Page 116 of Tempted
Heath shook her. “Stop, Tina—it’s Heath.”
She looked at him in amazement. “Oh, God—I thought you were part of my nightmare! What are you doing with red hair?”
“It’s a wig. None would believe I’m a Kennedy without red hair. Did you get the pass?”
“Yes, yes, I got it. Where the devil is it?” For a minute or two she couldn’t remember, then she shoved a frantic hand down her shift and drew out the precious paper. Suddenly she started to shiver. “Oh, Heath, I hate this place. It’s a nightmare sleeping or awake. I’ll never, never get to him.”
“Here’s Ada with some hot tea. I want you to dress warmly. We’re going on the river.”
“The river?” she questioned, warming her hands on the cup.
“It looks like this,” Heath said, drawing an imaginary line across the bedcovers. “Here’s the river with the wharf running parallel. We take a barge to this spot on the wharf. We cross Traitor’s Bridge, then Traitor’s Gate leads into St. Thomas’s Tower, which takes you across the moat and immediately on the other side is the Bloody Tower, which is part of the inner curtain wall.”
“Must we go through Traitor’s Gate to get to him?” she asked with a shudder. “I didn’t betray him, even though he believes I did.”
“Tina, pull yourself together. Think of it as another adventure we are about to embark upon.” He shoved a linen napkin at her. “Eat!”
She wrinkled her nose and asked cautiously, “What is it?”
“Christ, you’d think it was a bloody hedgehog I was offering you. It’s oat cakes, plain and simple oat cakes.”
She ate them obediently and finished the hot tea.
“Do you feel better?” asked Ada.
“No,” Tina said in a forlorn voice.
“Don’t tell me all your guts have deserted you,” goaded Heath. “Smile, pinch your cheeks to put some color in them. If Ram sees you like this, he’ll think he’s received a death sentence.”
Tina threw back the covers and sprang from the bed. “Ada, give me something lovely to wear.” What a gutless creature she was! All she had to do was hold her nose and give Henry Tudor access to her body. If she couldn’t charm that gross mountain of flesh into freeing Ram, she wasn’t much of a woman.
Ada brought the peach-colored gown with the pleated bodice and stomacher, and Heath opened the wardrobe and took out the luxurious sable cloak. “Do it with panache,” he murmured, and she threw her arms about him in a rush of love. She was far more attuned to this half-brother than to her full brothers.
Tina was never more thankful in her life for Heath’s support than she was this overcast morning as they stepped from the barge onto the Tower Wharf. A reckless mood had seized her as they sailed down the Thames, but as the White Tower of London loomed before her, her knees turned to butter, and her heart turned over in her breast. She didn’t know which daunted her more: the forbidding fortress, or the thought of facing the accusing eyes of Black Ram Douglas.
She was somehow surprised that the paper signed by Surrey got them through Traitor’s Gate. She was even more amazed when it gained them entrance to the Bloody Tower. The guard took them past three other cells before coming to a stop before the barred door of the fourth. The tower guard in his military uniform gave them specific instructions before he unlocked the door. “I will lock you in with the prisoner. Call out when you wish to leave.”
The Kennedys nodded in agreement, and the turnkey did his job.
When Ramsay saw Valentina he wasn’t sure if he wanted to kiss her or kill her. A great wave of love went out to her for risking her life to save his, but at the same time he wanted to take hold of her and shake some sense into her. She was so reckless, so heedless of her own danger, it terrified him. Just the sight of her confirmed his powerful response to her. His heart was racing wildly, and his blood was singing just being in the same enclosed space together. If this woman believed in him, there was nothing he couldn’t do.
Tina’s heart was in her mouth as she carefully looked him over from head to toe to see if he had been permanently injured. He relief that he was all right made her feel faint and lightheaded. She loved him with all her heart and would do anything on earth to gain his freedom. She must make him understand that she had not betrayed him and never imagined in this world Davie would do so, but before she could find the words to pledge her loyalty to him, Heath placed the red wig over Ram’s hair and swung his cloak about Ram’s shoulders. Heath spoke quickly.
“The English have been recruiting like mad. They have garrisons at Coventry, Gloucester, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, York, and Newcastle, as well as the two you know of, at Carlisle and Berwick. The ports are bristling with ships, and the press gangs are out in full force to equip them with crews. The army is already between twenty and thirty thousand strong, but here’s the good news. They are going to war with France before they tackle Scotland.”
“Good man!” said Ram with genuine pleasure. “But I can’t let you take my place.”
“It was my brother who betrayed you,” said Heath, “I am honor-bound to do this thing.” He grinned at Ram. “You in turn must take my place. You must entertain the king and court tonight at Greenwich. Are you up to riding the ponies and throwing the knives?”
Tina looked at them aghast. They were taking matters into their own hands and exchanging places. “Ram, no! I can persuade the king to let you go.”
He took hold of her shoulders possessively, his pewter eyes burned into hers. “I’d see ye dead before I’d let ye ask Henry Tudor for favors.”
She could feel the heat from his hands branding her as his woman. “God damn you both, how am I to bear it if you do this thing?” she agonized.
His grip tightened fiercely to reassure her and transfer some of his strength to her. “Hush, vixen.” He touched his lips to her brow tenderly.
Heath said low, “Your job isn’t over yet, Tina. You must go straight to the king, throw a tantrum, and tell him his prisoner is not Ram Douglas.” He grinned at Ram as they gripped each other’s arm in a silent pledge. “Zara awaits you.”
