She didn't want him to worry about her.

She found Harry in the dining room, carefully examining the silver collection. He tucked a fork in his

sash when she called out to him, then turned to smile at her. "I'm taking all the silver with me, girl.

Caine would want me to have it for my collection."

"Yes," she answered. "I'm certain he would want you to have it. Uncle? I need to speak to you alone, please."

The men immediately filed out into the hallway. Jade sat down next to her uncle, took hold of his hand, and quietly told him what she was going to do. She also told him about the last two weeks, though she deliberately left out mention of her nightmares and her intimacy with Caine. Both of those facts would only upset Harry. Besides, he couldn't do anything about either now. No, he couldn't ward off her nightmares, and he couldn't make her quit caring about Caine.

Her uncle grunted several times during her explanation, but finally agreed. He didn't have any doubts in his mind that she'd be able to take care of herself. She was his protegee, after all, and as good as the best of them.

"I'll be waiting for you at the cottage," he promised. He pulled her over to kiss her cheek, then said, "Watch your backside, girl. Vermin like to sneak up on a person. Remember McKindry."

She nodded. Harry was referring to the pirate who'd marked her back with his whip. He had been vermin and he had snuck up behind her. Her uncle liked to use that memory as a lesson. "I'll remember," she promised.

Jade left her uncle taking inventory of Caine's possessions and went upstairs to pack. She passed Colin's room on her way to her own. The door was closed, but she could hear the Duke's booming laughter interspersed with his wife's loud, inelegant sobs. Colin's mama was obviously overcome with emotion

and was probably weeping all over her son.

Colin's safety wasn't her concern any longer. She'd finished her task, she told herself. It was over now, finished.

Jimbo and Matthew were waiting for her in the hallway. Jimbo handed her the farewell gift she'd asked Harry to have him fetch.

"We'll be going with you, won't we?" Matthew asked, his voice a low whisper.

Jade nodded. "I'll meet you out back."

"I'll get Caine's horses ready for the ride," Jimbo whispered.

"A man can get himself hung for stealing a horse," Matthew interjected. His wide grin indicated he thought that was quite all right.

"Caine won't tell anyone," Jimbo argued. He took hold of Jade's satchel and started after his friend.

"It's a shame, that. How we ever going to keep up appearances if no one…"

His sentence faded away as he turned the corner. Jade immediately went to Caine's bedroom. She

placed the long-stemmed white rose on his coverlet. "I am Pagan," she whispered.

It was done. She turned to leave, then spotted Caine's black robe draped over the back of a chair near

the window. On impulse she folded the garment and tucked it under her arm. His scent was on the robe, faint, but there still, and she wanted something to hold during the nights ahead, during the dark nightmares, to comfort her.

It was time to leave.

Both Caine and Nathan thought Jade was resting in her room. Caine had wanted to chase after her, but Nathan convinced him that his sister needed time alone to calm her temper.

"You might not have noticed yet, Caine, but Jade isn't one to take orders easily," Nathan explained.

Since Caine had more than noticed this, he didn't bother to comment.

The talk then turned to the problems at hand. Harry was dragged away from his inventory to add his suggestions. Jade's uncle had a quick mind. Caine watched him closely and came to a remarkable conclusion. Harry was civilized. He naturally kept that discovery to himself, for he guessed Harry

would take grave exception to being confronted with the truth.

Uncle Harry did grumble about the fact that he was going to have to burn a ship. "It's a waste of good timber," he muttered. "Still, it could be worse. I might have to be burning my lovely Emerald," he added. "Aye, it could be worse. I'd just as soon put a stake through me heart than damage my baby's ship. The Emerald's been home to Jade and me all these many years."

Before Caine could comment on Harry's remarks, the uncle surprised him by adding that he was in full agreement that his baby get out of her present line of work.

A good two hours passed before their plans were set to everyone's satisfaction. Harry strolled back into the dining room.

"He's bent on eating you out of house and home," Nathan drawled out. "He'll steal you blind, too," he added with a grin. "Harry likes to keep up appearances."

"He can have whatever he wants," Caine returned. "Jade's had quite enough time to calm her temper, Nathan. It's high time your sister and I had our talk."

"If you lecture her, you'll only…"

"I'm not going to lecture her," Caine replied. "I'm simply going to tell her what my expectations are."

"Sounds like a lecture to me," Nathan drawled out.

Both Nathan and Caine walked into the foyer just as the Duchess was coming down the winding staircase. Both men stopped to watch her. Caine's stepmother was smiling, but also dabbing at the

corners of her eyes with her lace handkerchief. She'd obviously had quite a good cry.

Gweneth almost lost her balance when she spotted Nathan. She grasped the banister and let out a soft gasp of surprise. She quickly regained her composure, however, and continued down the steps. When

she reached the foyer, she moved to Caine's side. "Is he the pirate friend of Colin's?" she whispered.

Nathan heard her. "I'm not the pirate, Pagan, madam, but I am a friend of your son's."

Nathan assumed his voice had been a little too harsh for her liking when she grabbed hold of Caine's

arm and moved closer to his side. Her dark brown eyes widened, too, but she valiantly held her smile.

"You look very like a pirate," she announced. She adjusted the folds of her pink gown as she waited for his reply.

"Have you seen many, madam?" Caine asked.

"No, I've never seen a pirate," she confessed. "Though this gentleman certainly fits the picture of one in my mind. I believe it's because of the length of his hair," she explained after turning back to look at Nathan. "And the scar on your arm, of course."