The Gift (Crown's Spies #3)

She rested the side of her face against his chest. The hammering of his heart indicated that her soothing words hadn't calmed him at all. Yet his voice was deceptively calm when he asked, "Did you have the walking stick, or did he?"

"He had the stick when he started up the steps to get me," she explained. "He grabbed it from the umbrella stand."

Nathan pictured it in his mind. He tried to peel her hands away. "Nathan? It's over now. He didn't strike me."

"Did he try?"

She felt as if she were clinging to a statue, so rigid had his stance become. She let out a little sigh, increased her hold on him, and then answered, "Yes, but I wouldn't let him hit me. I remembered your instructions, and I evened the odds, just as you promised I would in such a situation. As to that," she added, "I also had the element of surprise on my side. Uncle Henry isn't at all used to having women defend themselves. He looked… astonished when he fell backwards."

"Caine? Take Sara outside and wait for me. Richards, go with them."

All three of them told Nathan no at the same time. They all had different reasons. Caine didn't want the mess of getting rid of the body. Sara didn't want Nathan to go to the gallows. Sir Richards didn't want the paperwork.

Nathan was still rigid with fury when they'd finished giving him their arguments. He couldn't get Sara out of his arms long enough to rip the Winchester bastard apart. He found the situation extremely frustrating. "Damn it, Sara, if you'll just let me—"

"No, Nathan."

His sigh was long. She knew she'd won. She was suddenly in a hurry to get him alone so that she could win another victory. Come hell or his hide, she would get him to tell her he loved her.

"Nathan, we can't leave until I know Mama's going to be safe," she whispered. "But I want to go home with you now. What are you going to do about this problem?" She didn't give him time to answer. "I meant to say, Nathan, what are we going to do about this problem?"

Her husband wasn't one to give up easily. He still wanted to kill her uncle. He considered his plan a perfectly logical one. It would not only eliminate Sara's worry about her mother's safety, but it would also give him the tremendous satisfaction of putting his fist through the man's face. He kept staring at the walking stick and thinking of the damage a man could inflict with such a weapon. Henry could have killed her.

Caine came up with a nice solution. "You know, Nathan, Henry looks in need of a long rest. Perhaps a sea voyage to the colonies would be just the ticket to improve his health."

Nathan's mood immediately brightened. "See to it, Caine."

"I'll give him to Colin and let him arrange the details," Caine said. He lifted Henry up by the nape of his neck. "A few ropes and a gag are all the baggage he'll be needing."

Sir Richards nodded agreement. "I'll wait here until your mother returns, Sara. I'll explain that your uncle had a sudden desire to take a long trip. I'm also going to wait for your father. I want to have a few words with him, too. Why don't you and Nathan run along now? Take my carriage and have my driver return for me later."

Henry Winchester had regained enough of his sensibilities to make a doubled-over dash for the doorway. Caine deliberately shoved him toward his brother-in-law.

Nathan seized his opportunity. He slammed the back of his fist into Henry's stomach. The blow sent Sara's uncle back to the floor for another bout of writhing.

"Feel better, Nathan?" Caine asked.

"Immensely," Nathan answered.

"What about the papers you had drawn up?" Sir Richards asked Nathan.

"Bring them to Farnmount's ball tonight. We'll borrow Lester's library for a few minutes. Sara and I should get there around nine."

"I'll have to go back to the office to fetch them," the director said. "Set the meeting for ten, Nathan, just to be on the safe side."

"May I ask what it is you're discussing?" Sara interjected.

"No."

Her husband's abrupt answer irritated her. "I don't want to go out tonight," she announced. "I have something most important to discuss with you."

He shook his head. "You will have faith in me, woman," he muttered as he dragged her out the doorway.

She let out a gasp. "Of all the galling things to say to me…"

She stopped when he turned and lifted her into the carriage. His expression looked bleak. She noticed his hands were shaking, too.

He wouldn't let her sit next to him but took his place across from her. When he stretched out his long legs she was trapped between them.

As soon as the carriage started forward he turned and stared out the window.

"Nathan?"

"Yes?"

"Are you having… aftermath now?"

"No."

She was disappointed, for she hoped he'd need to vent his frustration the way she had when she'd experienced aftermath. The memory of just how her husband had helped her get over her tension made her face turn pink.

"Don't men have aftermath after they fight?"

"Some do. I shouldn't have hit Henry in front of you," he said. He still wouldn't look at her.

"Do you mean that if I hadn't been there, you wouldn't have hit him, or that you regret—"

"Hell, yes, I would have hit him," Nathan muttered. "I just shouldn't have struck the bastard in front of you."

"Why?"

"You're my wife," he explained. "You shouldn't be a witness to… violence. In future I will refrain from—"

"Nathan," she interrupted, "I didn't mind. Truly. There are times when it will happen again. I am opposed to violence," she added in a rush, "but I will admit that there are times when a sound punch is just the thing. It can be quite invigorating."

He shook his head. "You wouldn't let me kill the pirates, remember?"

"I let you hit them."

He shrugged. Then he let out a loud sigh. "You are a lady. You're delicate and feminine, and I will behave like a gentleman when I'm with you. That's the way it's going to be, Sara. Don't argue with me."

"You've always been a gentleman with me," she whispered.

"The hell I have," he countered. "I'll change, Sara. Now cease this talk. I'm trying to think."

"Nathan? Were you worried about me?"

"Hell, yes, I was worried."

He'd bellowed his answer. She held her smile. "I really would like you to kiss me."

He didn't even look at her when he responded, "No."

"Why not?"

"It has to be right, Sara."

What in heaven's name did that mean? "It's always right when you kiss me."

"I'll ruin everything if I kiss you."

"You aren't making any sense."

"Tell me what happened with Henry," he ordered.

She let out a little sigh. "I hit him… there."

A soft smile changed his frown. "Did you remember how to make a proper fist?"

She decided she wouldn't answer him until he looked at her. A long moment passed before he finally gave in.

He was fighting one hell of a battle to keep his hands off her. He thought he was winning the fight, too, until she smiled at him and whispered, "I knew you would be proud of me. Most gentlemen would have been appalled, though."

He roughly pulled her into his lap. His fingers were already twisting into her hair. "I'm not most," he said an instant before his mouth came down on hers. His tongue swept inside her mouth to taste, to caress, to tease. He couldn't get enough of her, couldn't get close enough, soon enough.

He kissed the side of her neck while he worked on the buttons at the back of her dress. "I knew if I touched you, I wouldn't be able to stop."

He'd lost all control. The carriage stopped, but only Sara realized that fact. She made him button her up again. It took him much longer, for his hands were shaking.

Nathan dragged her by her hand inside the townhouse. Jade smiled at the couple when they went flying up the stairs.

Nathan regained a little of his control by the time they reached their bedroom. He opened the door for her. Sara was already reaching behind her back to get the buttons undone again on her way over to the bed. She stopped when she heard the door slam.

She turned around to find that she was all alone. Nathan had left her. She was too astonished to react for several minutes. Then she let out an outraged scream. She pulled the door open and went running down the hallway.

Jade caught her at the landing. "Nathan just left. He said to tell you to be ready to leave by eight. He also suggested I lend you a gown, since your trunk is still on board the Seahawk."

"How could he have told you all that and have left already?"

Jade smiled. "My brother acted as though he had the devil on his tail," she said. "He finished his instructions from the walkway out front. He's going to meet us later, Sara. He must have some business to attend to—at least I think that's what he added when he jumped into Caine's carriage and took off."

Sara shook her head. "Your brother is rude, inconsiderate, arrogant, stubborn…"

"And you love him."

Her shoulders sagged. "Yes, I love him. I believe he might love me, too," she added in a mutter. "He might not truly realize it yet, or he might just be a little afraid. Oh, I don't know anymore. Yes, of course he loves me. How can you believe he doesn't?"

"I'm not arguing with you, Sara. I believe Nathan loves you, too," she added with a nod. "It's quite obvious to me, as a matter of fact. He's so… rattled. He's always been a man of few words, but now he doesn't even make sense when he mutters."

Sara's eyes filled with tears. "I want him to tell me he loves me," she whispered.

Jade was full of sympathy. She patted Sara's hand and led her to her bedroom.

"Do you know that I'm everything Nathan could ever want in a wife? No one could love him as much as I do. Please don't consider me inferior. I'm really not. I'm just very different from you, Jade."

Nathan's sister turned from the wardrobe to stare incredulously at Sara. "Why would you think I would ever consider you inferior?"

Sara stammered out her explanation of how the men on board the Seahawk had constantly compared her to Jade, and how she'd always lost the contest. "And then the pirates attacked, and I was able to redeem myself in their eyes."

"I would imagine so," Jade agreed.

"I also have courage," Sara said. "I'm not boasting, Jade. Nathan did convince me that I'm very courageous."

"We're both loyal to our husbands, too," Jade said. She turned back to her wardrobe and continued to sort through, looking for an appropriate gown.

"Nathan only likes me to wear high-necked gowns," Sara said.

"That's telling, isn't it?"

"I usually try to be accommodating."

Jade didn't dare let Sara see her expression. The anger in her sister-in-law's voice made her want to laugh. The poor love was getting all worked up again.

"Perhaps, Jade, that is the problem," Sara announced. "I've been too accommodating. I'm always telling Nathan how much I love him. And do you know what his answer always is?" She didn't give Jade time to guess. "He grunts. Honest to God, that's what he does. Well, no more, thank you."

"No more grunting?" Jade asked.

"No more accommodating. Find me the lowest-cut gown in your closet."

Jade did laugh then. "That should push Nathan right over the edge."

"I do hope so," Sara answered.

Five minutes later Sara held an ivory-colored gown in her arms.

"I only wore the dress once, and not out of the house, so no one's seen it. Caine wouldn't let me keep it on."

Sara loved the gown. She thanked Jade several times, then started out of the room. She suddenly stopped and turned around. "May I ask you something?"

"We're sisters now, Sara. You may ask me anything."

"Do you ever cry?"

Jade hadn't expected that question. "Yes," she answered. "All the time, as a matter of fact."

"Has Nathan ever seen you cry?"

"I don't know if he has or not."

From Sara's crestfallen expression Jade realized that wasn't the answer she was hoping for. "Now that I think about it, yes, he has seen me cry. Not as often as Caine, of course."

"Oh, thank you for sharing that confidence with me. You have no idea how happy you've just made me."

Sara's smile was radiant. Jade was pleased, though she admitted to herself she still didn't know exactly what Sara was so thrilled about.

Two hours later Jade and Caine patiently waited in the foyer for Sara to make her appearance. Jimbo paced back and forth by the front door.

Jade was dressed in a dark green silk gown with embroidered cap sleeves. The neckline showed only the barest hint of bosom. Caine still frowned over it before he muttered that she looked beautiful. He wore his formal attire, and she told him he was the most handsome devil in the world. Then Jimbo started nagging them about making certain someone stayed by Sara's side all evening.

"Don't let her out of your sight until Nathan shows up to take over," Jimbo ordered for the fifth time.

Sara drew everyone's attention when she started down the steps. Jimbo let out a low whistle. "Nathan's going to see red when he gets a look at our Sara."

Both Jade and Caine agreed. Sara looked magnificent. Her hair was unbound, and the soft curls swayed about her shoulders with each step she took.

The virginal-colored dress was extremely low-cut and ended in a deep V between her br**sts. It was the most provocative gown Caine had ever seen. He remembered it, too. "I thought I tore that thing when I helped you get undressed," he whispered.

His wife blushed. "You were in a hurry, but you didn't tear it."

"Nathan's going to," Caine whispered back.

"Then you think my brother will like it?"

"Hell, no, he won't like it," Caine predicted.

"Good."

"Jade, sweet, I'm not so certain this is such a good idea. Every man at the ball is going to be lusting after Sara. Nathan's going to have a fit."