Simply Heaven (28 page)

She smiled. "I seem to remember I wasn't fighting at all. I wondered if you even thought about it. You never seemed to when I was around."

"Neither did you," he pointed out, and she had to agree. "Besides, it's been rough these past weeks. I knew I'd miss Ned, but I never realized how much till he died."

"And I didn't know how deeply I had come to care for him. He was everything you tried to tell me he was, and I thank God I had time to find that out."

"So am I. And I'm also glad you decided to stay"—he leaned to kiss the tip of her nose and grin—"for lots of reasons."

She snuggled against him, reveling in his warmth, his closeness, and wondered how many nights she had dreamed of being with him this way.

He held her for a moment, then felt pressed to say, "I couldn't help overhearing Julius say he'd asked you to marry him. I guess I don't have to tell you his motive."

"So he'd get everything right away as my husband? No, I didn't have to think very long about that either. But I'm hoping I can talk to him and smooth things over. I don't want him for an enemy."

"I'll be surprised if you ever have him for a friend. What about Lisbeth?"

She didn't want to go into all the details of how Lisbeth was constantly belittling her for so many things, like not being able to arrange flowers properly and forgetting the right silverware to use. Raven tried to please but was embarrassed to admit she never seemed able to, so she said glumly, "I probably should have taken their offer."

"What offer?" he asked sharply. When she told him, he shook his head in disgust. "I might have known they'd think of something like that. Ned figured they would but didn't know how to get around it and just hoped you'd turn them down."

"But I shouldn't have."

"Don't say that. From what I hear, you're doing a fine job. Lisbeth and Julius will grow up one day and accept things as they are. Lisbeth will get married and move away, and Julius will settle down in Mobile."

She laughed softly. "I don't imagine I have to worry about his wanting to marry me after tonight."

"No. But from the way I saw the men flocking around you at the reception, I don't imagine you'll have a shortage of proposals."

"All wanting to marry me so they can take over Halcyon, no doubt."

They were both still naked, and he began to run the flat of his hand down her breasts, across her belly, and back up again. "Not necessarily," he murmured. "I would think they'd have a few other things in mind."

"Such as?" she teased. Her fingers were beginning a dance of their own, twining in the soft mat of hair on his chest.

"Such as this." He turned to claim her mouth again, his hand moving between her legs.

She pressed against him, ready, eager to let the magic happen again.

He raised his lips ever so slightly. "Midnight will be our special hour. Tomorrow night. Every night. Come to me. I can't promise you anything except that while we're together I'll do everything I can to give you pleasure. We have to protect your virtue. You'll be dealing with businessmen: lawyers, bankers. It wouldn't do for it to be known that you're sleeping with your horse trainer"—he flashed a grin in the moonlight—"so it will be our secret."

"And no more trips to Mobile to visit the wharves?" she asked lightly, not sure she had the right but wanting to feel she was the only woman in his life for the present, at least.

Steve easily grasped her meaning. He knew how women were. Even when it was understood a future together was not in the offing, they did not like to share a man. Whores, of course, didn't care about anything except being paid, but he'd never had many of those anyway. Because even though he dared not give his heart, he did enjoy the closeness of a relationship.

Feeling as he did, it was easy for him to assure her that he wanted no other and confided, "I haven't wanted anyone since I met you."

"Oh, don't tease me." She managed to speak above the joyous roaring within her at the thought it might be true. "I saw you from the hotel window that night in Mobile, walking toward the waterfront. The maid said that's why the men went down there—for women."

"Well, there are other reasons. Gambling. Drinking."

He wasn't about to tell her he had intended to bed another but had been unable. That might reveal she had more of a hold on his heart than he'd ever felt for any woman. He had to get over that and think solely of pleasure, nothing beyond. What was between them was good. What awaited them in the future might be even better, as they learned to please each other in countless ways. That was the way it had to be, because he knew that was the way Raven wanted it. He was not about to make a fool of himself by letting her think he sometimes wondered if there could be more.

"Enough talk." He nibbled at her ear, his fingers dropping between her thighs to bring her to fever pitch. "It ought to be midnight right about now, and that's our time, so let the magic begin, sweetheart..."

He began to take her to soar among the stars once more.

And Raven knew, beyond all doubt, that she enjoyed the flight all the more... because she loved him.

Chapter 21

Lisbeth was so upset she had scarcely slept a wink all night. At the first light of dawn, she was up and padding quietly down the hall to see how Julius was feeling.

She was surprised to find his door ajar. She pushed it open and stepped into his parlor, only to be even more bewildered by the sight of all the trunks and valises standing about. Just then Harold came out of the bedroom, carrying a stack of neatly folded shirts. "What is going on here?" she demanded, aghast. "Where is Julius, and why are you packing his things?"

"Because I'm moving out, that's why." Julius breezed into the room. "And keep your voice down. We've got guests, remember? I'm trying to get out of here before they wake up." He turned to Harold. "What you don't have packed you can bring to me later. I'm leaving right away." He was pulling on his coat.

Lisbeth was flabbergasted. "You're moving out? I don't understand. You can't do this."

"Oh, can't I? Just watch me." He winced with pain as he struggled into a sleeve. "You should see my wounds. I'm covered with bruises, and Harold was pulling thorns out of my backside for three hours. If I ever do come back, I swear I'll have those damned rosebushes ripped out by the roots. The thorns are sharp as a knife."

"But you still haven't told me why you're leaving. Where will you go?"

"To Mobile. To do what my dearly departed stepfather stipulated that I must do if I don't want to live like a pauper the rest of my life: work at the shipyards. There are some rooms over the main office that Ned used when he stayed overnight. I'll move in there." He grimaced at the thought of such spartan accommodations, but it was the best he could do for the time being.

Lisbeth dropped to a sofa, her head swimming. "But why now? And what am I going to tell everybody?"

His teeth ground together to think of the humiliation he had suffered, in addition to the agony. "How can you even ask? Isn't it obvious? I refuse to be around our half-breed stepsister any longer. As for what to tell people, they already know: She went on the warpath and tried to kill me."

"What did you do to her on the terrace, Julius?"

"What do you mean?"

"You did something to make her mad. I know she's uncivilized, but frankly I find it hard to believe she would just go completely crazy and throw you in the rose garden." There, she thought. She had voiced her growing suspicions, and it was not because she was taking up for Raven. She just knew how odious her brother could be.

He towered over her, hands on his hips, eyes flashing his disgust. "Oh, so now it's all my fault."

"I didn't say that. I just asked what started it. We both know you'd had too much to drink. Did you do something ungentlemanly?"

"No I just asked her to marry me."

Lisbeth gasped. "And she threw you in the rosebushes? Because you proposed to her?"

"Exactly. It made her mad, because she said she knew the only reason I wanted to marry her was to get my hands on Halcyon, and she swore that would never happen and said if it was the last thing she ever did she'd get rid of both of us. Then she went berserk and picked me up as if I were no more than a puppy, swung me round and round over her head till I was dizzy, and threw me. It was terrifying. You were right: she
is
a savage. I don't intend to let her get her hands on me again, you can be sure of that. And she can have Halcyon too. I'm not willing to get myself killed over it."

"But... but what am I going to do?" Lisbeth's hand fluttered to her throat. She felt sick.

"Well, since my plan didn't work, see if you can come up with something better. I give up."

"But what about today? You're supposed to lead the hunt. And then there's the barbecue this evening. You're dumping everything in my lap. It's not fair."

Julius took his hat that Harold was holding out to him. "Well, that's too bad, but it can't be helped. Get Steve to lead the hunt. As for my absence, just say I'm too sore from the—shall we say—
fall
that I suffered last night."

"Please don't leave me like this," she begged.

"Oh, wake up, Lisbeth," he said irritably. "It's time you realized nothing is going to make her leave now. Can you blame her? She's lived like an animal her whole life and now she's richer than her wildest dreams. So it's over. Ned got what he wanted. Now I'm going to get busy and work my tail off so I can get my inheritance one day, and if you're smart you'll corner Barley today and get him to propose to you so you can get out of here and take your dowry with you. Now good-bye," he said, with a tip of his hat, "and good luck."

He walked out.

Lisbeth stared furiously after him, but not for long. She raced back to her room and rang for Mariah, who appeared a few moments later, out of breath and worried as to why her mistress would summon her so early. She, of course, had been up for hours to see that the kitchen workers got the mammoth breakfast prepared for the houseful of guests.

Lisbeth was getting dressed and barked an order. "Send someone to the stable to find Steve and tell him he's to meet me on the east veranda as quick as he can get there. Hurry. Tell him it's important; there's not a moment to spare."

Mariah did not know what to think. She had just seen Julius leaving, and now Lisbeth seemed to be on the verge of hysterics. "Lord, child, what's going on around here?"

"Please, there's no time. Just do as I ask. And if any of the guests inquire about Julius, tell them he's not feeling well and is spending the day in bed."

Mariah was even more baffled, because she knew that wasn't so, but she didn't argue and went to do as she was told.

Finally dressed, Lisbeth hurried to meet Steve, expecting him to be waiting. Instead, she found Joshua standing apologetically on the lawn to explain that Steve had been gone since dawn.

"Gone? Where?" Dear Lord, don't let him have taken off for Mobile, she prayed. Surely he wouldn't, not with all that was going on.

"To be with Selena."

She lifted a brow. "What for?"

Joshua wished he did not have to talk about such things, but he had to answer Miss Lisbeth or be in big trouble. "I think 'cause it's her time. She sent somebody to fetch him, and just a while ago one of the women told me old Sadie, the midwife, had gone to the Leroux cabin."

"Well, you get yourself over there right away and tell him I need him to lead the men's hunt today because Master Julius isn't well. Now go."

He took off running, and Lisbeth forced herself to sit down and try to compose herself. If any guests meandered out to the veranda, it wouldn't do for them to find her distraught.

After what seemed hours, Joshua came running back, out of breath, eyes wide with fear of her reaction when he relayed the message that Steve was not coming. "He said he was stayin' with Selena till the baby gets here, and he also said since she was havin' a hard time, it might take the better part of the day."

Exasperated, Lisbeth got up and ran into the house, muttering under her breath that if it was the last thing she ever did, she would get even with Raven for all the grief she had caused.