Guardian Angel - Garwood Julie (читать книги полностью без сокращений TXT) 📗

He shook his head, then sat down in the chair and propped his feet up on the foot of the bed. "This will do," he said then, trying his damnedest not to smile.

She wanted him, perhaps even as much as he wanted her. And by God, she was going to have to tell

him so.

Jade tried to hide her irritation. The man was as dense as rain. Didn't he realize she wanted to be held? She'd told him she was cold, damn it. He should have immediately taken her into his arms, then kissed her of course, and then…

She let out a long sigh. Caine apparently didn't realize what she needed when he started in with his questions about the stupid files again.

It took all her determination to hold onto her concentration. She had to stare at her hands so his heart-stopping smile wouldn't detract her.

"Jade?"

"Yes?" She looked startled.

"I just asked you if you read the files on our Williams," he said.

"They aren't our Williams," she replied.

She gave him an expectant smile, waiting for his next question.

Caine's smile widened. "Are you going to answer me?" he asked.

"Answer what?"

"You seem preoccupied."

"I'm not."

"Sleepy then?"

"Not at all."

"Then answer my question," he instructed again. "Did you read the files…"

"Yes," she interrupted. "You want to hear them, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," he answered. "Was there something else you wanted to do?" he asked.

The blush came back to her cheekbones. "No, of course not," she answered. "All right, Caine, I'll tell

you…"

A knock sounded at the door, interrupting them. Caine turned just as Nathan peeked inside.

When Jade's brother saw Caine lounging in the chair, he frowned. "What are you doing here, Caine?"

"Talking to Jade," Caine answered. "What do you want?"

"I couldn't sleep," Nathan admitted. He strode over to the hearth and leaned against it. Nathan was barefoot and shirtless now. Caine saw the scars on Nathan's back, of course. He didn't mention them,

but he wondered how Nathan could have survived such a beating.

"Here's Caine's robe, if you're cold, Nathan," Jade said. She pointed to the empty chair on the other side of the bed. "You'll catch a chill if you don't cover up."

Nathan was in an accommodating mood. He put Caine's robe on, then sprawled out in the chair.

"Go back to bed, Nathan," Caine ordered.

"I want to ask my sister a couple of questions."

Nathan had left the door opened. For that reason, Sir Richards didn't bother to knock when he reached the room. The director was dressed in a royal blue robe that reached his bare feet. He looked positively thrilled to see the gathering.

Jade pulled the covers up to her chin. She looked at Caine to see his reaction to this invasion.

He looked resigned. "Pull up a chair, Sir Richards," Caine suggested.

"Be happy to," Richards replied. He smiled at Jade then. "I couldn't sleep, you see, and so I thought I'd look in on you and…"

"If she was awake, you were going to question her," Caine guessed.

"This isn't at all proper," Richards said as he dragged a chair close to the bed. His chuckle indicated he didn't mind that fact at all. "Nathan?" he added then. "Would you mind fetching Lyon for us? By now he'll have a few questions of his own."

"He might be sleeping," Jade said.

"I could hear him pacing in the chamber next to mine. This Tribunal has us all rattled, my dear. It's quite a lot to take in,"

Nathan returned with Lyon by his side. Jade suddenly felt ridiculous. She was in bed, after all, and dressed only in her nightgown. "Why don't we go down to the library to discuss this?" she suggested.

"I'll get dressed and…"

"This will do," Caine announced. "Lyon, Jade's going to give us the files on the Williams."

"Do I have to repeat every word, Caine?" she asked. "It will take days."

"Start with just the pertinent facts," Richards suggested. "Lyon and I are going back to London tomorrow. We'll read the files from start to finish then."

Jade shrugged. "I'll start with Terrance then," she announced. "The dead one."

"Yes, the dead one," Lyon agreed. He leaned against the mantel and smiled encouragement.

Jade leaned back against the pillows and began her recitation.

Lyon and Richards were duly impressed. When they got over their initial astonishment, they took turns interrupting her to ask specific details on certain missions William Terrance was involved in.

She didn't finish with the file until two in the morning. She couldn't quit yawning either, a hint of the exhaustion she was feeling.

"It's time we all took to our beds," Sir Richards announced. "We'll start in again come morning."

The director was following Lyon and Nathan out of the room when Jade called out to him.

"Sir Richards? What if the William you're looking for isn't one of the three in the files?"

Richards turned back to her. "It's just a starting place, my dear," he explained. "Then we begin the cross-check, read through each and every file the superiors in every department kept. It will take time, yes, but we will persevere until we get to the bottom of this."

"There couldn't be a chance they're both dead now?" Jade asked.

She looked so hopeful, Richards hated to disappoint her. "I'm afraid not," he said. "Someone wants those letters, dear. At least one of the two remaining members of the Tribunal is still very much alive."

Jade was relieved to be alone with Caine again. She was exhausted, worried, too, and all she wanted was for him to take her into his arms and hold her close. She pulled back the covers for Caine, then patted the sheet.

"Goodnight, Jade," Caine said. He walked over to the bed, leaned down, and gave her a horribly chaste kiss, then blew out the candles on his way to the door. "Pleasant dreams, sweetheart."

The door closed. She was astonished he'd left her. He didn't want her any longer. The thought was so repugnant to her, she pushed it aside. He was just angry with her still because he'd had to chase after her again, she told herself… he was tired, too, she added with a nod. It had been a long, exhausting day.