He knew our father would have wanted my brother to finish his education. I stayed with my uncle. He isn't really my uncle,,, he's actually more like a father to me now. Anyway, he took me to his island where it's always warm and peaceful. Uncle Harry was very good to me. He'd never married, you see, and I was just like his very own daughter. We got along well together. Still, I missed my brother. Nathan was only able to come and visit us once in all those years.'
When she paused and gave Caine such an expectant look, he gently prodded her into continuing.
'And then what happened?'
'I came back to England so I could see Nathan, of course. I also wanted to see my father's house again. Nathan had made several changes.'
'And?' Lyon asked when she paused again.
'Nathan met me in London. We went directly to his country home and spent a wonderful week together catching up. Then he was called away on an important personal matter.'
'Do you know what this matter was?' Caine asked.
She shook her head. 'Not all of it. A messenger arrived with a letter for Nathan. My brother became very upset when he read it. He told me he had to return to London and that he would be back in two weeks. His good friend was in trouble. That's all he would tell me, Caine. Nathan's an honorable man. He would never turn his back on a friend in need, and I would never ask him to.'
'So you were left alone?' Lyon asked.
'Oh, heavens no. Nathan had a complete staff in residence. Lady Briars… she was a good friend of my father's… well, she'd hired the staff and even helped Nathan with his renovation plans. She wanted to raise us, you see, and was going to petition the court for guardianship. Then Harry took us away, and she never could find us. I will have to go and see her as soon as this has been settled. I dared not go before, of course. They'll probably burn her house to the ground if they…'
'Jade, you're digressing,' Caine interjected.
'I was?'
He nodded.
'I'm sorry. Now where was I?'
'Nathan left for London,' Lyon reminded her.
'Yes,' she replied. 'I now realize I did do something foolish. On my island, I could come and go as I wished. I never had to worry about an escort. I'd forgotten that England isn't at all the same. Here, everyone must lock their doors. Anyway, I was in such a hurry to get outside, I wasn't looking down,
you see, and the heel of my boot got caught up in the carpet loop on the way down the stairs. I took
quite a tumble,' she added. 'And hit my head on the knob of the banister.'
She paused, waiting to hear their remarks of sympathy. When both men just continued to look at her so expectantly, she decided neither was going to say anything. She gave them both a disgruntled look for being so insensitive, then continued. 'About an hour later, after my head quit pounding from my fall, I
set out on my own for a brisk walk. I soon forgot all about my aches and pains, and because it was such
a glorious day, I forgot the time. I was just about to look inside the pretty church when I heard all the commotion, and that's when I saw the poor man being pitched to the ground.'
She took a deep breath. 'I shouted and went running,' she explained. 'I had lost my direction though,
and I ended up on the rise directly above my parents' graves. That's when I saw the men again.'
'The same men?' Lyon asked. He was leaning forward in his chair, his elbows braced on his knees.
'Yes, the very same men,' Jade answered. She sounded bewildered. 'They must have decided it wasn't worth their effort to chase after me, and they were very… occupied.'
'What were they doing?' Caine asked.
She didn't immediately answer him. A feeling of foreboding settled around his heart. Her hands were clinging to his now. Caine doubted she was aware of that telling action.
'The digging,' she finally answered.
'They were digging up the graves?' Lyon asked, his voice incredulous.
'Yes.'
Caine didn't show any outward reaction. Lyon looked as though he didn't believe her. She thought it
odd indeed that she could tell a lie and both men easily accepted it, yet now when she was telling them
the full truth, it was quite another story.
'It's really true,' she told Lyon. 'I know it sounds bizarre, but I know what I saw.'
'All right,' Caine answered. 'What happened next?'
'I started shouting again,' she answered. 'Oh, I realize I shouldn't have made a sound, for now I'd drawn their notice again. But I was so outraged I wasn't thinking properly. All three men turned to look up at me. The fancy dressed man held a pistol. Odd, but I couldn't seem to move until the shot rang out. I ran like lightning then. Hudson, Nathan's butler, was working inside the library. I told him what happened, but by the time he'd calmed me down and gained the full story, it was too dark to go looking for the men. We had to wait until the following morning.'
'Were the authorities notified?'
She shook her head. 'This is where it becomes a little confusing,' she admitted. 'The next morning, Hudson, with several strong men, went to find the body I'd seen pitched from the rooftop. Hudson wouldn't let me tag along. I was still very upset.1'
'Of course you were,' Caine agreed.
'Yes,' she replied with a sigh. 'When Hudson and the men returned, they were trying to be as kind as you are now ibeing, Caine, but they had to tell me the truth.'
