Page 47 of The Raven and the Rose
Alice gasped. “But Lady Roseanna, it’s so sheer you can see through it!”
“Yes,” mused Roseanna with relish. “I know.” She opened one of her coffers and selected a white shift delicately embroidered with silver thread, then donned the sheer underdress and stood before her mirror to gauge its effect. She lifted her arms high; the long filmy sleeves floated down until they touched the delicate folds of the skirt. If she stared very hard, she could just discern the deep rose-pink aureoles that circled her nipples. Kate stood behind her with pursed lips. “Kate, stop disapproving and fetch my jewel coffer.”
Kate Kendall handed her mistress the heavy leather coffer that held the lovely jewelry her mother had designed for her.
“When Ravenspur came to your chamber last night, I sent him away on the thin excuse of your spinning head. If you dine with him dressed so, I doubt that even I will be able to fob him off tonight.”
“Did he really come last night?” asked Roseanna, inordinately pleased with herself. “Thank you, Kate. You saved me, and you will do exactly the same tonight or I shall banish you back to Castlemaine!” Roseanna teased. “Alice, I want you to brush all my hair to one side, like so. Let some of it fall down my back and some fall down my front so that it almost but not quite covers my left cheek and shadows my eye. Brush the other side up and back completely so that my neck and ear are bared, and then put this lovely sapphire moon-and-stars clasp just to the side of my temple.”
Kate scrutinized her as Alice brushed her hair. “Ravenspur will be able to see clear through to your tit-ties!”
Roseanna blushed. “I don’t care.”
Kate shook her head. “I’ll have to get you some hemlock to put in his wine.”
“Good God, I don’t want to kill him!” said Roseanna, shocked.
Kate was disgusted. “Brainless child. It’s good against your husband’s lechery—in small amounts, of course.”
“A poisonous tongue is a better weapon than a poisonous cup of wine,” said Roseanna firmly. “I must go down, for I don’t wish to arrive late. He must find no fault with my behavior this evening.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “That will last ten minutes, and that’s stretching it. Roseanna’s best behavior, forsooth!” she hooted.
Serenely Roseanna floated from the room and went down to the castle’s private living quarters. Mr. Burke had set up a lovely table for two in the alcove and was just placing the goblets for the wine. Roseanna nodded to him politely but stayed across the room in case his sharp eyes saw through the material of her bodice.
One wall was covered by a large tapestry that must have taken years to complete. The workmanship was so fine, it actually looked like a painting. It showed some sort of banquet in which a man and woman were being served by many and were even being entertained by musicians. Ravenspur’s voice, close behind her, momentarily startled her, but she did not jump.
“It is a banquet of the gods. The eagle and peacock mark the presence of Zeus, king of the gods, and his consort, Hera. The god Pan provides music, as does Apollo with his lyre. Ganymede is serving them nectar, and the bow, arrows, and wings denote the presence of Eros, god of love.”
“I did not know you were a student of the classics.” As she turned to face him, his dark eyes lingered a moment on her mouth, then lowered to her breasts, which thrust boldly above the neckline of the filmy underdress. “I am not a serious student, but I have a fondness for beauty,” he said as he lifted his eyes to hers. “Thank you for joining me, Roseanna,” he murmured.
She raised a delicate brow. “I wasn’t aware that I had a choice.”
A slight frown creased his brow. “You will always have a choice. You think me some monster who must be obeyed?”
“You forced me to wed you against my will. Where was my choice then, my lord?” Her eyes blazed their challenge. Her best behavior had lasted nowhere close to ten minutes.
“A fate worse than death,” he murmured with a humorous glint in his eyes. He was determined that she would provoke no arguments tonight. He was dressed in a black padded doublet that emphasized his unbelievably wide shoulders. The only touch of color was a ruby in his ear. In their black and white they looked like bride and bridegroom. He bowed before her, took her hand, and led her to the table. He held her chair for her. His hands ached to caress her shoulders, but he restrained the impulse and took the chair opposite her. “Let us enjoy Burke’s supper without being at each other’s throats, my love.”
“I quite like Mr. Burke. He’s been with you for many years and must know where all your skeletons are buried.”
He ignored the barb. “Yes, he came from our estate in Ireland over twenty years ago.”
Her eyebrows went up. “You have a castle in Ireland?”
“Not exactly a castle. An estate of about fifty acres with a lovely manor house,” he told her as he poured mead into her goblet.
“They say Ireland is ideal for breeding horses. Whereabout in Ireland is your land?” she asked with quick interest.
The corners of his mouth lifted in amusement as he saw the speculation in her eyes. “It’s not far from Ravenglass Castle, on the west coast. It’s just a short run across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man, and then another short sail to Drogheda.”
“Do you have ships?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied smoothly. “Do you enjoy sailing?”
“I’ve never been aboard a ship, but the thought of sailing across the sea is thrilling.”
He smiled as he raised his goblet to her. “There are many thrilling things you haven’t yet tried.”
