Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(28)

“Do not believe him. Yes, I missed you all.” Eden laughed. “However, he also missed his sisters and badgered me to return to London.”

Pushing the door open, Dev was greeted with noise and laughter. The twins were standing on Cam's feet while he attempted to walk around the room. Warwick was sprawled on the floor reading a book Dev guessed Eden had brought him. His family, he thought; God how he loved them one and all.

“Dev!”

He caught Eden as she launched at him. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tight.

“I missed you, brother!”

“And I you, sister.”

Moving back a few steps when he released her, she looked up at him. Unlike the other Sinclairs, who all had green eyes, Eden's were gray, and like Lilly's they saw too much.

“What is wrong, brother?”

“I am well, don't fuss.” He kissed her cheek.

“You don't look happy.”

“And yet I am, because you have returned. Unfortunately you brought your husband with you.”

“You love him as do I, admit it.” Eden tapped his arm.

“You could not pull a confession like that from me under any form of torture.”

“We had a wonderful time at Raven Castle, Dev.” Eden looked at her husband. “Truly wonderful.”

“If you don't stop throwing smoldering glances Raven's way, I shall be ill.”

She always had a way of looking at Dev and really seeing what he felt.

“I wish you would tell me what has you out of sorts. Although perhaps I can guess, as Essie told me you've changed your opinion of Lilliana Braithwaite and that in fact you seem rather enamored with her.”

Dev glared at Essie, who shrugged back at him, her eyes twinkling and unrepentant.

“How can a man be enamored with a woman who looks like she pulled her clothes from her deceased great-grandmother's trunks and speaks like a brainless twit?”

“Yes, that's true. However, Essie informed me that she saw her dressed normally this morning, and she is rather lovely. And that she had none of those traits today. Which is odd, don't you think?”

She was stunning.

“Yes, it seems odd, and she certainly looked different. I'm sure Miss Braithwaite has her reasons as to why she behaves as she does, but it is not for us to ask why.”

But he wanted to know why.

“What are you not telling me?”

Dev felt cornered. His sister would pick and pick until she had all the answers she wanted, and he was not ready to talk about his feelings for Lilly yet. Hell, he had no idea what they were, other than the fact that they were fierce.

“Essie said you and she had an incident a few days ago, but did not elaborate. Perhaps now you can?”

That would have to stop, Dev thought. He wouldn't have Lilly gadding about in dangerous places with only a servant at her back. He just wasn't sure how to go about achieving that. He'd only been on speaking terms with her for a few days, so he really had no right to feel as he did. Was it so brief? Lord, it felt longer. The woman seemed to have turned his emotions upside down in such a short time.

“Perhaps James would like to be in on this discussion also?”

Dev looked at the Duke of Raven, who was talking with Cam.

“I doubt he's interested in Miss Braithwaite, Eden.”

“Normally you would be right, but Lilliana is his cousin, and furthermore, after what I found at Raven Castle, it seems she is also related to us. Although that tie dates back several hundred years.”

“What!” Dev roared over the buzzing in his ears.

“Pardon, I believe you meant to say,” Eden rebuked. “Did you not know?”

“Of course I didn't know, because no one has told me!” Dev felt like his head was about to explode. Christ, was it possible? Lilly, a Raven and a Sinclair?

“Hello, Sinclair. Care to tell me why you are roaring at my wife?”

The Duke of Raven now stood at Eden's side, one arm around her middle. Where there had once been a cool, aloof expression that hid a wealth of pain, there was now happiness. The man was transformed from the Duke they had first met. Eden had done that, Dev thought. She had brought him into the light.

“He wasn't roaring at me, darling.” Eden patted her husband's hand. “He was just surprised that Lilliana Braithwaite is your cousin, and that she is related to us. It seems he is quite taken with her.”

“I never mentioned I was taken with her.” Dev felt he needed to clarify that point quickly for his sister.

Even if I am.

Raven was one of the few men who rivaled him for size. Dev tried to scowl, but the Duke merely smiled back.

“You never mentioned she was your cousin before, Raven.”

The Duke shrugged. “I hadn't realized you needed a detailed account of all my relatives. Believe it or not, there are quite a few, and the list is growing. Furthermore, I thought I remembered you saying that Lilliana was a brainless twit with no fashion sense.”

Dear God, say it isn't so. Dev couldn't take it in.

“Is she from your mother’s or father's side of the family?” Dev grappled with the knowledge.

“Father's. What does that signify?”

She was of Raven blood. “But you have very little to do with her—”