"Damn, I know I've made mistakes," Nathan muttered. "I almost got you killed, Colin. I never should have involved you in this."

Colin shook his head. "We're partners, remember?" He turned back to his brother and said, "Do you really believe Richards can be trusted?"

"I trust him with my life. Jade's going to have to give him the letters as soon as possible, or recite the contents to him."

"We can write copies," Colin suggested. "That way, the originals stay safe. No one will find the Emerald."

"The ship was named for her, wasn't it?" Caine asked. There was a hint of a smile on his face now. "I should have guessed that sooner. Her eyes are the color of emeralds, especially when she's angry."

"Yes, Harry named the ship after her," Colin said. "Can you understand now why you became the target?"

Caine nodded. "Yes. I was searching for Pagan. The Tribunal couldn't take the risk of me finding the pirate and gaining the truth."

"You're still at risk, Caine," Colin reminded him.

"But not for long," Caine countered. "I have a plan."

Colin grinned at Nathan. "I told you he'd have a plan." He couldn't keep the relief out of his voice.

Jade walked back into the room. She looked much calmer now, almost serene. She wouldn't look at him, Caine noticed, didn't spare him a single glance as she made her way back over to the chair in front of the hearth and sat down.

"Sterns has ordered two rooms made ready for you and Nathan," she told Colin. "As soon as yours is ready, you must go upstairs and rest."

"Are you certain we should stay here?" Nathan asked. He nudged Colin in his side. "My country home is in a very remote area. I just finished the remodeling before our last assignment," he added with a glance

in Caine's direction. "We'd be very comfortable there."

Colin grinned. "I've heard so much about this palace of yours I know each room by heart. That's all you ever talked about."

"Well, then, you have to agree with me. I have to say, Caine, that it's the most beautiful house in all of England now… Jade, why are you shaking your head at me? You don't think my house is grand?"

She gave him a quick smile. "Oh, yes, Nathan, your house was very grand."

Nathan looked startled. "Was, you say?"

"I'm afraid I have some disappointing news, Nathan."

Her brother leaned forward. "How disappointing?" he asked.

"You see, there was this fire…"

"A fire?" He sounded as if he were choking on something. Colin resisted the urge to slap him on his back.

"It was a rather large fire, Nathan."

Her voice reeked with sympathy. Nathan winced. "How large, Jade?"

"Your grand house was burned to the cellars."

She turned to Caine while Nathan muttered several obscenities. "I told you he'd be disappointed."

Nathan looked a little more than just disappointed, Caine decided. Jade's brother looked as though he wanted to kill someone. Since Caine had felt much the same reaction when his new stables were destroyed, he found himself in sympathy with Nathan.

Nathan took a deep breath, then turned to Colin. He sounded as if he were whining when he said,

"I'd just finished the last damned room."

"Yes, he had," Jade interjected, giving her brother her full support. "The very last damned room."

Caine closed his eyes. "Jade, I thought it was all a lie."

"What was all a lie?" Colin asked.

"I didn't lie about everything," Jade interjected at the same moment.

"Exactly what didn't you lie about?" Caine demanded.

"You needn't take that tone with me, sir," she countered. "I only lied about witnessing a murder," she added with a nod. "It was the best I could come up with on the spur of the moment. At least, I think that's all I lied about. If I think of anything else, I'll mention it, all right? Now please quit your scowling, Caine. This isn't the time to be critical."

"Will you two save your arguing for later?" Nathan demanded. "Jade? Tell me how the fire started.

Was someone careless with…"

"It was deliberate, not careless," Jade explained. "Whoever set out to burn your home, well, they certainly knew what they were about. They were very thorough. Even the wine cellar was destroyed, Nathan."

"Hell, not the wine cellar!" Nathan cried.

"I believe they were trying to destroy the letters," Jade said. "Since they couldn't find them when they pillaged the house, they…"

"They pillaged my house?" Nathan asked. "When?"

"The day before they burned it down," she answered. "Oh, dear, I just remembered," she added with a glance in Caine's direction. "I lied about falling down the stairs, too. Yes, I…"

Nathan let out a sigh, drawing her attention back to him. "When this is over, I will rebuild," he said. "What about the stables, Jade? Were they left intact?"

"Oh, yes, the stables were left untouched, Nathan. You needn't worry about that."

Caine was watching Jade. The worry in her gaze was so obvious, he wondered why Nathan hadn't noticed she hadn't finished giving him his disappointments yet.

"It's too bad about your house," Colin said.

"Yes," Nathan answered. "But the stables are all right. Colin, you should see my stock. There's one

horse in particular, a fine Arabian stallion I paid a fortune for, but he was well worth the money. I

named him Lightning."

"Lightning?" Colin asked, grinning over the absurd name. "Sounds like Harry had a hand in choosing

that name."

"He did," Nathan admitted with a grin. "Still, it's fitting for the steed. He runs as fast as the wind. Only Jade and I can seat him. Wait until you see him…" Nathan quit his boasting when he noticed Jade was shaking her head at him again.

"What, Jade? Are you disagreeing that Lightning isn't as fast as the wind?"

"Oh, yes, Nathan, Lightning was as fast as the wind."

Nathan looked ready to weep. "Was?"

"I'm afraid I have a little more disappointing news for you, Nathan. There was this mishap and your fine horse was shot between his lovely brown eyes."

Caine had leaned forward in his chair again. The ramifications of what she was telling her brother had

just hit him full force. "You mean to say you weren't lying about that, either?"