Swept Away (31 page)

Hoping that Eden would soon introduce him, Raven stood back and attempted to wait patiently, but she continued to embrace her father with what he began to regard as nearly hysterical fervor. While he was sorely tempted to reach out and restrain her, he forced himself to observe Nathan instead. He was surprised to find Nathan was his equal in height, but not that he was quite handsome since Eden was so pretty. The man’s hair was a deep auburn, touched lightly at the temples with gray. When he at last glanced toward him, Raven was startled to see Eden had inherited her striking golden brown eyes from her father. In a young woman the unusual shade was stunning; in a man, the very same hue was shockingly dangerous in its effect. Thinking the devil himself would also have eyes of molten gold, Raven knew instinctively he wanted his father-in-law as a friend rather than an enemy.

Equally intrigued, Nathan’s gaze swept over Raven’s muscular frame and well-tailored attire before focusing on his face. He had not really expected to recognize the captain of the ship that had enabled him to get the better of the corvette, but he was still disappointed that he did not. “You are either the bravest man I’ve ever met, or a damn fool. Which is it?”

Eden was still clinging to her father, and Raven decided he would have to introduce himself. “That’s a matter of opinion,” he replied with the most charming grin he could manage while his wife was ignoring him so completely he was certain she had forgotten his existence. “I’m Raven Blade, your daughter’s husband.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Eden apologized as she realized she should have made such an introduction herself the instant her father had come on board. “Raven is much too modest, Daddy. He’s also the Earl of Clairbourne.”

Nathan responded with a mock bow. “My lord. When we sent Eden to England, we hadn’t dared hope she would return home a countess. I hope neither of you will be offended if her mother and I fail to show the proper respect.”

Raven was uncertain if Nathan were joking and he found that fact as unsettling as the man’s amber eyes. From his firm grasp on Eden’s waist, and sarcastic tone, Nathan scarcely appeared pleased to welcome him into the Sinclair family. What disturbed Raven most, however, was that he recognized the undercurrent of hostility that flowed through his own personality in Nathan’s every word and gesture.

“Why don’t you take your father to our cabin where you can talk in private. I’m sure you both must have many questions.” Raven moved aside, but the look in Eden’s eyes was one of panic rather than gratitude at his suggestion and he didn’t understand why. He leaned down to kiss her cheek lightly. “I realize ours is a most unusual love story, but you needn’t be ashamed to tell it.”

Consumed with curiosity without Raven’s remarks, Nathan took his daughter’s hand in a firm grasp. “I can’t stay long. Let’s not waste what little time we do have.”

Eden had wished so many times that she could talk over her problems with her mother, but a conversation with her father was an entirely different matter. Fortunately he knew the location of the captain’s cabin, and she had only to follow rather than lead the way.

As Raven watched them walk away, he realized Eden had not responded to his demand that she keep the terms of their bargain a secret. For all he knew, she might beg her father to take her off the
Jamaican Wind,
and when he refused to allow her to leave, there would be hell to pay. He started after her then, but had taken only a few steps before he realized he did not want to listen to her conversation with her father. He simply could not bear to hear her tell him how dearly she had loved Alex, and still did. He turned around then, and seeing the half-dozen officers who had come aboard with Nathan, he made certain they were given whatever they wanted to drink while they waited for their captain.

Eden took her usual place at the table, while Nathan regarded the neatly kept cabin with a cursory glance. “Does your earl keep anything stronger than tea on board?”

Eden gestured toward the appropriate cupboard. “He has all manner of spirits. The blackberry brandy from Briarcliff is his favorite, though.”

“Briarcliff? Is that the ancestral estate?” Nathan browsed through Raven’s store of liquor until he found a bottle of whiskey. He then reached for a pewter mug, poured himself a shot, and downed it quickly.

“Yes, there’s Briarcliff in Devon, a townhouse in London, and a plantation on Jamaica. That’s where we’re bound. Had a storm not blown us off course, we’d not have been anywhere near here.”

“Well, it’s damn lucky you ran into foul weather then.” Considering the weather of no further interest, Nathan poured himself more whiskey and, bringing the mug, took the seat across from his daughter. “I’ve met an earl or two, but your Lord Clairbourne certainly doesn’t look English to me. What’s his background, Greek perhaps, or is he a descendant of the Spanish Conquistadors with Indian blood?”

Eden shrugged helplessly. “I’ve no idea, but I do know he considers himself British. The European aristocracy intermarries so frequently I doubt any of them knows what nationality they truly are anymore.” It disturbed Eden to think her only thoughts of Raven’s looks were how handsome a man he was. She had never bothered to question the reason for his dark coloring, and it struck her as being totally irrelevant now. “You know what I mean, don’t you? Not only was Queen Victoria’s mother German but her darling Prince Albert was one of her German cousins. The French general Bernadotte was adopted as the heir to the Swedish crown, and—”

Nathan interrupted impatiently. “I’d rather skip the lecture on European history and hear how you became a countess. Your husband said the story was unusual. In what way?”

Eden would have much preferred to continue tracing the genealogy of as many royal families as came to mind rather than discuss her own situation. It was not that her father was an unsympathetic man, but only that her story was such a painful one to tell. He had every right to hear it, however, and taking a deep breath, she forced herself to begin. “I want you to know the truth, but it’s difficult to know where to start. Raven is my second husband, you see, not my first.”

Rather than respond with one of his favorite oaths, which certainly seemed appropriate, Nathan left the table to pour himself another drink and this time he brought the bottle of whiskey back to the table. “I wish your mother were here to hear this. Just tell me the whole story slowly so I can repeat every word the next time I see her.”

Encouraged that he appeared to be more curious than outraged to learn she had been wed twice since he had sent her to England, Eden tried to honor his request, but soon found herself speaking in an excited rush. She was too anxious to make him understand how difficult their time apart had truly been to concentrate on the manner of her delivery.

Eden experienced no difficulty describing the idyllic days she and Alex had spent at Briarcliff, but when she came to the night of his funeral, she knew the truth was a secret she dared not reveal. That her love for her late husband had overwhelmed her reason and allowed her to succumb to Raven’s passionate advance was far too shameful an event to relate to her father, or anyone else.

Her father loved her dearly, but she feared he would lose all respect for her if he learned she had behaved in such a wanton fashion. She was satisfied in her own mind that her grief had betrayed her rather than a previously undiscovered weakness of character, but still, the story was too sordid to admit. After all, her silence would protect not only her own reputation, but Raven’s as well. She and Raven had married, she disclosed tearfully, because it had been what Alex had wished.

When Eden began to weep dejectedly, Nathan first handed her his handkerchief, but when the square of linen offered little comfort, he rose, scooped her up into his arms, and sat down again with her cradled on his lap. He could not recall the last time she had sat on his knee, but she had been an affectionate child and had done it often so he felt comfortable holding her now. He had been amazed to learn she had wed a man of thirty-eight, since he was forty-two, but she had spoken of Alex in such adoring terms that he did not doubt she had loved him. He had readily felt his daughter’s anguish as she had described her husband’s sudden death, but his understanding had ended abruptly when she had announced she had wed Raven Blade within a week of Alex’s demise.

“Forgive me for interrupting, sweetheart, but I know the members of the British peerage marry more often for reasons of amassing property, and creating ties between families than for love. Is what you’re describing merely a marriage of convenience to prevent Alex’s fortune from being divided between you and Raven?”

That was a lie Eden had not even considered telling, and she swiftly rejected it now. “No. Alex’s wealth would not have been divided if we’d not married. It was all to go to Raven, although I would have received a generous allowance.” The second part of his question was far more difficult to answer, and she could not manage to do so with more than a whisper. “Our marriage is not a pretense. Raven truly is my husband.”

Nathan was at a loss for words for a long moment, and when he finally spoke, his anger was plain in his abrasive tone. “I see. Raven not only inherited his uncle’s title and fortune, but his beautiful bride as well. That was damn clever of him, and for him to sail through the midst of a battle as he did today makes me think he thrives on danger as well. A rogue with a title is a rare combination. Do you love him?”

Eden did not know how to describe her second marriage, but she considered it sadly lacking in the love that had filled her first. She did not want to give her father a worse impression of Raven than he had already gathered, however. “Raven could not be more different from Alex, but I might be able to love him someday.”

That wistful remark was as depressing to Nathan as the rest of his daughter’s story. “Do you realize nothing you’re telling me makes any sense? I’m sorry you lost Alex, but if you loved him as you swear you did, how could you have replaced him so quickly?”

“I didn’t ‘replace’ him,” Eden protested immediately. “No one could ever take Alex’s place in my heart, not Raven, nor anyone else.”

Nathan was frustrated by her lack of understanding. “I’m sorry to say this, sweetheart, but if you feel that way, I’m afraid you’ll soon regret marrying Raven. Your mother could offer far better advice than I can, but other than to love you, there’s nothing I can do for you until the War’s over. None of us expected it to last more than a few weeks, or months at the most, and now it looks as though it will continue until the last Southerner is dead. That my own situation is too desperate to permit me to help you is no excuse, I know, but do you think you can stay with Raven until I’m able to do something for you?”

Grateful for that offer, Eden hugged him tightly. “Your love is all I’ll ever need. I intend to stay married to Raven, forever.”

“Because Alex wanted it?” Nathan asked incredulously.

“No, not just because of Alex.” Eden stopped there, unwilling to describe the bargain she had made with Raven when revealing it would only infuriate her father. As perverse as Raven was, she did not want Nathan to hate him. “Raven is most definitely a rogue, you’re right about that, but he’s also very bright. He’s a fine captain, firm with his crew, but not abusive. He has many admirable qualities,” Eden paused as she tried to think of some, but when none came to mind, she gave up the effort. “I hope once we reach Jamaica, we’ll be able to lead normal lives. I know we’ll never love each other the way Alex and I did, but I don’t expect that either.”

Eden was more slender than when Nathan had last seen her, and if anything, more beautiful. She had the same maturity about her now that he had seen in all too many young widows of late. “Your mother and I had hoped you’d be happier in England, sweetheart. We really did.”

“I was happy, Daddy. Once I met Alex, I was happier than I’ve ever been. I’ll never forget him, nor be sorry that I was his wife.” She tried to smile so he would not think her situation bleak, but she could not keep her lips from trembling.

Raven had expected Eden and her father to talk for an hour at most. Nearly two had now elapsed and he was becoming worried. He rapped lightly at his cabin’s door before peeking inside. “I’m sorry to disturb you. I neglected to offer refreshments, and it’s growing late.” He was astonished to find Eden perched on her father’s knee, her arms draped around his neck, in what he considered far too familiar a pose.

Unmindful of the critical nature of Raven’s thoughts, Eden slipped off her father’s lap and went to the door. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. “I didn’t have time to mention the arms, but if we gave them to my father, it would save us the trouble of disposing of them elsewhere.”

Raven had already learned from the Confederate officers they were entertaining that the
Southern Knight
was dangerously low on munitions. Those young men had had no idea that was exactly what the
Jamaican Wind’s
hold contained, however. Considering her comment an invitation to join her, he moved through the door and closed it behind him. “You’ve told him about Alex?”

Eden nodded as she wiped away the last of her tears on her father’s handkerchief. “Yes, I did.”

“Good.” Raven took note of the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table, and decided no further offer of refreshments was needed. He helped Eden return to her chair, then sat down beside her. “My uncle wished to aid the Confederacy. We’ve not only got a great deal of gunpowder on board, but also Enfield rifles and Kerr revolvers and ammunition for them. I’ll be willing to transfer it all to your ship if you’ll give me your personal guarantee that I’ll be paid what the munitions are worth in gold. I’ll not accept Confederate currency.”