Page 57 of Tempted
“No, no. I’m up tae it, if ye are.”
“Now yer bragging.” Ram laughed. “Come on, lads— let’s drink our way tae Glasgow!”
When Lady Valentina withdrew from the hall to the sanctity of her own chamber, it caused no comment. All Douglas females with a shred of decency removed themselves from the men once darkness fell. The Boozer padded up the stairs after her and followed her down the hall. He paused at the door to Ramsay’s chambers, and when Tina swept past, he protested with a deep bark. She said, “You might wish to sleep with him, but I do not.”
The wolfhound heaved what sounded like a reluctant sigh and slowly followed her. She opened the chamber door to find Ada and Nell awaiting her. The Boozer raised his hackles and refused to enter. Tina recalled that he had done exactly the same thing before.
Nell shrieked with terror as she glimpsed the tall, shaggy creature, but Tina said calmly, “He won’t come in. The chamber is haunted.”
Nell’s eyes rolled back in her head. Ada laughed. “Come on, lass. Off to bed with you.” She opened the door to the small adjoining room and said, “You can sleep in my room tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough to go to the servants’ quarters.”
When they were alone, Ada looked at Tina anxiously as she unfastened her pearl-rimmed ruff. As she moved toward her to help her with the cream satin gown she said, “Well, under the circumstances, I think you held up remarkably.”
Tina’s chin went up defiantly. “I shan’t cry, if that’s what you’re expecting. The swine will never make me shed one tear.”
“Good! The last Kennedy to occupy this chamber likely did enough crying for both of you, and it availed her nothing.”
“Nay!” protested Damaris. “Alex Douglas and I loved and laughed. I shed no tears until that last fateful day.” If her own husband had ever treated her as Ram had treated Valentina, she would have been distraught. Her wedding day—and night—had been the happiest of her life.
Ada picked up the white silk nightrail sewn especially for this night. “I’ll put this away for now … perhaps tomorrow night.”
“Perhaps not!” Tina said decisively.
Ada was in agreement with her. “Always make him wait for sex. I once made a man wait until we were both undressed!”
“Oh, Ada,” Tina said, dissolving into laughter. “Whatever would I do without you?”
“That’s better. Salt tears never grew a rose. Good night, love. Tomorrow, if I know you, you will take this damned castle by storm.”
As Tina gazed from the high window with unseeing eyes, she whispered, “I refuse to cry.” The tears however, that had gathered in her golden eyes slid down her cheeks and dropped upon her heart.
Chapter 18
Tina finally managed to fall into an exhausted sleep, but she awoke about four in the morning. She thought about her situation for a full hour, during which her resolve hardened to marble. So the Douglases thought they were blood-proud, did they? She’d show them pride of blood! If Black Ram Douglas thought to intimidate her, he was in for a rude awakening. She’d not only take him on—she’d take on the whole scurvy clan!
She chose an elegant black silk gown, swept her hair up into a chignon, and opened the door. The Boozer groaned before he turned over and went back to sleep. She stepped over him and descended to the kitchens.
She expected fireworks from that quarter when Mr. Burque began to stake out his territory. She decided to enter the fray and assert her authority from day one. But instead of the chaos and curses she had expected, she found that Mr. Burque was in supreme control. All the Douglas cooks were female, and the Frenchman’s facile flattery had them in the palm of his hand.
He pointed out to them that the kitchens should be kept immaculate. The place crawled with lazy scullery maids and potboys who should be set to scouring immediately. Only when the floors, the tables, and the last utensil were spotless should they exercise their profession—which, as any good chef knew, was more an art than a craft.
Tina took him aside. “Well done, Mr. Burque. We may as well start out as we mean to carry on. Yesterday I not only found the food inedible, the sight of it and the greasy smell of it would have made a goat retch. The castle’s inhabitants may eat pig-swill for all I care, but Lord Douglas and I will eat nothing that is not prepared by you.”
“Y a rien là,” he said, assuring her there would be no problems.
She glanced at the women, who couldn’t take their eyes off him and laughed, “Chanteur de pommel”
At this early hour Colin was the only one about. He cast her such a sympathetic look, she laughed.
“My lady, I must apologize fer Ram’s behavior yesterday.”
“I’m afraid he’ll have to do that himself,” she said wryly. “However, I’m happy to see I have one ally in the Douglas camp. I shall need your help.”
He bowed. “How may I serve ye?”
“Tell whoever is in charge of the moss-troopers that I shall see him in the hall in quarter of an hour.” Before he could ask the reason for such an odd request, she had swept past him on her way to the servants’ quarters. She informed the bleary-eyed steward, one William Douglas, that she would have a list of jobs for his underlings if he would attend her in the hall in quarter of an hour. In the meantime he could start by opening all the windows.
Tina was relieved when she saw Ram’s second-in-command walk into the hall. Men-at-arms, when off duty, were idle, uncouth, loud-mouthed louts, and she had wondered if he would attend her. She took a deep breath. He was another damned Douglas, judging by his tall, dark visage, but he was still a man, and she would engage him by fair means or foul.
