Swept Away

by Phoebe Conn

  They could smell the smoke now, but Eden’s initial excitement at coming upon a battle had become nearly suffocating dread. “You swore to me not ten minutes ago that you wouldn’t become involved in the War. Are you saying now that you’ve changed your mind?”

  “Yes, if it would please you.”

  She had understood his blatant demand for affection, but could not imagine what he wanted now. “That can’t possibly be the truth. What is it you really want?”

  Raven knew he deserved that insult, so ignored it and came to the point quickly. “I want your promise that you’ll never seek either an annulment or a divorce. I also want your word that you’ll do as I ask when we reach Jamaica and not reveal that you’re Alex’s widow until after his child is born.”

  Astounded by the enormity of his demands, Eden tried to find a way to avoid agreeing to them. “What if I say yes, and then the Southern Knight doesn’t need your help? Will you then release me from that wretched bargain?”

  That she was so clever a woman always amazed him. “No, each of us must be willing to take a risk, Eden. I’ll not go back on my offer of help, and you must keep your promise regardless of the outcome of the battle, or our efforts to change it.”

  “I think the term bastard is too mild to describe you, Raven Blade.”

  Raven did not allow the pain of that insult to show in his expression either. “Was that a yes?” he taunted.

  “It’s the only choice I have!”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “Oh shut up!” Eden hissed. She grabbed the spyglass from his hand and leaned against the rail to steady herself. She didn’t want to miss a second of the drama unfolding nearby, not when her father’s future might depend on it, and hers as well.

  Chapter Fifteen

  September 1863

  Nathan Sinclair’s situation was dire enough without having to worry about a British clipper ship lurking in the distance, so he simply ignored it. Like the other Commerce-Destroyers, the Southern Knight was a wooden ship of approximately 1,000 tons. It had eight guns, and two steam engines that were capable of producing a speed of twelve knots. By adding sails, they could make fifteen. The Confederate raiders had been built for speed, and while they were more than a match for any merchantman afloat, they had never been intended for the task of battling Federal warships.

  The corvette that had attacked the Southern Knight carried eighteen guns mounted on the upper deck. The class of warship under the frigate, corvettes were used for scouting, convoys, and privateering. Nathan had at first attempted to elude the more heavily armed ship and, having failed, was determined they would defend themselves until dusk when they would make good an escape under the cover of darkness. The success of that plan was dependent upon their ability to inflict damage without suffering an equal amount in return, and being so badly outgunned made that task a considerable challenge.

  Despite being under heavy fire, they had suffered few casualties, but with their supply of gunpowder running low, Nathan began to fear their store of munitions would be depleted before dusk arrived to shield them. Fighting against time as well as the corvette’s relentless assault, he was doggedly determined not to lose either battle and ordered his men to make every shot count.

  Standing on the quarter-deck, Nathan turned in response to a distress-filled cry and found the British clipper bearing down on them at an alarming speed. Knowing the corvette’s captain was bound to be equally distracted, he ordered a momentary cease-fire until they could discover the clipper’s purpose. When he saw the British vessel meant to traverse the channel between them and the Federal warship, he could not believe his eyes.

  Thinking no sane captain would set such a suicidal course, he nonetheless chose to use the ship’s passing to every advantage, and ordered the starboard cannon to fire the instant each had a clear shot at the corvette. As that command was relayed to the gun crews, Nathan continued to stare in wonder at the audacity of the British maneuver. At one time there had been many Englishmen who were in sympathy with the Southern cause. That such an individual had appeared on that of all days was a stroke of luck he would not waste.

  The Jamaican Wind passed within thirty feet of the Southern Knight, and Nathan’s mouth dropped agape as he recognized his only daughter standing at the rail. She was waving and blowing kisses, and while her tawny curls were being whipped wildly by the wind, her expression and gestures were unmistakably ecstatic. She was standing between a tall man dressed in black and a signalman waving semaphore flags to transmit an urgent request for the Southern Knight to follow the British vessel. It was easily the most remarkable spectacle any on board the Confederate raider had ever seen.

  The first of their cannon fired then, followed in rapid succession by the other three on the starboard side. Not nearly so alert to the possibilities of using the British clipper as a shield, the corvette was repeatedly struck amidships before firing a single round. Seeing the enemy’s wooden hull splinter at the waterline, a loud cheer went up from his men and Nathan was satisfied the Federal ship had suffered sufficient damage to prevent it from giving pursuit. He therefore broke off the engagement and, setting the engines, at full speed, followed the helpful British vessel without further delay.

  Pleased the Southern Knight was following in their wake, while the Federal corvette appeared to be in distress, Raven dismissed the signalman, folded his arms across his chest, and leaned back against the rail. Eden was using the spyglass, and he waited for her to hand it back to him before he spoke.

  “It looks as though our ploy worked, undoubtedly because it was so damned unexpected. That should make the terms upon which we agreed easier to follow than if the venture had ended in failure.”

  While the sarcasm had not left Raven’s voice, Eden was too amused by her father’s startled expression to react negatively to her husband’s mood. At least her parent had not been so befuddled by their bizarre attempt to help him that he had allowed the opportunity they had provided to slip by unused. She had always considered him the best of captains, and it was readily apparent that Raven was of equally high caliber. She was too thrilled by their success to be goaded to anger by his reminder of their bargain.

  “I know I sounded very ungrateful before, and I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think that I put a higher value on the lives of my father and his crew than you and your men.”

  That she could speak such an outrageous lie with a straight face didn’t amaze Raven, only that she had bothered. “We agreed on honesty remember? Just how little you think of us is far more plain in your actions than your words.” When she opened her mouth to protest that opinion, he promptly cut her off. “You got what you wanted and so did I, so there’s no point in arguing about how we went about it.”

  “You’re being very unfair,” Eden insisted stubbornly. “In the first place, you offered your help, I didn’t demand it. But I’m sure you’d have done the same thing had you had the opportunity to save” She paused as she tried to think of someone he cared enough about to rescue, and had to give up the effort when she realized she didn’t know any such person now that Alex was dead. “A friend,” she finally added. “You’d not allow someone you cared about to come to harm if you could prevent it.”

  Raven continued to regard Eden with a skeptical glance. They had hurriedly draped canvas over the bow and stern so her name could not be read and he doubted he would ever be called upon to explain his actions that day. “Your opinion of me seems to change with the hour. As soon as we’re certain there are no other Union vessels nearby, I’ll invite your father to come aboard. I’m sure he’s as anxious to speak with you as you are to see him. You may tell him the truth about Alex, of course, but not about our bargain. I’d rather my father-in-law didn’t consider me the bastard you do.”Jamaican Wind’s

  Raven had gotten his way, and Eden did not understand why he was being so obnoxious. Maybe he had not expected her to accept his terms and was angry she had forced him to keep his side of their bargain.
Whatever his reasons, she had no time to pursue them now when she would need all her wits to devise a means to describe the recent events in her life to her father that would not prompt him to instantly disown her.

  When Nathan Sinclair and several of his officers came on board, Eden rushed into her father’s arms, and he responded to her affectionate greeting with equal enthusiasm, lifting her off her feet in a boisterous hug. He had taken the time to clean up and change into a uniform that wasn’t blackened by smudges of gunpowder. He had had no hope of seeing any of his family anytime soon, and could not truly believe Eden was standing in his arms until he had hugged her repeatedly.

  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?”