AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, I see.”
“You don’t seem pleased.” Raven held his breath, hoping she would not object to the doctor’s presence that night.
“I feel fine. I don’t need to be under a doctor’s care.”
“Humor us, Eden. I want you to stay well and so does your father.”
Eden tried to smile, but she already felt as though she had to work much too hard to humor her husband as it was.
As Eden came down the stairs that evening, she was alarmed by the sound of angry male voices coming from the study. They had visited her father’s ship without mishap, and she had been so looking forward to spending a pleasant evening with him. As she drew close, she was relieved it was not her father’s voice that was raised in harsh tones, but nonetheless dismayed that someone was having a heated argument with her husband. She hesitated to enter the study, and yet did not want to stand at the door and eavesdrop. When she sensed, rather than heard, someone approach, she turned to find Yadira watching her from the hallway.
“Do you know who’s with my husband?”
Yadira was dressed in black that night, and seemed almost to float her steps were so light as she drew near. “It is Julian, and his sister. You were not downstairs to greet them when they arrived.”
Eden thought that point too obvious to merit comment, and could not imagine why Yadira thought she had the right to mention it either. She had checked the time. The doctor and his sister were early; she wasn’t late. Not about to make excuses to the housekeeper, though, she dismissed her with a nod and entered the study without further delay.
“You must be Dr. Ryan,” she greeted him graciously, “and Miss Ryan, I’m so pleased to meet you too.”
Raven could not suppress a smile as he observed Julian’s startled expression. The physician had obviously not expected Eden to be such a stunning young woman, but as always, Raven was filled with pride that she was. She was wearing the ice blue gown that night, and that also pleased him.
Eden judged Julian to be in his early forties. His light brown hair lacked even a hint of a curl and dipped low over his forehead. His eyes were gray, his nose quite prominent, and his square jaw jutted out at a belligerent angle. He was not quite six feet tall, with a build as solid as his features. He was the type who could be described as distinguished rather than handsome, and yet she could not help but think a smile would improve his appearance enormously. Unfortunately, the physician appeared to be in no mood to smile.
Rebecca shared her older brother’s fair coloring, but her features were far more refined. While no one had ever remarked on her beauty, she was actually quite pretty. She seemed almost painfully shy as she greeted Eden. “I’m Mrs. Yardley, a widow,” she explained after an anxious glance at her brother.
Eden wished Raven had told her something about this pair so she would have known what to expect. Rebecca was dressed in a black satin gown of modest design whose high neckline and long sleeves covered her petite figure completely. Her only jewelry was a gold wedding band. Eden could not help but wonder when Mr. Yardley had died, as there was a great deal of difference between a woman who had been recently widowed and one who simply chose to wear mourning garb forever.
Despite Eden’s presence, Julian was unwilling to be distracted from his purpose, and swiftly resumed the argument. “It is Queen Victoria’s own edict that ships engaged in war may not occupy her ports for more than twenty-four hours. Clearly the Southern Knight has already exceeded that limit.”
“The ship isn’t docked in one of her majesty’s ports, but in mine,” Raven pointed out.
“Alex would never have flaunted the Queen’s wishes,” Julian replied in the same strident tone that Eden had overheard. “I can’t believe you actually think you can do it and escape censure.”
Raven flinched at the mention of his late uncle’s name. His dark eyes narrowed, but before he could give what Eden was certain would surely be a scathing response, she moved to his side. “You’re mistaken, Dr. Ryan. Alex and I spoke frequently about America’s Civil War, and he graciously offered whatever assistance he could provide. Were he here tonight, I know he would ask you to keep your thoughts to yourself, and if you could not treat our guests politely, he would bid you good night without further delay.”
Raven broke into a wide grin as he slipped his arm around Eden’s waist and drew her near. “She’s right, Julian. While I invited you here in hopes you’d have a pleasant evening, if you feel that’s impossible, I won’t insist that you stay.”
Julian looked toward his sister, who shook her head in a silent plea for restraint. “You really should have told us in your note that your father-in-law was a Confederate officer and I would have sent our regrets. Since we’re already here, we’ll try and make the best of it.”
“That’s very kind of you, Dr. Ryan,” Eden assured him with an enchanting smile even though he had been less than gracious about remaining. “Why don’t we all go into the drawing room to wait for my father and his men. They should be here soon.”
Julian’s frown hadn’t lifted, but he followed Eden from the room without further complaint. His sister, however, seemed greatly relieved the matter was settled for the time being.
Eden was able to exchange only a few words with Rebecca Yardley before Nathan arrived with eighteen of his officers. Clad in their dress uniforms, she thought they looked absolute
ly splendid, although in his evening clothes, Raven looked equally dashing. Besides Michael Devane, there were a couple of others she recognized from home but she greeted every man with equal warmth. She was pleased when, although Rebecca blushed constantly, the widow seemed interested in meeting everyone, even if her brother did no more than reply to introductions with a scowl and a nod.
Raven had vowed not to do or say anything to embarrass Eden that night, but it came as something of a surprise that the men gathered around his table were so charming a group he had no desire to challenge them on their political beliefs. Some were barely out of their teens. Only the ship’s surgeon and Nathan were older than thirty. While they did want to discuss the War, it was only their own exploits they wished to recount.
“Captain, have you told Eden how we were nearly caught by blockaders because of a bird?” Michael Devane inquired once the meal was under way. He was disappointed he had not been seated beside the lovely blonde, where there would have been an opportunity for him to converse with her privately.
Nathan took a long swallow of wine before shaking his head. “That’s a story I’ll not repeat but go ahead if you must. Just don’t mention where it happened.”
“Tell us all about it, Michael,” Eden coaxed enthusiastically. “It sounds like an amusing story.”
Michael hesitated a moment, then seized the opportunity to capture her undivided attention and began to spin the tale. “It was in the dead of night. We’d managed to slip through the blockade and come in close to shore. The fog was so thick we were all straining to make out the entrance of the, well, of the river, and expecting that at any second a half-dozen Union gunboats would appear. Gradually the fog began to lift, but before your father could give the order to start the engines, there came the most gawdawful shriek you can imagine. It was so loud it nearly rattled our teeth. The devil himself couldn’t have produced a whistle that shrill. We all knew that unless a blockader had a stone-deaf crew, they would have heard, it, too and be steaming our way at full speed.
“Then it came again. Only this time we were all holding our breath waiting for it. The man closest to the chicken coop realized it was the rooster warming up to greet the dawn and made a dive for him.” Michael paused a few seconds as everyone began to chuckle. “Problem was, he’d yanked the head off the wrong bird before he’d realized it. The hens were all flapping about making a terrible racket and the rooster kept right on crowing.”
