She could smell the resin of the white pine decking and the odor of the wet canvas sails She turned to her brothers man Would you be good enough to carry a letter to Donal and his new wife Meggie for me?

He nodded, and Ram said, Ye had better be briefI intend to weigh anchor and take her out to sea.

Tina was excited at the prospect I wont write after all.

Donal isnt one for letters anyway Just give them both my love, and tell them I shall drop in for a visit one day.

Ram led her below, noting with satisfaction the paneling and other fine appointments of his new vessel. He opened the door of the main cabin, and she stepped inside. The moment the door closed, he took her by storm. She was swept into his arms against the hard length of him as his mouth took fierce possession of hers. She was thoroughly kissed before he lifted his lips. Blood of God, Ive been wanting to taste ye all day tae see if ye still taste like last night.

And do I? she asked provocatively.

He tasted her lips again and licked her full underlip.

Mmm, not quite as sweeta little more tart, he teased, referring to her temper. He perched on the edge of the table, spread his legs wide, and brought her between.

His hands had her bodice unfastened to the waist before she knew what he was about. Her breasts were in his palms, and he lifted each one so he could taste and lick her nipples and aureoles. As they rouched, Tina gasped, You have no shame.

None whatsoever, he agreed, as strong hands went behind to her buttocks, and he pressed her secret part against his swollen sex. He glanced at the bunk. Its wide enough for two if we lie touching.

One would have to lie on top of the other, she protested.

He nodded enthusiastically. We could take turns She tried to pull away from him. Your men are awaiting your orders to weigh anchor.

They wont expect me for some time. All heard ye invite me down here tae warm ye up. Ye deliberately stoke the fires of my passion in public.

Thats so you cant fall upon me and tear off all my clothes, you madman!

Aye, mad! he said, taking her mouth again and breathing in her womans fragrance. His lips trailed up her throat to her ear, then he whispered, After being at sea all afternoon, yer skin will taste salty when I lick it tonight. A queer little shiver made her spine tingle. If ye behave yerself, I might let ye lick me, he whispered outrageously, and chuckled deep in his throat when he saw her blushes. He became serious and buttoned up her riding dress. Id like nothing better than tae make love tae ye, sweet, but I know how embarrassed ye are in front of all these rough men. Ill behave myself until bedtime. He brushed her lovely hair back from her brow and tenderly kissed her temple. Come on, lets go fer a run into the Irish Sea.

Tina moved forward to the prow while Ram shouted his orders. He stood between Jock and Gavin at the wheel.

Jock said, Shell need cannon.

Where do we buy cannon? asked Gavin.

Rams eyebrows went up. Buy? Are we not reivers? We lift cannon the same way we lift cattle. Tomorrow the first order of business is tae capture an English vessel.

Well pick our mark today. Keep yer eyes open.

Tina watched as the topsails broke from the yards, tumbled loose, and were sheeted home. How she would love to have been a man! To shout orders from the quarterdeck, to own a fine sailing ship such as the Valentina and every man jack aboard! She leaned against the rail and watched the sea and the sky and listened to the shrill screams of the seabirds that seemed so fierce and so free. When she tired of watching the sea, her eyes sought out Ram Douglas.

She watched him as he spoke with every single one of his men. She noticed that when he spoke with a man he gave him his full attention and listened intently to what that man said back to him. Before he moved on to the next man, he always put a hand on the shoulder or a slap on the back. Women didnt have that one-for-all and all-for-one camaraderie that men shared. Two women could be close friends like Ada and herself, but a large group would be more like enemies than friends.

Thinking of Ada reminded her of her advice. She had made a tactical mistake today to allow her anger and hatred to show through, making her tongue sharp and her behavior outrageous. She should have waited until they were abed to ask Ram Douglas for the Valentina.

She shivered. He was a dangerous manshe must never let him know that what she did now was so that she could wreak revenge later.

In the late afternoon he joined her at the rail and slipped a possessive arm about her as the red balloon of the sun dropped down the sky to be swallowed by the black sea. I hope all this fresh air has worked up an appetite.

Im starving, she said, leaning against him, all soft compliance.

Good! A couple of the lads have prepared a veritable feast. Mind ye, they arent quite on the same level as yer Mr Burque, but theres oysters, scallops, and big prawns. Were all going to eat it here on deck, if yer game?

It suited her to a tee She loved nothing more than being treated like one of the lads, and she and Ram sat cross- legged with the men on the deck, held the platters of shellfish on their knees, and washed it down with tankards of ale.

The wind dropped as they sailed into the mouth of the River Dee. The Valentinas sails were furled, and she went up river on the evening tide. Ram wanted to know just how close he could get the midsize vessel to Castle Douglas. Lets stay aboard tonight? he implored her.

Tomorrow Im back patrolling that damned border, and God knows how often Ill get tae spend the night with ye, since most raids take place at night.

Since he wanted it so much, she fulfilled his desire. She would deny him nothing. In the small cabin she allowed him to undress her, making sure both her stockings were removed. Then his hands were on his own clothes, flinging them off with all possible speed.

As she stood in the golden glow of the ships lantern, he beckoned her to the berth. There is something between my legs that needs yer ministrations, he told her, unable to mask the laughter in his dark eyes. He handed her his sharp dirk and opened his thighs.

She looked at him blankly for a moment, not comprehending the savage gamp he wanted to play.

Take out yer stitches, he explained, Lord, woman, what did ye think I wanted ye tae do?

Foolish Douglas to trust a Kennedy with a knife, she taunted him, touching the point to the taut skin of his belly. I could ruin the arrogant bastard, she thought. Of course shed be dead, but hed be castrated. But then she thought of the pleasure he gave her and knew shed never do it.

She moved the lantern closer, and its light spilled across his groin, making deep shadows in the dark pelt and highlighting his phallus, which rose up like a tree trunk from a forest. His eyes licked over her like a candle flame, scorching her mouth, the tips of her breasts, and her mons. All the while the ship rocked gently, lulling them with its rhythmic undulations She forced her eyes away from his mans center and examined the long gash she had stitched. He had healed amazingly well in such a short time, and she felt a pang of regret that he had not suffered more. Carefully she began to cut the silken threads and pick out the stitches, proud that her handiwork would leave no permanent scar.

With her hands upon him, his shaft began to buck. Be still, she murmured.

Im not making it do thatye are, he explained.

That is a lie, Douglas. Tis your own impure thoughts make you like a ram in rutting season.

My god, vixen, you kneel before me naked, tormenting my flesh until I know not if ye are angel or devil then accuse me of impure thoughts. Theyre not impure, theyre profligate!

Degenerate Douglas, she purred, the tip of her tongue between her teeth as she almost reached the end of the stitches.

He grabbed for her, dragging her between his thighs, his mouth taking hers prisoner, capturing the delicious tip of her tongue. The point of the dirk went in and spurt blood, but he was oblivious to anything save the fiery temptress who aroused him to madness. His hot mouth moved down her throat, kissing, sucking, licking. He lifted her body higher so that his mouth was on her delicate breasts, tasting, biting, stroking her silken curves with his tongue, curling it about the hard little fruits that thrust so impudently into the hot wetness of his mouth.

He tongued her dimpled navel and ran his lips down the gentle curve of her belly, making her cry out with the intensity of his mouth on her golden flesh. He turned with her and laid her back upon the berth, spreading her copper tresses across the pillows, then when he had gazed his fill, he knew he must taste her honeypot or go mad.

He threaded his fingers through the curls on her triangle of fire, and she arched into his hand, longing to be filled.

He dipped his dark head and kissed the soft flesh on the inside of her knees, then ran his tongue along the silken insides of her thighs.

Tinas hands could not resist his midnight black hair and the long tendrils curled about her fingers in thick spirals. His kisses lingered on her upper thighs, then suddenly she knew where his lips would go next. She cried her shocked protest, her cheeks aflame, her blushes reaching all the way to her breasts. Her cries changed to low moans as he opened the delicate folds between her legs with his thumbs and ran the tip of his tongue around her tiny bud. It became erect and swollen as he toyed with it, licking and tasting and caressing the very center of her womanhood.

Her fingers clutched his hair as the feelings and sensations intensified. The intimate thing he did to her was so exquisite, she could not tell him to stop. When she thought she could bear no more, when she felt her bud must surely explode into a dark blossom, he thrust his tongue inside her like a searing spear. She screamed his name, Ram!

It was the first time shed said it, and it brought his mouth up to hers to taste it upon her lips. Tina tasted herself upon his lips, and it was the most intimate, private thing she had ever experienced. He braced himself above her, and she held her breath as she saw the stark, compelling, obsessive look upon his face.

One second before he boldly plunged down, she saw his blood spurt onto her.

With the stormy urgency that was becoming familiar to her, he began to move his powerful body into hers. At first his blood ran onto her thigh, but as his thrusts became more powerful, it spurt upon her belly. To her great surprise it aroused her unbearably, and she knew the meaning of bloodlust. She arched her neck and reached her mouth up to his, kissing him deeply, all her body clinging to him, moving with him. Together they stepped off the precipice into infinite space. They knew not if it was the chant of life or the dance of death, and they cared not at all.

After a long time, when they could again think coherently, Tina said, You are bleeding againthe sheets will look like a battlefield.

And so they are, he murmured, drawing her close. Ye only nicked me, it will heal by morning.

What if it infects? she asked seriously.

It wont. Wounds heal well at sea and never infect. He searched her face with wondering eyes. Ye are concerned over my least scratch. It is most novel for me tae have someone who cares.

Her conscience pricked her sorely. She pretended to care about his minor wounds so that he would leave himself vulnerable enough for her to inflict a mortal wound.

He gestured toward a decanter. Fetch me the whisky.

As she turned back to the bed with the decanter in her hand, she caught his look of unguarded vulnerability.

He masked it immediately and reached for the liquor.

She shook her head playfully. Allow meI enjoy inflicting pain upon you.

She splashed the whisky into the open cut and he yelped in mock agony. She surveyed the bunk in dismay. The well-used sheets were covered in blood and whisky. My God, well have to burn the sheets before anyone sees them. They look and smell like we had a drunken orgy.

And what do ye know of orgies, my honeypot? he asked, stretching out full length with his arms behind his head.

Not half as much as you, I warrant, she challenged, reaching out a finger to touch his male flesh. His shaft began to grow. She experienced the delicious feeling of her power over him. Tis a most curious weapon. Im abysmally ignorant, Douglas.

Call me Ram as ye did before, he commanded.

I never, ever called you that.

You did, he insisted, in the throes of passion.

Rubbish! I dont recall saying it, she lied.

He had her on her back in a flash, spreading her legs. I recall exactly what it takes tae make ye cry Ram, and he proceded to show her most graphically.

Ram, Ram, she cried, not again!

Yes, again, he insisted, and she was lost.

When she opened her eyes in the gray dawn to find herself sprawled on top of his magnificent body in the far too narrow berth, she told herself that she had done it all for revenge.

When they were dressed and had broken their fast, he took her up on deck. We are only three or four miles from Castle Douglas, he said. Colin will take ye home.

Hes gone tae fetch the horses. Ill be back tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Angus will likely come with the fifty Douglases I requested.

His face was closed this morning, and she had the distinct impression that he had already withdrawn from her. When Colin arrived she left Ram standing on the deck. Before she mounted, she spoke softly to Indigo and stroked her velvet nose. She told herself she wouldnt look back. She did, of course, when she had ridden about a hundred yards, and she received quite a shock. The ship was no longer glistening white and gold. It had been repainted a shadowy gray in the night.

It no longer bore the name Valentina, either. In place of her name was the word Revenge She stared in horror. Did he guess she was out for revenge? Or was he too playing a deadly game?

Perhaps he would never forgive her being forced upon him and he would have his revenge in his own time and his own way. She thought of her Aunt Damaris and felt chilled to the bone.

Chapter 23.

Now that I have a supply o oil paints, I can capture ye on canvas, Colin said to break the silence as they rode to Castle Douglas with a packhorse holding the things they had brought from the Antigone.

Yes, she replied absently, her mind on other things.

Tina, watch for badger holes, he warned.

Im sorry, she replied. I was a million miles away. Forgive my rudeness. How do you go about painting a portrait?

Well ride out one afternoon. Ill take my sketchbook. I try tae capture many different poses wi charcoal, then I select the best sketch an paint it from that.

That eliminates the necessity of having to pose for hours on end, I suppose?

He nodded. I have a retentive mind an an eye fer detail, which helps.

She promised, Well ride out soon before autumn sets in.

Already the purple heather on the hills is turning to russet, and the ferns are turning to bracken.

The borders are beautiful at this time of year. Castle Douglas is just over the next rise.

Before they got to the castle gates, Valentinas quick eye saw a red paper flower upon a bush, and she recognized the sign instantly. They were made by the Gypsies, and she knew it had been put there by Heath.

She dropped her riding glove, and when she dismounted to retrieve it, she snatched up the flower.

The message read, Haugh of Urr.

In the bailey she instructed a young squire to carry the bolt of cloth and the tapestry to Ada, and she took the spices herself to Mr. Burque. By the time she reached the master bedchamber, Ada had ordered her a bath and was just unwinding the bolt of cloth. Tucked inside was the perfume, and Tina put a few drops in the hot water.

This emerald velvet is the finest Ive ever seen, said Ada.

It must be from Veere.

Ada, you know everything. I hope theres enough for a cloak as well as a gown.

Ada eyed her as she stepped into the water. I dont know everything, but one thing I do knowyou look like a sleek cat.

Thats because Im filled with cream, she said wickedly, sinking down with a sigh of appreciation.

Ada smiled. When a woman becomes aware of her sensuality, even bathwater feels erotic.