something . . . heroic for England. Things soured fast, though. Soon enough it became only for the good of the Tribunal. Anything was just, as long as it furthered the scope of their power.â
âIt was a slow metamorphosis,â Colin said. âThe first letters were signed with the closing, âfor the good of England.â Then after the tenth, or perhaps the eleventh letter, the closing changed.â
âTo what?â Caine asked.
âThey started using the phrase, âfor the good of the Tribunal,â â he answered. âIce was the first to sign his letter that way, and the other two followed suit. Their corruption was complete by that time.â
âThey started acting independently long before that, Colin,â Nathan remarked.
âThe end justified their means,â Colin explained to Caine. âAs long as they believed that what they were doing aided their country, they could justify anything.â
âVery like your attitude, Jade,â Caine announced.
She was so startled by that comment, her eyes widened. âNo, not at all like my attitude,â she argued. âCaine, Iâm nothing like my father. I donât approve of what he did. Itâs sinful to admit, but I donât have any feelings for him, either. He chose his path.â
âYour fatherâs lands were confiscated, his fortune taken away,â Caine said.
âYes,â she agreed, wondering what he was leading up to with that remark.
âItâs the reason you steal from the wealthy, Jade. Iâd say youâre getting even.â
âIâm not!â
Her shout told him heâd rattled her with that opinion. âPower corrupts,â he said. âAbsolute power corrupts absolutely.â
âYou neednât quote Machiavelli to me, Caine. I will agree that the Tribunal was after absolute power.â
âYou were on the same path.â
âIâm not,â she cried out.
âWas, Caine?â Colin asked.
âWas,â Caine announced. His voice was hard.
âThen you . . .â Colin began.
âNot now, Colin,â Caine ordered.
âWhat are you talking about?â Jade asked. âIâve never been after power.â
Caine ignored her protest. âTell me the rest of this,â he ordered Nathan.
âOur father had a change of heart,â Nathan said. âHis conscience began to bother him when his director, a man named Hammond, was sanctioned.â
âSanctioned?â Colin scoffed. âWhat a pleasant word for such a foul deed.â
âHammond was director over all three,â Nathan interjected. âThere was Ice, Prince, and Fox. Anyway, in the beginning, they did whatever they were ordered to do. It wasnât long, though, before they started acting independently. Hammond was beginning to get wise to their doings and the three were certain he was growing in his suspicions. Ice came up with the idea that they sanction him.â
âMy father didnât want to kill Hammond,â Jade said. âPapa was on his way to London to warn the director when he was killed. At least thatâs what weâve been able to piece together.â
âWho was killed? Your father or Hammond?â Caine asked.
âOur father,â Nathan answered. âHe had sent Hammond a note telling him that he had to meet with him as soon as possible, that it was an urgent, life-threatening matter.â
âAnd how were you able to piece that together?â Caine asked.
âHammond showed me the note at my fatherâs funeral,â Nathan replied. âHe asked me if I knew anything about this urgent problem. I didnât know anything, of course. Iâd been away at school. Jade was too young to understand.â
âOur father confided in Harry and gave him the letters heâd saved.â
âAnd Harry told you everything when you were older?â Caine asked Jade.
She nodded. She refused to look at him and kept her gaze directed on her lap.
âHarry wanted Nathan to go with us. Father had a ship and Harry was bent on becoming a pirate. Nathan wanted to finish school. He thought Harry was taking me to an island in the south and that Iâd be safe until he could come and fetch me.â
âWhen I started hearing about the escapades of a pirate named Pagan, I have to admit I never once considered that it might be Harry,â Nathan interjected.
âWhy didnât you come for Jade?â Caine asked. âHe couldnât,â Jade answered before her brother could. âHarry and I were never in one place long enough. Besides, Nathan had his own problems then. Fatherâs enemies knew heâd saved the letters. They were desperate to find them. Once Nathanâs rooms had been searched, they left him alone . . . for a time anyway, until we started a fresh investigation of our own.â
âThe letters were with you?â Caine asked. âOr did Harry hide them somewhere safe?â
âWe kept them on the Emerald, âshe answered.
âI want them,â Caine demanded. âIs this vessel near enough to send one of the men? Or perhaps . . .â
He stopped his question when she shook her head. âThere isnât any need to fetch them. I can tell you the contents.â
âWord for word,â Colin said. âPagan need only read something once, and itâs committed to memory for the rest of her life.â
If Caine thought that talent odd, he didnât mention it. Jade was thankful he remained silent.
âPagan, recite the letters for Caine,â Nathan suggested.
âIf you call her Pagan one more time, Iâm going to beat the hell out of you.â
Nathan scowled at Caine a long minute, then gave in. âAll right,â he snapped. âIâll call her Jade, though only because I donât want anyone hearing her nickname.â
âI donât give a damn what your reasons are, just do it,â Caine grated out.
âHell, Colin, Iâm trying to be accommodating, but I swear to God Iâm going to knock the arrogance out of him when this is over and done with.â
Jade believed a fight was imminent. She drew everyoneâs attention by beginning her recitation. The telling took over thirty minutes. She didnât leave a word out. And when she was finished, no one said a word for a long while. Everyone was slowly filtering through the information sheâd just related.
Then Colin spoke. âAll right then,â he began, his voice filled with enthusiasm. âThat very first letter was addressed to Thorton . . . thatâs Nathan and Jadeâs father, of course, and it was signed by a man named William.â
âThey hadnât been assigned their operative names yet,â Jade volunteered.
âYes,â Colin agreed. âThen Thorton became Fox, and William became Prince. Ice is another matter, though. We donât have any clues as to his . . .â