T is for Temptation (50 page)

She spoke about Jake’s gift, his visions similar to
Douglas
’s, but limited because he was half-mortal, half-elf. Tee hid her surprise and tried to suppress the ache in her chest. It had taken courage to bare her powers to him. Why hadn’t he trusted her with his secret? Would he ever let her see all of him?

Elaine gave her an Elfish scroll written in a language Tee’d never seen before, although the first three phrases seemed vaguely familiar. Grateful for the distraction, she focused on the peculiar lettering.

“It’s the same thing that’s carved on the bottom of the trunk,” she said, squinting to make out the individual letters.

“I know you have a gift for different tongues, sweetling. Study the scroll, and learn its secrets.”

“You don’t know what this means?” Tee waved a hand at the scroll.

“Nay, Daughter, I know not this language, but
Douglas
knew it was for you.”

“Why didn’t he give it to me?”

“I do not know.
Douglas
’s sense of time is not like ours, with definite points we call dates and times. He sees and knows the world as a whole, beginning, end, and rebirth, and the repeating eternal circle. Strive as I do, he has never been able to make me see the whole. Perhaps this may help you.”

“Will I see you again?”

“Aye, Daughter, many happy visits, but you must come here. I cannot visit until we find a way to overcome my curse.”

“You’re cursed?” Tee couldn’t keep a straight thought in her head. As soon as she absorbed some new, astonishing fact, another one battered and beguiled her senses. She rolled the scroll into a tight cylinder and re-tied the ribbon securing the onionskin paper.

“I am restricted to this time, this land. But, enough about that, your time here is soon to end, and I learned your secret, my love, when I kissed your cheek. Promise you will bring my granddaughter to see me as soon as she can travel.”

“Granddaughter?”

Elaine nodded.

“I’m pregnant?” Tee circled her palm on her tummy, she held her breath, and her heart threatened to leap out of her chest.

“Aye, life grows within your womb. My Jamie will be so pleased, but terrified too. Be patient with him, Tallulah. He is only now believing in his own talent. Instead of nurturing his gift, he denies it often. You must needs help him, Daughter. Exercise patience with my son.”

Enchanted, bewildered, and filled with joy, Tee couldn’t prevent the silly grin that captured her lips. Visions of pink booties and tiny cotton nighties hop scotched across her pupils.

A young girl offering to fill her goblet with wine interrupted her mental meandering and Tee forced her mind to the present, drinking in the extended family atmosphere of the hall and the head table. She snickered as someone sang a naughty limerick, and broke into laughter as two men bantered back and forth other shouting wicked double entendres.

Stephen taught her a few Gaelic phrases, and her natural linguistic abilities had her mimicking his accent and pronunciation with perfect idiom. Her brother-in-law crowed, explaining it had taken Jake a full day before he could manage the three words engraved on the bottom of the trunk without butchering them.

Jake joined them on the dais minutes before servants bearing platters of food entered the hall. Tee felt his entrance before she saw him, her relief palpable. Although she’d enjoyed meeting his family, Tee missed the comforting strength of his presence. He kissed her cheek, sat, and rested his arm on the back of her chair.

“What’s wrong, darling?” She leaned forward to whisper the question, rewarded by warmed insides when he grinned his pleasure at the endearment.

“Call me darling, and I’ll give you the world. Nothing’s wrong, not really.” He smiled and turned around to face his father.

Kieran and Jake spoke in lowered voices for over fifteen minutes. Helen drew Tee into conversation. She answered his sister’s questions absently, all the while shooting concerned peeks at Jake and his father.

By the end of the evening, Tee was on tenterhooks, temples throbbing, toes tapping under the table. Jake held himself rigid beside her. He avoided her gaze. Whatever was wrong, it was serious.

Even so, she loved the event, the harmony of friends and family celebrating. Elaine had gone all out. Much to Tee’s surprise, the food proved delicious, definitely not low fat, but scrumptious, especially the suckling pig with the apple in its mouth. Her guilt about eating the animal vanished with the first mouth-watering bite.

Kieran and Elaine went out of their way to welcome her. They toasted her several times throughout the meal. Stephen and Jake spent most of the time exchanging barbed, sarcastic remarks. Their contentious relationship worried Tee. Each seemed determined to outdo the other. As the servants served the last course, Kieran stood with his goblet in one hand.

“My lady and I welcome our son, James Michael Ferguson, to his home.” Kieran’s sonorous words sang through the cavernous room. “We congratulate Jamie and his lady, Tallulah, on their decision to wed. Join us in a toast of happiness for the couple.”

A roar echoed through the hall. Everyone raised a goblet, mug, or container.

“Jamie and Tee, we wish you long life, health, happiness, and wealth.” The Ferguson Laird beamed at them and gulped from his glass. The crowd followed suit. “Will you now avow your promise to each other?”

Elaine had given her the words beforehand.

They faced each other.

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “I take thee, James Michael Jake Ferguson, as my husband as witnessed by his family and all in Brodick Hall.”

“I take you, Tallulah Margaret Inglefield, as my wife as witnessed by my family and all in Brodick Hall.”

Bemused, Tee’s gaze met Jake’s. He smiled and pressed a lingering kiss on her lips.

The crowd rose and roared, “To the bride and groom!”

The celebration wound down a couple of hours later. Tee followed Jake and his parents out of the hall. They gathered in one of the smaller rooms on the first floor.

“When will you be back, Son?” Kieran asked Jake.

“We’re leaving?”

“Yes, we have to go back,” Jake answered. “Things have become more complex, and we may be needed to resolve everything.”

“Is Dad okay?” Tee’s pulse pounded like thunder in her ears, drowning out their voices. She struggled to hear the words coming out of Jake’s mouth.

“Alex hasn’t been able to reach him or Sir Arthur since yesterday evening.” Jake rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “But, no one seems to be alarmed. Don’t panic, babe.” He turned to face his parents. “We really should leave now. I’m sorry it’s been such a brief visit.”

Alerted by the genuine regret in his gruff voice, Tee cut to his face and read the yearning in those charcoal eyes. He longed to belong, she realized, and had to bite her lower lip to suppress the threatening tears.

“Never worry about it, sweetling.” Elaine tiptoed to kiss Jake’s cheek and pat his jaw. “You go, quickly now. I know you’ll be back.” She waved a hand. “Go on, leave.”

Jake said quick farewells to his father and Stephen. “Tell Tiny we’ll bring Alex next time.”

He grinned and glanced over his shoulder for one last look at his mother, father, and brother.

Tee slipped her hand into his and squeezed.

Jake’s hooded eyes met hers, and she winced at his regretful expression, the tight line of his mouth.

When they reached the fairy room, he picked up the trunk from the bedside table, heaved an audible sigh, and reached over to clutch Tee’s hand.

“It’ll be okay, witchy woman,” he promised. “Everything will work out.”

He flipped the latch on the trunk and tossed the lid open. Simultaneously, Tiny burst into the room, skidded on the floor, and bumped into Tee and Jake. Wobbling precariously, he threw his arms around them, straining to stay upright, using their bodies as anchors.

All to no avail as they landed in a heap on the floor, their fall cushioned by a plush taupe carpet. From her vantage point on the rug, Tee noticed a gunmetal floor lamp with an opaque jade shade. The faint hum of car engines zipping by the tall windows opposite reached her ears.

“Where are we?” She wriggled her legs out from under Jake.

Tiny whipped his hand off her chest, his cheeks staining a deep scarlet.

“Tiny.” The glee in Alex’s voice couldn’t be denied. “Welcome to my world.” He turned to answer her. “You’re in my condo in Knightsbridge. We’re relatively safe. I took all the necessary precautions, Jake. It’s been swept for microphones, and Scotland Yard pulled their watch from this building yesterday.”

“Am I in your time, then?” Tiny directed his question to Alex.

“Oh yes.” Alex rubbed his palms together. “Once we’re out of this mess, it’s payback time, Green Giant. Let’s see how you function at a hundred and twenty miles on the Autobahn. And I’ll get my partner to take you up in his jet and do stunts, like a rollover and a couple of spins.”

“Enough.” Jake helped Tee to her feet. “Any news on Henry?”

“Yes, I heard from him and Sir Arthur four hours ago. Henry’s disappearance is a deliberate trap. We’re in wait mode.”

“I didn’t have to bring Tee back then. She’s in danger here.” Jake turned to her. “Please, for my sake, babe, let me take you back.”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t wait around in 1501 not knowing what’s going on. I’m staying.”

“Sir Arthur’s due here any moment to brief us on the roles they expect us to play. As far as he’s concerned, you two’ve been hiding out with an unnamed friend for the last two days.” Alex strolled over to the window and peeked out. “They say it’s the first time in decades such a thick fog has blanketed
London
. I can’t see a damn thing.”

Swirls of thick, smoky air flitted along a wall of glass framed by royal blue curtains.

Tee and Jake joined Alex at the window.

Tiny meandered around the apartment, picking up ornaments and accessories, examining each item without uttering a word. Halting in front of the plasma TV, the metallic, high-tech appliance incongruous against rose-flowered wallpaper, he studied the blank, empty screen, his forehead creased in silent concentration.

A faint, rhythmic rap sounded in the room, three long, three short, three long. Alex swung around, strode to the door, and opened it wide.

Sir Arthur Flood entered. He broke into a broad smile when he spied Tee. Hands outstretched, he walked over to her side.

“Tallulah, my dear, I’m so pleased to see you. You will never know how much I regret what happened and my nephew’s involvement. Rest assured he’ll receive the maximum punishment for his actions.” Sir Arthur took her hands in his, and he pressed her fingers lightly.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Tee murmured. “Where’s my father?”

“He’s perfectly safe, my dear, and heavily guarded.”

“Where is he?”

“In one of my safe houses, not the Met’s,” Arthur replied. “A house located near the Scottish border.”

“What’s this trap you’ve set?” Jake demanded, his tone belligerent.

“We leaked the news that Henry did business with Tony, and he’s the one who knows the passcodes for the bank account, not his daughter.”

She sank to the couch and buried her face in her hands. “Oh God. Why did you make him do this?”

Dampness filled the edges of her eyes.

“Your father volunteered, my dear.” Sir Arthur spoke softly. “He wanted to take all suspicion off you. It’s a father’s natural instinct to protect his children, especially his only daughter.”