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“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?”
