The Gift (32 page)

"Where are you going?" Matthew called out.

"Maybe he came to his senses," Jimbo said when Nathan started across the street. "He might be going to apologize to Sara. Did you see the look on her face, Matthew? It tore me up to see such torment."

"Nathan wouldn't apologize," Colin said. "He doesn't know how. But he might be calm enough to listen to her now."

Sara had no idea Jimbo and Matthew had come to her defense. She believed everyone had damned her. She was so upset she couldn't stop pacing. She kept picturing the expression on Nathan's face when she'd admitted that she'd known the truth about his father.

He believed she had betrayed him.

Sara had never felt so alone. She didn't know where to go, whom to turn to, what to do. She couldn't think. Her fantasy of living in paradise with the man she'd always believed loved her was gone.

Nathan had never loved her. It was just as her relatives had told her. He was only after the king's gift. She'd thought those often-repeated reminders were lies meant to turn her heart against him. She knew better now.

God, what a fool she'd been.

The pain was simply too much, too overwhelming to think about. Sara remembered the vile threat her father had made against Nathan's sister Jade. Her heart went out to the sister, and even though she'd never met the woman she knew it was her duty to try to warn her so she could prepare herself.

The plan gave her a mission, a reason to move. No one noticed when she walked outside. They were occupied shouting at each other. She walked to the corner, but as soon as she was out of sight she started running. She lost her way almost immediately, yet she kept on running until she was out of breath.

God took mercy on her, for when she couldn't go another step she spotted a hack in the middle of the street only half a block away. A passenger was getting out of the vehicle. While he sorted through his pockets for his coins Sara hurried forward.

She didn't have any shillings with her. She didn't know the address of her destination either. She couldn't worry about the lack of funds, though. She decided the coachman would have to be responsible for finding the address on his own.

"The earl of Cainewood's townhouse, if you please," she called out. She got inside the vehicle and pressed herself into the comer. Her fear was that Nathan might have sent one of his men to chase after her.

The coachman directed the hack to what he referred to as the fancy-pants section of town, yet he still had to ask directions from a passerby before he found the address his fare had requested.

Sara used the time to calm her queasy stomach. She took deep, gulping breaths and prayed she wouldn't be sick.

Nathan had no idea Sara wasn't waiting for him inside the office. He tried to rid himself of some of his anger before he spoke to her again. He didn't want to add to her upset. God help him, he couldn't imagine what her life must have been like living with such vile relatives.

Jimbo began to nag him in earnest. "I don't condemn her for telling," Nathan said. "I understand her flaws. I wasn't surprised. Now, if you'll quit your hounding, I'll go and tell her I've forgiven her. Will that satisfy you?"

Jimbo nodded. Nathan strode across the street and went inside the office. It didn't take him any time at all to realize his wife wasn't there. He looked inside the back storage area just to make certain.

Panic filled him. He knew she hadn't left with her father, and that meant that she had literally walked away.

The picture of just what could happen to an unattended woman in that section of the city terrified Nathan. His roar echoed through the streets. He had to find her.

She needed him.

"I'll wait as long as it takes," the driver promised with a tip of his hat.

Sara rushed up the steps and knocked on the door. She wanted to get inside the townhouse before she was spotted by her relatives. She was also afraid her courage would desert her before she'd completed her mission.

The door was opened by a tall, arrogant-looking man with deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He was quite homely in appearance, but the sparkle in his dark eyes indicated he had a kind nature.

"May I be of assistance, madam?" the butler inquired in a haughty tone of voice.

"I must see Lady Jade at once, sir," Sara answered. She gave a quick look over her shoulder to make certain she wasn't being watched, then said, "Do let me in."

The butler only had enough time to get out of her way. Sara rushed past him, then demanded in a whisper that he shut the door and bolt it against intruders.

"I pray your mistress is here," she said. "I don't know what I will do if she isn't home."

That possibility was so distressing, her eyes filled with tears. "Lady Jade is home today," the butler told her.

"Thank God for that."

A smile softened the elderly man's expression. "Yes, madam, I often thank God for sending her to me. Now," he continued in a brisker tone of voice, "may I tell my mistress who has come calling?"

"Lady Sara," she blurted out. She suddenly grabbed hold of his hand. "And please hurry, sir. I'm growing more cowardly by the second."

The butler's curiosity was caught. The poor distressed woman was trying to squeeze the bones right out of his hand. "I shall be pleased to hurry, Lady Sara," he announced. "Just as soon as you let go of me."

She hadn't realized she was holding on to him until that moment, and she immediately pulled away. "I'm very upset, sir. Please forgive my boldness."

"Of course, m'lady," the butler returned. "Is there perchance a last name to go with the first?" he asked.

The question proved to be too much for her. Much to the servant's consternation, she burst into tears. "I used to be Lady Sara Winchester, but that changed, and I became Lady Sara St. James. Now that's going to change, too," she cried. "Come morning, I don't know what my name will be. Harlot, I would imagine. Everyone will believe I lived in sin, but I didn't, sir. I didn't," she whispered. "It wasn't sinful."

She paused in her explanation to mop the tears away from her eyes with the handkerchief the butler handed her. "Oh, you might as well call me harlot now and get it over with. I'll have to get used to it."

Sara realized she was making a complete fool of herself. The butler was slowly backing away from her. He probably thought he'd let a deranged woman into his employer's sanctuary.

The earl of Cainewood had just strolled into the foyer from the back of the house where his library was situated when he heard his man Sterns ask their guest what her full name was. Her bizarre answer had made him stop in his tracks.

Sara tried to skirt her way around the butler. She handed him the soggy handkerchief and said, "I shouldn't have come here. I realize that now. I'll send a note to your mistress. Lady Jade is certainly too busy to see me."

"Catch her, Sterns," the earl called out.

"As you wish," the butler replied. His hands settled on Sara's shoulders. "Now what, m'lord?" he inquired.

"Turn her around."

Sterns didn't have to force Sara. She moved without any prodding. "Are you Lady Jade's husband?" she asked when she saw the tall, handsome man leaning against the banister.

"May I present my employer, the earl of Cainewood?" the butler announced in a formal voice.

Her curtsy was instinctive, born from years of training. The butler made her stumble, though, when he added, "M'lord, may I present Lady Sara Harlot?"

She almost fell to her knees. Sterns reached out to steady her. "It was just a jest, m'lady. I couldn't restrain myself."

Jade's husband came forward. He was smiling at her. That helped. "You may call me Caine," he told her.

"I'm Nathan's wife," she blurted out.

His smile was so tender, so kind. "I guessed as much," he said, "as soon as I saw how upset you were. I also caught the part of your explanation about becoming a St. James," he added when she looked so bewildered. "Welcome to our family, Sara."

He took hold of her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "My wife is most eager to meet you. Sterns, go and fetch Jade, will you? Sara, come along with me into the drawing room. We can get to know each other while we wait for my wife."

"But sir, this isn't a social call," Sara said. "When you learn the reason for my visit you'll both want to throw me out."

"Shame on you for thinking we'd be so inhospitable," he countered. He winked at her, then pulled her along by his side. "We're family now, Sara. Call me Caine, not sir."

"I won't be part of the family long," she whispered.

"Now, now, don't start crying again. It can't be as bad as all that. Have you come to tell on Nathan, then? What's he done, I wonder."

His smile indicated he was teasing her. The mere mention of her husband started the tears again. "He hasn't done anything," she said between sobs. "Besides, I would never tell on my husband if he displeased me. It wouldn't be loyal."

"So loyalty is important to you?" he asked.

She nodded. Then she frowned. "So is having faith in your spouse," she muttered. "Some do, others don't."

He wasn't certain he knew what she was talking about. "Do you?" he asked.

"Not anymore I don't," she announced. "I've learned my lesson."

Caine still didn't know what the conversation was about. "I haven't come here to talk about Nathan," she declared. "Our marriage will soon be over. You might as well understand that right away."

It took considerable effort for Caine to keep his smile contained. So it was a marital disagreement after all. "Nathan can be a bit difficult," he said.

"That he can, husband."

Both Caine and Sara turned toward the doorway just as Lady Jade came strolling into the room.

Sara thought Nathan's sister was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. She had such glorious auburn hair. Her eyes were as green as Nathan's, and her complexion was porcelain-perfect. Sara felt completely inadequate by comparison.

She forced herself to put the matter of appearances aside and began to pray in earnest that Jade didn't share her brother's cranky disposition. "I've come with distressing news," she blurted out.

"We already know you're married to Nathan," Caine drawled. "There can't be anything more distressing to you than that, Sara. You have our sympathy."

"How very disloyal of you," Jade replied. Her smile indicated she wasn't at all irritated by her husband's remark, however. "Caine loves my brother," she told Sara. "He just hates to admit it."

She walked over and kissed Sara's cheek. "You aren't at all what I expected," she said. "That pleases me. Where are my manners? I'm so pleased to finally meet you, Sara. Where is Nathan? Will he be joining you soon?"

Sara shook her head. She suddenly had to sit down. She collapsed into the nearest chair. "I never want to see him again," she whispered. "Except to tell him that I never want to see him again, of course. Oh, I don't know where to begin."

Jade and Caine exchanged a look, then Caine mouthed the words "marriage problems" as his guess as to what the problem could be. Jade nodded before she sat down on the brocade settee and patted the cushion next to her. Caine immediately joined her.

"No matter what he's done, Sara, I'm certain the two of you will be able to work this out to your mutual satisfaction," Caine said.

"My husband and I fought all the time when we were first married," Jade added.

"No, love, we fought before we were married, not after," Caine said.

Jade was about to argue over that ridiculous remark when Sara blurted out, "I haven't come to discuss my marriage. No, I've… why aren't I what you expected?"

Jade smiled. "I worried that you would be… restrained. Many of the ladies in our society tend to be superficial. They go to great lengths to pretend boredom. You, on the other hand, appear to be refreshingly honest in your reactions."

"You must be giving Nathan fits," Caine said before he could think better of it.

"I refuse to talk about Nathan," Sara said. "I've come here to warn you. You must prepare yourselves for the scandal."

Caine leaned forward. "What scandal?"

"I should start at the beginning so that you'll understand," Sara whispered. She folded her hands in her lap. "Do you happen to know about the conditions set down in the contract between Nathan and me?"

They both shook their heads. Sara let out a sigh. "King George, bless his broken mind, was determined to end the feud between the St. James family and the Winchesters. He forced a marriage between Nathan and me and then sweetened the vinegar in that action by setting aside a large fortune in gold and a tract of land that is situated between the two families' country estates. The feud dates back to the early middle ages," she added. "But that isn't important now. The land is actually more coveted than the gold, for it's fertile, and the mountain water that flows directly down the middle of the tract feeds the fields of both estates. Whoever owns the land could effectively ruin the other by withholding the water supply. According to the contract, the treasury goes to Nathan as soon as he collects me for his wife. After I give him an heir, the land will also come to us."

Caine looked incredulous. "How old were you when this contract was signed?"

"I was four years old. My father signed in my stead, of course. Nathan was fourteen years old."

"But that's… preposterous," Caine said. "It can't be at all legal."

"The king decreed it legal and binding. The bishop was with him, and he blessed the marriage."

Sara couldn't look at Caine or Jade. The easy part of her explanation was over, and it was time to get to the heart of the matter. She turned her gaze to her lap. "If I walk away from the contract, Nathan gets everything. And if he were to walk away, then I—or rather, my family—would receive everything. It was a very cunning game the king played with us."

"You and Nathan were his pawns, weren't you?" Caine said.

"Yes, I suppose we were," Sara agreed. "I think the king's motives were pure, though. He seemed obsessed with making everyone get along. I try to remember that he had our best interests at heart."

Caine didn't agree with that evaluation, but he kept his opinion to himself. "I've made you digress," he said. "Please continue with your explanation, Sara. I can see how upsetting this is for you."

She nodded. "Nathan came to get me over three months ago. We sailed away on his ship and only just returned to London. My father was waiting for us."

"What happened then?" Caine asked when she didn't continue.

"My father wanted me to come home with him.''

"And?" he prodded again.

"Caine," Jade interjected, "it's obvious she didn't go home with her father. She's here with us, for heaven's sake. Sara, I'm having trouble understanding why your father would want you to return to his home. You'd be breaking the contract, wouldn't you? Why, Nathan would win it all, and I can't imagine the Winchesters allowing that to happen. Besides, I assume that you and Nathan have been living together as husband and wife. It's too late, isn't it—"

"Sweetheart, let Sara explain," Caine suggested. "Then we'll ask our questions."

"My father has found a way to break the contract and win the gift," Sara said.

"How?" Jade asked.

"He found out something terrible about your father," Sara whispered. She dared a quick look up and saw the alarm that came into Jade's eyes. "Did you know about your father's activities?"

Jade didn't answer her. "This is very difficult," Sara whispered.

Caine wasn't smiling. "Exactly what did your father find out?"

"That the earl of Wakersfield betrayed his country."

Neither husband nor wife said anything for a minute. Caine put his arm around his wife's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry to have to tell you about your father," Sara whispered. Her anguish was apparent. "But you must try not to condemn him. You can't possibly know the circumstances that led him toward the path he took."

Sara didn't know what else to say. The color had left Jade's face, and she looked as if she was going to be ill. Sara felt the same way.

"It was bound to come out sooner or later," Caine said.

"Then you knew?" Sara asked.

Jade nodded. "Nathan and I have known about our father for a long time." She turned to her husband. "You're wrong, Caine. That secret should never have had to come out." She turned back to Sara. "How did your father find out?"