'I thought you were investing in Kent 's garment factory.' Jade interjected.
'I'm still considering it,' Caine replied.
Alesandra shook her head before she could stop herself. 'I don't believe that would be a wise investment, Caine. I do hope you'll give the matter careful consideration first.'
She could feel Colin's gaze on her but didn't turn to look at him. 'Albert was also interested in the garment factory. He had his broker, Dreyson, go and look at the place. Dreyson reported it was a fire trap and ill run. There are hundreds of women and children employed there and conditions are deplorable. Albert wasn't about to make the owner rich or get rich himself on such a venture. Why, he would be profiting from other people's misery-at least, that's what he told me in his last letter.'
Caine immediately agreed. The topic was dropped when they entered the foyer of Harrison House. The duke and duchess were waiting in a nearby alcove with Catherine and immediately motioned for Caine and Colin and their wives to join them. Business matters were put aside. Catherine hugged Jade, then turned to hug Alesandra. She noticed the sapphire necklace right away and declared she was about to swoon with envy. Catherine wore a single strand of pearls around her neck. She absentmindedly fingered her necklace as she mentioned that her violet gown would look far more smashing if her father had given her a sapphire to wear.
Alesandra laughed over the not-too-subtle hint. Since no one was observing them, she quickly took off her necklace and handed it to Catherine.
'This belonged to my mother, so you must be very careful with it,' Alesandra whispered so Colin wouldn't overhear her. 'The clasp is quite secure and as long as you leave it on, you won't lose it.'
Catherine gave a halfhearted protest as she unclasped her own necklace and handed it to Alesandra. Jade held on to Catherine's dance card while her sister-in-law put on the necklace, then made her turn around so that she could make certain the clasp was secure.
'You be careful with this,' she ordered her.
Colin didn't notice the switch in jewelry for a good hour. Sir Richards came hurrying over to greet the family, and when Caine was occupied answering a question from his father, the director gave Colin the signal that he wanted to speak in private to him. The look on Richards's face indicated the matter was serious.
The opportunity for a quick conference arose when Colin's father requested a dance with Alesandra. As soon as they walked toward the center of the ballroom, Colin went over to the director. Richards stood at the entrance of a. triangular alcove, watching the crowd.
The two men stood side by side without speaking for several minutes. Colin noticed Neil Perry across the floor and immediately frowned with displeasure. He hoped Alesandra wouldn't notice the man. She was bound to try to comer him as soon as she spotted him and demand answers about his sister. Neil would turn insulting, of course, and Colin would probably have to smash his face in. That possibility made Colin smile. His sister drew his attention then. She was partnered with Morgan. Colin clasped his hands behind his back and watched the pair. Morgan spotted Colin and nodded to him. Colin nodded back.
Sir Richards also nodded to the new recruit. He smiled, too. For that reason Colin was surprised by his angry tone of voice when he spoke. 'I shouldn't have given the assignment to Morgan,' he whispered. 'He made a muck of it. Do you remember Devins?'
Colin nodded. The man Richards referred to was an agent who was occasionally used to transfer information for the government.
'He's dead now. From what I can sort out, he got caught in the middle of what turned into a bloody fight. Morgan said Devins panicked. They were waiting for their contact when Devins's daughter came along. It was a bad piece of luck. The girl was killed in the cross fire. Damn it all, Colin, it should have gone as smooth as ice, but Morgan's eagerness and inexperience turned a simple, uncomplicated mission into a fiasco. Bad luck or not, the man doesn't have the instincts for this line of work,' he added with a nod. 'Don't use him again.' Colin's voice shook with anger.
'Devins wasn't the type to panic. He had a temper, yes, but he could always be relied on to use sound judgment.'
'Yes, under usual circumstances I would agree with your evaluation. However, he was also a protective father, Colin. I can imagine he did panic if he thought she was in danger.'
'I would think a father would react in just the opposite manner. He had more reasons not to panic.'
Richards nodded. 'I've told Morgan he's out. He felt bad about my decision, of course. He was sorry it went sour and admitted he'd overreacted. He blamed you too, son, because you didn't go along and show him the ropes, so to speak.'
Colin shook his head. He wasn't buying that excuse. From the look on the director's face, he wasn't buying it either.
'You're right, Richards. He doesn't have the instincts.'
'It's a pity,' the director remarked. 'He's eager to please and he needs the money. I imagine he'll marry well. He's quite a charmer with the ladies.'
Colin looked back at the dance floor. He found Morgan right away. He was smiling down at Catherine as he whirled her around the floor. His sister was laughing and obviously having the time of her life.
Colin noticed the necklace Catherine was wearing then. He immediately turned to find Alesandra in the crowd. He spotted his father first, then saw Alesandra. She was now wearing Catherine's pearls. Colin frowned with concern. The switch in jewelry wasn't the cause, however. His wife's complexion had turned as white as her gown. She looked ready to faint.
Colin excused himself from the director and went to his wife. He tapped his father on his shoulder and took Alesandra into his arms. She forced a smile and leaned into her husband's side.
The waltz ended just as Colin turned to take his wife out on the front terrace.
'You're really ill, aren't you, sweetheart?'
Caine was standing with his wife next to the doors leading outside. He took one look at Alesandra's complexion and immediately backed up a step. His sister-in-law's face was turning green. He hoped to God whatever was ailing her wasn't the catching kind.
Alesandra couldn't make up her mind whether she wanted to swoon or throw up. She prayed she wouldn't do either until she was home. The fresh air seemed to help, however, and after a minute or two, her head quit spinning.
'It was all that twirling around and around,' she told her husband.
Caine let out a loud sigh of relief and stepped forward to offer his assistance. Colin left Alesandra leaning against his brother while he said their good-byes, then came back to collect her. She hadn't worn a cloak, so he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders on the way down the steps to their waiting carriage.
Feeling better was short-lived. The rocking motion of the carriage made her stomach start acting up again. She gripped her hands together in her lap and took several deep breaths to calm herself.
Colin reached over and hauled her onto his lap. He tucked her head under his chin and held her tight.
He carried her inside the town house and up to her bedroom. He left her sitting on the side of the bed while he went to fetch a drink of cool water she'd requested.
Alesandra stretched out on top of the covers and closed her eyes. She was sound asleep a minute later.
Colin undressed her. Flannaghan was pacing with worry outside the door, but Colin wasn't about to let him help. He stripped his wife out of her garments and put her under the covers. She really was exhausted, for she slept like a baby now and didn't even open her eyes when he lifted her up so he could pull the blankets back.
He decided to spend the full night with her. If she became ill he wanted to be close by in case she needed his help. And, Lord, he was suddenly feeling exhausted, too. He stripped out of his own clothes and got into bed beside her. She instinctively rolled into his arms. Colin kissed her forehead, wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes. He, too, was asleep less than a minute later. He awakened a little before dawn when his wife rubbed her backside against him. She was still asleep. Colin was barely awake enough to think about what he was doing. He made love to her, and when they'd both found fulfillment, he fell asleep again still joined to her.
Alesandra was feeling as fit as ever the next day. Catherine arrived on her doorstep at two that afternoon to personally return the necklace. She was full of news, too.
She was having a grand time with her season and wanted to tell Alesandra all about the offers for her hand in marriage her father had already received.
Catherine linked her arm through Alesandra's and pulled her along into the salon.
