'How?'
'Do you love her, Nathan?'
'I care for her,' he answered. 'I've come to realize that she isn't my enemy. She's my partner,' he added in a brisk tone of voice. 'She has my best interests at heart, just as I have her best interests at heart.'
Caine rolled his eyes heavenward. 'Colin's your partner, Nathan. Sara's your wife.'
When Nathan didn't comment, Caine continued prodding him. 'Do you want to spend the rest of your life with Sara? Or is she just a nuisance you have to put up with in order to receive the king's gift?'
'I cannot imagine living without her,' Nathan said in a low, fervent voice.
'Sara's a little more than just a partner, then, isn't she?'
'Of course she is,' Nathan muttered. 'She's my wife, for God's sake. Colin's my partner.'
The two men were silent for a moment.
'I had no idea this… caring thing could be so irritating. I've ruined everything, Caine. I've destroyed Sara's faith in me.'
'Does she love you?'
'Of course she loves me,' Nathan immediately answered. 'Or at least she used to love me. She would tell me almost every day.' He let out a sigh, then said, 'Matthew was right. All this time Sara's given me her love without reservation. It's like a flower, and I've stomped on it.'
Caine tried not to smile. 'Like a flower, Nathan? God, you have taken a fall. You've become… eloquent.'
Nathan wasn't paying him any attention. 'She thinks of herself as extra baggage I have to put up with in order to get the land and the coins. That was true at first, but everything's changed now.'
'Nathan, simply tell her how you feel.'
'Sara's so delicate,' Nathan announced. 'She deserves better than me, but I'll be damned if I'll let anyone else touch her. I've got to fix this. I've stomped on her…'
Caine cut him off. 'I know. I know. You've stomped on her flower.'
'Her heart, damn it,' Nathan muttered. 'Get it right, for God's sake.'
Since Nathan wasn't looking at him, Caine felt it was safe to smile. 'So what are you going to do?' he asked.
Another five minutes passed in silence. Then Nathan straightened his shoulders. He turned around to look at Caine. 'I'm going to restore her faith in me.'
Caine didn't think it would do him any good to remind Nathan that he'd suggested that very action not ten minutes earlier.
'That's a sound idea,' he said instead. 'Now tell me how you plan to achieve this-'
'I'm going to show her,' Nathan interrupted. 'Hell, why didn't I think of this before?'
'Since I don't know what you're thinking, I can't answer you.'
'It's so simple, an imbecile could figure it out. I'll need your help to pull it off.'
'I already said I'd help you.'
'Now I need some advice, Caine. You are the expert on women,' he added in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
That announcement was news to Caine, and he was about to ask Nathan how he had come to that conclusion, but his brother-in-law answered him before the question was asked. 'Jade never would have settled. If anything, my sister is discriminating.'
Caine started to grin, then frowned instead when Nathan casually added, 'I still can't figure it. You must have something only she can… appreciate.'
Caine wasn't given a chance to respond to that barb. 'I need your help with Luther Grant,' Nathan announced.
'For God's sake, Nathan, will you quit jumping back and forth between issues? You just asked for advice concerning women, and now you're-'
'Grant's got to talk to us,' Nathan insisted.
Caine leaned back in his chair. 'I was going after the bastard anyway, Nathan. He'll get what's coming to him.'
'He might be on the run,' Nathan said.
'Don't borrow trouble,' Caine said. 'We'll find out soon enough.'
'He has to admit his part in this scheme before Farnmount's ball. If Grant has taken off, that only gives us two days to find him.'
'We'll have his signed confession before then,' Caine promised. 'But why is Farnmount's ball your deadline, Nathan?'
'Everyone comes back to London to attend, that's why.'
'You never attend.'
'I will this year.'
Caine nodded. 'You know, Nathan, I always enjoy the affair. It's the only ball your friendly St. James relatives attend.'
'It's the only ball they're ever invited to attend,' Nathan drawled. He leaned against the window ledge and smiled at his brother-in-law.
Caine still didn't understand what Nathan was planning. He knew prodding wouldn't do him any good. Nathan would tell him when he was ready. 'Everyone's afraid to go to the ball for worry that he will be your Uncle Dunnford's next victim,' Caine remarked. He smiled when he added, 'But they're also afraid to miss the fiasco. Dunnford does provide some refreshing entertainment. He reminds me of Attila the Hun dressed in formal attire. Now that I think about it, so do you, Nathan.'
His brother-in-law barely heard what Caine was rambling on about. His mind was centered on his plans. Another minute or two passed before he said, 'The prince regent always attends the party, too.'
A sudden gleam came into Caine's eyes. He leaned forward in his chair. 'Yes,' he agreed. 'And so do all the Winchesters, now that I think about it.'
'I'm only interested in one Winchester,' Nathan said. 'Winston.'
'Do you think that's when he plans to spring his scandal about your father? Hell, yes, it is,' Caine continued. 'What better opportunity?'
'Can you set up a meeting with Sir Richards? I want to fill him in on the facts as soon as possible.'
'The director of our War Section already knows about Grant. I spoke with him just this morning. He should be visiting with the bastard right about now.'
'Unless he's gone into hiding,' Nathan muttered.
'He doesn't have any reason to think we know about him. Quit worrying about Grant and tell me what you plan to do.'
Nathan nodded. He then proceeded to explain what he wanted to do. When he finished Caine was smiling. 'If luck is on our side, we should be able to set the meeting as early as tomorrow afternoon, Nathan.'
'Yes,' his brother-in-law answered. He straightened away from the window. 'Now, about Sara. Someone has to keep a close watch on her until this has been resolved. I don't want the Winchesters to get hold of her while I'm seeing to the details. If anything happened to her, Caine, I don't know what…' He didn't go on.
'Jimbo's in the kitchen, eating the shelves dry. He already made it clear he's protecting Sara. He won't let her leave here. Jade and I will also keep a close watch. You don't think you'll make it back here before tonight?'
'I'll try,' Nathan said. 'Right now I've got to talk to Colin. It's only fair that my partner agree to my plan before I proceed.'
'At the risk of sounding completely ignorant, why does Colin need to give his agreement about Grant?'
'I'm not talking about Grant now,' Nathan explained. 'I'm talking about Sara. God, Caine, pay attention.'
Caine let out a long sigh. 'I'm trying.'
'I have one more favor to ask you.'
'Yes?'
'You're always calling Jade by those ridiculous endearments.'
'Jade likes hearing those ridiculous endearments,' he muttered.
'Exactly my point,' Nathan said with a quick nod. 'Sara will like them, too.'
