Then Damien had showed up. The wiry, bespectacled guy looked fresh out of college. He gave her some flowers and smiled shyly. Ruby thanked him for his help then summoned up her courage.
"How's Jake?"
Damien shrugged shoulders that were too wide for his spindly frame. "I don't know. As soon as he heard you were going to be okay, he left for Sydney."
Jake was gone. He'd left her, just like she knew he would. She closed her eyes and sank into the pillows. She'd lost him.
Damien talked some more but she didn't hear a word. Eventually he must have realized she wasn't listening so he got up to leave. "I have his Sydney address if you want it," he said, smiling sympathetically.
"Did he ask you to give it to me?" she said, hope rising once more.
He shook his head and looked away.
She drew in a deep breath. "Then no, thank you. He knows where I am if he wants me. I can't imagine I'll be going to Sydney anytime soon."
Damien turned to go but stopped near the door. "If it makes you feel any better, I think he really liked you. More than any other..." He blushed. "Well, he really liked you."
The phone beside her bed rang. Her heart fluttered as she answered it. Maybe Jake had changed his mind...
"What the bloody hell has that scumbag done to you?" Matt.
Ruby wanted to laugh the way she always did when she heard his voice while he was away on tour. Then she wanted to cry. She needed her brother now more than ever.
"Ruby?" Matt's voice turned thin and uncertain. "Rube, you okay?"
"Fine," she managed. "Just fine."
He sighed heavily. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to nearly die and have my sibling pine for me on the other side of the world."
"You're pining for me?" It was easier to tease. More comfortable than facing up to what had nearly happened.
"Did I say pine? I meant peeved. I'm going to kill that sonofabitch."
"Jake? Matt, it's not his fault. He helped me."
"He nearly got you killed!"
"I nearly got me killed. He did everything he could to protect me, but you know how stubborn I can be."
Her brother grunted. It was as close to an acknowledgment of Jake's innocence as she'd probably get. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. "If not, I can request to come home sooner."
She closed her eyes. As much as she wanted him there with her, it wasn't fair. She was fine. "You'll be home in a month anyway."
"Three weeks. You've lost track."
"I've been a little busy lately."
"So I heard." She had to strain to hear his soft voice down the line.
"You spoke to Jake?" she asked.
The silence stretched so long, Ruby thought they'd lost the connection. "He called the base and left a message. I called him back as soon as I could. He told me everything. At least I think it's everything. When I get back I plan on beating the whole story out of him."
"If you can find him." Ruby drew in a deep breath and blew it out. "He's gone to Sydney."
"Good. Best place for him."
"Matt." She closed her eyes and summoned her courage. "I love him."
More silence. "I don't care where the hell he is, I'm going to hunt him down and kill him."
"Matt! Did you just hear a word of what I said? I love him. And I can't give up on him. Not yet. Not until I know the full Jake Forrester story. I want you to fill me in on the bits I don't know. Starting with why he owed you a favor."
"Ah. That." He drew a deep breath. "All right. I'm only telling you this because you think you love him and this will hopefully set you straight."
It wasn't worth arguing with him so Ruby kept silent.
"There's a village near where we were stationed at the time Jake was still in the SAS. When we weren't under direct threat, we were assigned to help the locals rebuild. Jake was assigned to the school. Classes were still being held there while he and his team worked and he got to know some of the kids. He used to play footy with them during his breaks or taught them English. They idolized him and he, well, he adored them I guess.
"Then one day he got some intelligence that put the lives of the villagers in danger. I don't know how he found out but he did and he tried to save those kids. When I saw him sneaking out one night, I confronted him. He told me what was going on and...I let him through the roadblock. From that time on, he says he owes me."
"And the kids?" Ruby held her breath, but she knew the answer.
"He was too late."
She closed her eyes. The pain in her side throbbed. Jake...
"He left the SAS soon after that," Matt said. "According to mutual friends, he's been on the edge ever since."
Ruby nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her. "What about his family? Do you know anything about them?"
"All I know is, his father left him and his mother when he was a kid and his mother died a few years later. I'm not sure what killed her."
"Alcohol," Ruby said.
"Yeah? Well, that explains why he never drank when we were off duty." Someone in the background spoke and Matt answered him. "Hey, Rube, I have to go. Take care of yourself, okay? I'll call whenever I can."
He hung up. Ruby replaced the phone in its cradle and sank back into the pillows and closed her eyes. It hurt. Everything hurt. Her stomach, her head and mostly her heart. Oh, Jake.
Maybe she should get the Sydney address off Damien after all.
"Was that your brother on the phone threatening to kill me?"
She sat up. Or tried to. She cried out as pain sliced through her. Jake was at her side in an instant, his strong arms gently lowering her back down to the bed.
"You need to take it easy," he said, settling in the chair beside her. "The doctor said you'll make a full recovery." He leaned forward, dangling his hands between his knees, and lowered his head. "Ruby," he said on a breath. He shook his head as if he couldn't think what to say next.
"You're supposed to be in Sydney," she said, trying not to think too far ahead. Trying not to hope. But he was here, wasn't he?
"I flew back this morning and came straight here," he said without looking at her. "I couldn't leave without saying a proper goodbye."
So he had no intention of staying. Her heart suddenly dove. "You're a coward, Jake."
He finally looked at her. Shadows circled his red-rimmed eyes and something like the agony she felt was reflected back at her.
"Or should I say, you're running away," she said.
His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I spoke to Matt. He told me about those children."
"Ah. And from that you concluded that I'm running away from you?"
"Not from me, from love. I got it wrong. I thought you weren't capable of love. But it's actually the complete opposite. You love very deeply and that's when you get hurt. Everyone you've ever loved has left you, one way or another. So you're afraid if you love me, I'll go away too."
Several beats passed before he said, "You nearly did."
"Not voluntarily!"
No," he said, dragging a hand through his untidy hair. "But the end result is, I almost lost you."
She wanted to reach for him but he was too far away and the pain in her side reminded her that she should be lying still.
"Those kids, my mother..." he went on, "none of them wanted to leave but they did. And when they were gone, I..." He rubbed a hand over his chin and became silent.
"Fell apart."
He nodded and stared down at his feet. He was hurting, and she could do nothing about it. "What about your father? Why did he leave?
"Unlike the others, his departure was voluntary. He left me and my mother and that drove her to drink. The drink drove her to an early grave. Or so I thought." He sat beside her, not quite looking at her, a dark energy vibrating off him. "I went to see him just before I left for Sydney. He didn't exactly apologize for all the problems he caused but...it wasn't too bad seeing him. We talked. It turns out he left her because she'd already
started drinking. He couldn't stand to see her like that so he left. She threatened to harm herself if he took me with him."
She wanted to reach for him, hold him, but she didn't think her sympathy was wanted or needed at that moment. "But still, he came back eventually."
"Yeah," he said softly. "But he's dying now too. Like I said," he sounded bitter, "everyone leaves in the end."
"Except me." She wouldn't give him up without one hell of a fight.
A haunted look crossed his face. "I can't be sure of that."
"I love you, Jake. You can be sure of that. And if I have to chase you all the way to Sydney, then I'll do it. You can't get rid of me that easily. Hasn't my miraculous recovery from a gunshot wound proved that?"
"Don't talk about it so flippantly," he growled. A shudder rippled through his body. "I can't risk losing you too. You're too...precious."
"Do you really think moving to another city will change how you feel about me?"
He didn't answer. He'd gone quite still, his intense gaze just missing hers. Ruby saw her chance and took it.
"Do you think I'll be safe without you? Do you think being separated by thousands of miles will make you feel better if something does happen to me back here in Melbourne?"
"That's not fair, Ruby."
She knew it was a low tactic but she had to appeal to his most basic of instincts—protectiveness toward his loved ones. Toward her. "Protect me, Jake. Love me. I can't guarantee you won't get hurt but I can guarantee that I'll always love you. Isn't this feeling worth the risk? Aren't I?"
"I—." His jaw tightened then slackened. And just like that, the wall he'd erected crumbled. His shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes as if against a riot of pain. Then he opened them and took her hand in both of his and pressed it to his lips. The lingering kiss was oh so sweet.
"Jake?"
"You play a hard game, Ruby Jones," he said, voice like sandpaper.
Her heart felt like it would burst. "So you'll stay?"
He smiled. "I'll stay." He moved to the bed beside her. "And since I'm staying, how about you move in with me?"
She reeled back. "Really? Are you sure?"
He lifted one shoulder and suddenly looked like a boy who'd eaten too much pie and felt a little ill. "You did say you liked my apartment."
She touched his cheek. "I love your apartment, but I love you more."
He leaned down and kissed her with aching tenderness. "I love you too." Then he suddenly sprang back. "Hey, I brought you something."
She frowned at him. He held no flowers or chocolates and he wasn't carrying a bag or a jacket big enough to put them in. He stood and went to the door. What was he doing? He craned his neck out, said something she couldn't hear to someone she couldn't see, then returned. Two burly policemen followed him in.
"You brought me cops?" she said, one eyebrow raised.
"Better."
That's when she saw one of the men carrying a large silver case. Jake took it, opened it, then turned it round for her to see.
"The Florentine!" She almost leapt out of the bed, wound and all. "The real one," she breathed. "Oh, it's just as beautiful as I remembered."
Jake nestled beside her, the case on his lap. "Go on. Take it out."
She looked at the two cops. They both shrugged so she picked up the Florentine. It was heavy in her palm, its facets smooth, its color the most exquisite shade of yellow she'd ever seen.
She flung her arms around Jake and pulled him as close as her injury would allow. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you."
"You can't keep it!" the younger of the two policemen said, panic edging his voice.
"She knows, idiot," his older colleague said.
"I just wanted to touch it one last time," she said.
Jake smiled. "I thought you might. It was supposed to be my going away present to you." He kissed her nose. "But now I guess it's my welcome back gift." His eyes clouded and he pressed his forehead to hers. "I nearly lost you, Ruby. I won't make the same mistake twice."
They stayed like that, comforting each other, until one of the cops coughed.
"What will happen to it?" Ruby asked, placing it back in the case.
"It'll go on display in a European museum dedicated to the Hapsburg Empire," Jake said. "This will probably have pride of place."
"As it should," she said, staring at the diamond. "It's perfect."
"So are you."
THE END
A message from the author:
I hope you enjoyed reading THE DIAMOND AFFAIR as much as I enjoyed writing it. As an independent author, getting the word out about my book is vital to its success, so if you liked this book please consider telling your friends, lending or sharing it, and writing a review at the store where you purchased it. If you would like to be contacted when I release a new book, please send an email to [email protected] and I will subscribe you to my New Releases newsletter. You will only receive the newsletter when I have a new book out.
Visit Carolyn at http://carolynscott.blogspot.com
Books by Carolyn Scott
The Diamond Affair
You Again
Books by C.J. Archer (the historical romance pen name of Carolyn Scott):
Her Secret Desire (Lord Hawkesbury's Players #1)
Scandal's Mistress (Lord Hawkesbury's Players #2)
To Tempt The Devil (Lord Hawkesbury's Players #3)
The Medium (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium #1)
Possession (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium #2)
Evermore (Emily Chambers Spirit Medium #3)
Honor Bound (The Witchblade Chronicles Book #1)
Kiss Of Ash (The Witchblade Chronicles #2)
Surrender
Redemption
The Mercenary's Price
***Read on for an excerpt of HONOR BOUND, a paranormal historical romance by C.J. Archer***
HONOR BOUND
By C.J. Archer
CHAPTER 1
1583 - London, England
Lawrence Shawe burst through the apothecary shop's door with far more vehemence than usual. Considering he never undertook any activity that required enthusiasm on his part, it was enough to distract Isabel from her herbs. She glanced up from the jar she’d been filling with dried juniper berries to glare at him but the look on his face dampened her temper. His cheeks were flushed and his hat sat lop-sided on his silver-streaked hair. He'd certainly exerted himself on this occasion. Indeed, he might even have been running.
"What is it, Lawrence?" Isabel asked. "What's happened?"
"Someone tried to poison the queen."
She dropped the handful of berries onto the workbench. "Dear God, how awful! Is she all right?"
Lawrence nodded and squeezed his finger and thumb into his eye sockets. When he drew them away again, he no longer looked exercised, just exhausted. His reddened eyelids sagged like old porch roofs over his blue eyes and even his clothes, usually so fastidiously tidy, had creases. Creased clothing equated to utter disarray in Lawrence's book.
As physician to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Lawrence would take a poisoning attempt on her life very seriously. Any threat to her health was a direct threat to not only his career, but perhaps even his life if he failed to save her. As the only son of Isabel's aged employer, she had a vested interest in Lawrence's wellbeing, and therefore Her Majesty's health too.
"Perfectly all right," he said. "Lady Manningham, however, is quite ill." He crossed the rush-covered floor of the small apothecary shop and stood beside her at the workbench. He picked up a berry and rolled it between his thumb and fingers until it crumbled. "Her Majesty’s Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber ate the poisoned sweetmeats intended for the queen." He snorted out a laugh as he sniffed his fingers. "Silly woman. I’ve told her on numerous occasions her taste for sweet foods will be the death of her."
Isabel didn’t think the joke terribly funny considering the circumstances. Nevertheless she breathed a sigh of relief over the quee
n's condition. "Is there any remedy you require for Lady Manningham? You’re welcome to anything from the shop, of course. Your father would wish it."
He sprinkled the crushed remnants of the berry onto the bench and dusted his hands. "How is Father today?" he asked.
"The same." She sighed deeply and swept up the crumbs with her bare hands. "His limbs ache and he’s confined to his bed most of the time, but he still insists on personally greeting his favored clients." She smiled. Old Man Shawe, as everyone affectionately called the apothecary, would rather die than give up his work entirely. Even so, his ill health meant Isabel now ran the shop and the Shawe household since Lawrence lived elsewhere. She dealt with customers and suppliers, servants and apprentices. She prepared remedies, dispensed advice and kept the accounts. Old Man Shawe was apothecary in name only—and a well-known name at that, bringing new clients from all over London—but she included him in all the decisions out of courtesy. It was the least she could do for the man who had helped her at a most desperate time.
"Have you been massaging a hot poultice of comfrey into his limbs?" Lawrence asked.
"Every morning and night."
"Yes, but with vigorous strokes. Like this." He took her arm and rubbed his thumb along her sleeve with far less pressure than was correct. "The massage itself can be more soothing than the poultice." He used gentle, low tones as if speaking to one of his ill patients. She wondered if he spoke to the queen that way, in and out of bed. Or so the rumors went.
Isabel pursed her lips to stop the wicked smile threatening to betray her thoughts. "Yes, Lawrence," she said, withdrawing her arm. "I am caring for your father as best as I can."
"I didn’t mean... I’m sorry, I..." He blushed, turning his milky cheeks rosy, then tried to hide it by dipping his head. "Forgive my rudeness. I know you're giving Father the utmost care. I wouldn’t entrust his health to anyone else." He smiled an apology and at that moment Isabel could see why so many women found him attractive. He was only a little taller than her but still handsome for a man past his fortieth year. With his good looks, pleasant manner and a favored position at court, the widower was considered a catch by many women.
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