Page 47 of Tempted
The first hint that something was in the wind came from Ada. When she came into Tina’s chamber, she found that she had almost finished unpacking her own clothes. As Ada hung the remaining gowns in the wardrobe, she said, “Something’s up. The minute we arrived, Archibald sequestered your father. When the door opened, I’ve never seen Rob so grim-faced. He whisked Elizabeth into the chamber, the door shut with a crash, and they are still in there.”
“It must be something urgent. The very first thing my father does when he arrives back at Doon is enjoy one of Mr. Burque’s sumptuous meals.” She tapped her chin with a reflective finger. “The wedding went off without a hitch, and the newlyweds are on their way to Castle Kennedy, so it cannot concern them.”
Ada agreed. “The earl had a queer look about him from the minute we left Stirling. He had something in his gullet, and I could see if he didn’t disgorge it soon, he would choke to death.”
There was a great clatter in the courtyard, and both women immediately went to the window. “It’s Cassillis. He’s leaving!” Tina said with disbelief. She experienced a prickling at the nape of her neck. The very air seemed ominous, and Tina knew the ripples from the whirlpool that had been stirred would reach her any minute.
A servant boy knocked on the chamber door and told them Lord Kennedy wanted both of them. Immediately. He led the way to the first-floor room Rob Kennedy used for business, and Tina’s eyes went to her mother’s face the moment she stepped over the threshold. Elizabeth looked as if she had been struck in the face. The door opened once again to admit Beth and Kirsty.
The moment Elizabeth saw Beth, she dissolved into tears. Ada took one step toward her, but Rob, his face a florid red, said, “Leave her. Ye’ll have more than one hysterical woman on yer hands afore we’re done here. Ye had better all sit doon.” When his audience sat before him in a semicircle, he gave each one such a fierce look, even Tina knew he would stand for no interruptions.
“A pox on all my misbegotten offspring! I ha’ nurtured a nest of vipers here at Doon. The minute ma back was turned, all hell broke loose! Dinna thank me for what ye are about tae receive—thank yer brothers!”
Elizabeth sobbed. Rob glared at her fiercely, and the sobs settled down to hopeless tears.
“The whoresons have been raidin’, stirrin’ up old hatreds and feuds atween Kennedys, Campbells, Hamiltons, and Douglases, and the king won’t stand fer it. He called the heads of the clans on the carpet and told them if they didna sign bonds of friendship and bonds of matrimony, he was goin’ tae start hangin’ the culprits. Now, we’ve made a start wi’ the Kennedy-Campbell marriage, so that keeps bloody Argyll frae ma throat. But that’s just the start! There’s tae be two more weddin’s without delay.” He cast a fierce look upon Tina. “Ye can expect a visit and a proposal frae Patrick Hamilton any hour now. Ye will accept that proposal, and while yer at it, ye can get on yer knees and thank God fer yer good fortune in landin’ the heir to the Earldom of Arran.”
Tina flushed. If there was one thing she could not abide, it was taking orders. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ada laid a warning hand upon her sleeve, and when she glanced at her father’s face, she realized Ada had done right to warn her. His face had gone from red to purple and he looked as if his next words might kill him. “Our youngest, sweet child, our baby girl, goes as a sacrificial lamb tae none other than Black Ram Douglas.”
Beth gasped, Kirsty choked, Elizabeth sobbed. Then Beth went into hysterics, Kirsty looked ready to scratch out Rob’s eyes, and Elizabeth gabbled, “I’ll take her to England, I’ll hide her. She’s only a baby, far too young to wed any man, let alone a degenerate Douglas!”
“Enough, woman!” roared Rob. “We ha’ no choice. The head o’ the clan has decided, and his word is law! This is Scotland, woman. God’s passion, ye’ve lived here donkey’s years, and still yer ignorant of our customs.”
Tina at last found the courage to speak up. “Black Ram Douglas won’t come with cap in hand and a proposal of marriage on his arrogant lips. He’s not the marrying kind.”
Her father swung on her. “Ye forget—Archibald Douglas will be givin’ him his orders. Can ye imagine any man breathin’ not doing as the powerful Earl of Angus suggests?”
It took the combined ministrations of Elizabeth, Kirsty, and Ada to get the distraught and hysterical Beth to her bedchamber. Rob, his mouth grimmer than Tina had ever seen, said in an ominous tone, “Ye may tell Duncan an’ David tae present their misbeggotten carcasses afore me.”
Valentina was in a very subdued mood when she entered her own chamber. She sank down onto the bed to slowly digest her father’s orders. She would make no protest about her marriage to Patrick Hamilton. She felt she was the luckiest girl alive when she compared herself with her young sister. It was unthinkable that innocent little Beth must become the mate of Black Ram Douglas. He would swallow the tiny morsel whole. She shuddered involuntarily as her mind conjured a picture of the dark, intimidating Scot
The Prince of Darkness himself could not have been more compelling, yet more forbidding. She knew the horror her mother must feel at the mere suggestion of a match between her favorite child and the Douglas. My God, it was as if history were repeating itself. When a Kennedy daughter wed a Douglas, the result could only be tragic.
The next afternoon brought Patrick Hamilton, accompanied by his father, the Earl of Arran. Tina fidgeted while Ada pinned up her hair in a chignon. She was almost resigned to the inevitability of her marriage and was determined to act in a composed, mature manner when she was summoned before the men who were deciding her fate.
At last the knock came upon her chamber door, but the servant told her that young Lord Hamilton awaited her in the garden. She was glad that Patrick was thoughtful enough to propose to her in private, even though it was just a formality.
As she walked toward him she thought wryly, my God, he looks as if he’s been handed a death sentence. He took her hands and searched her face. There were no words that would be kinder or less hurtful. “Tina, sweetheart, ye must know I want tae marry ye more than anything in the world.”
“Yes, Patrick, I know how you feel,” she replied, smiling to encourage him.
“I’m tae wed Nan Howard next week, by order of the queen.”
Tina’s eyes went wide. “But why? I thought the king had ordered a bond of matrimony between our clans.”
Patrick looked ill. “I—she … Nan Howard is with child,” he said miserably
“Yours?” she asked softly.
“No … I don’t know. Perhaps,” he admitted. “The queen’s ladies are such sluts, I don’t suppose I’ll ever know,” he said bitterly.
Tina withdrew her hands. She looked up at the window of the chamber, where her father conducted his business. He and Arran must be having a similar conversation. Her pride was stung that Patrick had been having a liaison while courting her, but she bit back the cutting remarks that sprang to her lips as she realized it was much worse for Patrick than for herself. In a strange way she felt relief that she had been reprieved. She touched his hand again. “Patrick, I’m sorry.”
“Dear God, how can ye be so understanding when I’ve been such a foolish swine?”
She could not explain her mood. Life had such unexpected twists and turns. The last thing in the world she had expected was rejection, for whatever reason. It was pointless to linger. What more could she say? “Next time we meet, we will still be friends.” She turned and left him. She could not bear to witness the deep despair she saw clearly writ upon his face.
Tina did not recall climbing the stairs to her chamber, but before she could explain matters to Ada, they were both summoned to the first floor. When they entered the room, Elizabeth joined them and the Earl of Arran had apparently departed. Tina saw that her mother’s face was still swollen from crying. Now she was to be upset again, and Tina felt wretched to bring her mother more unhappiness.
