Page 21 of A Raven Reformed

“They will adore you.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her hand. “The house party needn’t be a concern, either. You won’t need to worry about a thing. Mrs. Thistle will see to everything.” He squeezed her hand and gave it a gentle shake.

“As for today, I thought before we board the train home, you might like to visit The Raven’s Den with me. I know you only got to see the outside yesterday.”

“Really? I thought ladies weren’t allowed in places like that.”

He shrugged. “There are some advantages to being married to one of the owners. Besides, it’s daytime, so there won’t be anything untoward happening in there.”

“Are there usually untoward things happening in there?”

“We don’t have to go if you’d rather just sit here and ask questions until it’s time to catch the train.”

“Oh, you are a brute.” She jumped to her feet and headed straight for the door. He swatted her backside playfully and she squealed.

“If you’re up for it, I thought we might walk so that I can show you a bit of Raven Row on the way.”

“What is Raven Row?”

“That’s not the official name, but it’s what people call this area. We started with just The Raven’s Den, our club, but over the years, we’ve bought up more and more. We don’t own most of the businesses that reside within them, but we own all of the buildings in this stretch.”

“You are ambitious!”

“It’s mostly Ash. He has a driving need to make the world a little better, and he drags us along with him.”

There was a lightness in Michael as he talked about this place. It really was something to be proud of though. Carriages and cabs rumbled through the street and people bustled in and out of doors. There were countless charming shops selling anything from cakes to hats and everything in between. It was all so foreign to her and a bit overwhelming, having always lived amongst plantations and farms, but she liked it.

“The Raven’s Nest?” she asked when she saw the sign ahead.

He nodded. “That’s one of ours. We sell jewelry and other valuables that we take in from people at the Den. Patrick lives on top of that shop.” He pointed up at the building above.

She hadn’t met Ash yet, but she’d met Patrick. He had been nothing but kind, and his wife, Rosie, was so sweet.

“Are Ash and Patrick like you? I mean, do they also have titles and estates?”

“Yes, but the people in this part of our lives don’t know that, so it’s best not to mention it.”

That seemed strange. He had no problem with the people at his estate knowing about his club, but he didn’t want the people here to know about his title? There was still so much she had to learn about her husband. Soon The Raven’s Den came into view, and once again there was a giant of a man standing guard outside the door. Not the same one who’d been there yesterday, though. Michael gave the man a nod and then he led her down an alley on the side of the building. They walked around to the back and he placed his hand on the building behind.

“This is Raven House. Ash lives here, along with the Lady Ravens. That’s the women who dance in our club.”

Women who worked for him? Who danced for him? Were they also sharing his bed?

“It’s not like that, Belle.” He must have seen where her thoughts were going. “We take women in off the streets and give them a way to earn money that doesn’t involve taking their clothes off. We give them shelter and food and the opportunity to learn skills so they can have a better life.”

She was so surprised by his explanation that she didn’t know what to say. Since she’d learned he owned a gaming hell, she’d just assumed it was for the pleasure and the profits. It had never occurred to her that there may be some philanthropic part to it. The revelation took her completely off guard. This man was not at all who she’d thought he was, and the more she learned, the better he became.

They entered the club through the back door, where they were met with a long, dark hallway. When they passed through the curtains at the end, however, they might as well have stepped into a different world. Light poured in through windows in the ceiling, two storeys up, allowing her to see everything in the massive room. But it wasn’t just the beauty in the place that caught her attention. As Michael walked her around and explained all of the different tables and games, pride and joy poured out of him. This was his home. This club, the townhouse, this whole area, this was where his heart lived.

“Up there is the balcony where we stand to observe the gaming floor. There is almost always one of us watching from up there. But do you know what the best part is?” He was like a child with a new toy, proudly showing off all of its features, and it warmed her heart in a way she didn’t know was possible.

“What?” she said. His excitement was contagious and now she hung on his every word.

“When it’s dark outside, and those lights are on,”—he pointed to the ring of lights that circled along the walls—“the balcony, and anyone who is on it, are completely invisible from down here. So we can observe everyone down here and no one even knows we’re there.”

It really was an impressive place to behold. She turned in a circle to take everything in once more.

The sudden sound of the back door closing startled a gasp from her.

Michael placed a comforting hand on her back. “Don’t worry, it’s just Patrick. Ash will be here any moment, as well.”

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