Page 23 of Guardian Angel

  “What don’t I understand?” he asked, his voice filled with tenderness.

  “You don’t understand what I am,” 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. “I understand, all right. You’re mine.”

  “I hate your possessiveness, too,” she told his back.

  Caine paused at the door to the drawing room, then let go of her hand. “If you try to move away from me while we’re in there, I swear to God I’ll embarrass the hell out of you. Got that?”

  She nodded. When he started to open the door, he noticed the change that came over her. Gone was the vulnerable woman he’d just held in his arms. Jade looked quite serene. Caine was so astonished by the change in her, he had to shake his head.

  “I’m ready now,” she announced. “But if you tell Harry we slept together . . .”

  “I won’t,” he interjected before she could get herself all worked up again. “Unless you leave my side, of course.”

  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.

  “Is my supper near to ready?” Harry asked her.

  “In just another minute or two,” Jade answered. “I insisted on the best for you, Uncle. It takes a little longer.”

  Harry beamed at her. “I’m the lucky one, having you to take care of me, Pagan,” he crooned.

  “Don’t call her Pagan.”

  That command came out in a harsh whisper. Jade shivered over the anger in Caine’s voice.

  Nathan grinned while Harry squinted at Caine. “Why the hell not? That’s her name,” he argued.

  “No, her name is Jade,” Caine snapped out.

  “My name is Pagan.”

  Her voice had turned as hard as ice. “I’m sorry you don’t like it, Caine, but that’s . . .”

  She quit her explanation when he took hold of her hand and started squeezing.

  “He still doesn’t believe it,” Harry said.

  Jade didn’t answer her uncle, but she secretly believed he was right. Caine certainly wouldn’t be holding her hand if it had all settled in. “He believes all women are weak, Uncle,” she whispered.

  Harry snorted. He was about to launch into several of his favorite stories about his Pagan’s special abilities when the men he’d sent to the village returned from their errand.

  The men lumbered over to Harry’s side.

  “Well? What have you got for me, men?”

  “Eleven pair,” the shorter of the two seamen announced.

  While Caine watched in growing astonishment, spectacles of every size and shape were dropped into Harry’s lap. The old man tried on the first pair, squinted at Caine, then took the spectacles off and tossed them over his shoulder.

  “Won’t do,” he muttered.

  The ritual was repeated again and again, until he tried on the eighth pair. Then he let out a happy sigh. “These do,” he announced.

  “Uncle, try the others on,” Jade suggested. “There might be another pair that will do just as well.”

  Harry did as she suggested, then tucked another pair in his pocket.

  “You did your task well, men. I’m proud of you.”

  Caine’s head dropped forward. The picture of how Harry’s men had come by the spectacles forced a reluctant smile.

  “Half of England will be squinting before Harry goes home,” Colin predicted with a deep chuckle.

  “You being insulting, boy?” Harry asked.

  “No, just honest,” 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. “Are you coming with me, girl?” Harry asked as he charged past Jade.

  Caine increased his grip on her hand. “No, Uncle, I’m staying here,” Jade called out. “I have a little explaining to do. Enjoy your meal with your men.”

  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.

  “Shut the doors behind you,” she called out.

  “I might not be able to hear you if you call out,” Jimbo argued.

  “You’ll hear me,” Jade promised.

  “You’ll hear me too,” Nathan drawled out. “I can take care of my sister, Jimbo.”

  “That’s still to be proven,” Jimbo muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. He gave Caine one last glare, then shut the doors.

  “Are you rested enough to explain this problem to Caine? I really would like to get this over with, Colin, so I can leave.”

  Caine gave her hand another good squeeze.

  “Yes, I’m rested enough,” Colin said. He turned to Nathan, received his nod, then turned his attention back to Caine. “When 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 wasn’t 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 couldn’t discuss my duties with you, Caine, but I didn’t. 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.” His expression became sheepish when he added, “I saw myself as England’s savior for a while, anyway.”

  “How did you meet Nathan?” Caine asked.

  “Almost a year after I’d 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.” He paused to smile at his friend. “Nathan’s a hard man to like.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Caine said.

  “Get on with it, Colin,” Nathan ordered.

  “It took a long time to win Nathan’s trust, almost another full year working together as a matter of fact. He didn’t confide in me in all that time. Then, on a trip back from France, he told me about the letters Pagan had found.”

  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 Colin’s injured leg, slipped a cushion under the heel, then asked, “It’s better now?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Colin answered. “Now where was I?”

  Caine was watching Nathan. He could still see the concern in Nathan’s eyes. He suddenly realized he couldn’t 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.

  “Caine?” Colin asked, drawing his brother back to the discussion. “Do you believe it’s possible for a government to operate within a government?”

  “Anything is possible,” Caine answered.

  “Have you ever heard of the Tribunal?” Colin asked. His voice had dropped to a whisper.

  Both Colin and Nathan exchanged a nod. They were prepared to hear Caine’s denial. Then they were going to knock the breath out of him with the facts they’d uncovered.

  “Yes, I’ve heard of the Tribunal.”

  Colin was astonished. “You have?”

  “When?” Nathan demanded. “How?”

  “There was an investigation immediately after your father’s death, Nathan. The Earl was linked

to all sorts of subversive activities. His lands were confiscated, his children left in poverty . . .”

  “How do you know all this?” Nathan asked.

  Caine looked at Jade before answering. “When she told me who her father was, I asked Lyon to make some inquiries.”

  “Who is this Lyon?” Nathan asked.

  “Our friend,” Colin answered.

  “Can he be trusted?” Nathan asked.

  “He can,” Colin answered before his brother could. “Caine, that was a safe bet. Lyon wouldn’t ask the wrong people the way I did.”

  Jade’s back started aching from her uncomfortable position. She eased her hand away from Caine’s, 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.

  “Lyon didn’t ask anyone any questions,” Caine explained. “He simply looked the information up in the files.”

  “He couldn’t have,” Jade interjected. “My father’s file was missing.”

  Caine raised an eyebrow over that telling remark. “And how would you know if it was missing or not?”

  She daintily shrugged. “Because I took it,” she admitted.

  “You what?”

  “Caine, the file isn’t the issue now,” she rushed out, hoping to placate his rising temper.

  “Then how did Lyon . . .” Nathan began.

  Caine continued to frown at Jade when he answered her brother. “Richards was Lyon’s director as well as mine. He had his own records. Lyon read those files.”

  “Was my father vindicated after the investigation?” Nathan asked.

  “No,” Caine answered. “He wasn’t condemned either, Nathan. There wasn’t enough proof.”

  “There is now,” Jade whispered.

  “Proof to vindicate your father?” Caine asked.

  “No, proof to condemn him. I read Papa’s letters.”

  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.

  “Caine, how can you be smiling now?” Colin asked. “This isn’t . . .”

  “Sorry,” Caine answered, unaware he had been smiling. “I was sidetracked.”

  He stared at Jade while he made that admission. She stared at her hands.

  “Continue, Colin,” Caine ordered then, turning his attention back to his brother.

  “Right after their father’s funeral, Pagan . . . I mean, Jade, left with Black Harry. The Earl trusted Harry completely.”

  “That’s difficult to believe,” Caine interjected.

  “Harry’s a good man,” Jade said. “He has a pure heart.”

  “I’m sure he does,” Caine agreed. “However, 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 don’t understand why your father would have chosen a thief over . . .”

  “It was a question of trust,” Nathan explained. “My father had turned his heart against England, Caine. He didn’t think either one of us would be safe here. Harry was our best bet.”

  “Why didn’t he think you’d be safe?”

  “The letters,” Colin answered. “The Earl kept all the ones he received from the other two. Nathan’s father’s operative name was Fox, and he was one of the three in the Tribunal. The other two were called Ice and Prince.”

  “My father was a very idealistic man,” Nathan interjected. “In 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.”

  “It was a slow metamorphosis,” Colin said. “The first letters were signed with the closing, ‘for the good of England.’ Then after the tenth, or perhaps the eleventh letter, the closing changed.”

  “To what?” Caine asked.

  “They started using the phrase, ‘for the good of the Tribunal,’ ” he answered. “Ice was the first to sign his letter that way, and the other two followed suit. Their corruption was complete by that time.”

  “They started acting independently long before that, Colin,” Nathan remarked.

  “The end justified their means,” Colin explained to Caine. “As long as they believed that what they were doing aided their country, they could justify anything.”

  “Very like your attitude, Jade,” Caine announced.

  She was so startled by that comment, her eyes widened. “No, not at all like my attitude,” she argued. “Caine, I’m nothing like my father. I don’t approve of what he did. It’s sinful to admit, but I don’t have any feelings for him, either. He chose his path.”

  “Your father’s lands were confiscated, his fortune taken away,” Caine said.

  “Yes,” she agreed, wondering what he was leading up to with that remark.

  “It’s the reason you steal from the wealthy, Jade. I’d say you’re getting even.”

  “I’m not!”

  Her shout told him he’d rattled her with that opinion. “Power corrupts,” he said. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

  “You needn’t quote Machiavelli to me, Caine. I will agree that the Tribunal was after absolute power.”

  “You were on the same path.”

  “I’m not,” she cried out.

  “Was, Caine?” Colin asked.

  “Was,” Caine announced. His voice was hard.

  “Then you . . .” Colin began.

  “Not now, Colin,” Caine ordered.

  “What are you talking about?” Jade asked. “I’ve never been after power.”

  Caine ignored her protest. “Tell me the rest of this,” he ordered Nathan.

  “Our father had a change of heart,” Nathan said. “His conscience began to bother him when his director, a man named Hammond, was sanctioned.”

  “Sanctioned?” Colin scoffed. “What a pleasant word for such a foul deed.”

  “Hammond was director over all three,” Nathan interjected. “There was Ice, Prince, and Fox. Anyway, in the beginning, they did whatever they were ordered to do. It wasn’t 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.”

  “My father didn’t want to kill Hammond,” Jade said. “Papa was on his way to London to warn the director when he was killed. At least that’s what we’ve been able to piece together.”

  “Who was killed? Your father or Hammond?” Caine asked.

  “Our father,” Nathan answered. “He 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.”

  “And how were you able to piece that together?” Caine asked.

  “Hammond showed me the note at my father’s funeral,” Nathan replied. “He asked me if I knew anything about this urgent problem. I didn’t know anything, of course. I’d been away at school. Jade was too young to understand.”

  “Our father confided in Harry and gave him the letters he’d saved.”

  “And Harry told you everything when you were older?” Caine asked Jade.

  She nodded. She refused to look at him and kept her gaze directed on her lap.

  “Harry 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 I’d be safe until he could come and fetch me.”

  “When I started hearing about the escapades of a pirate named Pagan, I have to admit I never once considered that it might be Harry,” Nathan interjected.

  “Why didn’t you come for Jade?” Caine asked.  “He couldn’t,” Jade answered before her brother could. “Harry and I were never in one place long enough. Besides, Nathan had his own problems then. Father’s enemies knew he’d saved the letters. They were desperate to find them. Once Nathan’s rooms had been searched, they left him alone . . . for a time anyway, until we started a fresh investigation of our own.”

  “The letters were with you?” Caine asked. “Or did Harry hide them somewhere safe?”

  “We kept them on the Emerald, ”she answered.

  “I want them,” Caine demanded. “Is this vessel near enough to send one of the men? Or perhaps . . .”

  He stopped his question when she shook her head. “There isn’t any need to fetch them. I can tell you the contents.”

  “Word for word,” Colin said. “Pagan need only read something once, and it’s committed to memory for the rest of her life.”

  If Caine thought that talent odd, he didn’t mention it. Jade was thankful he remained silent.

  “Pagan, recite the letters for Caine,” Nathan suggested.

  “If you call her Pagan one more time, I’m going to beat the hell out of you.”

  Nathan scowled at Caine a long minute, then gave in. “All right,” he snapped. “I’ll call her Jade, though only because I don’t want anyone hearing her nickname.”

  “I don’t give a damn what your reasons are, just do it,” Caine grated out.

  “Hell, Colin, I’m trying to be accommodating, but I swear to God I’m going to knock the arrogance out of him when this is over and done with.”

  Jade believed a fight was imminent. She drew everyone’s attention by beginning her recitation. The telling took over thirty minutes. She didn’t 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 she’d just related.

  Then Colin spoke. “All right then,” he began, his voice filled with enthusiasm. “That very first letter was addressed to Thorton . . . that’s Nathan and Jade’s father, of course, and it was signed by a man named William.”

  “They hadn’t been assigned their operative names yet,” Jade volunteered.

  “Yes,” Colin agreed. “Then Thorton became Fox, and William became Prince. Ice is another matter, though. We don’t have any clues as to his . . .”