Then she remembered their guests. "Good day," she blurted out. She had to shout so the Duke and Duchess would hear her. She felt like a simpleton.
"What is going on here?" the Duchess demanded. "Sterns, who is this lady?"
"My name is Lady Jade," she blurted out. "My brother and I are friends of Caine's," she added.
"But what is going on inside the drawing room?" the Duchess asked.
"A little dispute," she said. "Caine and Nathan, my brother, you see, are having a rather spirited debate about…"
She looked over at Sterns for help while she frantically tried to think of a plausible explanation. "Crops," Sterns shouted.
"Crops?" The Duke of Williamshire asked, looking thoroughly puzzled.
"That's ridiculous," the Duchess announced. Her short blond curls bobbed when she shook her head.
"Yes, crops," Jade stated. "Caine believes the barley and wheat should be planted only every other year. Nathan, on the other hand, doesn't believe a field should go fallow. Isn't that right, Sterns?"
"Yes, mi'lady," Sterns shouted. He grimaced when the sound of glass shattering pierced the air, then said, "My lord feels quite strongly about this issue."
"Yes," Jade agreed. "Quite strongly." The Duke and Duchess were staring at her with incredulous expressions. They thought she was crazed. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Upstairs, if you please."
"I beg your pardon?" the Duchess asked.
"Please come upstairs," Jade repeated.
"You want us to go upstairs?" the Duchess asked.
"Yes," Jade answered. "There's someone waiting to see you. I believe he's in the second room on the right, though I can't be certain."
She had to shout the end of her explanation as the noise had once again risen to ear-piercing dimensions.
The Duke of Williamshire came out of his stupor. He clasped Jade's hands. "Bless you, my dear," he said. "It's so good to see you again," he added. "You kept your word. I never doubted," he added. He realized he was rambling and immediately forced himself to calm down. "Come along, Gweneth. Jade wants us to go upstairs now."
"You know this woman, Henry?"
"Oh, dear, have I given myself away?" Henry asked Jade.
She shook her head. "I've already told Caine I came to see you," she said.
Henry nodded, then turned back to his wife. "I met this lovely young lady early this morning."
"Where?" Gweneth asked, refusing to let him tug her toward the steps. "I'll hear your explanation now, Henry."
"She came to see me in my study," Henry said. "You were still sleeping. Now come along, sweet.
You'll understand after you've…"
"Henry, she has red hair!"
"Yes, dear," Henry agreed as he prodded her up the stairs.
Gweneth started to laugh. "And green eyes, Henry," she shouted in order for her husband to hear her.
"I noticed her green eyes right off, Henry."
"How very astute of you, Gweneth."
Jade stared after Caine's parents until they'd reached the hallway above the stairs. "The fat's in the fire now, isn't it, Sterns?"
"I do believe that is a most accurate evaluation, mi'lady," Sterns agreed. "But have you noticed the blessed lack of noise?"
"I have," she replied. "They've killed each other."
Sterns shook his head. "My employer would not kill your brother," he said. "I believe I shall fetch the decanter of brandy for the two gentlemen. I imagine they're quite parched by now."
"Not parched," Jade wailed. "Dead, Sterns. They're both dead."
"Now, mi'lady, one must always look on the bright side."
"That is the bright side," she muttered. "Oh, go and fetch the brandy then. I'll guard the doors."
"I trust you to keep your word," he announced.
She didn't want to go inside now. She was furious with Caine and her brother, and so humiliated because the Duke and Duchess of Williamshire had strolled right into the middle of the brawl, she wanted to weep.
And just what did she care what Caine's parents thought about her? She was leaving, and that was that. She would have gone upstairs to pack her satchel then and there but she didn't want to take the chance
of running into the Duchess again.
When Sterns returned with the crystal decanter and two glasses, Jade opened the door for him. Both she and the butler stopped when they saw the destruction. The lovely room was in shambles. Jade didn't
think there was a single piece of furniture left intact.
Sterns found the two men before Jade did. His initial surprise wore off much faster, too. The butler straightened his shoulders and proceeded over to the far wall, where Caine and Nathan were seated
on the floor, side by side, their backs propped up by the wall.
Jade stumbled after the butler. Her hands flew to cover her mouth when she looked at the two warriors. Neither looked victorious. Caine had a jagged cut on his forehead, just above his right eyebrow. Blood trickled down the side of his face, but he seemed to be oblivious to his injury. God's truth, he was grinning like a banshee.
Nathan looked just as defeated. There was a deep cut in the corner of his mouth. He held a handkerchief against the injury, and damned if he wasn't grinning, too. The area around his left eye was already beginning to swell.
Jade was so relieved to see that neither Caine nor Nathan appeared to be near death's door, she started trembling. Then, in a flash of a second, that surge of relief turned to raw anger. She became absolutely furious.
"Have you two gentlemen resolved your dispute?" Sterns inquired.
"We have," Caine answered. He turned to look at Nathan, then slammed his fist into his jaw. "Haven't we, Nathan?"
Nathan hit him back before answering. "Yes, we have." His voice was gratingly cheerful.
"You children should be sent to your rooms," Jade snapped. Her voice shook.
Both men looked up at her, then turned to look at each other. They obviously thought her insult was highly amusing because they both burst into laughter.
"Your brother sure hits like a child," Caine drawled out when he could control himself.
"Like hell I do," Nathan countered. "Hand me the brandy, Sterns."
The butler knelt down on one knee and handed each man a glass. He then filled each goblet with a full portion of the rich liquid.
"Sterns, are you thinking to get them drunk?" Jade asked.
"It would be a marked improvement, mi'lady," Sterns replied dryly.
The butler stood up, bowed, and then slowly scanned the ruins. "I believe I was correct, Lady Jade.
It was the settee that hit the wall."
Jade stared silently at the remains of what used to be a tea cart.
"Sterns, leave the bottle," Caine instructed.
"As you wish, mi'lord. Would you like me to assist you to your feet before I leave?"