Swept Away (32 page)

Nathan was astonished not only by the mention of arms, but also that Raven would launch into such a discussion without making the slightest attempt to get to know him first. He had had no love for the British before that day, and his son-in-law’s cool arrogance did nothing to change his opinion. In the back of his mind, he began listing the Southerners his daughter might take for a third husband and he found it easy to smile.

“You’ll take my personal note for the cost, is that what you’re saying? If I give you my word that you’ll receive gold for the arms, you’ll give them to us?”

“Well, I’d prefer a straight exchange, but I’m assuming you don’t carry gold in sufficient quantity on board the
Southern Knight.
If I’m wrong and you can pay me now, then there’ll be no need for a note.”

“Is this why you were so damned reckless? Did you come to our aid simply to make a profit on arms?”

“Daddy, I’m sure the thought never crossed Raven’s mind. We were concerned only about you. I don’t think his actions can be described as reckless either.
Daring
is a far better word, and since our intervention worked to your advantage, it’s rude of you to question Raven’s motives.”

Nathan was not about to argue that he could have gotten along without help when he doubted he could have. He was startled that Eden would defend her husband so staunchly, however, when she had given him the impression she was indifferent to him. “Forgive me, my lord,” he began with exaggerated care. “I’m more than a little drunk, but I did not mean to insult you. Draw up the note, and I’ll sign it. Perhaps we can decide upon some deserted isle where we can safely load the munitions on the
Southern Knight.
We’ve so many repairs to make we have great need of a safe harbor.”

“Raven?”

Raven read Eden’s question in her anxious expression. “Our plantation is located on the Rio Bueno and has docks up the river that aren’t visible from the sea. They’d make the perfect place for you to conduct your repairs. If you’re low on munitions, you must need other supplies as well, don’t you?”

“Well yes, of course, but” Nathan did not want to be indebted to a son-in-law he found so difficult to like.

“Jamaica can’t be that much out of your way, Daddy, especially not if you’ll be safe from attack while you’re there.”

Nathan rose to his feet, but kept his hand on the back of his chair to keep his balance. “You said your uncle wished to help the Confederacy. What are your feelings on the matter, Lord Clairbourne?”

Raven also stood, and when he drew himself up to his full height, he was pleased to find he was perhaps a fraction of an inch taller than his father-in-law. “I’d rather you called me by my name,” he requested first. “I think your misguided cause was doomed from the start. I’m helping you only because you’re Eden’s father. I’d not have intervened if we’d sighted another Confederate ship in the danger you faced. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I believe in your cause, because I don’t.”

“But you’re not averse to making a profit on it?” Nathan pointed out shrewdly.

“I’m merely trying to complete a venture Alex undertook. I’ve no desire to build our wealth on your country’s pain. If I didn’t have to protect Alex’s investment, I’d have dumped the whole lot overboard long before this.”

Nathan saw no difference between protecting an investment, and turning a profit, but even after one drink too many he could see the futility of arguing with Raven Blade. The handsome young man was not only bright, but determined as well. He was most certainly not the type of man he would have chosen for Eden, but because that choice had already been made, Nathan would not waste his breath decrying it when he could do nothing about it.

“Give me the course settings for your plantation, then should we have to separate, we can rendezvous there later. You have my word that I’ll not sail into your harbor with a Federal ship anywhere in the vicinity. I’m sure your actions today will be seen as those of a lunatic, but protecting the
Southern Knight
in a private harbor would be another matter altogether.”

“I’ve gotten myself out of worse situations,” Raven replied flippantly, but he went to his desk, sketched a quick map, and made the course notations Nathan had requested.

“Yes, I just bet you have.” Nathan leaned down to kiss his daughter goodbye. “Stay where you are. I’m sure it’s too cold for you to be out on deck again. Oh, by the way, Michael Devane’s one of my officers. I couldn’t bring him with me today, but I know he’ll be looking forward to seeing you.”

“Tell him I’ll be looking forward to seeing him too,” Eden responded sweetly, but when Raven returned from making certain her father got back to his own ship safely, she soon realized she had said the wrong thing.

“Who is Michael Devane?” Raven asked before he had gotten through the door.

“He’s a boy from home, is all.”

“A boy, or a man?”

“Well, I suppose he should be called a man. He’s about your age.”

“And what is he to you?”

“Nothing really. He’s just one of the boys, or young men rather, that I used to dance with at parties. I’ve not thought of him once since I left home so there’s no need for you to be jealous of him.”

“I am not jealous,” Raven denied through tightly clenched teeth.

Unwilling to argue with her volatile husband, Eden turned away. She was still seated in her chair, but that allowed for some freedom of motion. “I won’t fight with you. I’m sorry my father wasn’t more gracious. He’s usually a very charming man. I think he was just too surprised to see me today to be as friendly as he should have been.”

Raven noted the stubborn tilt of her chin, and knew he ought to follow her example and change the subject before her mood deteriorated to the foul level of his. “I’m sorry he wasn’t able to stay for dinner. I’ll tell the cook we’re ready to eat.”

Eden let out a sigh of relief as she heard the door close. Alex had never made her feel the way Raven did, as though she had to watch every word she spoke or constantly be on the defensive. She had always liked Michael Devane, and she truly was looking forward to seeing him again, but not if it was going to send Raven into a fit of jealous rage.

Raven returned a short while later with Kipp, the cook’s helper, who served all their meals, and Eden realized she felt hungry for the first time since the voyage had begun. Her mouth watered as she watched the young man set the table and serve thick slices of ham and boiled potatoes. As soon as Raven had finished the brief blessing he repeated every evening, she took a bite of ham.

“This is absolutely delicious. When was the last time we had a hot meal?”

“It was too long ago to remember,” Raven replied between bites. Knowing they would both feel better with full stomachs, he refrained from asking questions until they had finished eating.

“Your father took the news of our marriage more calmly than I’d expected. How did you manage that?”

Eden wiped her mouth on her napkin before admitting she had mentioned only Alex’s desire that they wed. “That is the truth, if only part of it, so please don’t accuse me of lying.”

Raven could not help but laugh at her request. “I didn’t expect you to tell him we’d slept together before the wedding, Eden. No one admits that to their parents, although I’ll bet not every bride is a virgin and, with a widow, who can say?” When his wife blushed with embarrassment at the indecency of that opinion, he tried to find something she would find easier to discuss. “Was he excited about becoming a grandfather?”

“I’m afraid I didn’t get that far. I was still talking about you when you came in, and then, well, I guess I just forgot.”

“How could you forget something so important as that?”

Pressed for an explanation, Eden gave the only one she could. “I was just so thrilled to see him, that it was difficult to remember everything.”

“You certainly forgot me quickly enough.” Raven had meant to control his temper, but that remark slipped out before he could stop it.

“I did not!”

“I was gone in the blink of an eye.”

“Raven, don’t do this. Just because I was excited to see my father doesn’t mean that I’d forgotten you! I should have introduced you earlier. I know that and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Aren’t you a little old to be sitting on his lap?”

“Nothing I ever do pleases you, does it?” Eden answered with the same caustic tone he had just used. She was getting as good at doing an imitation of him as he was at mimicking Alex, but she had heard that critical tone of voice too often not to be able to duplicate it. Tears stung her eyes and she knew they were only seconds away from another of the beastly arguments that had made her second marriage far closer to hell than the paradise her first had been.

Raven took a deep breath, then finished the rest of his wine. It pained him to think his jealousy was so plain Eden could see it the minute he had asked about Michael Devane, but he was grateful she didn’t seem to realize he was jealous of her father as well. Apparently she thought him overly critical, but didn’t understand why. That he craved the attention and affection his wife had no interest in giving him was too painful a circumstance to bear in silence, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to beg for her love. He was angry with himself for wanting something he couldn’t have so badly it hurt. It was the agony of that longing that made him lash out at her and he knew all that did was give her a damn good reason to hate him.

She had agreed not to divorce him, however, and although he had not worded his request as precisely as he wished he had now, she had also promised to reward him for going to her father’s aid. He wanted her so badly his whole body ached, but he was not going to ever be as rough with her as he had been before the storm. She never took more than a sip or two of wine, and she didn’t care for brandy, so he had no hope of getting her drunk. He did want her in a far better mood than her present one, so he suggested the only thing that occurred to him.

“There’s plenty of fresh water thanks to the rain. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and heat some so we can bathe.”

He was making another strategic retreat, but Eden wasn’t about to criticize him for it. “A bath would be wonderful,” she said instead. When Raven leaned down to kiss her, she raised her hand to caress his cheek. “That’s really very considerate of you.”

“Believe me, it’s not gratitude I’m after,” Raven informed her, and as he strode out the door, he was glad she couldn’t see the width of his grin.

Chapter Sixteen

September 1863

Raven brought the tub and several pails of hot water, then left the cabin while Eden bathed. She washed her hair, then remained in the tub to soak while the water cooled. It had distressed her that she had been unable to enumerate at least a few favorable characteristics when she had described Raven to her father. Now she was sorry she had failed to mention he had always been a gentleman when it came to assuring her comfort and privacy.

A review of the days they had spent together at Briarcliff quickly brought to mind the admirable fact her husband had assured his tenant farmers he would not raise their rents. He had also insisted quite forcefully that Paul Jessup take better care of his family. How could she have forgotten those actions when they so clearly illustrated the goodness of his character?

Asking her to pretend she was John Rawlings’s sweetheart had shown Raven had a regard for the members of his crew she knew many captains lacked. Surely if she had had time to tell her father about the baby, she would have remembered Raven’s promise to be the best of stepfathers too.

Ashamed of her negligence, she quickly left the tub, wrapped herself in a towel, and using the pen and ink in Raven’s desk, began to make notes in the back of her diary. She would keep a running list of every worthwhile activity her husband undertook so she would not be at a loss for reasons to praise him in the future.

When Raven could not stand to be away from Eden for another minute longer, he was dismayed to find her taking such poor care of herself. “This cabin is far too cool for you to wear no more than a towel,” he scolded crossly.

Eden closed her diary and replaced his pen and ink in the desk. “I wanted to write myself a note. I’m finished,” she remarked with a smile, hoping she did not look as guilty as she felt at having him catch her at it.

Raven had already reached for another towel and stepped behind her to dry her dripping curls. “I mean it, Eden. You’ve got to be more concerned about your health.”

Eden had not even noticed the chill in the air until Raven had complained of it. She leaned back against him now and enjoyed his warmth while he continued to blot the last of the moisture from her hair. He could be very gentle and sweet at times, and she knew she ought to have remembered that too.

“Now hurry and put on a nightgown,” he ordered just as sternly. “I’m going to fetch more hot water for my bath.” Raven tossed the damp towel on a handy peg on his way out the door. He then had to stop and catch his breath before going up the companionway. When Eden was such an alluring woman, why had he not realized drying her hair would only fuel his desire? This was just another example of his usual lack of foresight where she was concerned, and angered by his own stupidity, he stomped off to get the water.

As soon as Raven had poured the fresh water into the tub, Eden came forward to help him remove his coat.