She shrugged. "I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I will. Now give me your word, Caine. I won't rest easy until I know you won't leave my side."


"All right, love," he answered. His wink was slow, devilish. "I won't leave your side day or night."


The significance in that statement wasn't lost on her. "You may take to your own bed at night," she replied.


"May I?" he asked dryly.


Jade decided not to goad him any further, guessing he'd get downright cranky if she persisted with her orders. Besides, she'd won this round, hadn't she?


The inconvenience of getting shot was going to be turned into a nice advantage. She now had a perfectly good reason to keep him at her side. Why, she just might linger until Nathan came to fetch her.


She hadn't realized how exhausted she was. She fell asleep right after dinner, the tray still perched on her lap, and only awakened once during the night. Twin candles were burning a soft light on the night stand. Jade remembered the signal she needed to give to Jimbo and Matthew to let them know all was well, and immediately pushed the covers away.


She spotted Caine then. He was sprawled out in the wingback chair adjacent to the bed, his bare feet propped up on the bed, his white shirt opened to the waist, and was sound asleep.


Jade didn't know how long she watched him. She told herself she was just making certain he was really sound asleep. Lord, he was so appealing to her. He had quickly become far more, however, than merely handsome. He was like a safe haven from the storm, and the urge to lean on him, to let him take care of her, nearly overwhelmed her.


Her guardian angel began to snore, pulling her out of her trance. She eased out of the bed, picked up

one of the candles, and went to stand in front of the window.


Light rain cascaded down upon the landscape. Jade felt a bit guilty that her men were getting a good soaking. If she'd given her signal earlier, they could have found dry shelter sooner.


"What are you doing?"


Jade almost dropped the candle, so startled was she by Caine's booming voice.


She turned around and found him just a scant foot away. "I was just looking out the window," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."


His hair was tousled and he seemed to be more asleep than awake yet. A lock of his hair had fallen on

his forehead, giving him the appearance of being a bit vulnerable to her. Without a thought as to what

she was doing, she brushed his hair back in place.


"You may look out the window tomorrow," he returned, his voice husky from slumber.


After making that statement, he took the candle away from her, put it back on the table, and then arrogantly motioned for her to get back in bed.


"Does your side hurt?" he asked.


She didn't think he was overly concerned about her injury because he'd yawned when he'd asked the question.


Jade started to tell him no, that it didn't pain her much at all, then reconsidered. "Yes," she said. "It

stings, but only just a little," she added when he looked a bit too concerned. "Why were you sleeping

in the chair?"


He pulled his shirt off before answering her. "You were taking up most of the bed," he explained.

"I didn't want to move you."


"Move me? Why would you want to move me?"


Caine blew out the candles, pulled the covers back, and stretched out next to her. Then he gave her a roundabout answer. "I'll just stay with you until you fall asleep again."


"But Caine, it isn't at all proper…"


"Go to sleep, love. You need your rest."


She stiffened when he put his arm around her. His hand rested between her breasts. When she tried to ease it away, he captured her hand and held on.


"This really isn't at all…" She quit protesting in mid-sentence, realizing it was wasted effort. Caine was already snoring again and certainly wouldn't hear a word she said.


She decided there was little harm in letting him sleep with her for a short while. She had, after all, run

the man ragged and he surely needed his rest. She'd already noticed how cranky he became when he

was weary. Odd, but she found that flaw a bit endearing.


Jade snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. She instinctively knew he would behave himself. He was a gentleman, and he'd given her his word that he'd never take advantage of her.


She was obviously just as exhausted as he appeared to be, for she fell asleep with the most confusing thought rambling through her mind.


She was beginning to wish he wasn't such a gentleman after all.


* * *

The physician, Sir Hanvick, couldn't be located for two full days and nights. Caine sent messengers to

his London home and to his country estate. Harwick was finally located at the residence of Lady McWilliams, attending to a birthing. He sent a missive back to Caine explaining that as soon as his duty there was completed, he would immediately ride over to Caine's estate.


Caine ranted about that inconvenience until Jade reminded him that her condition wasn't life threatening,

a fact, she added, that the messenger had related to the physician, and that she was beginning to feel much better anyway and didn't need or want anyone poking at her.


Lingering soon became torture for Jade. She couldn't stand the confinement.


The weather mimicked her mood too. Since the moment she'd arrived at Caine's home, it hadn't quit raining.


Caine's mood was just as sour as her own. He reminded her of a caged animal. Every time he came into her room to speak to her, he paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back, while he grilled

her about her past, her brother, and all the events leading up to the murder she'd witnessed. Caine

always ended each dueling session with the remark that he didn't have enough information yet to draw any substantial conclusions.


His frustration was almost visible. Jade found fencing with him just as nerve grating. She was careful

not to give him too many true facts or too many lies, either, but Lord, it was exhausting work.


They spent quite a lot of time shouting at each other. Jade accused him of being sorry he ever became involved in her problems. He was, of course, insulted by such an accusation. Still, he didn't come right out and deny it.


In her heart, she thought he didn't find her appealing any longer. Why, he didn't even try to kiss her anymore, or sleep next to her, and by the third day, he was barely speaking a civil word to her.


* * *

On the fourth night of her confinement, Jade's control snapped. She tore off the fresh bandage that

Sterns had changed for her just a few hours' earlier, ordered a bath for herself, and then announced

that she was fully recovered.


By the time she finished washing her hair, her frame of mind had improved considerably. Sterns helped her dry the long curls, then sat her in front of the hearth where a full fire blazed.


After Sterns directed the servants in changing the bedding and removing the tub, he nagged Jade back

into bed.


As soon as darkness fell, Jade gave the signal to her men, then returned to her bed. She opened one of

the books she'd borrowed from Caine's library, and settled down to read to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance.


The storm proved to be more than just bluster, however. A giant tree, as tall as Caine's three-story house, was felled to the ground by a bolt of lightning that was so powerful, the exposed roots glowed an eerie red for a good long while. The clap of thunder shook the house, and the aftermath, a sizzling, crackling sound of wood burning, snapped and popped in the night air like meat roasting over an open fire.


All the extra hands were needed in the stables to soothe the frightened horses. The scent of fire was in their nostrils, or so Kelley, the head stablemaster, professed. Caine was called when his stallion wouldn't settle down. As soon as he entered the stables, however, his mount immediately quit his tantrum.


* * *

It was well after midnight when Caine returned to the main house. Though it was only a short distance from the stables, he was still soaked through. He left his boots, socks, jacket, and shirt in the entryway and went upstairs. Another booming clap of thunder shook the house just as Caine was about to enter

his room.


Jade must be terrified, he told himself as he changed direction. He would just look in on her to make certain she was all right. If she was sound asleep, he'd leave her alone. If, however, she was still awake… well then, perhaps they could have another shouting debate about the ills of the world and the inferiority of women. That thought made Caine smile in anticipation. Jade was turning out to be anything but inferior. She was making a mockery out of his beliefs, too. He'd go to his grave before admitting that fact to her, though, for it was simply too much fun watching her try to cover her own reactions to his opinions.


It was actually a little stunning when he realized he really wanted to talk to her. Granted, there were several other things he wanted to do as well, but he forced himself to squelch those thoughts.


He did pause to knock on her door. He didn't, however, give her time to tell him to go away, or time either, if she was sleeping, to wake up. No, he had the door opened before she could react.


He was pleased to see she wasn't sleeping. Caine leaned against the door frame and stared at her a long minute. A warm feeling of contentment filled him. In the last few days he had begun to accept that he liked having her in his house, and even when she frowned at him, he felt he'd arrived in heaven. He

really must be daft, he thought then, for he was beginning to love her disgruntled expressions. The fact that he could so easily get her riled indicated that she cared, if only just a little.


The woman bewitched him. Caine didn't like admitting that truth… yet she was so beautiful, so soft, so feminine. A man could only take so much before surrendering. God help him, he knew he was nearing that point.


It was becoming a torment not to touch her. His mood reflected the struggle he was going through. He

felt tied up in knots inside, and every time he saw her, he wanted to take her into his arms and make

wild passionate love to her.


And yet he couldn't seem to stay away from her. Hour after hour he kept coming into her room to check on her. God, he was even watching her sleep.


She couldn't possibly know the torment he was going through. She wouldn't look so damned serene if

she had any idea of the fantasies he was considering.


She really was an innocent. She was sitting up in bed with her back propped up by a mound of pillows, looking so pure and virginal as she shook her head at him.


Two candles burned on the side table and she held a book in her hands. While he continued to stare at her, she slowly closed the book, her gaze directed on him all the while, and then let out a long sigh.


"I knew I should have bolted the door," she announced. "Caine, I'm simply not up to another inquisition tonight."


"All right."


"All right?"


His easy agreement obviously surprised her. She looked suspicious. "Do you mean it, sir? You won't badger me?"


"I mean it," he answered with a grin.


"You still shouldn't be here," she told him in that husky, sensual voice he found so arousing.


"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be here."


"My reputation and your near nakedness," she answered.


"Those are two reasons," he drawled out.


"What can you be thinking of?" she asked when he shut the door behind him. "Your servants will know you're here."


"I thought you didn't care about your reputation, Jade. Have you changed your mind, then?"