FLAME OF DESIRE (51 page)

“I will never see the summer again, never share the smell of the flowers with Richard. We will never see the light of another dawn. Never more will I feel Richard’s arms around me, hear his words of love. And yet, I have loved and been loved,” she whispered.

Closing her eyes, she imagined that she heard voices. Am I already dead? she wondered. It seemed that she felt someone cutting her  bonds. Looking up she saw a face which was familiar to her and yet unknown, a man she had never seen before. His red hair and gray eyes mocked her.

“Release this woman and this man at once by order of her Majesty, Mary Queen of England, and of Philip, her consort,” she thought she heard him say. What mockery was this? Fighting the dark clouds which hovered before her eyes, Heather at last succumbed, fainting as the arms of the red-haired man reached down to pick her up.

Chapter Seventy-Five

Heather opened her eyes as gray mists swirled before her. Where was she? Was she in heaven? She could smell the odor of smoke and realized that it was coming from her hair, her clothing. It was then that she remembered. That man. Who…? Was she home?

“You are awake, my love,” came a voice.

“Richard?”

“It is I.” He grasped her hand and held it to his breast. “We are saved, at least for the time being. Your father….”

“Thomas?” The fog in her brain had not quite cleared yet. Somehow she could not seem to understand. The man. He had looked like her somehow.

“I am your father,” came a deep masculine voice. Hovering over her, he looked awesome. Tall and regal, he looked to be some foreign prince. “Rodrigo de Vega is my name.” He looked at her with such sadness that she felt pity for him. “Your mother told me of your plight. I had no idea that I had a daughter. A beautiful daughter. I was told that both you and your mother had died.”

She wanted to believe him. Somehow she
did
. He had not the face of a liar, yet she asked, “Who would tell such a lie?”

“The man your mother married. It seems he loved her so much that he broke both her heart and mine to possess her. He took all that was precious from me and left me only half a man. How can I ever forget or forgive his great wrong?” He brushed the hair from her forehead in a fatherly gesture.

Anger swelled within Heather’s breast. Anger for the misery her mother had suffered, for the lonely hears she had spent, and for the pain this man standing beside her had endured. Thomas Bowen was a miserable, miserly wretch. “I will never forgive him!” She could not help but wonder what her mother would do now, being reunited with the man she loved once. Would she leave Thomas Bowen as she should? Was it possible to recapture the years spent away from a man? Did he still love her mother, this red-haired giant?

“Now at least I know the truth. I have found you, sweet Heather. We must atone for so many years.”

Heather could not help the words which spouted from her lips. “Are you married? Will you and mother perhaps….?”

“That is for Blythe to answer,” he whispered, looking in the direction of the door. “I still love her and would marry her if she would have me.” His eyes grew tender as she walked into the room.

“I am flattered, Rodrigo. You always were a handsome man and you still are. What woman would not want you?”

He took a step forward, gathering her into his arms. “We will go to Spain. I have a grand hacienda there with trees and a fountain….”

She shook her head. “No. my place is here.”

“Then we will stay here,” he said, his brows drawing together in a frown.

Blythe hesitated for only a moment, then pulled away. “No. I am a married woman, Rodrigo. Thomas Bowen, right or wrong, liar or saint, is my husband. I spoke vows before God, and I would seek to honor them. If I cannot fully understand what he did so many years ago, if I cannot forget, I must at least try to forgive. And in time perhaps forget…”

“Forget? How can you forget the love we shared?” He seemed shattered by her words, and Heather’s heart went out to him.

“Mother……!”

“Hush, Heather.” She turned to Rodrigo. “We loved with a passion that outshone the stars, you and I, but that was many years ago. I have made a life and so have you. Let us remember our precious memories and treasure them always. I hope that we can always be friends, if not lovers.”

Heather could not believe her ears. Her mother was throwing away her happiness, resigning herself to stay with an ugly, miserly man who had ruined her life by his treacherous lies. She could have had love, passion, and she was turning her back upon it for honor. How could she do such a thing? How? Her mother’s words answered her question.

“You see, Rodrigo, you never really needed me. You had your ships and your gold, and though you loved me, I never truly came first with you.”

“Blythe…”

“Thomas needs me. He does not know that he does, Heather does not realize that he does, but it is true nonetheless. He needs me and in his own way he loves me. I cannot throw away the years I spent with him because of a dream. You are Heather’s father and I hope you will show her the love that you once felt for me.” Tears brimmed Blythe’s eyes as she stood looking at him. It was as if the years were stripped away and Heather could see the woman her mother used to be. If everyone had choices in life, Blythe had just made hers.

“You are saying that we cannot bring back those years we shared.” Rodrigo de Vega sighed. “Perhaps it is true. Yet oh, how I wish that for just one moment we could be young again.” He reached out to touch Blythe’s cheek, wiping away her tears. “This Thomas Bowen is a very lucky man. What he has is more precious than gold.” They stood gazing into each other’s eyes as if for a moment the years were stripped away, but a clamoring noise out in the courtyard shattered the spell.

Richard looked out Heather’s bedchamber window. “It’s Perriwincle. What in the name of all that is holy….? He has a woman with him. Matty!”

Heather remembered Matty. She was the woman who had befriended her and spoken such kind words to her at the Christmas festivities. Surely if anyone would attest to her kind treatment of Edlyn, it was Matty. Standing up and walking to the window on her wobbly legs, Heather looked below. The old man had a bundle of some kind in the back of the wagon. It looked like a bag of shorn wool bobbin up and down. No. It was a person.

“Undine!” she gasped. Cursing at the top of her lungs was the old woman. Perriwincle had arrived a bit late but nonetheless a hero.

“That woman. She is the same one who tended Edward when he was ill. There are some who whispered that she poisoned the young king. How do you know her?” Richard questioned, remembering well the visage of that evil hag.

“She came to the manor begging for shelter. I took her in. I thought she would be good to Edlyn. Instead, she murdered her. I have no doubt that somehow Hugh Seton is involved in the matter.”

“Seton? Yes. He told me that he was sending a surprise for you. Now I  know what he meant. An evil surprise, one which nearly cost you your life.” Putting an arm about her waist, he helped her back to bed. Grinning mischievously, he bowed low before Rodrigo de Vega. “I would ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage. I love her very much and swear to bring her happiness evermore.”

Rodrigo looked from Heather to Richard and then back again. “Daughter, what say you of this?”

“I say that I love him with all my heart and that I will die if you do not say yes.” She threw her arms around Richard’s neck, holding him close. Now that Undine had been found, she had a feeling that all would be well.

“Then I say yes,” Rodrigo de Vega answered, looking at Blythe to see if she also gave her blessing. She nodded. It was then that Thomas Bowen entered, his hat in his hands, the light from the sun casting a glow on the top of his shiny head. All eyes turned toward him and the room was suddenly hushed to a silence.

“I’m glad that you are feeling better, Heather,” he said softly, looking from Rodrigo de Vega to Blythe and back again. It was clear by the sorrowful look in his eyes that he thought he had lost the woman whom he had taken to wife. “Hello, Rodrigo.”

“You little weasel!” Rodrigo hissed. “I ought to…”

Blythe held up her hand. “Let me deal with this, Rodrigo. Thomas has much to answer for, as well he knows.”

Tears filled the merchant’s eyes as he fell to his knees before Blythe. “Forgive me, wife. I did wrong, I know that now, but you were so lovely and I so besotted by you that I told but one small lie….”

“One small lie! You ruined three lives. Blythe’s, Heather’s and my own,” Rodrigo thundered, looking as if he would seek to skin Thomas Bowen and hang his carcass from the ceiling. “You told me that they were dead. Dead!”

Thomas bent his head in shame until his nose was nearly touching the rush-covered floor. “I know. I know. Think you that I do not know that I have lost everything now? Everything. It is punishment enough that I suffer at this moment.” His eyes raised to Blythe’s and Heather was stunned by the love which shone there. “You will leave me?”

Blythe was silent, letting Thomas feel the full force of his well-deserved retribution. He answered for her. “You will. I do not blame you. I have shown you little love these past years, though it
was
in my heart.  How tragic that until this moment I did not realize that you are so very dear to me. I need you, Blythe. Please do not leave me. I would give up all my earthly possessions, my gold, my house, my cloth, if you would but stay and learn to forgive me. Forgive me. Please. I beg of you.” Tears ran in rivulets down his plump cheeks.

“Oh, stop blubbering, Thomas,” Blythe scolded, bending over him and wiping the tears away. “If it is forgiveness you want, you have it, though I cannot speak for Rodrigo or for Heather.”

“I will never forgive you,” Rodrigo answered. “You have taken all from me. What I cannot understand is how she can choose to stay with
you
.”

“Stay with me?” The merchant was upon his feet in an instant, hugging his wife to his massive chest. “Oh, you will not regret it. I love you so much.”

Blythe pulled away. “But there will be some changes around here, dear husband.” She cocked her head and winked in Heather’s direction, only to see that Heather was oblivious of all that was taking place around her, kissing Richard with all the tenderness of her heart.

“I believe we should leave the young ones alone, no?” Rodrigo said. Without a backward glance, they all did just that, leaving the two lovers locked in each other’s arms.

Chapter Seventy-Six

Tabitha heard the tumult in the courtyard, heard Heather’s voice welcoming old Perriwincle back, but she resisted the temptation to join in the merry-making. Rafael needed her by his side.

“What is going on,
señorita
?” he asked, straining his ears to the voices below.

“Perriwincle has returned, bringing the old witch woman with him. I heard him say that she can attest before Mary what a monster Hugh Seton really is.”

“So our lovebirds will be free to fly away. I am happy for them.” He leaned his head against the back of the chair, basking in the warmth of the sun. Soon he would be healed and then he would go away.

“Love is a very beautiful thing,” she murmured, glancing at him and aching to have him hold her in his arms. She wanted to tell him that she loved him as Heather did Richard, but fearful that he might shun her, she did not say the words. But Rafael spoke, and what he said shattered all her dreams.

“You should find someone to love you, Señorita Tabitha. A lovely young woman should not spend her days alone.”

“I am not alone,” she said softly. “I have you to care for…” All her life Tabitha had considered herself plain and awkward until Rafael Mendosa had looked upon her with a smile; now his words brought a feeling of rejection. Little did she know of the love raging in his heart. He had grown to love this woman with the soft hands and gentle voice. She was the woman he had always dreamed of finding, a woman to share his life with, a woman totally devoid of selfish vanity, who thought of others before herself. But he could not tell her. What if his love was not returned?

“Soon I will be gone.”

“Gone.” He had spoken the words that broke her heart. “Gone. Then truly I will be alone.” She turned to him, meeting his eyes with a boldness that was rare for her. “And you think that I should find a man who befits my social station, is that it, Rafael? A baker or cobbler or tinker will do for the servant who is plain of face. But I tell you that they will not do. I may be humble of birth, I may not be pretty, but no one could love you more.”

“You love me?” His voice was soft, belying the tumult in his breast.

“Yes.” She turned away, fearing what he would say now. She had made a total fool of herself by telling him what was in her heart.

Rafael turned her around to face him, searching out the softness of her mouth. He could not deny the spark which flashed between them. He felt her love and reached out to it as a low moan came from his throat.

“I love you too, Tabitha,” he said at last. “It was meant to be. We were meant to be. I have waited all my life for you.
Querida
.” His mouth swept across her cheek to the silky strands of her hair, and he buried his face in that soft treasure. It was in this embrace that Richard and Heather found them.

“Sorry , my friend,” Richard said as he looked at the two lovers. “I meant not to intrude, only to tell you of our news. We are soon to be wed, Heather and I. Perhaps our marriage will not be the only one of this household.” He flashed Rafael an approving grin. “Undine has confessed all, though I wish not to know the reason. It seems that the man who claimed to be my half-brother is not any kin of mine at all, but the illegitimate son of a gardener.”

“Your gardener?” Rafael asked. “But why did he say…?”

“Seton’s mother had dreams of rising above her station and so she concocted a fantasy about a man who had shown her kindness, and thus told her son that he was the child of the lord of the manor. Undine was the midwife who delivered Seton and she knew the truth, yet she kept the secret well.”