Page 69 of In the Heat of the Jungle

“Are you implying he’s a threat to me, and I said something clever to halt his wicked plan?”

“Somebody on this trek is after you, besides me.”

“I see,” she murmured again. “I suppose you think this incident today was another false accident. I assure you it wasn’t.” She pointed out the facts to him. “So, you see, it was my fault. As for the powder and spells, that could be Louisa’s mischief. She is jealous.”

Jace was aware that she didn’t mention the other episodes. “If Louisa was to blame, she got rid of the evidence to avoid being caught.”

Leigh deliberated his words. Her father had taught her to use logic on problems, which she did now. It was illogical for Chad to harm her. It was illogical for a villainess to conceal her bane—her weapon and means to her downfall—where the victim could find it. By the same token, why would Jace lie? It had to be a mistake. It must have to do with him being suspicious of an old enemy, and perhaps wary of her and their wager. “Don’t you think this alleged plot is a little melodramatic, Jace? Chad would kill Louisa if she harmed me.”

“You’re Webster’s heir as long as you’re alive. What about Chad harming you?”

“I’m more than positive he wouldn’t.”

Her confidence riled and concerned Jace. He could not stop himself from reasoning, “Because he loves you and wants to marry you.”

Leigh was worried about this change in the man she loved. She did not like him keeping secrets and acting sneaky. “You could be right, but that doesn’t matter to me. I’ll tell you something private that might put your mind at rest. Lord Chadwick Hamilton doesn’t inherit if I die. If death befalls me before I marry and produce an heir, William Webster’s estate is divided between two of his best friends.” Leigh wanted to stop this nonsense, so she didn’t mention Fiona as an heir. “For Chad to get his hands on any Webster money and property, he has to marry me. I ask you, would a man burn the only bridge across an impassable canyon to his dreamland? That is,ifI am the object of his greatest desire, as you believe and claim.” She observed the effect of her disclosure, and noted disbelief.

Leigh continued. “I’ve read Grandfather’s will many times, and discussed it with a London lawyer. So has Chad and his mother. There are no loopholes. None, Jace. By the same token, why would Chad’s lover, who knows all his secrets, harm me and cause Chad to lose everything? He would hate her and discard her, and she’s smart enough to know that. So, that leaves me to suspect any deception. I ask you, why would Laura Leigh Webster beguile Jace Elliott?”

The instant those words left Leigh’s mouth, she knew she could not now tell Jace he was one of those two heirs. That would supply the motive her love was seeking! She berated herself for not telling him the truth sooner. She must hold silent with him staring at her with a mistrustful gleam in those narrowed green eyes. As much as she hated thinking it, Jace was the only one unaccounted for earlier, and he had so much to gain by her death. He was always around when she had accidents. No, she argued with herself, he could never harm her. It was distress playing tricks on her dazed mind and battle-weary body.

Jace turned and took a few steps from the distracting beauty. This news was most unexpected and befuddling. It explained why Leigh didn’t fear a threat from Chad. And it revealed why Chad was desperate to win William’s heir. Chad couldn’t be trying to harm her. Jace finally turned. “Do you think Louisa is capable of plotting to kill you?”

Leigh pondered his serious question. Louisa Jennings was a spoiled, vain, spiteful, and impulsive—yes, she admitted—bitch. But committing cold-blooded murder to chance getting Chad … The redhead knew of Chad’s womanizing, knew she might never capture the handsome earl, knew another woman—besides Leigh—could steal him. Louisa could not go around murdering every female who caught Chad’s roving eye. She disliked and distrusted Louisa, but thinking the woman able to kill seemed unconscionable. “No. Louisa is capable of pulling mischievous tricks to scare me off or to prove she’s superior; but murder me, I think not. We both know ruses can get out of hand, as ours did in Mombasa. If she was responsible for any of those stunts, or all of them, obviously she’s been frightened into stopping.”

Jace was alarmed to discover that Leigh felt she was in no danger when his deepest instinct told him she was. “Will you at least keep your eyes and ears open, and be extra careful?” he entreated. He walked to her and gazed into her troubled eyes.

When Jace’s hand lifted to caress her cheek, Leigh pushed it aside. “Strange things have happened to me since I left America, Jace. I find it odd that you’re always around when they do. You were the only one not in camp today. You marked the trail I missed. You found my missing gun. Your friend prepares my canteen and weapon. We have a bet you want to win. The fort is in your territory. You were in London when I was attacked. You constantly accuse a man who can’t possibly want to harm me. You try to create doubts and fears so I’ll trust only you, yet you have no evidence. If we didn’t pull those tricks, there’s nobody left but you.”

Astonished, Jace stared at her. “You doubt me?”

Leigh needed to clear the wits of her confused lover. “No more than you doubted me when you searched my tent and asked me about those incidents. I’m hurt and disappointed. Why don’t we keep a little distance between us for a while? You’re already five points ahead. If I’m not careful, you’ll win our wager. I plan to do everything I can to make certain you don’t. Besides, you’ve already received the prize I wagered, and I’ve covered any extra nights you’ve won. You’re five points ahead, Jace, so your plantation isn’t in jeopardy. We both know rule three is a joke, so if you believed for one minute that I took staying with you for a year seriously and that I would fake an illness to entrap or elude you, you don’t know me at all.”

Jace halted Leigh’s departure. He had to explain, make her believe the truth. “Listen to me, woman. I guess I handled this talk all wrong. I’m too upset to think straight. I could have lost you to that quicksand. That could have been poison instead of a dazing drug in your canteen. That rhino could have charged you when your gun was empty. Those Arabs in Mombasa could have you far away in a harem by now. Those false sailors could have raped you and killed you in London. I didn’t do any of those things, Leigh. You must believe me. I’m sorry if I made it sound as if I doubt you. We still have a lot to learn about each other. Everyone does impulsive things once in a while. I had to make certain you didn’t want me to win badly enough to take chances and be sneaky.”

“That’s fair enough, Jace, as long as I can also make certain you won’t be sneaky and desperate. I don’t believe you want to harm me or trick me. I only wanted to point out facts you missed. As you see, we both have valid reasons to doubt each other and to be cautious in our relationship. I do think you’re right about one important thing: we don’t know each other very well. I think it’s best if we get better acquainted before anything happens between us again.”

Jace was vexed with himself. He knew Leigh was honest, fair, and innocent. He had let his fears and worries cloud his thinking. Without panicking her, he had to discover the truth and protect her. He knew what must be done soon. “I’ve messed up things between us, haven’t I?”

She couldn’t lie. “No, but it does make us stop and think. This has taught us a lesson, Jace—not to judge too quickly and rashly. If you make real peace with Chad, it might help you get over this bitterness and mistrust of everyone. As long as you cling to the past, you’ll never be free of its demands. Let’s get back to camp before the others start thinking wild thoughts,” she hinted.

In camp, Jace revealed Leigh’s “accident” with the quicksand and watched the others for clues. “From now on, nobody leaves camp without a guard and a weapon. Tomorrow, we’re going after cape buffalo, so I suggest you all get a good night’s sleep after we eat.”

Chad grasped Leigh’s hand. “Are you hurt?”

“Only my pride. It won’t happen again. I’m being too careless, distracted, and having too many accidents. I’ll be extra careful and alert in the future,” she said, knowing that would please Jace.

“It wasn’t my fault, Chad,” Louisa said. “I told her to take the path to the right. Didn’t I, Cynthia, Reid?”

The sullen couple who had not enjoyed their afternoon did not get a chance to back Louisa’s claims.

Leigh smiled at the almost frantic redhead. “It was my fault, Louisa. I was looking at monkeys playing in the trees and bushes and missed the fork. Then I couldn’t locate my gun to fire a signal.”

Louisa eyed Jace’s quicksand-soiled clothes and Leigh’s freshly scrubbed look. Did Chad notice the implication in their appearances and realize how long they’ve been together in the steamy jungle. “Thank goodness Jace returned and rescued you.”

“I didn’t save her. Leigh pulled herself out.”

“You could have been killed,” Louisa wailed in guile. She wondered where Chad had been while she was getting ready to have sex. Her lover had excused himself and hadn’t rejoined her until sometime later, and in a strange mood. Was it possible…

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