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that floor all those nights I lent you my bed.”
    Raven’s stomach rolled at the very idea of ever lying with him. “Trust me, Xavier, it would have been colder in the bed.” Raven tried to make light of the statement, but she was dead serious, and her smile frozen. As Raven would’ve guessed, Xavier never seemed to notice.
    Good comeback, Raven. Lucian tossed to her mentally, while his eyes never left Xavier’s face.
    Raven’s lips thawed enough to give him a slight grin.
    “Hello, hello, my lord and lady.” A loving voice welcomed Lucian and Raven. They turned and eagerly closed the distance.
    “Duncan, so great to see you. We hoped you’d make it.” Lucian hugged him. Standing a good four inches taller than Duncan, it appeared as if he could climb on top of the man and smother him.
    “Air, Luce, I need air. Your grip’s grown stronger boy...finally. And your legs, longer, if that’s possible.” As he spoke to Lucian, Duncan grabbed Raven and brought her snugly to him. “’Ello, me beauty. I’ve missed you, not your cooking mind you, just you. Heard there was a fire at the main kitchen. That wasn’t you, right?” Duncan looked up too late to see Lucian motioning behind Raven’s back for him to hush. “Oh dear.”
    Tears welled in Raven’s eyes. “’Tisn’t as awful as the tabloids made it out to be. No one died and a new building replaced the old smoke house.” Raven sniffled.
    “Change of topic then? Did you two actually think I’d miss the biggest day of your lives? Ah Ray, don’t cry.” Duncan wiped away Raven’s tears. “Come, my little cry babe. Show me around this university and then let’s get a bite to eat. ’Tis a long dusty ride here, and I’m a hungry boy.” Duncan, with an arm around the two of them whisked them away, ignoring the last man standing, Xavier.
    “Long ride here my a—” Raven tried to tease, but Duncan covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.
    “André’s a long ride. We’re a hop, skip, and a jump, old man,” Lucian finished.
    “The Queen sends her best,” Duncan subtly slipped in.
    “Who?” Lucian asked.
    Duncan gave Lucian a disappointed glance. “Still not speaking with her, are we?”
    “Not in this lifetime, old man.”
    ****
    After dinner and a stroll throughout Piccadilly, investigating all the new and upcoming boutiques and bakeries, Lucian and Duncan escorted Raven with all her packages back to her dorm. Lucian planned to catch up on old times with Duncan. He needed to know his friend would be all right after his tragic loss. A new little person in the manor would have been so welcome and loved, but instead things went terribly wrong and a funeral for both his wife and baby was arranged. One large casket and one tiny white casket lay side by side in their private cemetery. Lucian hated reliving that day, yet he could never forget it or the broken look on Duncan’s face when his family was laid to rest.
    But tonight, Duncan looked superb. The two men walked to a local pub for an ale or two, to relax and enjoy life. They’d lost track of the time talking, when Raven invaded Lucian’s thoughts, scared and screaming. Lucian grabbed Duncan’s arm and dragged him from the pub, the mug still clutched in Duncan’s hand, his ale spilling out, Duncan muttering gibberish.
    ****
    The unexpected knock on the door startled Raven. What could her two boys want or have forgotten, she wondered. Raven opened the door and took a step back. In the hallway, with a starved barracuda-toothed grin upon his face, Xavier lurked.
    Her voice cracked, “Xavier? ’Ello. What can I do for you?” An uneasy feeling punched Raven in the very pit of her stomach. His cold, lifeless eyes gave her a morose feeling. Xavier didn’t look right, not that he ever did, but this night he had more of a disheveled appearance. She thought about slamming the door in his face and locking it, but poor judgment gave way. For a moment, she felt foolish. This man had