a while." She met his gaze squarely. "What did you do today, my lord?"
"How I spend my days is none of your business, my sweet."
"Forgive me, my lord," she said, her voice icy. "I did not mean to pry."
"Didn't you?"
"I've never seen you during the day. I simply wondered what it was that kept you away from the castle from dawn till dark."
"I hope you never find out."
His reply should have made her angry, but it was spoken so softly, and with such bitterness, that she found herself feeling sorry for him, wishing she could do something to erase the sudden sadness in his eyes.
"Tell me about Montroy," Rayven said.
"There's nothing to tell. He came by this afternoon, and Bevins sent him away."
"No doubt I shall hear all about it next time I visit Cotyer's," Rayven muttered.
"I'm sure Lord Montroy thought it quite rude, being sent away as if he were a stranger."
"To be sure," Rayven agreed.
"But you don't care."
"Not a whit."
"I don't understand you."
Setting his glass aside, he leaned across the table to brush his knuckles gently over her cheek.
"You never will, Rhianna," he said quietly. "There are things I cannot tell you, things you must never know." He smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Things you would not want to know even if I could tell you."
But she wanted to know. She wanted desperately to know where he went during the day, what secrets lay behind the sadness that shadowed his eyes, why he lived in self-imposed isolation in a huge drafty castle on top of a fog-shrouded mountain.
"Can you tell me why you never dine with me?"
Slowly, he shook his head.
"Are you ill? Is that why you live here alone, why I never see you during the day?"
"Ill?" He smiled that melancholy smile again. "I suppose you could call it that." He picked up his wineglass and took a drink. "Finish your supper, my sweet, and then I should like you to read to me.
Something sad and tragically romantic, I think."
A short time later, they retired to his study. Rhianna sat on the floor, her skirts spread around her, her back to the hearth. They came here rarely. The room was paneled in dark wood and held little furniture save for a large desk and a few chairs. She wondered why he had chosen to come here tonight.
Rayven sat in the chair beside the hearth, his cloak loosely wrapped around him. Bevins had refilled his wineglass, and he stared into the ruby-red depths while she read. He knew Rhianna didn't care for this room, but tonight its very darkness appealed to him.
Occasionally, Rhianna slid a glance in his direction, wondering at his somber mood. He seemed more withdrawn than usual tonight, his thoughts turned inward, wandering paths he would not share. She wondered if he had been wounded by some great tragedy in his life. Had he been the victim of some terrible malady, or had some woman hurt him so badly that he had turned his back on life and vowed never to love again?
After an hour, she closed the book and stood up. "I'm going to ask Bevins to make me a cup of hot chocolate," she said. "Would you like some?"
Rayven looked up at her, a corner of his mouth turned down in wry amusement. "What do you think?"
"I just thought I'd ask." She put the book aside and gestured at his empty glass. "Would you like more wine?"
With a nod, he handed her the crystal goblet.
Bevins was sitting in the kitchen, polishing a silver tea pot. He stood up as she entered the room.
"Something I can do for you, miss?"
"Yes. I'd like some hot cocoa, please." She handed him the empty glass. "And Lord Rayven would like some more wine."
A hint of something - disapproval, perhaps - flickered in the depths of Bevins's eyes as he took the goblet from her hand. "I'll see to it immediately."
"I'll wait," Rhianna said. Sitting down in the chair Bevins had vacated, she picked up the cloth he'd been using and began to polish the teapot.
"Miss Rhianna..."
"What?"
"I don't think... that is, you shouldn't..."
Rhianna frowned. "Shouldn't what?"
He jerked his chin toward the silver. "You needn't do that."
"I want to. How long have you worked for Lord Rayven?"
"More years than I care to remember."
"Do you know why he's so sad?"
"Sad, miss?"
Rhianna nodded. "I've never seen such sadness in a man's eyes before. Sometimes it makes me want to cry."
Bevins blinked at her, his expression at first surprised