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“She’s a lioness, and I would ta his lips over the fantasy
“She would cut your throat while you slept,” Edwin called out
Hugh snorted “With Gillian in ”
He reached out to stroke her, but she shoved his hand away and took a step back Hugh glanced down at the boy clinging to Gillian She quickly forced hiet about the child when she said, “You are , I almost pity you”
Shocked by the venom in her voice, he slapped her with the back of his hand
She retaliated by s
“Leave her be,” Alford deain
He leered at her for several seconds, then leaned forward and whispered, “I will have you, bitch” He turned around then and went back to his place at the table “Give her to ed Alford “I can teach her to be obedient”
Alford smiled “I shall consider your request,” he promised
Edasn’t about to be left out “If you give Gillian to him, then I must have Christen”
“She has already been promised,” Alford said
“You want her for yourself,” Edwin accused
“I don’t want her, but I have promised her to another”
“Who did you promise?” Edwin asked
Hugh laughed “Does it matter, Edwin? Alford has never kept his word”
“Never,” Alford snickered “But there is always a first time”
Edwin grinned, for he was placated now and foolishly believed he still had a chance of winning Christen’s hand “If she is half as beautiful as Gillian, then I will be well-served”
“How long will you give Gillian to coh asked
“She ins”
“But that is not nearly long enough,” Edwin protested “Why, it will take her a full week, et to her destination, and if there are any proble the way or if she cannot find Christen”
Alford raised his hand for silence “Your prattle of worries on the bitch’s behalf ue while I explain the details to hlanders to help you save your dear uncle, know this A full contingent of my soldiers have surrounded his hohland warrior steps foot into the holding, Morgan will be killed I will hold him ransom until you return Do I make myself clear?”
“What if she tells Rah asked
“She will not tell,” Alford replied “She holds the boy’s life with her silence Enough of your questions,” he added “I wish to talk about ’s rehen I give the box to hiested more than once that it was Gillian and Christen’s father who stole the box and killed Arianna, and when the King finds out that Christen has had the treasure all this time, he will be convinced”
He motioned to the two sentries at the entrance to come forward “The dear lady can barely stand up See how she sways on her feet? Take her and the boy upstairs Put her in her old roo to let you sleep in your own bed”
“And the boy, milord?” one of the soldiers inquired
“Put him in the roo the night”
The soldiers rushed forward to do their lord’s bidding One took hold of Alec’s arm and the other reached for Gillian She jerked away, steadied herself, and slowly, painfully, straightened up Head erect, she held on to the edge of the table until she gained the strength in her legs, then took careful, measured steps When she was close to the doors, she swayed and collapsed against the chest
The soldier pulled her upright and dragged her the rest of the way to the stairs Gillian folded her arms across her battered ribs and hunched over, and Alec held on to her skirt as they started up the steps She stu a tisking sound, the soldier lifted her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way
The pain in her back beca, and she fainted before they reached her door The soldier dropped her on the bed and turned to grab hold of the boy, but Alec refused to leave He bit and scratched and kicked theto pry him away from Gillian
“Leave hiested “If we keep the two of theuard in front of one door tonight The boy can sleep on the floor”
The twothe door behind them Alec climbed up on the bed next to Gillian and held on to her Terrified that she would die and leave him all alone, he sobbed uncontrollably
A long while passed before she finally awakened The pain pulsating through her body was so intense, tears flooded into her eyes She waited until the roo, then tried to sit up, but the pain was unbearable, and she collapsed against the bedcovers, feeling helpless and defeated
Alec whispered her name
“It’s all right now The worst is over, Alec Please don’t cry”
“But you’re crying”
“I’ll stop,” she promised
“Are you going to die?” he asked worriedly
“No,” she whispered
“Do you hurt real bad?”
“I’ much better,” she lied “And at least we’re safe now”
“No, we’re not,” he argued “Toonna be—”
“Much better,” she interrupted “It’s dark in here, isn’t it? Why don’t you tie the tapestry back froht”
“The light’s alone,” he told her as he jumped off the bed and ran to theto do as she had requested
Golden ribbons of sunlight streaentle su the stone floor She could see particles of dust in the air, could smell thethe room had been closed Had she been the last to sleep in this bed? It was unlikely Alford liked to entertain, and he had surely had a uests at Dunhanshire since she had been banished
Alec climbed back in bed with her and took hold of her hand “The sun’s going down You slept an awful long tiot scared,” he admitted “And you knohat?”
“No, what?”
“It is too gonna get worse ’cause I heard what the baron said The Highlander’s co here”
“Yes, I heard what he said” She put her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes She said a quick prayer that God would help her get her strength back—and soon—for time was critical
“The Highlander will be here toitated “If he sees onna know I’m not Michael Then maybe he’ll tell on me”
While she once again struggled to sit up, she addressed his worry “I’m sure he already knows you’re not Michael That’s probably the urgent news he wishes to tell the baron”
He frowned intently, until the freckles on his nose blended together “Maybe he wants to tell hi else”
“I don’t think so”
“I don’t want you to leave me”
“I’ to leave you,” she promised
“But the baron’s gonna send you away”
“Yes,” she agreed “But I’ to take you with me” He didn’t look as if he believed her She patted his hand and forced a shlander coood look at him”
“’Cause he’s a traitor?”
&nb
sp; “Yes”
“And then you can tell my papa and Brodick and even Ramsey what the traitor looks like?”
Alec was looking happy now, and so she quickly agreed “Yes, that’s exactly right I would tell your father what he looks like”
“And Brodick and even Ramsey too?”
“Yes”
“Then you knoould happen? They’d make him sorry he was a traitor”
“Yes, I’m sure they would”
“How cohlander comes here or not?”
“We don’t care because we’re leaving tonight”
His eyes widened in surprise “In the dark?”
“In the dark Hopefully the uide us”
His eagerness was almost uncontainable, and he bounced on the bed “But how are we going to do that? I heard the soldier lock the door when he left, and I think uard outside in the hall That’s how co ’cause I don’t want him to hear me”
“We’re still going to leave,” she said
“But how?”
She pointed to the opposite end of the rooh that wall”
His smile vanished “I don’t think we can do that”
He sounded so forlorn she felt like laughing She realized then that in spite of her pain, she was actually feeling euphoric because she wasn’t going to have to leave the little boy in Alford’s lair It had been a wonderful piece of luck that Alford hadn’t hidden the child away froe of his error in judgment