He smiled as if he knew what she was thinking and feeling. Then he took her hand and studied the tapered fingers. "How could you not know that I am jealous of every man that looks at you?"
Jerking free, she clasped her hands behind her, still feeling the warmth of his touch. Jade felt as if butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. Of course Raige did not mean what he was saying; he had always teased her.
"You have been in Europe for almost a year, Raige; I believe you never gave me a thought in all mat time."
"You are wrong-I thought of you. And now I have returned to find you have grown into a young lady." His voice deepened and she thought she might faint when he sat down beside her. He was so near that she could feel his breath warm against her cheek.
"I have been waiting for you to grow up, Jade, and now you have."
She could imagine him saying this same thing to other females and it hurt so badly. Raige could have any woman he wanted. She had seen how silly girls simpered and giggled when he walked by. She had heard them sigh and make remarks about his manliness. She did not want him to think that she was like them.
"Please don't tease me anymore, Raige."
Standing, he pulled Jade up beside him, his eyes sweeping over her golden hair and dipping down to assess her beautiful face. "And why is mat?"
The night was like black velvet, without benefit of moon or stars. His eyes were probing, seeking, entering her mind and making her ache and tremble. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her dry lips, a move that was not lost to him. It was difficult for her to concentrate with him standing so near, touching her.
"As… as you said, I have grown up."
He touched her hair, his hand drifting down the silken curls, causing her to shiver with longing.
"It was your eyes that haunted me while I was away. Did you know I have never seen a woman with green eyes like yours?" Gently his hand went to her waist and he pulled her to him. She did not resist.
He took a guarded breath. "I have wondered what I would do when this moment came, Jade. Have you any notion how a man can ache for a woman? While I was gone, I could imagine the numerous admirers who might come to your door beseeching you to marry them."
There was fever in her blood and longing in her breast. He was only toying with her, but what did it matter-at last she was in his arms. "You have quite an imagination," she said, trying to show that she was immune to his charm.
"You missed me, Jade," he said with bold determination. "You cannot deny it."
At that moment Jade knew that she could not bear to be just another of Raige's many conquests. She was determined to shake his cool confidence as he had shaken hers. "You hardly crossed my mind at all," she said, turning her back to him so he would not read the truth in her eyes. "And, yes, there have been many gentlemen who have asked me to be their wife, while you do no more than torment me, trying to make me think you really care."
He turned her around to face him and laughed triumphantly at the uncertainty he saw in her eyes. "What is it you think I want from you?"
She was very near tears. "To mock me, as always."
He placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him. “Jade, I would sooner rip out my own heart than to hurt you. Do you not know that?"
"I…"
He dipped his dark head, his lips lightly touching hers. She could neither breathe nor move as she clung to him.
When he raised his head, he gave her a devastating smile. "You see how it is with me?"
The chaste kiss he had given her so carelessly left her heart hungering for more. "N-no."
He moved away from her, as if he feared he would take her in his arms again if he did not put some distance between them. "How could you not know how I feel about you? Everyone else does."
She dared not hope he was being serious. "How can that be, when you have never paid the slightest bit of attention to me? Even tonight, when I had not seen you in over a year, you ignored me-and do not try to deny it."
He moved back to her, lightly touching her cheek. "My eyes followed you around the room all night. And when you danced with Tyrone, even though he is my friend, I wanted to rip you out of his arms. I have always felt that you belonged to me."
His words sent her heart soaring. The love she felt for him flowered until the pain was almost more than she could endure.
"What do you want from me, Raige?"
Gently his arms circled her and he cradled her against his chest so she could hear his heart thundering.
"Jade, my dearest love, I want the right to go to your father and ask for your hand in marriage. Will you grant me that right?"
As his words penetrated her thoughts, she stepped away from him. "You… want to marry me?"
He reached over her head and broke off a rose, handing it to her. She clutched the token to her. "There has never been a time when I considered anyone but you as mistress of Tanglewood."
Suddenly a swirling mist engulfed them both and she reached out to him, pricking her finger on the rose and dropping it to the floor of the arbor. He was gone, and she felt empty inside.
"Raige," she cried, "don't leave me-I cannot find you in the dark."
Olivia awoke, sitting upright in bed. She was wringing wet with perspiration, and her heart was drumming in her ears. The dream had been more real than any she had ever had. For a short time, she had been allowed to dwell in Jade's body, to feel what Jade had felt and to know a love so strong that it could not die.
She lay back against her pillow as tears filled her eyes. What fate had drawn her into the tangled lives of the star-crossed lovers? She was in love with a man who had been dead for well over a hundred years, and there would be no escape until she lived the dream to its heartbreaking conclusion.
There was a light tap on the door and Olivia reached for her robe.
"Morning, Miss Heartford," Rosalie said cheerfully as she swept into the room. "I'm to ask if you want breakfast on the veranda."
"Yes, I believe so." Olivia smiled at the maid, who was tall and slender and looked to be about thirty. Then she turned to the balcony door and saw bright sunlight filtering into the room. ' 'Luckily that thick fog that hit last night is gone."
Rosalie looked puzzled. "There was fog yesterday afternoon when you arrived, but a northerly wind blew it away. Last night was a full moon, and bright as daylight."
"But, I-" Olivia turned pale as she remembered the heavy mist. Was nothing at Bridal Veil what it seemed?
' 'I ran your bath for you across the hall, and while you bathe, I'll straighten your room," Rosalie offered.
Olivia agreed with a nod and moved out of the room, carrying her clothes and toiletries. After a refreshing bath in an old-fashioned bathtub with claw feet, she dressed in a pair of jeans and an oversized T-shirt. In slight irritation, she wiped the steam from the small mirror that hung above the sink. Was she mistaken or was her hair lighter in color? And why was it curling about her shoulders-her hair was straight. She shrugged; perhaps it was from the humidity. She reached for her glasses and realized that she'd left them in the bedroom.
The mirror had steamed up again, and in exasperation, Olivia applied a thin sheen of pale pink lipstick. She would leave her hair down today-no reason to pin it back.
When Olivia came downstairs, she was thinking about her dream the night before and did not see anyone until Betty stepped out of the dining room, carrying a pitcher of orange juice.
"Good morning," Betty said, indicating that Olivia was to precede her to the veranda.
"It's a glorious morning," Olivia replied, sitting at the table, which was covered with a white damask tablecloth and set with antique china and silver. She took a napkin and spread it across her lap while Betty poured her a cup of coffee.