“That isnotthe way I imaginedthings would go.” Tess’s sad whisper drew his attention. Her facewas flushed. Her beautiful eyes were brimming with tears. “Will youever be able to forgive me for bringing you into the midst ofit?”
“I wanted to come. And now, more than ever before, Iam glad that I was here.” He gently touched her face.
“I remembereverythingabout her now,Colin,” she said in a low voice. “I don’t want to stay here. I wantto go back to Ravenie. That is where I belong. Will you take meback to the Highlands with you?”
“I will.” By the main entrance to the hall,a dozen Burnetts had taken up their positions. He remembered thearmy of them in the courtyard. They would have no chance offighting their way out. “There are complications that we need tostraighten out, though.”
He glanced again at the door. Tess’s eyesfollowed the direction of his look.
“You must stay here tonight with your mother.Perhaps if you were to speak to her again when things arecalmer…once I’ve left the castle.”
“And where will you be?”
The servant who was supposed to escort Tessupstairs moved nearer to them. There was no doubt in Colin’s mindthat everything that was said here between them would be reportedto Lady Evelyn.
“I’ll return to the Highlands.”
Tess bit her lip, but a sob escapednonetheless. He pulled her tightly into his arms.
His words were a rough whisper in her ear.“I shall somehow get a message to you, tomorrow or the next day atthe latest. I’ll not leave the Borders without you, even if I haveto lay siege to this castle myself.”
Tess gave a small nod, but when they pulledout of the embrace, the sadness was still there.
CHAPTER 17
Jenny, the serving woman, was small and thinand spoke scarcely two words as she led Tess up a winding stonestairwell to the bedchamber where she was to stay.
“They’ll bring up yer things.” The servantretreated unceremoniously toward the door.
“Will someone come after me to show me theway to Lady Evelyn’s room?” Tess called after the woman.
“She’ll send for ye when she wants ye,” theolder woman said curtly from the landing. Without another word, shedisappeared down the steps.
Tess wondered if anyone would really try to stop herif she were to run down these same steps and out to the courtyard.Perhaps Colin had not yet left. Going quickly to the door, shestopped as the sound of footsteps reached her ears. A second later,two large men come around the bend of stairs. One was carrying hersmall trunk. The other stopped and placed the torch he was carryingin the wall sconce on the landing. He didn’t move even after thefirst one had wordlessly dropped Tess’s things in her room andwalked past her at the door and down the stairs.
The guard looked at her without any feeling. She wasbeing held prisoner.
Colin’s promise of sending word—of not going back tothe Highlands without her—was Tess’s only source of hope as sheclosed the door to her small room.
The only furniture in the room was the bed,and a narrow archer’s slit in the wall served for a window. Theopening was covered with a piece of skin that flapped in the chillbreeze. The wood floor was not even covered with rushes.
Tess had taken one step toward her trunkwhen she heard a bar drop in a latch on the outside of her door.She whirled and tried to pull the door open, but to no avail.
Her mother was indeed keeping herprisoner.
“Are the Highlanders gone?”
“They are, m’lady. And just as ye ordered, acompany of Sir David’s men are following them to make sure they’renot hanging about without ye knowing.”
“Very well. Now, then, I want you to takeher some food.” Evelyn spoke impatiently to Jenny as she sat beforethe large looking glass while another maidservant brushed her hair.“And see to it that she has a brazier for her bedchamber and waterfor washing…if she asks for it.”
“She was asking to see ye,” Jenny said.
“Harder. Brush harder,” Evelyn ordered,ignoring the comment.
“She thinks ye’ll be sending for her thisnight,” the serving woman persisted.
“Well, she is wrong. I won’t be havinganything to do with her until Sir David gets back.” Evelynworriedly touched the dark circles under her eyes. There were grimlines turning down the corners of her full lips. Her jaw was taut.Her pale blue eyes seemed to have lost their luster. She lookedold, and it was Theresa’s fault.
