Swept Away (27 page)

When they were on deck in the bright sunlight, it was possible to tell that Raven’s eyes were a deep brown. In his cabin, they appeared as black as the thick fringe of lashes that framed them. It was only when he was angry that Eden could read his mood in his glance; at other times, like now, it was impossible. While he frequently made jokes of serious matters, she never did. “And if we had not married?” she asked very softly.

“But we are married.”

“But if we were not?” Eden asked again.

Raven frowned slightly, uncertain what she expected him to say. “Alex named me as his heir in his will. When we reach Jamaica, we’ll have to go to Kingston and inform Alex’s attorney of his death. You can read the will then. Alex had no other male kin. His title is rightfully mine.”

The pride that filled Raven’s voice as he announced that fact was warning enough that she ought not to pursue the matter with him. Eden was deeply disturbed, however, for even if her child had not lost the chance to inherit his father’s title and wealth, Raven had certainly seized an opportunity that he might not truly deserve. She still did not understand enough about how titles were inherited to know if what he had done was illegal, or perhaps simply dishonest, but she intended to ask the attorney for his opinion on the matter.

A knock at the door signaled the arrival of their noon meal, but as Eden took her place at the table Raven knew she had not been satisfied with his answers to her questions. The very last thing they needed was another issue to create mistrust between them, but try as he might, he could not think of any way to erase the pensive frown from her brow.

When Eden lay down for a nap after Raven left her, she had far too much on her mind to sleep. As she had so often, she wished she could go to her mother for advice. Unfortunately, not only was her mother out of reach, but every other responsible person in the world as well. She was stranded on board a ship with at least a hundred men, none of whom was fond of her. The fact that grim group included her husband only made matters worse.

She did not want to believe Raven had taken advantage of her grief to rush her into marriage to preclude the possibility of her providing Alex with an heir. That was almost diabolical, and knowing Alex had had great faith in him, she hated to jump to what she feared was becoming the most obvious conclusion. She certainly could not confront Raven about their marriage when she was sure he would simply remind her that had she not been in “his” bed on the night of Alex’s funeral, there would have been no need for them to marry. He would undoubtedly remind her of that night as often as it took to silence her questions concerning his motives. She had no doubt of that, for unlike Alex, Raven was no gentleman.

When he returned to his cabin that evening, Raven hoped to find Eden in a better mood. When she did not accuse him of plotting against her as they ate dinner, he considered the evening a success.

“As soon as we get home, I’ll do what I can to send any message you’d like to your parents,” he offered graciously. “It won’t be easy, but I’m sure a way can be found to do it. They ought to know that you’ve married and left England.”

Surprised he would be so thoughtful, Eden was at a loss for what to say. “That would be wonderful, but I’ve no idea how I could possibly convey any sort of a coherent message that would adequately describe what these last few months have been.”

Raven drummed his fingertips on the table in an impatient cadence. “Why not simply say you’ve married the Earl of Clairbourne and have taken up residence on his plantation in Jamaica?”

Eden opened her mouth to argue that scarcely did justice to the truth when she suddenly had a better idea. “Raven, instead of failing to mention I was married to Alex when we reach Jamaica, why don’t we keep our marriage a secret? After Alex’s child is born, if we still want to be married, we can have another ceremony. There would be no scandal then, everything would be quite proper. My aunt will be far too embarrassed to tell anyone in London about us, and who at Briarcliff would have the opportunity? As for your crew, they seem to be so offended by our marriage that I’m certain you could convince them to keep it a secret.” Eden’s topaz eyes were radiant with delight, as though her sudden inspiration was the best of all possible solutions to their problems. Raven could neither understand nor believe how she could suggest such a stupid thing, however, and looked for something to throw to illustrate his opposition. His pewter plate was still handy and he flung it against the door with a force that dented the wood.

“Have you lost your mind? I did not force you to marry me; it was your choice. You’ve told me over and over again that the month you spent with Alex was worth whatever scandal your elopement caused. Are you completely unwilling to put up with any gossip to stay with me?”

Eden had explained her idea the instant it had come to her mind. Now she realized how truly desperate, and how insulting, it sounded. She had not dreamed she would hurt Raven’s feelings as she so obviously had. “It would also work to your advantage to delay the announcement of our marriage.”

Raven rose to his feet, placed his hands on the table, and leaned forward as he refused to consider her absurd suggestion. “You chose to be my wife, Eden, and I’ll not allow you to deny it!”

Feeling at a disadvantage in her chair, Eden stood to confront him. “I married you because I refused to become your mistress. Don’t try and make it sound as though I truly had a choice because I didn’t!”

“You don’t have one now either!” Raven shot right back at her.

“Oh yes I do,” Eden boasted, overwhelmed by the frustration he continually caused her. She had tried her best to be a good wife to him, but she didn’t need to waste the rest of her life on a marriage that was so one-sided. “When we visit Alex’s attorney, I can ask him about an annulment. I was far too overcome with grief to have been thinking clearly and that’s reason enough to void a marriage. If it’s impossible to get an annulment, there’s always divorce. I’ve had plenty of time to think since we left England and I’m much stronger now. I can manage on my own, I’m certain I can.”

Raven circled the table. “That’s a damn lie and you know it.”

“It is not.”

Rather than reply in words, Raven sought to prove his point by drawing her into a crushing embrace. When she turned her head to avoid his kiss, he grabbed her chin and held her still as he pressed his mouth against hers with a demanding pressure that swiftly parted her lips. When he tasted blood, he did not know if it was his or hers, but he did not care.

As Eden struggled to break free, she realized what a terrible mistake she had made in seeking to reach him with the passion it was so easy to arouse. That she had encouraged him to be an ardent lover, but had won neither his friendship nor respect, was shockingly evident now.

She was wearing a pale green gown of lightweight wool. She didn’t bother wearing several layers of starched crinolines on board the ship and there was so little between them she could easily discern Raven was fully aroused. As if that fact could have escaped her notice, he slipped his arm around her waist and ground his hips against hers. Disgusted by that blatant gesture, she tried to back away only to find the sturdy oak table at her back. Anchored securely to the floor, it was as unyielding as a brick wall.

Trapped in Raven’s arms, Eden gave up her attempts to escape and relaxed against him. She hoped for a softening of his aggressive stance, but none occurred. Instead Raven leaned forward, bending her backward over the table until she was forced to grab his shoulders to retain her balance. His mouth had yet to leave hers, and gasping for breath, she was outraged to find herself completely at his mercy when she knew that was a quality he sorely lacked.

Raven was past the point at which he could analyze his actions. All he could do was react with the violent emotions she had aroused. He wanted Eden for his own with a desperation he could no longer disguise, and yet at the same time he understood why there was no room in her heart for him. That was a torture that continually plagued him until he could no longer contain his inner rage. He wanted her to love him rather than mourn Alex and he had not another minute of patience to wait for that miracle to occur.

Eden felt the muscles in Raven’s shoulders flex as he tightened his grasp. His linen shirt had been softened by a dozen washings but its smoothness provided no comfort as she dug her fingers into his well-muscled flesh. His skin was as hot as his fevered kisses and she felt seared by the heat. Convinced he intended to force her across the table and rape her, she grew faint, and it wasn’t until Raven began plucking the pins from her hair that she realized he had at last slackened his hold on her. In the next instant he had pulled her upright and his kiss took on the magical sweetness of the very first kiss he had ever given her.

Not about to allow him to turn his abusive assault into a seduction, Eden finally succeeded in breaking free and turned her head. What had possessed her to threaten divorce she didn’t know now, but in the heat of their argument it had seemed like her only choice. Had she expected him simply to walk out on her as he had so often? Now she wished that he had for his penchant for leaving in the midst of their arguments was certainly preferable to the violence he had just shown her.

She felt his chest heave as he drew in a deep breath and hoped he was again rational enough to think with his usual clarity. “What in God’s name is wrong with you?” she whispered.

Raven slid his fingers through her curls and began to rub her back gently. “There’s nothing wrong with me,” he denied with the same stubborn defiance he displayed whenever she challenged him. “Did you expect me to be pleased that you no longer wish to be married to me? No man would be happy to hear that.”

“He would be if he also thought the marriage was a mistake.”

Raven took a step back, but kept his arms draped around her waist. “Is that what you think, that we don’t get along well because I’m sorry I took you for my wife?”

“How would I know what you think?” Eden replied with a renewed flare of temper. “I know what you think of the War, the stuffiness of English society, the island of Jamaica, and the proper discipline with which a ship must be run, but I don’t know what you think about me.”

Raven stared down at her, his dark eyes aglow with a compelling light. Clearly she wanted him to swear his undying devotion, to which she would undoubtedly respond with wistful longings for Alex. That was a trap he intended to avoid for as long as it took for her to feel something for him. What was the point of mentioning love when she would react with pity? He had far too much pride for that. He kissed her gently as he knew Alex must have.

“Have you changed your mind?” he asked before kissing her deeply once again. “Is passion no longer enough?”

Eden lost count of his kisses before she realized he had still not revealed his thoughts about her. Her conscience scolded her crossly for being distracted so easily, but as her whole body began to ache with the need for him, she knew there would be many other days in which to discuss their marriage, but that night had been meant for love.

Chapter Fourteen

September 1863

When Raven returned to his cabin the next morning with Eden’s breakfast, he found her still asleep. He shook her shoulder gently, but when she sat up and brushed her hair out of her eyes, he winced.

“I’m sorry about your mouth. I didn’t realize I was that rough last night.”

Eden licked her lips and immediately understood why he had been inspired to apologize. Her lower lip was not only swollen where his teeth had sliced the tender flesh, but also hurt rather badly, providing a painful reminder that their most heated argument yet had gone unresolved.

When his sleepy bride did no more than regard him with an anguished glance, Raven bent down to kiss her forehead lightly. “The weather turned foul during the night. I’ve changed our course to take us farther north in hopes we’ll miss the worst of it.”

Now fully awake, Eden could readily discern the rocking motion of the ship had grown more pronounced. As a result, the timbers creaked and groaned loudly in protest. Raven was having difficulty compensating for the changing angle of the ship and had to constantly shift his weight to remain upright.

“Confederate ships often put into Caribbean ports for supplies, If we’re on a more northerly course, then it’s possible we might sight some,” Eden mused aloud.

“Not in this gale we won’t, but when the weather clears, I’ll tell the lookout to keep watch for the
Southern Knight.
That’s the only ship you’re really interested in seeing, isn’t it?”

“I’d appreciate knowing of any Confederate ship, but yes, I’d especially like to see my father’s.”

“He could be sailing off the coast of France for all we know. Don’t make yourself sick worrying about whether or not the
Southern Knight
will survive this storm.”

“I won’t. My father is an excellent captain.”

“So am I,” Raven assured her.

Eden had not meant to give him the impression she was comparing him to her father and hurriedly refocused his attention on the storm.

“Hurricanes hit the coast often enough for me to know we’re in serious trouble if that’s what this is. What do you want me to do?”

“Did I mention the word
hurricane?”
Raven asked.