“Let’s hope not.” He had frequently gone over how he would tell Alex’s staff and friends about his passing, but the possibility that the storm that had driven them off course might have struck the northern coast of Jamaica had not occurred to him. He had been looking forward to coming home with a nearly painful anticipation, and he did not want to find the plantation any less perfect than when he and Alex had left it, for Eden’s sake as well as his own.
Enchanted by Jamaica’s verdant natural beauty, Eden remained by Raven’s side as the ship entered the Rio Bueno. The river bottom had been dredged in the early years of sugar production, and frequently since, to allow ships to be loaded at the plantation docks which stood approximately one hundred yards upriver. As the wooden structures came into view, Eden turned back to watch for the Southern Knight, which had been closing the distance between them rapidly, while Raven was interested only in assessing possible damage from the storm.
As soon as the gangplank was lowered, Raven excused himself. “I want to go up to the house first and tell everyone about Alex. I don’t want them all weeping and wailing when they should be at their best to welcome you. I hope you won’t mind staying on board for a while.”
Eden considered it very thoughtful of him to ask. “Of course not. I’ll wait here for you.”
Raven kissed her cheek lightly, then hurried away. Remaining at the rail, Eden watched him start up the dirt road toward the plantation that still lay out of sight. Apparently the staff had sighted the masts above the tree tops, however, for half a dozen women were already running toward the river. Raven waited where he stood, then held out his arms to keep the enthusiastic group from going past him.Jamaican Wind’s
Eden had expected him to have Negro servants, and was surprised when one appeared to be a most attractive Spanish woman. She was tall and slender, with ebony hair worn in a chignon. Unlike the others, she was not wearing an apron, although she was dressed in a simple gray gown that a servant might wear.
While Eden could not overhear Raven’s words, she saw the shock and grief register in the women’s faces and knew they had loved Alex too. Only the Spanish beauty appeared unmoved, but in the next instant she swayed slightly, and had Raven not caught her when she fainted, she would have fallen in the dirt of the road. Thinking her husband would surely need her now, Eden started toward the gangplank, but Randy MacDermott swiftly blocked her way.
“Yadira Morales is the dramatic sort. You needn’t concern yourself about her. She’ll have recovered by the time she reaches the house.”
Eden sighed impatiently, then decided to accept Randy’s word rather than argue since Raven had asked her to remain on the ship for a while. “She’s very attractive. Is she one of the maids?”
Randy shook his head. “She’s the housekeeper, came here right after Eleanora died.”
That neither Alex nor Raven had ever mentioned they employed such a lovely housekeeper puzzled Eden for a moment, until she realized each had described only the beauty of the island, and never the residents. Actually, she was pleased to find the housekeeper was a young woman and hoped they would get along well and become good friends.
“Here’s your father’s ship now,” Randy pointed out. “I’ll bet he’s anxious to see you again.”
“Oh yes, I’m certain he is and I can’t wait to see him either.” Eden did not think she would upset Raven if she remained at the docks, and with Randy by her side, she left the Jamaican Wind as soon as the Southern Knight had tied up at the dock behind them. She returned her father’s wave, and nearly danced with excitement as she waited for him to reach her. When she saw Michael Devane following him, she hurriedly glanced over her shoulder to look for Raven and was relieved to see he had not yet returned.
Nathan again wrapped Eden in a boisterous hug, but he had encouraged Michael’s interest in her, despite the fact she was now a countess, and he swiftly stepped aside to allow the young man to speak with her. Not about to waste an opportunity to kiss the pretty blonde, Michael did just that.
Startled by what she considered an overly affectionate greeting, Eden took her father’s arm. “Will you please excuse us for a moment, Michael? I need to speak with my father.”
While he was disappointed Eden did not seem particularly happy to see him, Michael responded with another broad smile. Blond and blue-eyed, he knew he was handsome and was confident that she had always liked him since all the other girls in Richmond most certainly had. “Of course, talk as long as you please. We’ll be here for a week at least and there will be plenty of time for th
e two of us to talk.”
Although she was uncertain just what she and the overly attentive officer had to discuss, Eden replied that she would look forward to it. Once she had drawn her father aside, she forgot Michael completely. “Have you told everyone that I was widowed before I married Raven?” she asked in a breathless rush.
Because that was not the type of news he wished to circulate, Nathan glanced toward the heavens in a silent plea for the strength to handle the tangle his lively daughter had made of her life.
“No, I said only that you’d wed the Earl of Clairbourne. I didn’t reveal how many times you’d done it.”
“Good. Raven wishes to keep the fact I was married to Alex a secret until after the baby comes.”
“Good Lord, Eden. Whose baby are you having?”
Eden had forgotten her father didn’t know she was pregnant, and he wore too horrified an expression for her to think he was pleased about it. “I’m sorry. I should have told you when last I saw you. Please forgive me for not doing so.”
Nathan dismissed that request with an impatient wave. “Whose child is it?” he asked again in a hoarse whisper that readily conveyed his annoyance.
“The babe is Alex’s, but I didn’t realize there would be a child when I married Raven.”
“Well of course not, he didn’t give you time to consider anything at all!”
“Daddy, please don’t be angry with Raven. We did the only thing we could under the circumstances.”
Nathan turned away to shield her from the string of oaths he could not suppress, but when he faced her again, his expression was no less dark. “The man is up to no good, sweetheart. I can’t believe that you don’t see that. He rushed you into marriage, and now he expects you to keep your marriage to Alex a secret so no one will know what a scoundrel he is. I don’t like the sound of any of this and I’ll tell him so, too!”
“Daddy, please! After Raven was kind enough to invite you here where you can make your repairs without fear of attack it would be most ungrateful of you to insult him. Don’t forget the arms either I know you need them too badly to refuse them out of pride just because you suspect Raven’s motives.”
He was thoroughly disgusted, but Nathan had to admit she was right and nodded. His scowl didn’t lessen, however. “All right, I’ll hold my tongue for the time being, but the minute the War’s over—”