Christmas at Ravencrest: A Dark Hero Christmas Short (Reluctant Heroes) Page 7
“Are you ready?” Donovan asked, guiding her slowly across the carpeted library by holding her hand in front of her. “I ordered this when we were still in England. There, open your eyes.”
She did so. Elizabeth’s eyes had to adjust to the low candlelight. There was one candelabra lit in the large, shadowed room. A candelabra with five glowing candles perched on the gleaming mahogany top of a Broadwood Grand Piano. “Oh--Donovan--you shouldn’t have!”
“You don’t care for it?” He teased, as the high pitch in her voice told him the opposite.
“It’s beautiful.” She turned to him with tears. “Mama had a Broadwood Grand at our home in Mayfair. Fletcher sold it to cover his debts. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“I may, but to dispel all doubt perhaps you would show me.” He started to move away from her, toward the door.
Elizabeth knew he intended to lock it. She grasped his wrist, stopping him, bursting to tell him her blessed news.
Donovan gazed at her, sensing something was in the offing. “What is it, love?”
“Go, lock the door.” She said, dropping her hand from his wrist.
He looked at her with uncertainty.
“Go. Then you must let me give you your gift, my love.”
He left her side and quickly moved to the door to secure it against intrusion. Elizabeth hurried to the piano-forte and opened the lid covering the ivory keys. She plinked out a short ditty with one hand, finding it awkward and annoying to be so constrained. “How long do I have to have this nuisance strapped to my wrist?”
“Three or four weeks.” Donovan replied, wrapping his arms about her from behind her as she stood at the piano-forte. His chin rested on her shoulder. “It takes time for the bone to mend, love. If we rush it, you’ll not have full recovery of your wrist.” His lips travelled from her shoulder, along her collar bone and up her sensitive neck to nibble at her ear. “What is this surprise you have for me?”
Elizabeth leaned back against him, treasuring the solid of feel of him behind her and his strong arms circling her waist. He was like a fortress, a tower of strength she could lean against and depend upon. He would make a wonderful father. “I love you, Donovan.”
“I love you, sweet Lizzie.”
“I’m with child.” She said, not knowing quite how to lead up to such a momentous declaration. “We’re going to have a baby, in the autumn.”
Donovan gasped aloud. He whirled her about to face him. “Are you certain? How do you know? It hasn’t been that long since your last purge. Lizzie, dearest--”
“Kieran told me. He saw the child, last week when we were doing our magic ritual. He sensed the presence of a third O’Flaherty. He said, bound by blood, by the power of three. I asked him what that meant, and he told me. Three O’Flahertys in the sacred circle.”
Donovan’s eyes were round with amazement. He appeared shocked. Not joyous, as she’d hoped, just purely and utterly shocked.
“You aren’t upset, are you?” She felt a rush of panic.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have told him so soon. What if he didn’t want a child? He didn’t like people, as a matter of course. He didn’t like having people disturbing his home. Perhaps a child would upset his need for peace more than she realized. Still, he had never said anything about children, one way or the other. All men desired children. Didn’t they?
“Elizabeth.” He murmured, reaching up to cup her cheek. “My sweet girl.” Donovan’s fingers caressed her cheek and glided through her hair. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like a girl. I want a little girl with red hair and sea green eyes. With this perfect little nose.” He kissed her nose. “And that fearful O’Flaherty temper.”
“A girl?” She sighed with relief. “I thought all men wanted a son to carry on their name.”
“Yes, I’ll take one of those, too. All in good time. First, a girl. I want a little girl to spoil.”
“Kieran said it’s to be a boy.” Elizabeth replied. “He saw a boy with red hair. My red hair and I suppose my nose and my temper, too.”
Donovan laughed and hugged her against him. “This time, my love, I’m betting your brother’s fortune telling is a little off.”
“Kieran is never wrong.” Elizabeth countered. “It will be a boy, I’m sure of it.”
“There’s a first time for everything, my sweet.” Donovan whispered against her hair. “Now, then, I believe you were about to thank me for something, weren’t you?”
Elizabeth didn’t answer. She was too busy kissing him.
Donovan removed his jacket and started to unlace the ties of her gown. He guided her in a slow whirling dance until they were at the chaise near the fireplace. Her dress dropped to the floor and she was standing before him in her camisole and petticoats again.
“Lovely.” He whispered. He reached up to pull the pins from her hair, letting it cascade about her shoulders. He smiled and hugged her flat belly with the palm of his hand as he gazed down at her. “Aphrodite in the flesh. My own sweet Venus rising from the foam.”
An insistent pounding on the door disturbed their repose. “My lord, my lady?” It was Sally, the maid. “You must come.”
“In a moment.” Donovan returned, frustration simmering within him. “Damn it, why can’t I have ten minutes alone with you in my own house?” He glared at the door.
“Sir, your mother just arrived, and she’s very upset. You’d best come, sir. She thinks you’ve died and the house has been sold to strangers. Please, sir, she’s very upset, she’s crying and carrying on so, near hysterics.”
“Is this a joke?” He shouted at the door and then glanced at Elizabeth.
“No, I don’t believe so.” Elizabeth said quietly. Sally was many things, but she was not one for dramatics. If Chloe came to the door with such news, that would be another matter. Chloe was highly excitable. “Help me get dressed, quickly.”
Donovan’s sour look reminded her of a boy pouting when someone tried to take away his favorite toy. “No. Mother can wait a little while. Tell her,” He shouted at the door. “Tell my mother we are detained at the moment.”
“Yes, sir.” Sally mumbled beyond the portal.
“Donovan! We can continue this later, upstairs.” Elizabeth said, hoping to at least garner half a smile from her sweetheart. “I love you, but someone else demands our attention at the moment.”
“There is always someone else.” He said in a puckish tone.
“Yes, there always will be. I just hope you’ll always be a little jealous when someone else demands my attentions. It’s very sweet.”
“Always.” Donovan affirmed, gathering her into his arms and kissing her with determination.
The End
Author’s note: This short story is a continuation of Dark Hero, Book One of the Reluctant Heroes series. The events of this story take place at Christmas time, just after the climax in Book One and before the events of Book Two. If you would like to learn more about the lovers depicted here, Elizabeth and Donovan’s story is told in Dark Hero, A Gothic Romance.
About the Author
Lily Silver lives in the Northwoods of Eastern Wisconsin, on the shores of Green Bay. She lives in a lovely old Victorian house with plenty of character with her husband, her German shepherd and their three cats. Lily studied history at UW-Green Bay and has two degrees in that discipline. She enjoys writing historical romances with paranormal themes. If you enjoyed this book, send her an email. She loves to hear from readers.
Contact Lily Silver through her website:
http://lilysilver.webs.com
Lily’s Historical Romance Blog:
http://romancinghistorylove.blogspot.com
Follow Lily on Twitter: Lily Silver @ timeless_lovers
Books by Lily Silver
Some Enchanted Waltz, A Time Travel Romance.
During a terrible storm, modern day radio D.J. Tara O’Neill is sent back to 18th Century Ireland and falls in love with an Irish patriot. Can she prevent her
beloved from dying for a cause destined to fail?
Dark Hero: Book One of the Reluctant Heroes Series, a Gothic Romance.
After her mother is murdered, Elizabeth’s Irish grandmother casts a spell summoning a Dark Hero from the Gothic Romances Elizabeth devours. When a beguiling Irishman appears at their cottage one magic summer eve, he seems to be everything Elizabeth longs for in a hero.
But Donovan Beaumont is much more than she bargained for when she said ‘I do’.
Once they arrive on his isolated estate, Elizabeth fears her new husband is courting madness. Elizabeth has the gift of the seer and is able to speak with the dead. Tormented by memories of her mother’s murder and stalked by a malevolent ghost, Elizabeth is forced to embrace her magical heritage and confront the secrets in her soul. The price of honesty may be too steep; if Donovan learns her horrifying secrets, Elizabeth may lose his love forever.
Available at Amazon.com
Bright Scoundrel, Book Two of the Reluctant Heroes Series: November 2012
Kieran O’Flaherty, Elizabeth’s older brother in Dark Hero, has made a mess of things since moving to England. The scandal sheets and caricaturists regularly decry his name. He has become infamous among the Ton as a wild Irishman and as a dangerous, womanizing Rake. Kieran returns to the Ireland he left as a child hoping to find his place in the world after failing to successfully navigate the intricate labyrinth of London society. His attempts to reclaim his ancestral home are fraught with challenges, in the physical realm as well as the supernatural. His most challenging task is convincing the Feisty Irish Beauty who steals his heart that he is not the heartless scoundrel the London news sheets make him out to be.