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Eden blinked back her tears. “Raven has never learned to keep his thoughts to himself, no matter how vile they are. But I can’t bear to have you at each other’s throats. Let me go and get him so he can at least tell you goodbye.”
“He knows I’m leaving. I told him so this afternoon. That’s what we were talking about when you came into his cabin.”
That neither man had confided that information in her made Eden feel all the more wretched. “Raven is fond of saying that this is now my home as well as his. If you ever need a safe port again, I’ll demand he make you welcome.”
Nathan gathered his daughter into a loving hug. “I love you too much to put you in the middle, sweetheart. There are many ports in the Caribbean where we’re able to buy coal and provisions, so I can’t imagine returning here unless our situation becomes truly dire. Now smile for me, so I can remember how pretty you are.”
When he took a step back, Eden did her best to grant his request, but she wasn’t all that successful. “I love you too, Daddy. Please be careful.” Her father gave her a quick kiss, then let himself out the front door. Eden hoped with all her heart it would not be the last time she saw him. She turned and went back into the drawing room and, still distraught, was quite naturally drawn to Alex’s portrait. His engaging smile reminded her all too painfully of the love she had lost, and she could not bear to think she might lose her father too.
As she rested her hands on the mantel, a drop of wax caught her eye, and Eden wondered which of the servants had carelessly left a candle burning so near Alex’s portrait. She made a mental note to tell Yadira to caution the staff to be more careful, then thought better of it. One droplet of wax was scarcely cause for alarm, and since she did not want to discuss Alex with the housekeeper, she decided to keep the matter to herself.
Having absolutely no idea what to say to Raven, Eder did not look for him before going upstairs to bed. Perhaps he had actually tried to keep his opinions to himself, but he had certainly failed. To make matters worse, her father was every bit as proud and stubborn a man as Raven was. Neither had a forgiving nature and there was probably no hope they would ever develop a mutual respect now. She was positive insults less bitter than the ones they had exchanged had caused permanent rifts in other families, and would be no less damaging to hers.
When she reached the second floor, Eden saw the housekeeper about to enter her room. She called out to her and Yadira remained by the door.
“Thank you for providing another wonderful evening, Yadira. Did you need to speak with me?”
The soft-spoken housekeeper held out a small silver tray on which she had placed half a dozen crackers. “I thought you might feel ill in the mornings, my lady. A cracker or two will settle your stomach.”
Although she was puzzled by Yadira’s suggestion, Eden accepted the tray. “My health is excellent, but I appreciate your concern.”
Yadira’s dark eyes remained devoid of warmth despite her smile. “You need not pretend with me. Raven told me you will have his child in the spring. You must be very proud.”
Proud did not begin to describe how Eden felt at that moment. “Yes, of course,” she managed to lie smoothly, and she slipped into her room before Yadira noticed she was gripping the small tray so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Not caring whether or not the housekeeper’s remedy for morning sickness was effective, she set the tray on her dresser and went into Raven’s room. When she found it empty, she sat down to wait for him.
Nearly thirty minutes passed before Raven appeared and by then Eden’s anger had become a full-blown rage. By the time he had closed the door, she was out of her chair and half way across the room. Her voice was low so it would not carry past the door, but her tone was vicious. “That you would insult my father is bad enough, but that you would tell Yadira about the baby when we agreed not to tell anyone until after the holidays is unforgivable. I can understand why you felt you had to confide in Julian, but not Yadira. I don’t even want her in this house! How could you possibly have imagined I’d want her to know something so personal?”
After the way they had parted downstairs, Raven had not expected their next conversation to go well. He had already steeled himself for what he considered an unavoidable confrontation, and his mood was one of icy calm. He peeled off his jacket, tossed it aside, then removed his tie. He could not recall Eden ever losing her temper with him twice in one day, but the way she told it, he certainly deserved it. Knowing the best defense is always a vigorous offense, he ignored her hostile accusations.
“I’ve just been down at the docks talking with your father. I told him that I’ll supply whatever capital he requires when the War’s over. The shipyard is still in operation, but the Confederate government owes him more money for keeping their ships afloat than they’ve paid and you know as well as I do that he’ll never see it. Like most loyal Southerners, he’s funding the War with his personal fortune and he’ll not be able to recover his losses. While he didn’t leap at the chance to have me as a partner, he didn’t turn me down either. He told me the Sinclairs have been building ships since Colonial times, and I find becoming part of that tradition appeals to me.
“As for Yadira, I spoke to her before you asked me to send her away. She has a maddeningly superior attitude at times and I had hoped telling her about the baby would make her more sympathetic. Believe me, she’s not prone to gossip and our secret will go no further.”
Eden preferred Raven’s anger to the arrogance he was displaying now and she felt no less abused. Letting his offer to her father slide for the moment, she concentrated on the baby. “How many others have you told?”
“I’ve not told anyone else, nor do I intend to.”
“This whole farce is a mistake, Raven. Neither of us is comfortable with lies, and—”
“You gave me your word, Eden, and I intend to see that you keep it.”
Recognizing his mood as an intractable one, Eden simply channeled her anger in another direction. “There are some people who thrive on danger. Most are gamblers and adventurers who don’t feel alive unless something’s at risk. I’m beginning to suspect you’re that kind of man.”
“That’s possible,” Raven agreed with a slow smile. “The placid life we could lead at Briarcliff has never appealed to me.”
Briarcliff was associated with too many poignant memories of Alex for Eden to want to talk about it. “No, a quiet country life definitely does not suit you,” she said instead.
“Going to sea as young as I did spoils a man. There’s only one thing that compares with the constant challenge of sailing.”
“And what is that?” Eden asked flippantly.
Raven did not respond with words. Instead he slipped his arms around her waist to draw her near for a kiss he did not end until she had not only relaxed in his embrace, but had begun to cling to him, silently begging for more. At that precise instant he released her. “You were the one I wished to protect when I insisted we marry. Regardless of what your father mistakenly believes, I had no other dark, devious motive. If I have a flaw, it’s that I’m too honest, not that I’m deceitful.”
“If you have a flaw?” Eden asked sarcastically.
“You think I have a great many?”
Eden found it impossible to meet his gaze, and hoping he would not realize how difficult it was for her to respond to that question, she began to unbutton his shirt. “You’re not only bright, Raven, but rich as well, and that gives you a clear advantage over most people. If things don’t go your way, I think you’re capable of taking whatever action necessary to see that they do.”
