"Every time you leave, I'm going to come after you. There isn't any place you can hide, Jade. I'll find you and drag you back here. This is where you belong."

She tried to push his hand away from her chin. "You'd never find me," she whispered.

He could hear the panic in her voice. Caine leaned down and kissed her. He missed her mouth completely when she jerked away from him, then captured her soft lips by cupping the sides of her face and holding her still.

His tongue took possession then. He growled low in his throat when she pinched him, then deepened the kiss. Her tongue finally rubbed against his own, her resistance spent. She wrapped her arms around his waist and melted against him.

"I love you," he told her again after he'd lifted his head away from her.

She promptly burst into tears again. "Are you going to do that every damned time I tell you I love you?" he demanded.

He was more amused than exasperated with her. She shook her head. "You don't understand yet," she whispered. "It hasn't settled in, Caine."

"What don't I understand?" he asked, his voice filled with tenderness.

"You don't understand what I am," she cried.

Caine let out another sigh. He took hold of her hand and dragged her out of the room. They were halfway down the stairs to the foyer when he finally answered her. "I understand, all right. You're mine."

"I hate your possessiveness, too," she told his back.

Caine paused at the door to the drawing room, then let go of her hand. "If you try to move away from

me while we're in there, I swear to God I'll embarrass the hell out of you. Got that?"

She nodded. When he started to open the door, he noticed the change that came over her. Gone was the vulnerable woman he'd just held in his arms. Jade looked quite serene. Caine was so astonished by the change in her, he had to shake his head.

"I'm ready now," she announced. "But if you tell Harry we slept together…"

"I won't," he interjected before she could get herself all worked up again. "Unless you leave my side, of course."

She gave him a quick glare, then forced a smile on her face and strolled into the room.

The talk stopped as soon as she and Caine entered. Jade sat on the arm of the chair adjacent to the

hearth and motioned for him to take the seat.

"Is my supper near to ready?" Harry asked her.

"In just another minute or two," Jade answered. "I insisted on the best for you, Uncle. It takes a little longer."

Harry beamed at her. "I'm the lucky one, having you to take care of me, Pagan," he crooned.

"Don't call her Pagan."

That command came out in a harsh whisper. Jade shivered over the anger in Caine's voice.

Nathan grinned while Harry squinted at Caine. "Why the hell not? That's her name," he argued.

"No, her name is Jade," Caine snapped out.

"My name is Pagan."

Her voice had turned as hard as ice. "I'm sorry you don't like it, Caine, but that's…"

She quit her explanation when he took hold of her hand and started squeezing.

"He still doesn't believe it," Harry said.

Jade didn't answer her uncle, but she secretly believed he was right. Caine certainly wouldn't be holding her hand if it had all settled in. "He believes all women are weak, Uncle," she whispered.

Harry snorted. He was about to launch into several of his favorite stories about his Pagan's special

abilities when the men he'd sent to the village returned from their errand.

The men lumbered over to Harry's side.

"Well? What have you got for me, men?"

"Eleven pair," the shorter of the two seamen announced.

While Caine watched in growing astonishment, spectacles of every size and shape were dropped into Harry's lap. The old man tried on the first pair, squinted at Caine, then took the spectacles off and

tossed them over his shoulder.

"Won't do," he muttered.

The ritual was repeated again and again, until he tried on the eighth pair. Then he let out a happy sigh. "These do," he announced.

"Uncle, try the others on," Jade suggested. "There might be another pair that will do just as well."

Harry did as she suggested, then tucked another pair in his pocket.

"You did your task well, men. I'm proud of you."

Caine's head dropped forward. The picture of how Harry's men had come by the spectacles forced a reluctant smile.

"Half of England will be squinting before Harry goes home," Colin predicted with a deep chuckle.

"You being insulting, boy?" Harry asked.

"No, just honest," Colin answered.

Sterns opened the doors then and announced that dinner was now ready to be served.

Harry bounded out of his chair. Nathan and Colin moved out of his way just as he kicked the footstool out of his path. "Are you coming with me, girl?" Harry asked as he charged past Jade.

Caine increased his grip on her hand. "No, Uncle, I'm staying here," Jade called out. "I have a little explaining to do. Enjoy your meal with your men."

As soon as Harry left the room, Jade motioned for the men to follow. Jimbo looked like he wanted to argue with that command. His expression bordered on hostility. His target was Caine.

Jade simply stared at Jimbo. The silent message got through and the big man hurried out of the room.

"Shut the doors behind you," she called out.

"I might not be able to hear you if you call out," Jimbo argued.

"You'll hear me," Jade promised.

"You'll hear me too," Nathan drawled out. "I can take care of my sister, Jimbo."

"That's still to be proven," Jimbo muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. He gave Caine one last glare, then shut the doors.

"Are you rested enough to explain this problem to Caine? I really would like to get this over with,

Colin, so I can leave."

Caine gave her hand another good squeeze.

"Yes, I'm rested enough," Colin said. He turned to Nathan, received his nod, then turned his attention back to Caine. "When I was in my last year at Oxford, a man by the name of Willburn approached me. He was from the War Office and he was recruiting men to do some undercover work for England. Our country wasn't officially at war with France yet, but everyone knew it was coming. Anyway, Willburn knew you worked for Richards. I was still sworn to secrecy. I should have wondered at the time why I couldn't discuss my duties with you, Caine, but I didn't. You never talked about your work, and I figured that was the way it was supposed to be. In all honesty, I think I was enamored with this spy business." His expression became sheepish when he added, "I saw myself as England's savior for a while, anyway."