The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  “So others noticed her flirting too,” I mused under my breath, getting angrier by the second.

  “It’s not so much that others noticed, but you made a few comments here and there, Lizzy. I think Priscilla was just watching out for everyone.”

  I nodded, now fuming, and growled, “Whatever.” Glancing up, I noticed Emrys eyeing me. He put a gentle hand on his mother’s shoulder, and excused himself. A moment later he was at my side.

  “Ladies,” he said, nodding to Lindy and Fiona. “I must ask you to excuse us; Elizabeth and I have a prior engagement.” He looked into my eyes and added, “We shall be back in time for dinner.”

  Lindy scrunched her eyebrows together, and Fiona gave me a nervous grin. They both realized along with me that Emrys had decided to rescue me from myself. Another minute of discussing Veronica and I’d blow a fuse in front of the entire family. I was more than happy to vacate this little gathering, and I didn’t even bother to say goodbye to anyone before Emrys whisked me towards the door. As we exited the lounge, I glanced back and saw Fiona and Melinda staring at us with eyes wide and mouths hanging open. Lindy gave me a quick, stunned wave, and the next thing I knew, Emrys had my arm in a tight grip and whizzed me down the hall and up the stairs, my feet barely touching the floor. At first I wasn’t even sure if he was angry with me, or just wanted to get me alone. But by the time we made it to our suite, I knew. Not so much from his silence, but from the fact that I was pinned to the bed in three seconds flat.

  “I think you need a good thrashing, and right about now you should consider yourself lucky that we do not live in the days of old.”

  “I didn’t do a damn thing! What the flaming hell are you talking about, Emrys?”

  “Perhaps you just need a quick attitude adjustment,” he said, ignoring my question.

  I tried to sit up, but he had me trapped beneath him. “Let me go!” I shouted.

  “No one can hear you, my lovely one,” he said low voiced, trying to sound menacing. “They are on the other side of the estate; quite busy enjoying one another’s company. Unlike you, who are here, alone, with me.” His hair fell forward as he leaned in to kiss me and I got a huge whiff of his delicious alluring scent. I tried to turn my head to avoid his lips, but with a firm hand he turned my face back, making eye contact at the same instant.

  This is so unfair.

  “What is unfair? The fact that I rescued you from humiliating yourself in front of everyone or that I am stronger than you?” He raised his head up a few inches, still gazing into my eyes: calming me, melting me, and drawing me in – as usual.

  I laughed softly, feeling nothing but love and tenderness come from his expression. Licking my lips in anticipation, I said, “Oh, just shut up and kiss me already.”

  * * *

  An hour or so later we returned to the lounge. Just before turning into the room, I smiled up at Emrys and said, “You were right, I needed that.”

  Nodding, he snickered, “Yes, built up tension is never a good thing. Everyone needs a release now and again.”

  I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. But he was right. I felt lighter and refreshed. Of course, the giant serving of Ambrosia had helped my mood too. The next time I saw Veronica moseying down the hallway, I didn’t even flinch.

  After a short time visiting with everyone, Priscilla called us to dinner. It was strange to see Ambrose and Phoebe seated at the far end of the table, looking exactly like they’d never left. Amrita sat beside her mother and everyone else had moved over to make room.

  Priscilla had outdone herself and made a gourmet meal fit for a king. She first brought out a wild Arugula salad with grape tomatoes, red onions and candied walnuts. The main course was Linguine Alfredo in a white wine garlic sauce and meatballs on the side. And for dessert she made a Tiramisu cheesecake that was not only dazzling to look at, but creamy and rich. When she sat down to enjoy the dessert with us, everyone raved about her cooking.

  “I thank you all for your many compliments, but do not get too used to it,” Priscilla chuckled. “This meal was made to welcome home my dear friend, Phoebe, and we all know this is a once in a life-time event.” She lifted her glass and said, “To Phoebe. After all the years of sadness, may you finally find that peace and tranquility here at Ravenswynd that you so deserve. I am glad to have you home, and I am sure everyone around this table agrees with me.”

  Everyone did agree, lifting his or her glasses to toast Phoebe. Latimer raised his glass higher and said, “And to Ambrose, a courageous Raven, bringing joy to his family once again.”

  Emrys gave me a sideways glance when I cleared my throat, apparently afraid I would say something derogatory. After all, what Latimer had said could be taken two ways. Either at face value, or perhaps he meant to insinuate that before Ambrose’s return, there was little joy in the Ravenswynd abode. But I surprised Emrys when I said, “Yes, and many thanks to you Ambrose. You have made your son very happy indeed.”

  Amrita gave Ambrose a warm smile, agreeing with my sentiments. “And you have brought me much joy as well, Ambrose.” She put her hand on Phoebe’s arm and nodded. “I am happier than I ever thought was possible.”

  Phoebe gave her daughter a quick hug and wiped a stray tear. Everyone went back to eating and drinking and enjoying one another’s company. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend an evening than this - surrounded by loved ones – a real family. Glancing across the table at Melinda, I caught her eye. Without a word passing between us, she nodded and smiled. She felt the love and sense of belonging too. Emrys put a hand on mine and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “Twin power?” he asked.

  “Yep, that’s it,” I said, grinning back at my sister. Turning my gaze to Emrys I added, “And you are not allowed to be jealous of our special connection either. After all, you already know everything flying through my brain, now don’t you?”

  “I do.” He leaned closer to my ear and whispered, “And I definitely like it when I catch you thinking passionate thoughts of me!” His lips brushed my earlobe sending a shiver down my spine. “See, there you go again,” he quipped, sitting back with an amused grin.

  I raised a suggestive eyebrow at him. “I doubt if you want me to imagine too much now, do you dear?” I thought about our escapades only a few hours back - in minor detail, concentrating on one particular moment. And then for added effect, I licked my lips.

  Emrys’ eyes flew wide open and then he promptly shut them, hoping to maintain a dignified demeanor. Trying to be casual, but not succeeding, he glared at me and whispered, “Please…stop.”

  I laughed at how easy it was to ruffle him up with only a few erotic memories. Lucky for him, Melinda got my attention and reminded me of her question about baby-sitting again.

  As it turned out, Emrys had made travel plans for that Friday; and I told Lindy that I would be happy to watch the babies the week after that. She gave me a curt nod, and said she’d let me know if their reservations could be changed. Melinda’s eyes revealed how upset she really was, but instead of saying anything, she just turned to Fiona and started another conversation. I could see how disappointed she was, but there was nothing I could do about it.

  A few minutes later, Veronica entered the room to clear the dishes. She quickly made her way around the table, never once making eye contact with anyone. It gave me the creeps.

  I glanced at Emrys and found him watching me, watching her. He shook his head slowly. I raised an eyebrow at him and without a word, dared him to say anything negative. He looked away immediately and began to watch Veronica out of the corner of his eye. I wondered if he didn’t want her to see him watching; worried it might give her the wrong idea.

  “Or perhaps,” he whispered, “I am making an attempt to see whatever it is that you are seeing.”

  “Good. It’s about time,” I said, trying not to sound snippy.

  Veronica must have felt our eyes on her. Even though she never looked up, she moved even faster and left the dining room
straightaway. I glared at Emrys. “See. She’s up to something. I can feel it in my bones.”

  Emrys sighed. “I will employ someone to keep a closer eye on her, if it makes you happy.”

  “I would appreciate that very much. Thank you.”

  The next time the kitchen door swung open, instead of Veronica, Heather came through. I wasn’t surprised at all, except by her scent. And, I wasn’t the only one who noticed it either. Phoebe turned her head at once, apparently as appreciative of the deliciousness as I was. We were both on the same wavelength once again, and my fondness for this new mother-in-law of mine was increasing by the second.

  “I am pleased that you like my mother,” Emrys said with a smile.

  “It appears we have a lot in common. We recognize a questionable human when we see one, we both appreciate a delectable donor, and we both love you!” I gazed into Emrys’ eyes.

  He nodded, trying not to laugh, and took his last bite of dessert, eyeing the leftovers on my plate. “Is it your intention to finish that?” he asked, pointing his fork in my direction.

  He scooped up what was left from my dish before I answered, and stuffed it into his mouth. Licking his chocolate lips, he grinned and said, “I love the flavors of Tiramisu.”

  I was too occupied with Heather’s sweet-flavored scent to complain. She scurried around the table, filling our cups with coffee or tea and offering more dessert. I smiled at her as she came near, but it was plain to see her fear. “I’ll pass, Heather. I couldn’t take another bite.”

  Heather nodded and moved as fast as her feet would take her. I didn’t mean to scare her, but apparently she took my comment a bit too literally. She gave me a quick glance as she backed through the kitchen door, looking quite ashen.

  “Lizzy, are you terrorizing that poor girl again?” Kelsey asked playfully.

  I rolled my eyes at her and said, “I didn’t do a thing! I just told her I was too full.”

  Phoebe glanced my way and gave me a knowing grin. I wondered how hard it had been for her all those years away from Ravenswynd. It seemed easy for Emrys to retain donors wherever he went, so I had to believe that Ambrose had many connections as well. Plus they had Sibelle. I was sure she had even more connections, since she was the great Prophetess and had been around for so long.

  Emrys roused me out of my reverie with a touch to my arm. I didn’t realize that all the men had stood up and were about to retire to the smoking lounge. He gave me a quick kiss on my cheek and said, “I will meet you in an hour, my lovely one. I am looking forward to catching up with my father.”

  I nodded and smiled. Glancing at Phoebe and Amrita, and assuming they’d want more time alone too, I decided to join Melinda. I hadn’t spent any time with the triplets that afternoon, so I looked forward to some cuddling. I caught up to her at the stairway and called, “Wait up, Sis.”

  She turned around and gave me a crooked smile. “Snuggle time?” she asked.

  I laughed as we went up the steps. “Yeah, I missed my little lovelies today.”

  At the second floor landing, coming down the steps was none other than Veronica, phone in hand. I nodded at her, but didn’t say a word. And in order to keep the peace between Lindy and me, I started asking questions about where Gavin planned to take her next week for their evening out on the town.

  “He’s taking me to the place you told me about; the restaurant where Graham cooks.”

  “Oh, he’s much more than just a cook. He’s a master chef,” I glanced at her as she opened her door. “If you think Priscilla’s meal was good tonight, wait till you taste his food!”

  I waited until Lindy greeted and asked Gertie how the babies were doing, and for her to leave us before I went on and said, “Oh, Lindy. If you are up for a real treat, get him to make some of his famous after dinner drinks for you.” I opened my eyes wide and nodded.

  “I’m not sure if I care to partake in anything that alters my perception of things. Not after what happened to you. I’m quite sure I’d have the same stupid time-altering effect that you had, and I have the babies to think about.

  “Well, it was quite yummy, that’s for sure,” I said, remembering the flavor. “It was different than any other donor we’ve ever had here, that’s for sure, but you’re probably right. It’s best to keep yourself clear minded when dealing with little ones.”

  I tiptoed into the nursery and was pleased to see that Armand was wide-awake and staring up at his twirling bird mobile. His blue eyes lit up when he saw me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could tell Lindy and me apart. I lifted him up out of his crib and cradled his sweet little head against my chest. I kissed his forehead and slipped quietly back into the living room.

  “The girls are both asleep, but this little night-owl was wide awake.”

  “Well, Gertie did say that he never finished his last bottle. I suppose he’s still hungry.” Lindy came and stood next to me, put a soft hand on his head and crooned. “Mommy’s little man. Such a good baby. He hardly ever cries.” She turned toward the kitchen and said, “I’ll fix him another bottle. You can feed him if you want to; he really loves his Auntie Lizzy.”

  Sighing, I said, “I wonder if they can even tell us apart, Lindy.”

  “I think they can. Just because we look the same doesn’t mean we don’t have different ways of holding them, different scents.” Then as an afterthought, she added, “You know, just like humans do?”

  “You caught that little scene between me and Heather?” I asked, situating myself on the couch with my nephew.

  Amused, Lindy said, “Yep. Everyone did.” She handed me the bottle and looking into my eyes, added, “Sometimes you give too much away, Sis. Your facial expressions are so…out there.” She paused, watching for my reaction, and then sighed, “As a matter of fact, Veronica even asked me why you dislike her so much.”

  “What did you tell her?” I asked, feeling exposed and threatened.

  “No need to get all snarky on me. I’m just trying to be honest with you, Lizzy. I told her it’s because of the way she so blatantly came onto Emrys. But she’s assured me that she stopped her flirting the night you talked to her in the library. She’s upset that no matter how hard she tries, you still dislike her so much.”

  I felt a little guilty, but kept my angry face on and frowned. “Well, she needs to know her place here. And besides, there’s a part of me that still doesn’t trust her anyway. She’s just lucky I trust Emrys, or I’d see to it that she was banished from Ravenswynd.” As soon as the words came out, I realized how harsh it sounded, how arrogant.

  I reasoned with myself: But she isn’t one of us yet, so it doesn’t really count.

  “Lizzy. That’s not like you at all. What’s going on in your mind?”

  “I don’t know. It’s more than the flirting, I guess. It’s just a feeling, nothing I can pinpoint, but still. Emrys told me he would get someone to watch her for a while to make sure she’s not up to anything.”

  “Who do you think he’ll get to do that?” Lindy asked surprised.

  “No clue. I hope it’s someone as dedicated to him as Gavin is though. I’m afraid no one else would be as thorough.”

  “You’re probably right. Gavin is like Emrys’ right-hand man, isn’t he?” she asked, looking proud.

  “He is. Plus, they’re such good friends. He’s like the brother that Emrys never had, I guess.” I lifted Armand up to burp him, gently patting his back, smelling his sweet baby aroma, and kissing his ear. I really loved our snuggly time.

  Just as Armand let out a tiny belch, a knock at the door startled us; we both jumped and began to laugh. Lindy went to the door and Amrita and Phoebe hurried in, all smiles. Phoebe made a beeline to me and scooped Armand out of my arms in three seconds flat. “Oh my, what a darling little boy!” she crooned. “Please forgive me, Elizabeth. But I have not held a baby since the day I handed my darling daughter to Emrys.” She faced Amrita and they exchanged sad smiles.

  I couldn’t help but to reme
mber the scene from Emrys’ perspective. I sighed as Phoebe kissed Armand’s head - repeatedly. A soft wail came from the nursery and Melinda and I jumped up. Most often, if one of them cried, the others were soon to follow. When we came back with our pink bundles, Phoebe nearly went berserk. She flittered between the three babies as if they were fresh mugs of Ambrosia, oohing and aahing, cuddling and kissing. After all the babies were freshly changed and fed, we rocked them soundly to sleep while we quietly chatted about our lives.

  “So, you and Melinda grew up without parents too,” Phoebe said, looking thoughtful. “That is very interesting…and sad.” She gazed down at Armand and stroked his pink cheek with one tender finger. “I would give anything to go back in time and change things.” Looking up again, she looked into Amrita’s eyes and put a hand on her knee. “Anything.”

  Amrita, nodding slowly, and visibly moved, said, “Me too.”

  I couldn’t remember another time when I’d seen Amrita so quiet. It was as if she was just mesmerized; taking everything in that her mother said, watching her closely with Armand, seeing how sweet and gentle she was with him, and imagining what it would have been like for her if Phoebe hadn’t left.

  Melinda broke the silent spell when she stood up and took Allie to the nursery. When she returned, I reluctantly gave up Addie, and just watched Phoebe for a while, still in silence. When Lindy returned, Phoebe stood up and said, “Let me put him down, will you?”

  Lindy gave her an understanding smile, saying “Sure,” and took a seat.

  “Come with me Amrita, won’t you?” Phoebe asked in a whisper.

  Amrita stood up, a slight frown appearing on her face, but she followed her mother. With raised eyebrows, I gazed at Lindy, but she said nothing. Several silent moments later they returned, and I noticed Amrita wiping her tears. I never asked, but it appeared that Amrita had watched how tenderly her mother had tucked Armand in, and it made her realize how it must have been for her first three months of life. It was heartwarming to see such tenderness growing between these two women.