“He can’t do that. I don’t belong to him.”
“This is a British protectorate,” he revealed, “and Chad and I are British citizens. William Webster’s inheritance falls under English law. You can’t take control or sell it until you come of age. Until then, Chad is your legal guardian and you have to obey him. I’m afraid he can force you to leave Africa; British law is on his side for now. He has awesome power over you and your estate until November. If I interfered, I would be in worse trouble than I am now. If I carried you off, the law would come to my plantation to fetch you and arrest me. I’d be sent back to London to face all charges against me. How would it look to everyone if Jace Elliott stole the granddaughter of the man who took everything from him? Like a mean trick on you. They would spirit you back to England to clear your head.”
Jace scowled and said, “I bet that’s his clever plan, the sorry bastard. He brought you here to bewitch me. Then, when he whisks you home, he hopes I’ll follow, get arrested, and hanged.”
“What’s gotten into you, Jace? That isn’t true. It can’t be. Grandfather planned this safari last winter. After he died last December and I went to London, Chad asked me if I wanted to come along to get better acquainted. It sounded exciting, so I agreed. Even so, how could Chad know I would make you act so rashly? Besides, you said he wants me. So why would he risk losing me to you, his enemy?”
“He probably thinks you’d never fall for a rogue like me,” Jace speculated. “And he does have the power to keep us apart. If you refuse to obey him and side with a criminal, he can have you declared insane, and you’ll lose everything to him and his mother. We’re trapped, love, so keep quiet so you can stay near me. I wish you could live at my plantation until November, so we’d have more time together.”
“If he has that much control over me, how can I?”
“By letting him believe you’re sailing to Texas to visit there until November. He’ll be delighted to have full control over Webster International for months. Once you have your birthday here, then you can do as you please. I don’t like you being in his control.”
“I can’t be your lover for months, Jace; that isn’t right. I have to return to London with Chad after the safari. I have so much to do there. Can you sneak back to England? We could work on clearing you. By November, we can be free to do as we please.”
“I can’t risk another trip this soon, Leigh. Chad has to know how enchanted I am by you. He’ll have the authorities on the lookout for me. And if you return with him after the safari, he’ll be after you day and night to marry him so he won’t lose everything. That would cause me to go crazy with worry and jealousy. You don’t want me to get impatient and reckless, then do something foolish. Stay here and be safe until you’re free of him. I’m sure we can find a way to trick him.”
Leigh sat up and wrapped the edge of the sheet around her nude body. “Chad doesn’t want to marry me. He has Louisa. If he was after me, she wouldn’t be here now. Romancing a woman is a mite difficult with a clingy lover along.”
“Not for Chadwick Hamilton. He always works on a new conquest before he discards his old one. If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that he wants you badly. He brought Louisa along so you wouldn’t get suspicious or refuse to come.”
“How do you know?”
Jace moved to the edge of the bed. He recovered his two lower garments, worked them over his feet, then stood to pull them up and fasten them. Leigh observed him, admiring his firm buttocks and the way the muscles in his back rippled. He sat again to put on his shoes. She wondered if he was thinking of a good response to her question. She could not become his mistress and he hadn’t mentioned wedlock.
Lifting his shirt and facing her as he donned it, he finally replied. “I know Chad. I know how he treats women. I know he’s selfish and greedy, cold and calculating. I know he wants to woo you, win you, and wed you to get at your inheritance. If you fail to believe me, Leigh, you could be in big trouble. Chad usually gets his desires, one way or another.”
The cold bitterness in his voice concerned Leigh. To glean more information, she ventured, “You knew him years ago, Jace. Maybe he’s matured and changed over the years. He doesn’t strike me that way.”
Jace stopped buttoning his shirt. He stared at her, then said, “Because you’re a woman, and Chad knows how to dupe them.”
“I don’t dupe easily, Jace. I know Chad has some character flaws, but everyone does. He’s been kind, thoughtful, generous, and protective of me. We’ve spent a lot of time together, and he’s been nothing but respectful and helpful. He hasn’t tried to influence me. I know he’s attracted to me. But nothing can come of a one-sided desire, and I’m certain Chad realizes I don’t feel the same way about him. He has flirted on occasion, but he’s never kissed or hugged or charmed me. Is it so unusual or unthinkable for him to be tempted by all I am and have?”
Jace caught the jesting tone in her last question, but he knew it was a serious one. To keep from losing her with stubbornness or scaring her over potentially lethal perils, he had to relent a little. Besides, he would be around to safeguard her on the safari, and afterward. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. You’re right. What man wouldn’t be tempted by you? I certainly was.”
“I hope you meant,am,not was.”
He grinned. “Am, was, and will be forever.”
Leigh rose, dragging the concealing sheet with her. She leaned against his hard body and murmured, “Good, so stop worrying about Chad. During or after the safari, we’ll figure out what to do about us. Even while we’re separated, I won’t forget you or give up on capturing my handsome prey. You did tell me to become a persistent and aggressive predator, and I am. I won’t let Chad intrude on our plans. I promise, nothing he says or does will change things between us.”
Jace drew her tightly against him. His mouth covered hers as he prayed,I hope not, my love, or I’ll definitely kill him this time…
Chapter Ten
Monday morning, Leigh headed to the lobby to mail a letter to her aunt in Texas. Her heart soared with happiness and love, emotions she could share only with Jenna. It would be hard to mask her feelings to the others, but she knew she must. November was—
As she passed a door leading into a lovely garden, her thoughts ceased. Jace stood in a romantic setting talking to a beautiful, light-skinned African woman. She halted, then stepped to a nearby open window. She peered around the frame’s edge and observed them. The way they were standing and looking at each other told her they knew each other well.
Leigh did not like spying on her new lover, but she could not help herself. She felt a chill wash over her. She knew he was teasing the female. Jace grasped her chin and shook it in a playful manner. She captured his hand and held it as she spoke to him. His rich laughter reached Leigh’s ears. She wished she could hear what they were saying. The woman was exquisite. Her sarong garment revealed a shapely figure. Her black hair was braided, then twisted around her head like a royal circlet. The female never took her brown eyes from Jace, and that riled Leigh, as much as the way Jace was behaving with another woman.
The blonde watched Jace pull money from his pocket and give it to the woman. They talked and laughed again. As they headed toward the doorway, Jace’s arm was resting at the female’s waist. Leigh heard him say, “Don’t be like that, Ka’arta. I’ll be home soon and we’ll solve any problem we have. Love isn’t the question; marriage is. It scares a man.”
Almost in a run, Leigh rushed back to her room. She did not know what to think about what she had witnessed. It sounded terrible, but she could be mistaken. After last night with him, she had to be mistaken! Leigh cautioned herself not to jump to hasty conclusions. She would ask Jace to explain the incident. If only they hadn’t appeared so close and his words didn’t plague her so …
~*~
At lunchtime, Leigh’s body and nerves were taut. She could not allow this incident to prey on her mind. She had to find Jace and get an explanation. She didn’t care if he was upset with her for spying on him and questioning him. Misunderstandings were stupid and costly. She left her room and headed for the stairs. Just as she reached the first corner, she heard Jace’s voice and came to alert. She did not round the bend, because she heard another voice: Louisa’s.