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

Everyone was seated at the long table, including Sterns. And everyone, including the rascal butler, was staring at her.

All but Colin stood up when she entered the room. Jade kept her gaze on Caine. When he moved to pull out the chair adjacent to his, she slowly walked over to his side.

He leaned down and kissed her brow. Nathan broke the horrid silence. "Get your hands off her, Caine."

"My hands aren't on her, Nathan," Caine drawled out. "My mouth is." He kissed Jade again just to goad her brother. Jade fell into the chair with a sigh.

Sterns saw to her breakfast while the men continued their discussion. Sir Richards sat at one end of the long table, Caine at the other. When her plate had been taken away, Sir Richards called everyone to attention. She realized then that they had all been waiting for her. "My dear, we've decided that you

must come to London with us," Sir Richards announced. "We'll keep the security tight," he added with

a glance in Caine's direction.

Richards then pulled the pen and ink well close. "I'd like to make a few notes while I question you,"

he explained.

"Sir? Why must I come to London?" Jade asked.

The director looked a little sheepish now. Lyon, Jade noticed, was grinning.

"Well, now," Richards began. "We need to get in the file room. If I request the keys during working hours, my name will have to go into the entry book."

"They want to go during the night," Colin interjected. "Without keys."

"You did say you'd broken into the building once and read the files," Richards reminded her.

"Three times," Jade interjected.

Sir Richards looked as if he wanted to cry. "Is our security so puny then?" he asked Lyon.

"Apparently," Lyon returned.

"Oh, no," Jade said. "The security is very good."

"Then how…" Richards began.

Caine answered. "She's better than good, Richards."

Jade blushed over the compliment. "Sir Richards, I understand your need for secrecy. You don't want

the Tribunal knowing you're hunting them, but I believe they probably know already. They've sent men here. Surely they saw you and Lyon arrive and reported back…"

"No one who was sent by the Tribunal has returned to report to anyone," Lyon explained.

"But how…"

"Caine took care of them."

Jade's eyes widened over Lyon's statement. He sounded so certain. She turned to look at Caine. "How did you take care of them?"

Caine shook his head at Lyon when he thought his friend might explain. "You don't need to know," he told Jade.

"You didn't kill them, did you?" she whispered.

She looked frightened.

"No."

Jade nodded, then turned to look at Lyon again. She noticed his exasperated expression but decided to ignore it. "He didn't kill them," she announced. "Caine doesn't do that sort of thing any longer. He's retired."

She seemed to want Lyon's agreement. He nodded, then knew his guess had been correct when she smiled at him.

"Jade?" Colin asked, drawing her attention. "You can stay with Christina and Lyon when you reach London. Caine will stay in his town house, of course…"

"No," Caine interrupted. "She stays with me."

"Think of the scandal," Colin argued.

"It's almost summer, Colin," Caine countered. "Most of the ton is away from London now."

"It only takes one witness," Colin muttered.

"I've said no, Colin. She stays with me."

His hard voice didn't suggest his brother continue the argument. Colin sighed, then reluctantly nodded agreement.

Jade wasn't certain she understood. "What did you mean by one witness?"

Colin explained. Jade looked appalled by the time he'd finished telling her the damage that could be done by one malicious gossiper. Sterns sat down next to Jade, patted her hand, and said, "Do look on the

bright side, mi'lady. Mi'lord won't have to post it in the dailies now."

She turned to glare him into silence. Sterns couldn't be intimidated, though. He squeezed her hand.

"Do not fret, dear lady. It has all been arranged."

She didn't know what he was talking about but his grin suggested he was up to something. Sterns turned her attention, however, by arrogantly motioning to his empty tea cup. She immediately went to fetch a fresh urn.

As soon as she'd left the room, Sterns turned to Caine. "Your guests should be arriving in half an hour's time."

"Guests? We can't be having any bloody guests," Colin bellowed.

Nathan nodded. "Damned right we can't. Caine, are you out of your mind to invite

Caine was staring at Sterns. "I didn't invite anyone," he said. A hint of a smile turned his expression. "Why don't you tell us who these guests are, Sterns?"

Everyone was staring at the elderly man as though he'd just grown another head. "I have taken the

liberty of inviting your parents, Jade's uncle and cohorts, and one additional guest."

"What the hell for?" Nathan demanded.

Sterns turned to smile at him. "The ceremony, of course."

Everyone turned to look at Caine. His expression didn't tell them anything.

"The license, Sterns?" Caine asked in a blase tone of voice.

"Secured the day after you signed the request," Sterns answered.

"Isn't this man your butler, Caine?" Sir Richards asked.

Caine wasn't given time to answer that question, for Nathan blurted out, "She'll argue fierce."

Colin agreed. "I don't think Jade has come to terms with her future just yet."

"I'll persuade her," Caine announced. He leaned back in his chair and smiled at his butler. "You've

done well, Sterns. I commend you."

"Of course I've done well," Sterns agreed. "I've seen to everything," he boasted.

"Oh?" Nathan asked. "Then tell us how Caine's going to convince Jade?"

In answer to that question, Sterns removed the empty pistol he'd concealed in his waistband. He dropped the weapon in the center of the table.