“I will always be useless to you,” Cade said in a flat tone. “I will not betray my friends and family and country.”
Bastien caught his prisoner’s wrist, his gaze ferocious. Pain blazed through Cade’s body, every nerve screaming with agony as Bastien said in a ruthless voice, “Where are the London headquarters of the gifted branch of the Home Office?”
Cade gasped, feeling as if his body was on fire. In his mind he could see the headquarters, but damned if he’d tell this monster where to look. “No!” He followed his refusal with a string of French curses.
“Your knowledge of French profanity is impressive,” Bastien snarled. “But it won’t stop the pain.” His grip on Cade’s wrist tightened like the talons of a falcon, and the pain magnified, exploded beyond endurance. Cade knew down to the marrow of his bones that he was incapable of betraying his oaths and friends and family, but death would be welcome....
Then he felt the touch of Tamsyn’s mind, countering the agony, surrounding him with calm and caring. He hoped to God that she wasn’t taking on the pain herself because he truly would prefer death to subjecting her to such torment. Tamsyn, his wife and salvation. His beloved, delicate and blond and stronger than steel.
But he didn’t have any sense that she was taking on his pain. She was using her gift for healing to dissolve it, and now she was sending him to sleep. As he slid into blessed peace, Bastien barked, “Stay awake, you bastard! I’m not done with you!”
But Cade was done with Bastien for now, and good riddance. His last thought was a desperate wish that he could be free and holding Tamsyn in his arms in some safe place.
CHAPTER15
When Cade suffered another excruciatingly painful assault, Tamsyn collapsed onto her bed, giving thanks that she’d been in her room. All her concentration and most of her strength were needed to counter the effects of what Bastien was doing. If Cade wasn’t so strong, he might have been driven mad by what he was suffering.
Tamsyn remembered Merryn’s theory that strongly gifted people might be able to develop new abilities in times of crisis. Even though she was a healer, she’d always worked through physical touch. While healing usually included reducing pain, she’d never done anything like this, neutralizing pain at a distance through mind touch.
Perhaps this was possible because it wasn’t normal physical pain but an assault by a viciously talented man that was inflicted directly to the nerves and mind? Or maybe she was able to mitigate Cade’s pain because he was so dear to her, one of the handful of people she always carried in her heart.
When this was all over, she’d do some research and find out if any other gifted healers had dealt with this sort of situation. But mostly she just wanted it to beover!
She closed her eyes and calmed herself so she could make a mental list of the things she must do the next day. First on the list was buying that promising white riding horse, which meant acting as her imaginary younger brother. She would call herself Thomas since it was similar to her own name.
In the morning she would leave the house wearing her boy’s clothing and boots under a skirt and cloak. She’d find a quiet alley and strip the outer items off, then go to the livery stable to buy Zeus and a saddle and the other gear required. Then she’d ride the few miles to Frethun to call on Madame Agnes LeBlanc, the woman Marie Barriere thought might be able to help her find the caves below Château Bastien. Marie had not mentioned the other woman’s name until Madame LeBlanc had agreed to help
Tansyn also needed to find a quiet, isolated cottage where she and Cade could stay safely for a few days while he recovered. Perhaps Madame LeBlanc would help with that?
She smiled humorlessly. Then all she had to do was find where Cade was being held, break into his cell, free him, and lead him to safety, all without being seen by Claude Bastien.
She drew a shaky breath, knowing she mustn’t let the task overwhelm her. One step at a time. If all went miraculously well, she’d be able to rescue Cade within the next two or three days, preferably before Bastien assaulted his mind and body again.
She shuddered at the memory. Her gift was healing, not torture, but she’d be willing to use a more old-fashioned form of punishment on Bastien, the sort inflicted by a very sharp blade.
She sighed. No, she was incapable of deliberately hurting any living being. But if Cade wanted to give Bastien a beating, she wouldn’t try to stop him.
Her bloodthirsty thoughts were interrupted by the deep gong of the dinner bell. Time for a good meal in the company of normal, good people.
* * *
The next day started smoothly. The owner of the livery stable remarked on “Thomas’s” resemblance to his sister, but she’d lowered her voice, and he didn’t notice that his customer was a female. After a test ride on the white gelding, they bargained over the cost. Tamsyn wouldn’t have minded paying the asking price, but doing so would be suspicious.
In fact, she paid a very reasonable sum for her new mount and his tack, which included a spacious set of saddlebags. She filled the bags with their least essential belongings, hoping there would be a safe place to leave them if today’s mission went well.
The three-mile ride along the coast road to Frethun was pleasant and relaxing. Zeus was a strong mount with smooth gaits and it felt good to be doing something.
Marie Barriere’s directions on how to find Madame LeBlanc’s home on the far edge of Frethun were clear and easy to follow. The house was sizable and clearly prosperous. Tamsyn paused on the road before turning into the drive and gazed south along the coastline. She couldfeelthat Cade wasn’t far away. If Madame LeBlanc wasn’t helpful, Tamsyn would start searching on her own and take her chances.
Marie had told Tamsyn to take her mount to the stables in back. When she entered the open doors, she saw a pair of carriage horses and two good riding hacks. A stable hand greeted her, speaking with a strong Cornish accent. “You’re the guest Madame LeBlanc is expecting?”
“Yes, I’m Tam Tremayne,” she said, using a lowered voice and a neutral name.
“Milady is expecting you,” he said, taking Zeus’s reins. “I’ll look after your mount.”
Used to caring for her own horses, she hesitated, but the stable hand looked capable, and Tamsyn was impatient to speak with the woman who might be able to help her find Cade. She thanked him and left the stables to walk around the house.
The polished brass knocker on the front door was in the shape of a sailing ship. She rapped smartly and the door was opened by an elderly butler who escorted her to a well-furnished drawing room with a view of the sea. A small-boned woman with silver-streaked hair and shrewd eyes was writing at the desk, but she looked up at her guest’s entrance.
