Page 109 of Tempted
“Madam, if you have messages for His Majesty, I will present them to the chancellor.”
“I had hoped for an audience with the king. His sister entrusted me with a message of a personal nature.”
The chamberlain looked offended. Didn’t the stupid little bitch know men lived or died by the king’s favor? “In England we have a thing called protocol, madam. I suggest you acquaint yourself with it.” He glared at her and held out an imperious hand for the letter.
Tina’s temper flared hotly. “In Scotland we have a thing called courtesy. I suggest you acquaint yourself with it.”
He inclined his head and left her to cool her heels. She would need him before he needed her!
Ada said, “I learned that Lord Howard has just been named head of the king’s armies. Of course here at court, the Howards use their titles of Countess and Earl of Surrey. Tina, he could be of vital importance if he could be persuaded to help you.”
“God’s passion, how can I trust him to help? His son Thomas is admiral and taking every Scots vessel he can lay his hands upon.” Tina picked up the sealed letter from Margaret Tudor. “Do you think I was wrong not to hand this over to the chamberlain?”
“No. You mark my words, the chancellor will be our next visitor.”
Tina’s eyes fell on the wax seal of the letter, and she saw that it had been affixed by a most careless hand. She knew she could flick it open with her thumbnail and reseal it again by holding it over a candle flame. Before her courage deserted her, she broke the small red seal and scanned the letter’s contents.
My Dearest Hal:
Fond felicitations from your devoted sister Margaret. The bearer of this letter, Lady Valentina Kennedy, would ask a favor of your most exalted and generous person. She is hand-fasted to Lord Ramsay Douglas, whom Lord Dacre has arrested because he suspects him of being the infamous Lord Vengeance. I know Douglas is not the man you seek, for even as I write this the Revenge is raiding along the opposite coast. Douglas is the most powerful clan in Scotland, as you well know, and I am pleased to tell you that I am on intimate terms with the heir to the earldom. I implore you to release your prisoner, for at some future date you may very well find yourself related to the man in question. As you have no doubt noticed, Lady Kennedy is a renowned beauty and will show her gratitude for your divine mercy in any way you command.
Chapter 32
Tina’s mouth fell open. The only possible way the English king could find himself related to Douglas was if Margaret married Angus’s son—which meant the King of Scotland would have to die! Were there secret plots afoot in which she was now embroiled? She clutched the letter, knowing she should not pass on such treasonable information, but when she weighed it against the possibility of saving Ram’s life, her duty to king and country paled in significance. She quickly read the letter to Ada, then melted the wax and resealed it.
“I saw the king at mass. He’s a giant of a man, with a ruddy face and beard. I didn’t like the look of him, but his clothes were absolutely magnificent,” Tina said.
“I’ve learned all there is to know about Hal Tudor from the servants. From everything I’ve heard, he has a pathological need to dominate everyone and everything,” Ada reported.
Tina thought of another. “Black Ram Douglas is the most dominant man I ever met.”
“Nay, Ram is dominant because he’s a natural leader. Henry Tudor dominates every meal, every conversation, every person in the room with him. He dominates his ministers and the clergy. Up until lately, he has been sexually repressed, trapped in a loveless marriage to a religieuse, older than himself. It is only this past year that he has dared to defy the Church and commit adultery. Now that his appetite has been whetted, he is constantly on the prowl. He loves to be thought of as bluff, but in reality he is a bully to women and servants. His temper tantrums are legendary, and everyone at court tries to appease him”
“The divine right of kings!” Tina said dryly.
“The consensus is unanimous—he thinks of himself as God,” Ada concluded.
Tina tucked the queen’s letter into her bodice. “Come, let’s go out into the park. If I see either Lord Howard or King Henry, I shall appeal to him. All Hallows isn’t until tomorrow, but the celebrations are already under way.”
They walked through the gardens, where the quince trees were laden down with fruit and the yew walks were cunningly designed for dalliance. They passed by the tennis courts, the bowling green, and the archery butts that would be overflowing with contestants by afternoon.
Ada said, “None dare win even a game with Henry, he is so childishly spoiled. Apparently the punishments he metes out are viciously cruel.”
Tina’s knees turned to water at the thought of having to deal with such a monster The words with which his sister Margaret had concluded her letter rose up alarmingly in Tina’s mind. “Lady Kennedy will show her gratitude for your divine mercy in any way you command” She pushed the words away and clung to the hope that Henry would be merciful without exacting payment from her.
Out in the great park among the striped pavilions, Tina suddenly exclaimed, “Gypsies! Oh, Ada—the Gypsies are here to entertain the court. They have a vast secret network. I wonder if I can learn if Heath will be here?” They walked past the caravans and the tethered horses looking for a familiar face. This was a far larger band than had ever gathered in Galloway Valley, and Tina realized most of them would be English Gypsies. A swarthy fellow leered at her. Instead of ignoring his insolence and tossing her head as she would have once done, she stopped and spoke to him. “Do you know a Gypsy called Heath? Heath Kennedy from Scotland?”
The man showed white teeth. “We recognize no borders —we are Romanies, not English or Scots.”
“Yes, yes, I know,” Tina said impatiently “Do you know Heath?”
He laughed. “Gypsies do not like to be questioned. Perhaps I know him, perhaps I do not.”
Tina stamped her foot. She knew he would be maddeningly noncommittal. Gypsies were a closed society, not dissimilar to a clan. Secrecy and loyalty were a necessary part of their survival. “Well, if you happen to run into him, tell him Flaming Tina is desperate to see him.”
The young Gypsy leered at her. “If your need is that great, lady, I could serve you in his stead. We need only go into the trees.”
“Ohh!” she gasped, daintily picking up her skirts and moving away from him with all speed. “What is the matter with men?” Tina demanded.
