on.'
She started to pull away from him but he tightened his hold on her. 'I made it impossible for you to talk about my leg, didn't I?'
'Yes.'
'I'm sorry about that, sweetheart. Now stay still while I answer your questions for you, all right?'
'I don't have any questions?'
'Hush, love,' he ordered. He held her close with one hand and lifted the sheet of paper with the other. He silently read her first order and then said, 'I have listened to your concerns about Victoria, haven't I?'
'Yes, but why…'
Colin squeezed her. 'Be patient,' he commanded. He read the second order. 'I will promise to soften in my attitude toward your inheritance.' In brackets Alesandra had written the word
The third order made him smile. She had instructed him not to wait five years to realize he loved her.
Since he'd already complied with that command, he moved on to the next order. He should try to be happy he was going to become a father and he shouldn't blame her because she was interfering with his schedule.
Could pregnant wives become nuns? Colin decided to answer the last first.
'Alesandra?'
'Yes?'
He kissed the top of her head. 'No,' he whispered.
The laughter in his voice confused her. So did his denial. 'No, what, husband?'
'Pregnant wives can't become nuns.'
She would have jumped off his lap if he'd let her. He held her tight against him until she finally calmed down.
She did a lot of ranting and raving, too. 'You knew… all the time… Oh, God, it was the list. You found it and that's why you told me you loved me.'
Colin forced her chin up and kissed her hard. 'I knew I loved you before I read your list,' he told her. 'You're going to have to trust me, Alesandra. Trust your heart, too.'
'But…'
His mouth silenced her protest. When he pulled back, she had tears in her eyes. 'I'm going to ask you one last time,' he said. 'Do you have something to tell me?'
She slowly nodded. He looked so arrogantly pleased. Dear God, how she loved him. From the way he was looking at her, she knew he loved her just as much.
Oh, yes, he was happy about the baby. She didn't have any worries about that. His hand had dropped to her stomach and he was gently patting her. She didn't think he was even aware of what he was doing. The action was telling, though. He was caressing his unborn son or daughter.
'Answer me,' he commanded in a rough whisper.
He was looking so fiercely intent now. She smiled in reaction. Colin always tried to be so serious, so disciplined. She loved that trait in him, of course, but she found she delighted in making him forget himself every now and again.
She did love to tease him and all because he reacted with such surprise.
Colin couldn't hold on to his patience any longer. 'Answer me, Alesandra.'
'Yes, Colin. I do have something to tell you. I've decided to become a nun.'
He looked like he wanted to throttle her. His glare made her laugh. She wrapped her arms around him again and tucked her head under his chin.
'We're going to have a baby,' she whispered. 'Have I mentioned that yet?'
Chapter 14
An endless stream of visitors demanded Colin's attention during the following two weeks. Sir Richards was there so often he might as well have had his own bedroom. Caine stopped by every afternoon, and so did Nathan. Alesandra didn't see much of her husband during the daylight hours, but the evenings belonged to her. Colin would catch her up on all the latest developments in his investigation directly after dinner.
Dreyson proved to be very helpful. He found out a policy had been taken out on Victoria 's life just four months before her disappearance. The beneficiary named on the contract was her brother, Neil. The policy was underwritten by Morton and Sons.
Through his sources, Colin found out Neil would inherit his sister's sizable dowry, set aside on the day she was born by a distant aunt, if she didn't return to London to claim it.
Sir Richards had joined them at the dinner table. He listened while Colin explained to Alesandra what he'd learned, then interjected a comment of his own.
'Until a body is found he can't collect the insurance money or the inheritance. If he's the culprit and his motive was money, why would he go to such lengths to hide her body?'
'It doesn't make much sense,' Colin agreed. 'He has a large bank account of his own.'
Sir Richards agreed with a nod. 'He might think he needed more,' he said. 'Alesandra did tell us Neil didn't particularly like his sister,' he added. 'There's another bit of damning evidence wagging its finger in Neil's direction, too, circumstantial though it is. You see, he offered for Roberta six years ago but she turned him down in favor of the viscount. Rumor has it Neil continued to pursue her even after she was married. Some believe she was having an affair with him. And there, you see, is the tie-in between the two women.'
'I can't imagine any woman wanting to be with Neil Perry,' Alesandra whispered. 'He isn't at all… charming.'
'Have you received any other gifts?' he asked.
She shook her head. 'The gift I ordered made for Nathan and Sara arrived this morning. Colin almost destroyed the thing in a rage before he remembered I'd ordered the ship. Thankfully, he only shredded the box.'
'You failed to mention you had the gift outlined with strips of gold,' Colin said. 'It would take five men to destroy it.'
Caine interrupted the talk when he came rushing into the dining room.
'They found Victoria 's body!'
Colin reached over and covered Alesandra's hand. 'Where?' he asked.
'In a field about an hour's ride from here. A cropper happened upon the grave. Wolves had…' Caine stopped in midsentence. The look on Alesandra's face showed her anguish. Caine wasn't about to add to her heartache by going into more vivid detail.
'The authorities are certain it's Victoria?' she asked.
Her eyes filled with tears, but she forced herself to remain in control. She could weep for Victoria later-pray for her soul, too-and she would do both… after the man who'd hurt her had been caught.
'The jewelry she wore… it helped with the identification,' Caine explained.
Sir Richards wanted to see where the body was found. He pushed his chair back and started to stand up.
'It's too dark to see anything,' Caine told the director. He pulled out the chair next to Alesandra and sat down. 'You're going to have to wait until tomorrow.'
'Who owns the field where she was found?' Colin asked.
'Neil Perry.'
'How convenient,' Colin said.
'It's too damned convenient,' Caine agreed.
'We take what we're given,' Richards announced. 'Then we pull it apart to find the truth.'
'When will you have your men start digging?' Colin asked.
'Tomorrow at first light.'
'Digging?' Alesandra asked. ' Victoria 's already been found. Why would you…'
'We want to see what else we'll find,' Richards explained.
'You believe Roberta might also be buried there?'
