his mother was looking so horrified. She didn't understand Caine's amusement, either.
'Now, son, this isn't the time…'
'You called him son,' Jade blurted out. 'And you called her mother, didn't you?'
'He is my son,' Gweneth announced. 'What else would I call him, dear? I have his permission.'
Jade was so pleased, she couldn't quit smiling. 'Oh, I misunderstood,' she whispered. 'I thought he only called you madam, and that you never, ever called him son. I wanted him to belong… yes, I was mistaken.'
Neither Caine nor his mother set her straight. They smiled at each other.
'Where's Henry?' Gweneth suddenly asked. 'Harry's coming over here.'
The Duchess picked up her skirts and went running toward her husband before Caine or Jade could
stop her.
'You were worried I didn't belong?' he whispered.
She looked embarrassed. 'Everyone should belong to someone, Caine, even you.'
Harry shoved the bouquet of roses in her hands. 'These will be the last roses Jimbo's going to fetch for you, girl, so you might as well enjoy them.' He thought his announcement might have sounded surly, so he gave her a kiss on her forehead. Then he turned to Caine. 'I need to give you the telling about the fire we got planned for the ship,' he said. 'The painting should be done by tomorrow.'
'If you'll excuse me, I want to talk to Nathan,' Jade said. She noticed her brother standing all alone on
the terrace.
Caine listened to Harry as he outlined his plans, but he kept his gaze directed on his bride all the while. Jade faced her brother and spoke to him a long time. Nathan nodded several times. His expression was serious. He looked startled, too, when Jade pulled one of the roses from her cluster and held it out to him.
He shook his head. She nodded.
And then he smiled at his sister, accepted the rose, and pulled her into his arms.
For the first time since Caine had met Nathan, he was seeing the real man. He was completely unguarded now. The look on his face as he held his sister close was filled with love.
Caine didn't intrude. He waited until Jade moved away from Nathan and walked back to his side.
Harry and his men were all watching Nathan now. When Jade's brother lifted the rose in the air, a resounding cheer went up. The men immediately went to Nathan. Both Jimbo and Matthew pounded
him on his back.
'What is that all about?' Caine asked Jade. He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side.
'I gave Nathan a wedding present,' she told him.
Her eyes sparkled with merriment. He was sidetracked by the sudden desire to kiss her. 'Well?' she asked when he just stared down at her so intently. 'Don't you want to know what I gave him?'
'A rose,' he whispered. He leaned down and kissed her brow. 'Love, let's go upstairs for a few minutes.'
The urgency in his voice, added to the look on his face, left her breathless. 'We can't,' she whispered. 'We have guests. And we have to go to London,' she added with a nod.
Caine let out a long sigh. 'Then quit looking at me like that.'
'Like what?'
'Like you want to go upstairs, too,' he growled.
She smiled. 'But I do want to go upstairs.'
He kissed her then, just the way he wanted to, using his tongue in erotic love play, pretending for just a moment that they were really all alone.
She was as limp as lettuce when he lifted his head back. Lord, how he loved the way she responded to him.
He remembered the promise she'd given the minister then. 'Jade, wasn't there something you wanted to say to me?' he gently prodded when her glazed expression began to fade.
'Yes,' she whispered. 'I wanted to tell you I gave Nathan a white rose.'
She looked so sincere, he knew she wasn't jesting with him. He decided then he'd have to wait until they were alone before nagging her into admitting she loved him. Damn, he needed to hear her say the words.
'Do you understand the significance, Caine?'
He shook his head. '1 gave him my name,' she explained.
He still didn't understand. 'He's going to look damned silly answering to your name, sweetheart.'
'Pagan.'
'What?'
She nodded when he looked as if he wanted to argue with her. 'Nathan's going to be Pagan now. It was my gift to him.'
She looked so pleased with herself, he felt guilty for arguing. 'Jade, Pagan has to die, remember?'
'Just for a little while,' she replied. 'The men have a new leader, Caine, Nathan wants the Emerald. He has business to take care of.'
