by Phoebe Conn
“I think not,” Raven informed Lydia with a confident smirk he could not contain. “Eden is now my wife.”
“Your wife!” Stephanie sputtered through a mouthful of tea, then still attempting to catch her breath she rose awkwardly to her feet. “Eden, tell us that isn’t true! Surely you would not have married him when you knew that I, well, you simply can’t have married Raven!”
“Sit down!” Lydia commanded firmly, but it took several such orders to silence her daughter’s hysterical outbursts and even then Stephanie sat whimpering unhappily.
Lydia fixed her niece with a fiercely hostile stare. “When I lost my dear Harold five years ago, I knew I’d never want to remarry. You are a far younger woman, however, but I can’t believe you would remarry with such shocking haste. A year of mourning is considered the absolute minimum, a fact of which I’m sure you are well aware. Although you’ve already demonstrated little regard for our feelings, you must know your parents would never approve. Now what is this nonsense about marriage?”
Seeing no reason to involve her parents in the discussion, Eden wanted only to convey the truth and leave. “It’s not nonsense, Aunt Lydia. Raven and I were married before we left Briarcliff,” she announced with a pride she had not expected to feel.
With an anguished wail, Stephanie again lunged from her chair, and screaming and clawing, she went for Eden. Raven, however, had anticipated the hostility of her reaction and deftly moved to block her way. He grabbed her around the waist and simply swung her aside, then remained standing to prevent any further attempts to do physical harm to his bride. “I may have escorted you to several parties, Stephanie, but I never gave you any indication my feelings for you were as warm as those Alex held for Eden. You had no claim on me, and you have no cause to insult your cousin. I expect you to apologize to her immediately.”
“Stephanie is not the one who ought to apologize!” Lydia declared harshly. “But first, who knows of this wedding?”
“Everyone at Briarcliff, my crew,” Raven replied without taking his eyes off Stephanie, who was struggling to regain the dignity she had lost when she had again humiliated herself by speaking her feelings for him aloud.
Greatly relieved to hear that, Lydia rushed on with her plans. “No one of any consequence knows of it then. That’s a stroke of luck we shan’t waste. Your crew and the staff at Briarcliff will have to be paid immediately for their silence. Should any of them ever mention a wedding, we can simply deny that it took place. Our word will be believed over that of servants, peasants, or merchant seamen.
“You’ll come here to live this very day, Eden, and live the quiet, contemplative life of a devoted widow until this time next year. You’ll return to Jamaica, Raven, and no one need ever learn of this disgrace. My attorney will have the marriage discreetly annulled. It’s the only way. Now when can you be ready to sail, Raven? The sooner you leave London, the better.” Without waiting for him to reply, Lydia turned to her niece. “I’ll send for my dressmaker in the morning, and”
Raven shot Eden a frantic glance for he knew she was not pleased to be his wife, but he had not thought there would be any way for her to get out of their marriage. Now that her aunt had provided one, he held his breath, dreading what her answer would be.
The look of absolute horror that had flashed across Raven’s face mirrored the burst of pain that filled Eden’s heart. She had told him she was too numb to feel another hurt, but she had been wrong. The prospect of losing him was a surprisingly painful one. “We married because it was what Alex wanted,” she explained, as though that were the only reason. “That Raven has sacrificed whatever dreams he had of finding a wife to care for me is a noble gesture, not a disgraceful one. You’ll not separate us, Aunt.”
As Lydia’s face filled with rage at that bit of defiance, Eden continued as though her comments had been calmly accepted. “Now I’d like to summon our driver and footman to carry my trunks out to our carriage. We’ll be returning to Jamaica in a day or two, and I doubt we’ll ever see each other again. While I appreciate all that you did for me while I was here, I can’t allow you to do anything more.”
Raven grabbed Eden’s hand, and they hurried from the room before Lydia could draw the breath to scream the vile names each was certain had already come to the woman’s mind. They could hear Stephanie sobbing that she had been betrayed, but neither was moved by the spoiled young woman’s complaints.
“I still think I should make her apologize to you,” Raven said. He opened the front door without waiting for the butler to do so, and gestured for the men from the carriage.
“It’s not worth the effort,” Eden assured him, but she was grateful when her aunt slammed shut the sliding doors of the drawing room so that they did not have to listen to Stephanie wail about how her American cousin had stolen the only man she had ever loved.
Her trunks were soon loaded on the carriage, and Eden breathed a sigh of relief as they rode away from her aunt’s townhouse for what would definitely be the last time. “I’ve always thought my parents made a terrible mistake in sending me here, and now I’m sure my aunt and cousin agree.”
“You’d never have met Alex had you stayed in Richmond.” Or me, Raven thought, but he knew better than to include his own name.
“No,” Eden assured him. “Somehow I would have met Alex. It was our destiny to be together.” She just wished it could have been for far longer.
Raven greeted that remark with a puzzled frown, and Eden decided not to pursue it. “You thought I might choose to stay with Lydia, didn’t you?” Her voice was filled with wonder, as though such a belief had been preposterous.
Embarrassed that his thoughts had been so transparent, Raven was again disgusted with himself for not having foreseen just how dangerous a visit to Lydia might have been. “I expected her to either be reserved and withdrawn, or loud and abusive, and not want to have anything further to do with us, but it never occurred to me the bitch would try and annul our marriage. I’d not have allowed that regardless of what your decision had been.”
Eden had thought her refusal of her aunt’s plan would have assured him she meant to remain his wife, but apparently he did not require any such consideration. She felt rather foolish that his feelings meant so much to her, when hers meant nothing to him. She realized then how truly angry he was, and she did not want him to lose his temper completely now that they had left her outraged kin behind.
“When you told me you’d be faithful to me, you were thinking of only one aspect of a good marriage. There’s loyalty too.”
“And honesty,” Raven added with an accusing glance.
“And sense enough to recognize it!” Eden shot right back at him. His dark eyes flashed when he reached out for her and for an instant she did not know if he meant to hug her, or choke the life out of her. Then his mouth covered hers, and it was like coming home.
Raven’s kiss was slow and deep, seeking the passionate response Eden needed little such encouragement to give. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down with her on the seat. Raven had tossed his hat on the opposite seat when they had entered the carriage. When Eden’s elegant bonnet was knocked askew, she wished she had shown as much foresight.
Sensing her discomfort, Raven rose up slightly and, with a quick yank, untied the satin bow beneath her chin and removed the pretty bonnet before it became crushed. He leaned over to set it with his hat, then again pulled her into his arms. He covered her flushed cheeks with gentle kisses before returning to her mouth with renewed fervor.
Enveloped in his enthusiastic affection, Eden made no protest as he unbuttoned her bodice to her waist. He slipped his hand inside, but caressed her breast sweetly for only a few seconds before pushing her silk chemise aside so he could fondle her bare skin. When he bent his head to tickle her nipples with his tongue, she responded with a throaty giggle that encouraged him to become even more passionate.
A sudden shout from the street brought Eden back to her senses.
They had not pulled down the shades, and anyone passing by who chanced to glance their way would certainly see more than they dared allow. Unaware of her concern, Raven was still nibbling playfully at her breasts, but she grabbed two handfuls of his glossy curls and pushed him away.
“Isn’t your townhouse nearby?” she asked in a breathless rush.
Thinking she wanted him to stop, Raven answered in a defiant snarl, “So what if it is?”
Eden rose up to kiss his lips lightly then replied in a seductive whisper, “I would much rather make love to you there, than here. If we’re seen being as indiscreet as this, I fear both our reputations will suffer irreparable damage.”
Raven broke into a wide grin, and wasted no time in giving their driver their change of destination. When they reached the townhouse, their attire was as impeccable as when they had left the ship to pay their call at the Lawtons’. They walked to the door with the same sedate pace they had used earlier, but once inside, Raven handed the startled maid his hat and gloves along with a firm order.
“Lady Clairbourne and I are not to be disturbed. We’ll be here for dinner, but not the night.”
“Yes, my lord.” The maid stood with mouth agape as the striking couple ascended the stairs with rapid steps. Raven had informed them of Alex’s death, and she could not understand why his widow was not dressed in black and heavily veiled, or what she and Raven planned to do until time for dinner. Realizing there would be no fine meal unless she informed the cook, she rushed to the kitchen to do so.
Not wanting to use Alex’s bedroom, Eden hesitated at the top of the stairs, but Raven quickly took her hand and led her down the hall to the room that had been his. He locked the door, then again removed Eden’s bonnet and unbuttoned her bodice. Her kisses inspired him to even greater haste than he had shown in the carriage, and he hurriedly peeled away all her garments and carried her to his bed. A massive four-poster, it supplied ample room for an amorous couple and he swiftly joined her in it.
With Raven, Eden had never had to worry that the strain of making love would be too much for him. Her only thoughts now were of the pleasure they shared whenever their emotions overruled their equally stubborn natures, and after the clash with her aunt, she needed the devotion he was eager to provide with his muscular body if not in prettily spoken promises.
Raven was far too hungry to possess Eden to continue their loving play for long once he had drawn her lightly perfumed body into his arms. Eagerly sharing his passion, she clung to him with a wanton grace, and the sweetness of her surrender again excited him as no other woman’s ever had. She not only drove him to the heights of desire, she gave pleasure in abundance and savored it in full measure, as always leaving him feeling wonderfully content, his soul as well as his body sated.
It wasn’t until a long while after the room was completely dark that they realized the sun had set, and having ordered dinner, they ought not to be too terribly late for it. Raven helped Eden dress, and artfully arrange her hair, and she thanked him with teasing kisses as she tied his tie. Once again as beautifully groomed as they had been upon their arrival, they walked into the dining room hand in hand but the table was not set, and there were no savory aromas wailing from the kitchen. Then they noted the house seemed unnaturally quiet, and when the butler greeted them, they jumped in alarm.
“Good evening, my lord, my lady,” Stewart called from behind them.
Raven was the first to turn toward the man who had been in his uncle’s employ for more than a dozen years. He was a humorless fellow, small, with sharp features, but he had always run Alex’s London townhouse with the same precision Jonathan Abbot managed Briarcliff.
“Good evening, Stewart. I know we gave you scant notice of our arrival and you needn’t apologize if you were unable to provide dinner. We’re sailing for Jamaica in the morning, and Lady Clairbourne and I will simply dine on board my ship.”
“I excused the rest of the staff for the evening, my lord, when it appeared you required privacy rather than their services.”
Stewart had been cordial, if somewhat stiff, when Alex had introduced him to her, but the butler’s expression was so clearly filled with disapproval Eden was insulted and felt certain Raven would be also. Then she realized why the man was eyeing them with such a contemptuous gaze. “We neglected to inform the staff of our marriage, Raven. I’d forgotten that they wouldn’t know of it when we came here.”
“Your marriage, my lady?” Stewart drew himself up to his full height, which was still less than Eden’s, and his expression grew even more hostile. “Surely I have misunderstood.”
“No,” Raven assured him with a broad grin. “With Alex’s blessing, I thought I could best provide for Lady Clairbourne’s future as her husband and we have married.”
After a lengthy and uncomfortable pause, Stewart finally chose to respond, “Alexander Sutton was one of the finest gentlemen it has ever been my privilege to serve,” he announced without a trace of a smile. “He was a man of honor, and even if he did suggest that you two marry, I can’t believe he meant you to do so before a proper period of mourning had elapsed.”
When Raven raised his hand, Eden quickly caught his arm before he could throw the punch she agreed Stewart had earned. “Please Raven, we’ve had more than enough such scenes for one day. Let’s just leave.”
Raven was not about to allow a butler to pass judgment on his actions and said so. “You served my uncle well, but if being in my employ disgusts you, then you are free to seek another position elsewhere. Don’t ask me for a reference as I’ll not give one to a man who shows me such a disgraceful lack of loyalty.”
Like many men of small stature, Stewart possessed the belligerent spirit of a bantam rooster and stood his ground. “If there is any disgrace here, my lord, it is you and Lady Clairbourne who have committed it. I don’t want a reference from you, as it would hold little value.”
Eden could not hold Raven then, and he slammed his fist into Stewart’s face. The blow knocked the butler to his knees. Satisfied he had taught the opinionated man a valuable lesson, Raven took Eden’s hand and hurried her outside, where their carriage was still waiting. His expression, however, remained filled with fury.
Chapter Twelve
August 1863
As they rode away from the townhouse, Eden laid her head on Raven’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. That was my fault. I should have realized the people who served Alex would never understand our desire to be together.”
Still seething, Raven opened his mouth to respond with the bitter retort that had instantly come to his mind. Eden’s casual pose was so dear, however, that he did not want to upset her and softened his tone. “I realize you’ve been a countess only a few weeks, but even so you ought to understand we needn’t tolerate such insolent remarks from our servants. Stewart would never have dared speak to Alex like that. I may be young, but damn it all, I’m now the Earl of Clairbourne, and I expect to be treated with the proper respect. Alex was only nineteen when he inherited the title, and he never disgraced it.”
That Raven was still in his twenties had slipped Eden’s mind. He had such a forceful personality, she never thought of him as being as young as he was in years. She sat up slowly and turned to face him. The lamps that lit the carriage provided only dim illumination but she knew his face so well she did not need to see his expression clearly to recognize the hostility etched on his features.
“Alex and I used his health as justification for making our own rules, but I think you and I are going to have to be far more circumspect in our behavior. Are the people in Jamaica going to be as unforgiving as my aunt, Stephanie, and Stewart? They know you, of course, but all they’ll know of me is that I failed to mourn Alex’s memory for the proper length of time. Will they condemn me for it?”
“No more than once they won’t,” Raven vowed through clenched teeth.
Eden did not doubt that he would defend her, but she thought it would be more as a matter of his own pride than out
of respect for her honor. She did not want him constantly put on the defensive on her account, though. Unable to think of a way to explain their marriage that lessened the scandalous nature of it, she again sat back and rested her head on his shoulder until they reached the dock where the Jamaican Wind was moored.
Raven barely tasted the broiled chicken they were served for dinner, while Eden took only a few bites before pushing her plate away. He hated to see her again so miserable and he racked his brain for a way to introduce her to Jamaican society that would not immediately make her the object of the most tasteless kind of gossip. Finally an idea struck him that he considered not only workable, but bordering on brilliant.
“News travels rather slowly between London and the West Indies,” he began with an encouraging smile. “If I were to introduce you as my bride, and fail to mention that you were also Alex’s widow, by the time the truth reached Jamaica, everyone would have had the opportunity to get to know you. Surely they would not judge us harshly then.”
Eden could not believe Raven would seriously suggest such a devious ploy. “Do you honestly expect me to deny I was Alex’s wife? I thought you abhorred pretense.”
Raven sighed as he conceded that point. “I do, but you’ll have to admit the circumstances of our marriage were extraordinary. Besides, I don’t want you to deny anything. We’ll just postpone revealing the truth until people are better able to accept it.”
Eden shook her head emphatically. “No, you’re wrong. They’ll not become more understanding if they learn the truth several months from now. They’ll just be all the more outraged by our duplicity and never trust a word we speak ever again.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
“Well I’m not,” Eden insisted. “I won’t have you compromising your dearest principles to protect me. I know this may be difficult to understand, or believe, but even if I have to spend the rest of my life as the object of gossip, the time I shared with Alex will have been worth it.”
