"I trusted Christina," Lyon said. "Almost from the very beginning. I swear to you it was blind faith on

my part. She led me a merry chase, too. Now I must side with my wife. Christina, as you know, has some rather unusual opinions. She's on the mark this time, though."

"And how is that?" Caine asked.

*'I believe, good friend, that you've just met your destiny." He let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "God help you now, Caine, for your chase is just about to begin."

Chapter Seven

The ladies were waiting in the foyer for Caine and Lyon. A large gray and white speckled satchel was

on the floor between them.

Caine tried to lift it, then shook his head. "For God's sake, Jade, no horse is going to be able to carry

this load. The weight will be too much for the animal."

He knelt on one knee, flipped open the catch on the satchel and looked inside. Then he let out a low whistle. "There's a bloody arsenal in here," he told Lyon. "Who packed this thing?"

"I did," Christina answered. "There are just a few weapons I thought Jade might need to protect the

two of you."

"Weapons Jade might need to protect me?" He looked incredulous. "Lyon, did your wife just insult me?"

Lyon smiled while he nodded. "She certainly did, Caine. You might as well apologize now and get it

over with."

"Why in God's name would I apologize?"

"It will save time," Lyon explained. He was trying not to laugh. Caine looked thoroughly bewildered.

"Marriage has made you soft," Caine muttered.

"As soft as milk toast," Lyon announced with a grin.

Caine turned his attention back to stripping the unnecessary items from the bag.

While both ladies gasped in dismay, Caine tossed several long knives to the floor, two pistols, and one mean-looking link of chain. "You aren't going to need all of this, Jade. Besides, you're far too timid to

use any of them."

She was already gathering up the weapons. "Leave them there, my little warrior."

"Oh, have it your way," she muttered. "And quit using endearments on me, sir. Save them for the other women in your life. I'm neither your sweetheart, nor your love, and I'm certainly not your warrior. Oh, don't look so innocently perplexed, Caine. Christina told me all about the other women."

He was still trying to make sense out of her earlier comment. "Calling you a warrior is an endearment in your befuddled mind?"

"It most certainly is, you rude man," she replied. "I won't make you apologize for calling me befuddled, but only because you're probably still cranky over the news that your town house was burned down."

Caine felt like growling in frustration. He finished stripping the bag of unnecessary weapons, then clipped the lock shut. "Thank you for going to all the trouble, Christina, but you may need your weapons to keep Lyon safe. Come along, Jade," he ordered. He took the bag in one hand and Jade's hand in the other. His grip stung.

She didn't mind. She was too pleased at how well she had told her stories-how she had at once convinced Caine and confused him. The set of Caine's jaw indicated he wasn't in a reasonable mood.

She let him drag her to the back door. Lyon's groom had readied two mounts for them. Just as Jade was passing through the doorway, Christina threw her arms around her and hugged her tight. "God speed,"

she whispered.

Caine tied the satchel to his mount, then tossed Jade on top of the other horse. She waved farewell as

she followed Caine through the back gate.

Jade glanced back again to look at Lyon and Christina. She tried to memorize Christina's smile, Lyon's frown, too, for she was certain she wouldn't ever see them again.

Christina had mentioned destiny more than once to her. She believed Caine was going to become Jade's lifelong mate. But Christina didn't understand the full situation. And when Christina learned the truth,

Jade feared her new friend would never acknowledge her again.

It was too painful to think about. Jade forced herself to think only of the one reason she was there. Her duty was to protect Caine until Nathan came home.

And that was that. Her destiny had been determined years ago.

"Stay closer to me, Jade," Caine ordered from over his shoulder.

Jade immediately nudged her mount closer.

Caine certainly took a roundabout way out of London. He circled the outskirts of the city, then backtracked to make certain they weren't being followed.

He refused to take the north road until they were an hour away from the city.

The ride should have taken them approximately three hours. Yet because of his cautious nature, they were only halfway to their destination before he took to the main road.

Jade recognized the area. "If they haven't moved it, Nathan's carriage is just a little ahead of us," she told Caine.

It was further away then she remembered. Jade decided the vehicle had been dragged off when they'd ridden another half hour or so and still not spotted it.

Then they turned yet another crooked bend in the road and saw it on the side of the narrow ravine.

Caine never said a word. His expression was grim, however, when they rode past the carriage.

"Well?" she asked.

"It was gutted, all right," he answered.

She heard the anger in his voice and began to worry that he was blaming her for the destruction. "Is that all you have to say?" she asked. She nudged her mount to his side so she could see his expression. "You didn't believe me, did you? That's why you're angry."

"I believe you now," he countered.

She waited a long minute before she realized he wasn't going to say any more.

"And?" she asked, thinking to gain his apology.

"And what?"

"And haven't you anything else to say?" she demanded.

"I could say that as soon as I find the bastards who did this I'm going to kill them," he replied in a mild, thoroughly chilling voice. "And after they are dead, I'll probably want to set their bodies on fire just for the hell of it. Yes, I could say that, but it would only upset you, wouldn't it, Jade?"

Her eyes had widened during his recitation. There wasn't any doubt in her mind that he meant to do

what he said. A shiver passed through her.

"Yes, Caine, it would upset me to hear such plans. You can't go around killing people, no matter how angry you are with them."