She regarded Montroy a moment more, and then nodded. "I shall be delighted to have you call on me."
Montroy smiled, obviously pleased. "There is a new play at the theater. Would you care to attend?"
"Yes, I think so." She smiled thoughtfully. Nothing else had worked. Perhaps jealousy would produce the results she sought.
"Rhianna, it matters not to me, but..." Montroy put his cup on the table and raked a hand through his hair. "Aren't you concerned about what the people in the village will say about your living here, with him?"
"I never gave it any thought," Rhianna said. And, indeed, she hadn't. Thinking about it now, she realized it didn't matter what anyone thought. She was determined to stay here, with Rayven, and she was willing to sacrifice her reputation to do so.
"Are you sure this is what you really want?" Montroy asked quietly.
"I'm sure."
"Then I'll say no more about it."
They passed the next hour in quiet conversation, and then Montroy took his leave.
Rhianna had just sat down to supper when Rayven entered the dining room. He stood towering over her, a fierce scowl on his face.
"What was Montroy doing here?" Rayven demanded brusquely. He had caught the man's scent even before he left the east tower.
"He came calling, my lord," Rhianna said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "I did not think you would mind, since he is your friend."
Rayven's eyes narrowed. "Did he tell you that?"
"Tell me what?"
"That we were friends."
She started to lie. She wanted to lie, but found she could not, not when Rayven's dark eyes were fixed hard upon her face.
"What did he say?" Rayven asked, his voice low and silky smooth.
"He said... he said you would not accept friendship."
Rayven glanced over his shoulder as Bevins entered the room. "You will not allow Montroy, or any other man, into my house again. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," Bevins said.
With a curt nod, Rayven turned his attention back to Rhianna. "Is that clear to you, as well?"
"Yes, my lord, but..."
"But what?"
"But why? Why do you shut yourself up in this castle? Why not let Lord Montroy visit you here? I think he would be your friend, if you would but let him."
"I have no need to explain my reasons to you, Rhianna. Suffice it to say that no one is welcome here."
"Including me?"
"Most especially you."
"You are most rude, my lord."
He smiled then. It was most unexpected, and most welcome.
"I apologize for my behavior, sweet Rhianna, but I fear you must learn to tolerate my moods if you insist upon staying here."
"Indeed, I shall, my lord," Rhianna retorted. "For neither your foul temper nor your bad manners shall drive me away."
Rayven sat down in the chair across from her and reached for the glass of wine that Bevins had poured for him. He lifted the crystal goblet, studying the contents a moment before he took a drink.
A look of pleasure crossed his face as he set the goblet on the table. "Finish your supper, sweet Rhianna, and then I should like to visit the maze."
"As you wish, my lord."
"Indeed, my sweet. Exactly as I wish."
It was most disconcerting, dining under his watchful eye. Her hands trembled, she knocked over her water glass, spilled a bit of gravy in her lap. And all the while, she could feel his unblinking gaze upon her, as black as the night sky.
When she finished eating, he donned his cloak, then draped a warm shawl around her shoulders.
The gardens lay quiet under a hunter's moon. He took her hand and they walked toward the maze.
Rhianna tried to think of something amusing to say, some bit of small talk to ease the taut silence that stretched between them, but nothing came to mind.
"Perhaps, in the spring, you will work your magic in the gardens again," Rayven remarked after a while.
"If you wish, though I would have your promise that you will not let everything die again when I'm gone."
"You have it."
"I think I shall plant daisies near the summer house this time," Rhianna said, thinking out loud. "And more roses, of course."
"Red ones," Rayven said.
"And yellow ones, too."
"No, just red. And white." Red for the blood that sustained him; white for the purity of the woman beside him.
"Then I shall have yellow daisies."
He smiled in defeat.
"Why didn't you look after the roses in the garden as you looked after the roses within the maze?"
Rhianna asked as they strolled along the winding pathway.
"I warned Bevins of dire consequences should the roses in the