Swept Away (35 page)

Grateful she would be able to appreciate it daily, Eden turned to study the one of Eleanora and found Alex’s first wife had been a brunette, with large hazel eyes. She appeared to have been petite, for her features were delicate and the hands which lay folded in her lap were as small as a child’s. Her expression was one of such innocent sweetness, it was easy to believe Raven’s comment that she had never raised her voice to anyone.

Raven had not stopped to contemplate Eleanora’s portrait since the day it had been hung. Now he wondered what Alex had seen in the shy young woman. She had been undeniably pretty, but completely devoid of either the keen intellect or passionate temperament that made Eden such a fascinating woman.

“We’ll have to have our portraits painted next summer when we visit Briarcliff,” he mused aloud. “England has several excellent artists who can make us look as attractive as we truly are.”

“Why Raven, I’ve never heard you say anything in the least bit conceited before today.”

“I’ve no need to be conceited,” the dark-eyed young man responded confidently. “Besides, you must know you’re a beauty without having to hear it from every man you meet.”

Eden regarded Raven with a skeptical glance, certain he was teasing her for a purpose and unwilling to walk into some clever verbal trap. She looked up at Eleanora’s portrait rather than respond. “Was she truly as childlike as she seems?”

“Even more so, but Alex was happy with her, although I doubt he knew what happiness was before he met you.”

“Are you trying to make me as conceited as you?”

Raven knew from her smile that his comment had pleased her too much to argue the point. He took her hand to draw her away. “Come on, there’s lots more to see. This house isn’t a quarter of the size of Briarcliff, but it’s always been my favorite of the two.”

“I think it will soon become my favorite too.” Eden was uncertain if Raven’s teasing had been a deliberate attempt to raise her spirits, but regardless of his intent, it had had that effect. “I’d like to see the whole plantation tomorrow.”

“Wouldn’t you rather spend the day with your father?”

“Yes, but I doubt he’ll have much time to devote to me. He may have put Michael in charge of the repairs, but I know he’ll want to oversee the work himself. He’s as particular about the running of his ship as you are.”

Pleased that she thought he and her father shared such an important attribute, Raven was happy to grant her request. “We’ll ask him first then, and if he’ll be occupied all day, I’ll be happy to take you on a tour.”

“Thank you.” They had reached the stairs without seeing any of the servants, and Eden wondered aloud where they were.

“I sent them all home for the remainder of the day. Yadira is the only one who lives in the house. Her room is on the ground floor, next to the back stairs. She’s very high-strung.” Raven found it difficult to return Eden’s inquisitive gaze when he had no intention of revealing more than a small portion of the truth about the attractive housekeeper. “She’s been here for nearly a decade, and takes a great deal of pride in maintaining our home well. Because the house has been without a mistress for so long, she may be reluctant to take orders from you at first. I’ll speak to her about that tomorrow. After learning of Alex’s death, she was in no condition to discuss anything.”

Eden could readily understand how Yadira might regard her as an interloper. “No, please don’t talk to her about me. I didn’t expect to come here and immediately begin giving everyone orders. If Yadira has managed this long without a mistress to provide direction, she’ll undoubtedly regard any suggestions I make as interference. Please give her a chance to become comfortable around me. Then if there’s something I want done differently, she won’t feel insulted when I approach her about it.”

“You’re right, of course.”

“Alex’s death will make things difficult too. I want to be sensitive to whatever grief the servants here may feel but my father won’t be here but a few days, so I hope your staff will understand why I’m anxious to entertain him. I don’t want any of them as outraged as Stewart was, or to think we aren’t mourning Alex as respectfully as we should.”

It never failed to amaze Raven that Eden was not only beautiful, but practical as well. “That we’ve had longer to deal with his loss than everyone here has might make things difficult for us for a while, but we don’t have anyone here with such a strict sense of propriety as Stewart had.”

“Not even Yadira?”

“No, she keeps very much to herself so I don’t think she’ll be concerned about appearances if we invite your father and his officers to dine with us. I’ll tell her only that I want her to offer you every possible assistance. Do you want everyone to know about the baby yet?”

Eden frowned thoughtfully. “Are you going to say we were married in July rather than August?”

The timing of her child’s birth was not something Raven had considered. “Yes, we’ll have to, won’t we? I don’t want everyone counting on their fingers.”

“They’ll be doing it regardless of what we want, but I’d rather keep them from beginning that for as long as possible. Besides, I doubt the fact we’ll have a child next spring will be obvious until after the holidays. Let’s just keep it a secret for as long as we possibly can.”

Eden looked so distressed by their discussion, Raven reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I know you think the ruse I’ve demanded you play is ill advised, but I want you to trust me to know what’s best for us.”

That Raven had asked for her cooperation now puzzled Eden. “I gave you my word. I’ll not go back on it. What about your crew? Did you tell them to keep my marriage to Alex a secret?”

“Yes, I most certainly did and they’ll do it too.” Raven raised his index finger to her lips. “Now hush. Alex always treated the staff here like family, and if one of them ever overhears such a tantalizing conversation as this, I can guarantee they’ll all be buzzing with curiosity within five minutes.”

Eden nodded. She did not share her father’s view that Raven was a scoundrel intent upon covering up his own foul deeds, but she would never agree that convenient lies were better than the truth, no matter how damning that truth might be. “You helped my father as you’d promised, and I’ll keep my part of the bargain. Now why don’t we go on upstairs and see the rest of the house?”

Raven knew she would keep her word, but the cynical light in her eyes didn’t please him. Clearly she was going to do as he had asked as a point of honor rather than because she believed he was right. He was equally certain he had chosen the proper course, however. Taking her hand, he started up the stairs. “I think I’ll remain in my own room for the time being. You may choose the bedroom on either side. The one on the north was Eleanora’s, the one on the south was used only by guests.”

As they reached the top of the stairs, Eden began to smile. “Don’t tell me, let me guess. Was Eleanora’s room decorated in shades of lavender?”

“How did you know?”

“I think the color would have suited her. I’d prefer the other room, please. Will someone bring my trunks from the ship?”

“Of course.” Raven hesitated at the first door to the left. “Do you want to see Alex’s room?”

Eden shrank back slightly. “No, I’d rather not. I suppose we’ll have to dispose of his things someday, but I’d rather not begin today.”

Raven readily understood her reluctance to enter Alex’s room and continued on down the wide hall to the adjoining one. “This room was Eleanora’s.”

Eden took in the decor from the doorway. Not only was lavender the predominant color, but the furnishings were of such a delicate design the room could have belonged to a young girl, or an elderly woman, just as easily as to the mistress of the house. The louvers at the windows were open to admit the afternoon breeze and there was a graceful stem of green orchids in a bud vase on the dresser. As immaculately kept a house as Briarcliff, the room appeared to still be in use, rather than long vacant.

“Does Yadira place fresh flowers in all the rooms regardless of whether or not they’re occupied?”

“That’s scarcely wasteful, Eden. The plantation is overgrown with flowers and bringing a few into the house will never deplete the supply.”

Eden was surprised by the sharpness of his tone. “I wasn’t being critical,” she quickly denied. “All I meant was that it was a very gracious gesture for an empty room.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” Again taking her hand, Raven opened his door as they walked by, but went on past it to the bedroom she had requested. He threw open the door, and stepped aside to allow her to enter first. “If the pink wallcovering and upholstery does not suit you, the room can be redecorated. We can shop for whatever you’d like when we go to Kingston next week.”

“This room isn’t really pink, Raven, it’s more of a dusty rose and I like it just the way it is.” Again the louvers were open, and a vase of orchids sat on the dresser. While the bedroom had mahogany wainscoting, as did all the other rooms she had seen, the pale rose of the walls above the dark paneling kept the room from being masculine in appearance. She walked over to the connecting door between their rooms and tried the knob.

“It’s locked. Where’s the key?”

Raven could not help but laugh at that question. “I had no idea you were so eager for my company. I’ll see you’re given a key immediately.”

Eden had not realized how her question must have sounded until she heard his deep chuckles. “On the contrary,” she countered. “I knew you’d be eager for mine for a few more months at least and I didn’t want you to have to break down the door to get to me.”

When she turned away rather than toward him, Raven knew that, despite her feisty response, she was badly embarrassed. He waited until he could control the impulse to laugh again, and then followed her to the windows. “I have always regarded pregnant women as especially attractive rather than repulsive. Don’t think my interest in you will wane when your condition begins to show. It won’t.”

“Will that be safe?”

A shadow of apprehension filled her golden gaze now, and Raven hastened to reassure her. “I’ll ask Julian Ryan about it. He was Alex’s physician. He’s sure to know.”

“Don’t you think he would be shocked by such a question?”

“No, I’m certain I won’t be the first husband to ask it.” Raven thought Eden’s concern charming and pulled her into his arms. When she hesitated only a moment before relaxing against him, he tilted her chin and provided what he hoped would be a reassuring kiss. “I’d not risk either the babe’s health, or yours, for my own pleasure. Don’t you know that?”

Eden nodded, then rose up on her tiptoes to return his kiss. The idea of a child was still too new for her to want to plan how long they would be able to make love. That they could do so now was all that mattered to her. When his affectionate hug became a far more fervent embrace, she tightened her hold on his waist. Raven had always been able to sweep all reasonable thought from her mind, and she was aware only of the sweetness of his taste until she heard a light rap at the door. Badly startled, she backed away from his arms as though she had no right to be there.

Yadira Morales stood at the door. Apparently completely recovered from the shock of Alex’s death, her expression was one of cool detachment rather than the deep distress Eden had seen earlier that afternoon.

“Forgive me, my lord, I did not mean to intrude. Is this where you wish your men to bring Lady Clairbourne’s trunks?” the housekeeper asked, when Raven glanced her way.

“Yes, please.” Raven quickly introduced the two women. He then explained the
Southern Knight
moored at their docks was captained by his wife’s father. Yadira nodded slightly as if that information were of interest, but she did not come forward to bid Eden welcome.

“I thought Alex meant for you to have an English bride,” she remarked coolly.

Yadira’s voice was husky, and so soft it barely carried across the room. While her tone was not critical, her comment certainly was and Raven took exception to it. “Let me assure you that Eden was Alex’s choice, as well as mine. Now if my men are here, please send them up with my wife’s belongings.”

“As you wish, my lord.” Yadira turned away without saying more than her initial greeting to Eden, and left them as silently as she had come.

Eden sighed unhappily. “I think winning that woman’s friendship is going to be far more difficult than I had thought.”

“She was devoted to Alex, and I expected her to take the news of his death badly. I’m sure she didn’t realize how hostile she sounded.”

“I just don’t want her to think us unfeeling.”

Raven kissed his worried bride again before he replied. “She’s here to make our home comfortable, not to add to our worries. You needn’t be so concerned about her.”

Again distracted by his affection, Eden decided to give Yadira the benefit of the doubt and tend to her unpacking rather than worry that the housekeeper might continue to be aloof.

After an early supper Yadira had managed to produce even without the assistance of the rest of the staff, Raven and Eden walked down to the docks to visit Nathan. As eager for exercise as they, the captain joined them in a stroll along the riverbank. The evening was warm, and still light enough to make a walk enjoyable.