Castles

'Could be,' Nathan answered.

Alesandra's stomach turned queasy again. She leaned closer into her husband's side in an attempt to gain more of his warmth. She felt safe when she was near him-comforted, too. That was what love was all about, she thought to herself.

'We're going to have to get a lot more information,' Caine announced.

'I tried to talk to Victoria 's brother, but he wasn't at all helpful,' Alesandra said.

'He'll be helpful when I talk to him,' Colin snapped.

'I can't imagine why he would cooperate,' Alesandra replied. 'You threw him out on the pavement the last time you spoke to him.'

'What about asking Richards for some help?' Nathan suggested.

Alesandra closed her eyes and listened to the discussion. Colin was rubbing her arm in an absentminded fashion. His touch was wonderfully soothing. The men's voices were low and while they formulated their plans of action, she thought about how nice it was to finally have her husband's cooperation. She knew he would find out what happened to Victoria… and why. She didn't have any doubts about Colin's ability to find the culprit, because she was certain she was married to the most intelligent man in all of England. He was probably the most stubborn, too, but that flaw would come in handy now. He wouldn't quit until he had his answers.

'What the hell else do we do?' Caine asked.

Alesandra looked down at her list before she answered him. 'You find out who profited from Victoria 's death. Colin, you could find out if any policies were taken out. Dreyson would be happy to help you.'

All three men smiled in unison. 'I thought you were asleep,' Colin remarked.

She ignored that comment. 'You should also consider all the other motives… in the general sense,' she explained. 'Jealousy and rejection are two motives. Neil mentioned his sister had turned down several proposals. Perhaps one of those men didn't like being told no.'

It occurred to Jade that Alesandra was actually very astute. Colin was grinning, suggesting to Jade that he was also aware of his wife's cleverness, but Nathan and Caine hadn't realized it yet.

'Yes, of course, we'll look into every possible motive,' Caine said. 'I just wish we had a clue or two.'

'Oh, but you do,' Alesandra replied. 'The fact that three women in your family have received gifts is clue enough, Caine. It occurs to me that one of you men or one of us women has offended the man.'

Colin nodded. 'That thought had already occurred to me,' he said. 'He's getting careless.'

'Or more bold,' Nathan interjected.

'Isn't everyone forgetting one important fact?' Jade asked.

'What's that?' Caine asked his wife.

'There aren't any bodies. We really could be jumping in the wrong direction.'

'Do you think we are?' Alesandra asked.

Jade thought about it a long minute, then whispered, 'No.'

Colin took charge then. He gave everyone but Alesandra an assignment. He told Jade to talk to as many of the ladies of the ton as possible to find out if anyone else had received a gift. He warned her not to tell the women about the gifts she, Catherine, and Alesandra had received because some of the more foolish women might think this was all some sort of competitive game.

Nathan was given the duty of taking over the offices while Colin concentrated on finding answers.

'Caine, Alesandra's right. Neil won't talk to me. You'll have to deal with him.'

'I will,' Caine agreed. 'I should also talk to Talbolt,' he added. 'We went to Oxford together and he might be more receptive to hearing me out.'

'I'll talk to Father,' Colin said then. 'He's going to have to keep a watchful eye on Catherine until the bastard is caught.'

Alesandra waited to hear what Colin wanted her to do. A few minutes passed before her impatience got the better of her. She nudged her husband to get his attention.

'Haven't you forgotten me?'

'No.'

'What is my assignment, Colin? What do you want me to do?'

'Rest, sweetheart.'

'Rest?'

She'd sounded incensed. Colin wouldn't let her argue with him. Caine was ready to leave. He lifted his wife off his lap and stood up. Nathan also stood and started for the door. 'Come along, Alesandra. You need a nap,' Colin said.

She certainly did not need a nap, she thought to herself, and if she hadn't been so tired she would have told him so. Arguing with her husband required stamina, however, and Alesandra didn't seem to have any left. The dark discussion had taken all of her energy.

Caine was smiling at her. Alesandra didn't want him to think she was a weakling, and she knew he'd heard Colin insist she rest. She shoved the list into his hands. 'There are other motives I've written down you might wish to consider,' she said.

Before Caine could thank her, she blurted out, 'I am a little tired, but only because Colin and I have been keeping such late hours every night. He's weary, too,' she added with a nod.

Caine winked at her. She didn't know what to make of that. Colin turned her attention then when he nudged her up the steps. Flannaghan saw their guests out.

'Why are you treating me like an invalid?'

She asked him that question in her bedroom. Colin was unbuttoning her dress for her. 'You look worn out,' he said. 'And I like undressing you.'

He was being terribly gentle with her. After she'd been stripped down to her white silk chemise, he leaned down, lifted the hair away from the back of her neck, and kissed her there.

He pulled the covers back and tucked her in bed. 'I'm only going to rest for a few minutes,' she said. 'I don't dare fall asleep.'

He bent over the bed and kissed her brow. 'Why not?'

'If I sleep now, I won't be able to sleep tonight.'

Colin started for the door. 'All right, sweetheart. Just rest.'

'Wouldn't you like to rest too?'

He laughed. 'No. I have work to do.'

'I'm sorry, husband.'

He'd just pulled the door open. 'What are you sorry about?'

'I always seem to interfere in your work. I'm sorry about that.'

He nodded, started out the doorway, then changed his mind. He turned around and walked back to the side of the bed. It was ridiculous for her to apologize for interfering and he wanted to tell her so. She was his wife, after all, not some distant relative making a nuisance of herself.

He didn't say a word. He would have to wait until later to instruct his wife when she would listen to him. She was sound asleep now. He was a little amazed at how quickly she'd fallen asleep and immediately felt a little guilty because he'd kept her out every night. Damn, she looked so delicate and vulnerable to him.

Colin didn't know how long he stood there staring down at Alesandra. His mind was consumed with the need to protect her. He'd never felt this possessive… or this blessed, he suddenly realized.

She loved him.

And, Lord, how he loved her. The truth didn't sneak up on him and clobber him over the head, though the picture was fanciful enough to make him smile. He had known for a long time that he loved her, even though he had stubbornly refused to openly acknowledge it. God only knew he had all the symptoms of a man in love. From the moment he'd met her, he'd been acting terribly possessive and protective. He hadn't been able to keep his hands off her and for a long while he believed he was just consumed with a simple case of lust. After a time, he knew better. It wasn't lust at all.

Oh, yes, he'd loved her for a long time. He couldn't imagine why she loved him. Had she been awake, he might have asked her that question then and there. She certainly could have done better with someone else. Someone with a title… someone with land and inheritance… someone with a sound, healthy body.

Colin didn't think of himself as a romantic. He was a logical, practical man who had learned that he could