He smirked. “Later, then. What’s next? ‘Read improving books.’ ” He glanced around the stark cabin. “Don’t keep any books in here. They fall on the floor when there’s a storm. I do, however, have several books back in my library at home that might be of interest—”
“I suspect your definition of ‘improving’ is rather different from mine,” she said dryly. “No doubt they’re those ridiculous erotic etchings my brothers are so enamored of. They cherish the fond belief that I don’t know where they hide them.”
He looked impressed. “Sounds like you’ve read some improving books already, then. What were they? Rowlandson? Gillray?”
“I can’t recall.”
Heloise willed her blush to subside as her mind brought up with distressing clarity a particularly graphic engraving of the Prince of Wales in bed with his mistress, which showed him with a ludicrously enlarged male member. At least, sheassumedit was an exaggeration. She’d never actually seen a man’s member—aroused, engorged, or otherwise—but such monstrous proportions were surely ridiculous hyperbole.
She summoned an unconcerned shrug. “I don’t know why you boys think I’d be so squeamish about it. I’m a scholar. It’s a basic human act, depicted on hundreds of historic artifacts. Greek vases are covered in naked men. The Romans put phallic symbols practically everywhere. They even put wings on them and hung them outside their doors as a good luck charm.”
Raven adopted an expression of awe. “You are an extraordinary woman, Heloise Hampden.”
She nodded her head in acceptance of the compliment, even though it was somewhat backhanded.
Raven bent to read the next line on the list. “ ‘Travel.’ Well, that’s not very specific.”
“To Egypt,” she clarified. “I want to visit all those exotic places I’ve only ever seen in drawings in theDescription de l’Égypte.” Egypt was the place for love affairs, of Anthony and Cleopatra. Where Alexander and the great pharaoh Ramses had built temples that had lasted for thousands of years.
“Egypt, eh? I can do that.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You’re going to tell the crew to bypass Spain and keep going until we hit Africa?”
He laughed. “No. We’re still going to Spain.”
“Then how—?”
“It’s a trick I learned when I was a hostage.”
Her lips formed a soundless O of surprise. Raven had never spoken to her of his imprisonment.
“A man has a lot of time to think when he’s alone for hours at a time. For some reason I kept remembering this fragment of a poem: ‘Stone Walls do not a Prison make, Nor Iron bars a Cage.’ I don’t know who wrote it, but it helped me realize that physical imprisonment is not mental imprisonment. You can go anywhere in your mind. I’ll show you. Where do you want to be?”
“Sailing down the Nile on a felucca,” she said immediately.
“All right. Close your eyes.”
Heloise did so reluctantly, half expecting a trick.
“We’re not in this cabin. We’re in the shade of a palm tree, on the banks of the Nile. I’ve tied up the boat and sent the servants away. I’m feeding you figs.”
Raven shifted his weight and she started to open her eyes.
“No, don’t look,” he chided softly.
She jumped as he trailed his hand over her forehead and smoothed back her hair. His touch was soothing, magical, and she let herself sink into it, just for a moment.
“There’s a cotton blanket under us, and warm sand below that. Feel the heat sinking through your bones. The sun is setting, the shadows are turning purple. There’s a cool breeze that brushes the palm fronds together so they rustle.”
His fingers stroked across her lips, petal soft. Heloise was just about to part her lips and taste his finger when reality reasserted itself. She reared back, breaking the hypnotic spell he’d cast. “That’s quite a trick.”
Raven stood with an easy smile. “Isn’t it? Come upstairs when you’re ready. I’ll see you on deck.”
Heloise dressed quickly in the pale blue day dress. Raven’s effortless ability to affect her was a problem, especially in such close confines. Putting as much distance as possible between them would be prudent, but she was stuck with the man, at least for the time being.
She clearly had two options. She could sulk and complain and generally make his life disagreeable, whichdidhold a certain vindictive appeal, or she could embrace this adventure as an unexpected opportunity tolive.She smiled and made her way up to the deck.
Chapter 12