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He turned to the warrior who had made the demand, then tried to step back so that he could put a little breathing distance between the lady who insists that your laird come to her at once She waits inside the boarded up church near the crossroads below the Len holding She claimsto be”
The dark look on the warrior’s face so terrified the soldier he couldn’t go on He turned to Dylan, then stepped back in an attelare and bumped into the warrior named Black Robert
“My e is for Brodick and Brodick alone,” he protested
“He is Laird Buchanan to you, pup,” Liarowled
“Yesyes, Laird Buchanan,” the soldier hastily acknowledged “I overstep myself”
“Aye, you do,” Robert muttered from behind
Dylan stepped forward to question the reat hall but had not yet arrived, and so the couard of Buchanan warriors decided to take charge of the questioning He knew the MacDonald soldier was scared, and so he clasped his hands behind his back as a signal that he wouldn’t harain his composure
“Continue with your e,” Dylan demanded
“The lady, she clai man blurted out “And she demands that your laird escort her to his home so that she may take up residence”
Robert nudged the soldier to get his attention and accidentally sent hie an inch, quickly righted himself, and whirled around to face the warrior “I do not lie,” he insisted “I repeat only what I was bid to say”
“What is your naht his question a er’s reaction The young htened woman
“Henley,” he blurted out with a sigh, thankful he’d been able to remember it “My name is Henley”
Dylan deain The soldier quickly obeyed the order, dizzy now froiants He tried to concentrate only on the Buchanan commander, but it was difficult, for the other three were deliberately pressing in on him
“Why did the MacDonald send a boy to give us this e?” Dylan asked contemptuously
Henley’s Adaed and wobbled as he sed He didn’t dare contradict the co that he was a eryour laird’s temper We have all witnessed your laird in battle and know of his reth Many have claimed that they have seen him fell his enemy with but a flick of his wrist We have also all heard that it isunwiseto displease him Laird MacDonald is not ashamed to admit that he respectfully fears your laird”
Dylan smiled “Respectfully fears?”
Henley nodded “My laird also said that Brodick”
Lia into Robert The warrior didn’t flinch, but Henley felt as though he’d just run into a stone wall He turned to Liaest that if the warrior wanted to gain his attention, he simply say his name
“Brodick is Laird Buchanan to you,” Liam reminded him
“Yes, Laird Buchanan,” Henley quickly agreed
“You were saying?” Aaron prodded
Henley turned to his left to answer “My laird said that Laird Buchanan is an honorable man and that he would not prey upon an unarmed man I do not carry a weapon”
Henley was forced to whirl to the right when Dylan asked, “And does your laird also tell you that Brodick is reasonable?”
Henley knew that if he lied, the warriors would know it “Nay, he said just the opposite,” he admitted
Dylan laughed “Your honesty protects your hide”
Aaron spoke then, forcing the er to turn completely around
“We don’t kill ers,” he said
“Unless, of course, we dislike the rinned
Henley turned back to address their leader once again “There is more,” he said “I fear the rest will truly displease your laird” The quicker he got his et out of their trap, and if God proved merciful, he would be well on his way home before Brodick arrived
The laird had been su and was irritated by the interruption, but when he heard that there was an urgent e, his heart leapt with hope that the neas fro him that his son, Alec, had been found
Gawain, another one of his trusted guards, dashed Brodick’s hopes when he told hier as from the clan MacDonald
The disappointered hio back to the falls and search once again Do you argue with me this time, Gawain?”
The soldier shook his head “Nay, I know that it’s futile to argue with you, Laird Until you believe in your heart that the boy is dead, I’ll continue to search as diligently as you”
“Do you believe Alec drowned?”
Gawain’s sigh eary “’Tis the truth I do”
Brodick couldn’t fault his friend for his honesty He continued up the hill with Gawain at his side
“His father taught Alec how to swim,” he remarked
“But if Alec hit his head on the rocks as the blood indicated, he would have been unconscious when he hit the water Besides, even a grownfalls”
“Neither Iain nor I believe Alec is dead”
“Laird Maitland mourns his son,” Gawain said “In time he will accept his death”
“No,” Brodick argued “Until there is a body to bury, neither one of us will accept”
“You were just appointed his champion,” Gawain said “Perhaps that is yet another reason you cannot accept As his new protector”
“A protector who failed,” Brodick interrupted harshly “I should have gone to the festival I should have watched out for hier and if the boy knew” He shook his head and forced himself to think about the present “Go and take over the training I’ll join you as soon as I’ve heard what the MacDonald soldier has to say”
A draft blew into the great hall when the doors to the courtyard were thrown open Henley heard the sound of Brodick’s boots pounding against the stone floor and closed his eyes His panic nearly e to stand still and not try to run
“The ent Where’s the MacDonald soldier?” Brodick demanded as he strode into the hall
Dylan nodded to the guards surrounding the er “Move back so our laird e,” he ordered He tried to sound serious, but knew he’d failed in that endeavor
Brodick stood next to Dylan to face the er Henley felt his shivers increase tenfold, for the tarriors were extre The Buchanan laird was even taller than his cohis raw, superior strength His skin was richly bronzed, his long hair golden His eyes bore into Henley with a gaze so intense and probing, the young soldier felt as though he were staring into the eyes of a lion as about to have him for his supper
Aye, he was in the lion’s den, and heaven help hie
Dylan had terrified Henley before, but now that the commander stood next to his laird, he didn’t see, Dylan was the antithesis of Brodick, for he was as dark as the night In size and bulk he was equal, but his ent e,” Brodick commanded
Henley flinched He found it impossible to hold the laird’s stare, and so he cowardly looked at the tops of his boots while he repeated word for hat he had memorized
“The ladyshe bids you to come to her at the church of Saint Tho, and the lady, shedemandsyes, demands that you escort her to your home”
Henley darted a quick glance up to judge Brodick’s reaction and wished with all his heart he hadn’t been so curious The scowl on the laird’s face ht disgrace the MacDonald na out
“She?” Brodick asked quietly
“Tell him,” Dylan ordered