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stone stairway. “When ye recall yer identity, sweetheart, send for me. If ye are no’ known tae be a friend, perhaps yer a foe,” he teased and gave her an audacious wink. He stopped at his own chamber door and handed her over to Gavin’s waiting arms. “I’ll change my wet clothes and look forward tae seeing more of ye later.” His words were accompanied by a devilish leer as his pewter eyes dipped to her wet breasts—she could not mistake the double entendre.
    Tina trembled in Gavin’s arms, and he felt oddly protective of her. She was grateful to be relieved of
that
other one’s presence. He was more swarthy than any Gypsy. His pewter eyes had had an arrogant gleam, his mouth a reckless slant that intensified his magnetism, yet everything about him was dangerously dark and hard and threatening.
    “Who are you—and where am I?” Tina whispered, knowing he would be putty in her hands.
    “I’m Gavin Douglas, and this older man is ma cousin Colin.” The handsome devil grinned down at her.
    Colin reprimanded his levity. “Stow yer foolishness, Gavin. The lass has injured her haid. This place is Douglas, mistress. Just north of the border country atween England and the cities o’ Glasgow and Edinburgh.” The rough stone passageway was cold, and she shivered uncontrollably in Gavin’s arms. “I’ll soon ha’ ye out o’ yer soakin’ gown, lass,” he said, grinning.
    “Hoots, Gavin, ye’ve no’ the brains ye were born wi’ Can ye no’ see she’s a lady? She must be frightened witless tae waken in the clutches o’ Black Ram Douglas.”
    Tina jerked and stiffened. My God, that had been the infamous Black Ram!
    They entered a most elegantly appointed chamber, one that had been decorated with the sure hand of a gentlewoman with taste and breeding. A cat that was curled in a chair awoke with a start and ran beneath it.
    Gavin reluctantly put her down on the edge of the wide bed, and Colin limped over to a clothespress and brought her towels and a warm plaid.
    A deep voice from the doorway said, “Don’t stand there grinning like a gargoyle—the lass will think she’s in a madhouse. Order a servant tae build a fire so she can get warm and have a rest.”
    Something inside Tina responded to that deep voice. His eyes told her that he found her special. As Gavin moved to the door, the tone of Ram Douglas’s voice changed. “Ye can show me this prisoner ye took.”
    Colin said with disgust, “He’s a bairn—wi’ down on his cheeks.”
    “Then it should be child’s play tae break him,” Ram said.
    Fury almost choked Valentina. She loathed herself for responding momentarily to his animal attraction. The cruel bastard had one count against him for throwing her over his saddle like a sack of grain. Two counts against him forinvading her body with his filthy hands. But in the moment he’d spoken of breaking her wee brother Davie, a deep hatred for the man had been born. It was a personal hatred, spawning a personal vendetta. If one hair on Davie’s head were harmed, she would settle the score with Black Ram Douglas if it was the last thing she ever did in this lifetime.

Chapter 5
    The servants departed after building her a fire, and a moment later she stripped off her woolen gown and wet underclothes and hung them over the foot of the bed to dry She concealed the knife from her boot under the mattress and took up a large linen towel to dry her long red tresses. She noted that the towel was finely woven from the best flax and embroidered with an elaborate letter D. She tested the quality of the Douglas plaid between her thumb and forefinger and felt an overwhelming distaste for the tartan’s dark greens and blues. Her pride forbade her to wrap herself in its warmth until she heard a knock upon her chamber door. Then without thinking, she grabbed the finely woven length of woolen cloth and wrapped it about herself like a cloak.
    Colin Douglas entered, balancing a tray upon his stiff, almost useless