Page 101 of Tempted
The apparition that looked upon the scene was distraught. It was happening all over again. Lord Douglas had poisoned his wife! Damaris relived taking the goblet of wine her husband had placed in her hands. Watched herself as she lifted it to her lips and drained the cup. She could not go through it again. Damaris flew off searching out Alexander. She found him with Mad Malcolm and Colin. She flew at him with clenched fists and pounded them against his chest. “Tina is dying, damn you, Douglas! Damn you to everlasting hell!”
“Damaris, stop! It wasn’t me! I told ye years ago who did it, and now the insane swine has done it again!”
Damaris threw a look of horror at the crazy old man in the bed. “Alex, come. We have to do something.” The two spirits faded from the chamber and materialized in the kitchen. Alexander saw himself in Ram’s place, reassuring the small female in his arms; the look of intense desperation in his dark eyes was almost too much to bear.
Half a dozen scullery maids were running about, cleansing the stone flags of the kitchen floor that Tina continually befouled. Tina was deathly pale now, with a blue color about her mouth. Her stomach spasmed with cramps every other minute The excruciating pain had robbed her of all strength. She huddled in Ramsay’s arms with her hands clutching her belly.
The last bout of retching had alarmed him terribly because she had begun to vomit blood. She felt cold and clammy, and Ram knew her body was losing its warmth as well as its strength. With a firm resolve that he was far from feeling, he said to Mr. Burque, “I’m taking her up tae bed. She needs something tae ease the pain.” He thought of something they used after a battle to deaden mortal wounds. “Make a brew from rue and watered wine. She cannot go on like this.”
Ram took the stairs two at a time up to his chamber. He laid her on his bed, then went to the fireplace to build up the fire. Her moans wrenched his heart. Quickly he went back to the bed. “Ram,” she whispered, “help me!”
He went on his knees and gathered her to him. “Hush, darling, I won’t let you die. Hold on to me I won’t leave ye for even a moment.”
Ada came in, her face white as death, her throat closed with fear. She brought bathing water and towels. “Quick, Ada—spread a towel on the floor.” Ram lifted Tina to the edge of the bed, his firm hands pressed into her stomach muscles to prevent them from rupturing while she retched. Ram’s eyes met Ada’s, and he shook his head in impotent frustration.
Tina drew her knees up to her chest and rolled across the bed, moaning like a wounded animal. Each moan ended in a whimper “Help me undress her, Ada. Get a loose bedgown. Her clothes are far too constricting.”
Tina was gray-lipped now, her body limp as a rag doll between the convulsive spasms of pain. Her breathing became labored, and she fought for breath. Ram broke out in a sweat of fear that any minute she would draw her last breath
Ada set the bowl of water upon the bed, but Ram said softly, “I’ll do it.” His tenderness toward her was heartbreaking to watch. He slipped on the loose bedgown She had stopped retching and vomiting, but he did not know if this was a good or bad sign. He did know one thing If she needed further purging, he didn’t have the heart for it.
She was crying softly, mewling like a baby or a young animal as she doubled her fists and thrust them into her belly. The eyes that met his were filled with anguish as the bone-softening fear of death overwhelmed her “I’m dying,” she whispered brokenly.
“No!” he said savagely “No, yer not dying! Is the pain bad?” he demanded. She nodded weakly “Good! So long as ye can feel the pain, ye are nowhere near death.” He had no idea if his words were true, but he said them with such strong conviction, she had no choice but to believe him
Mr Burque brought the rue Ram climbed onto the bed with her and lifted her so that her gray cheek rested against his shoulder “Little love, I want ye tae try and sip this Mr Burque made it especially for ye.” He held the decoction to her lips, and it broke his heart to see how trustingly she sipped from the cup. Dear God, the last thing she had taken from his hand was a cup of poison
Silently, he began to pray Oh Holy Saint Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles—God in Heaven, she will need a miracle to survive this After the rue, it seemed to Ram that her writhing was less painful She cried and tossed and turned in agony, but she did not knot into the spasms that had made her scream.
The hours of the night dragged by slowly. Ram lay beside her, holding her when she would let him, encouraging her to hang on, to ride the waves of pain, but above all to stay with him Their fingers were entwined, and sometimes he thought that was the only reason she did not slip away— he had too firm a grip upon her
By morning, her fever started to rise Her face became a dull red, and she dozed spasmodically Ram tried to make her drink, but she vomited it back and looked at him with wild, accusing eyes. By midday, her fever raged so high, she began to shiver, then suddenly she went into a convulsion. “Quick, Ada, get the servants tae fill the bathtub. Tell them not tae heat the water, it just needs the chill off it.”
He lifted Tina from the bed and clasped her firmly against his body. He walked back and forth with her, talking to her all the while the servants filled the tub.
Damaris, clutching Folly in her arms, had hovered by the bed through the long night and day. When the servants departed, Ram knelt and removed her loose bedgown, and with gentle hands he lowered the convulsing girl into the cool water. Ada brought more towels and a fresh bedgown.
Ram sponged Tina over and over. First her shoulders, then her breasts and belly. Finally in desperation he let her hair fall back into the tub and let the water from the sponge trickle over her face and neck.
Gradually her eyes stopped rolling back in her head, and her arms and legs stilled. He kept on sponging her for another half hour. When he was finally convinced the convulsion was over and her body temperature was lower, he lifted her into his lap and patted her dry.
As he carried her back to the bed, her eyes flickered open, then her lashes seemed too heavy and her eyes closed. “I’m still here, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Don’t fret, yer not going tae die, yer going tae live!”
Finally Tina fell into a deep sleep. Ada said, “I’ll watch her while you go and eat and have a rest.” He shook his head quietly. “I couldn’t eat. Don’t let anyone in the castle drink any wine. It might all be poisoned. My dagger awaits whoever is responsible fer this,” he vowed.
While Tina slept, he never took his eyes from her. She made such a tiny mound in the great bed, it brought a lump to his throat. He’d never seen anyone suffer such misery so bravely in his life. Her breathing seemed so dangerously shallow, he took to watching a tiny pulse in her throat.
At last Tina awoke and tried to speak, but she choked on her words and violent pains bent her double once more. He held her until it passed, wondering what he could give her to alleviate the agony and give her a little strength. He brushed back the damp tendrils from her forehead and murmured words of love. Midnight approached again. She opened her eyes and managed to croak, “Ram, I feel so ill.”
“Yes, my darling, I know,” he said in a strong voice. “Ye will feel ill for days, but all the danger is past now.” He lied to give her strength to bear it; he lied to give himself strength to bear it.
Mr. Burque came every couple of hours with something different to try, but each time she sipped, violent cramps twisted her innards, telling them her body was not free of its toxin.
Ada came to him. “Colin has something he must tell you.” Ram nodded, and Ada admitted Colin into the chamber.
“It was Mad Malcolm who poisoned the wine. I found rat poison beside his bed. God knows how long he’s had it hidden.”
Ram’s mouth hardened. “Christ, I should have known he was dangerous. I can’t leave her, Colin. Have him watched until I can deal with the mad bastard.”
