Guardian Angel - Garwood Julie - Страница 22

"Thank you," Jade replied.

"You aren't going to need a knife," Caine announced. He moved away from his lazy repose and walked over to Jade's side. "Let me keep it for you, sweet. You'll hurt yourself."

"I will not give it to you," she announced. "It was a gift from my uncle and I promised him I'd always have it with me."

He gave in when she backed away from him. "We have to get going," he told her then. "Lyon, you'll…"

"I will," Lyon returned. "Just as soon as I've…"

"Right," Caine interrupted.

"They seem to be speaking in a different language, don't they?" Christina said to Jade.

"They don't want me to worry," Jade explained.

"Then you understood what they were saying?"

"Of course. Lyon is suppose to start his investigation. Caine's obviously given him a few suggestions.

As soon as he's found out anything of consequence, he'll get in touch with Caine."

Lyon and Caine were staring intently at her. "You deducted all that from…"

She interrupted Caine with a nod. Then she turned to Lyon. "You're going to try to find out if there's anyone gone missing of late, aren't you?"

"Yes," Lyon admitted.

"You'll need a description, won't you? Of course, the poor man's nose was a bit scrunched from the fall. Still, I could tell he was quite old, almost forty, I would guess. He had gray hair, bushy eyebrows, and cold brown eyes. He didn't look at all peaceful in death, either. He'd gone to fat, too, around the middle. That's yet another reason to suppose he was a member of the ton."

"Why is that?" Caine asked.

"Because he had more than enough to eat for one," she countered. "There weren't any callouses on his hands, either. No, he certainly wasn't a working man. I can tell you that much."

"Come and sit down," Lyon suggested. "We'd like to have descriptions of the other men as well."

"I fear there isn't much to tell," she said. "I barely saw them. I don't know if they were tall or short, fat

or thin…" She stopped to sigh. "There were three of them and that's all I had time to notice."

She looked distressed. Caine thought she was still frightened of the ordeal she'd gone through. She had seen a man fall to his death, after all, and she was such a gentle woman, she couldn't be used to such horrors.

Jade was upset, yes, and when Caine put his arm around her shoulders, she felt all the more guilty. For the first time in her life, she actually disliked lying. She kept trying to tell herself that her motives were pure. The reminder didn't help at all, though. She was deceiving three very nice people.

"We have to leave," she blurted out. "The longer we stay, the more danger we put this family in, Caine. Yes, we must leave now."

She didn't give anyone time to argue with her but rushed over to the entrance.

"Caine? Do you have a home in the country somewhere?" she asked, knowing full well that he did.

"Yes."

"I think we should go there. You can keep me safe away from London."

"We aren't going to Harwythe, Jade."

"Harwythe?"

"The name of my country estate," he answered. "I'm taking you to my parents' home. Their property borders mine. You might not be concerned about your reputation, but I am. I'll come and see you every day to make certain you're doing all right. I'll place guards around… now why are you shaking your

head at me?"

"You'll come and visit me? Caine, you're already breaking your word to me," she cried out. "We are not going to involve your parents in this. You promised me you'd keep me safe and by God, you aren't going to leave my side until it's over."

"She sounds determined, Caine," Lyon interjected.

"I am in wholehearted agreement with Jade," Christina interjected.

"Why?" Both Caine and Lyon asked at the same time.

Christina shrugged. "Because she's my friend. I must agree with her, mustn't I?"

Neither man had a valid argument for that explanation. Jade was pleased. "Thank you, Christina. I will always agree with you, as well," she added.

Caine shook his head. "Jade," he began, thinking to draw her back to their original topic. "I am thinking about your safety when I suggest you stay with my parents."

"No."

"Do you honestly believe you'll be safe with me?"

She took exception to his incredulous tone of voice. "I most certainly do."

"Sweet, I'm not going to be able to keep my hands off you for two long weeks. I'm trying to be noble about this, damn it."

In the blink of an eye, her face turned crimson. "Caine," she whispered. "You shouldn't be saying such things in front of our guests."

"They aren't our guests," he countered in a near shout of obvious frustration. "We're their guests."

"The man's always using blasphemies around me," she told Christina. "He won't apologize either."

"Jade!" Caine roared. "Quit trying to change the topic."

"I don't believe you should shout at her, Caine," Christina advised.

"He can't help himself," Jade explained. "It's because of his cranky nature,"

"I'm not cranky," Caine announced in a much lower tone of voice. "I'm just being honest. I don't mean

to embarrass you."

"It's too late," Jade countered. "You've already embarrassed me."

Both Christina and Lyon looked absolutely mesmerized by the conversation. Caine turned to his friend. "Don't you have someplace to go?"

"No."

"Leave anyway," Caine ordered.

Lyon raised an eyebrow, then gave in. "Come along, wife. We can wait in the dining room. Caine?

You're going to have to let her explain a few more facts before you leave if you want me to…"

"Later," Caine announced.

Christina followed her husband and son out of the room. She paused to squeeze Jade's hand on her way past her. "It's best not to fight it," she whispered. "Your fate has already been determined."

Jade didn't pay any attention to that remark. She nodded just to please Christina, then shut the door and whirled around to confront Caine again. Her hands settled on her hips. "It's absolutely ridiculous to worry about keeping your hands off me. You won't take advantage of me unless I let you. I trust you," she added with a vehement nod. Her hands flew to her bodice. "With all my heart," she added quite dramatically.