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Waldo looked bleak and weary “They do things different in these parts,” he told her “If they want so, they take it”
She grabbed Alec’s hand and pulled hiet your brother and meet us at the horses Hurry”
“But,There’s another clan on the opposite side of thehard toward the MacDonalds I don’t know for certain who they are, but I’ they must be the Buchanans you sent for There’s nine of them”
“If it’s Brodick and his soldiers, then they’re pitifully outnumbered”
“Nay, milady, it’s the MacDonalds I pity I ain’t never seen the like of these warriors They’re ferocious looking, and I could see by the way the MacDonalds were backing away, they fear the to be a Buchanan doing the bleeding Are you certain you want to put yourself and the boy in the hands of such savages?”
She didn’t knohat to think, and she was in such a panic inside, her heart felt as if it ht stop “I hope it is Brodick and his men,” she whispered
Alec was struggling to get away frohtened her hold on hio
“Waldo, you and Henry should leave now before they get here I thank you for all you’ve done for Alec and me Hurry now, before you’re seen”
Waldo shook his head “My brother and I will not leave until we are assured you will fare well, uard at the door The soldiers will have to kill us before they can get to you”
She couldn’t dissuade hi As soon as he went back outside, she turned to Alec
“Tell me what Brodick looks like,” she demanded
“He looks like Brodick,” he answered
“But what exactly does he look like?”
He shrugged “He’s big,” he whispered Then he s else he could add “And old”
“Old?”
He nodded “Terrible old,” he explained
She didn’t believe him “What color is his hair?”
“White”
“You’re sure?”
He nodded “And you knohat?”
Her heart had sunk to her stomach “No, what?”
“He doesn’t hear too good”
She had to sit down “Why didn’t you tell e that I was his bride? The shock could have sent hi “We’re leaving”
“But what about the Buchanans?”
“It’s apparent the other clan in the meadow isn’t Brodick’s Waldo would have told me if any of the warriors had been old”
“I want to go look I can tell you if it’s the Buchanans”
Waldo opened the door and shouted, “The MacDonalds have taken off,this way”
Gillian grabbed Alec by the shoulders and forced him to look at her “I want you to hide behind that stone font until I find out who these men are I don’t want you to say a word, Alec Promise meplease”
“But”
“Promise me,” she demanded
“Can I come out if it’s Brodick?”
“Not until I’ve talked to hiained his promise that he’ll help both of us”
“All right,” he said “I promise I’ll be quiet”
She was so pleased to get his cooperation she kissed him on his cheek He immediately wiped it aith the back of his hand and squired him
“You’re always kissing rin that told her he really didn’t mind “Just like my mama”
“Go hide,” she said as she led him to the back of the church
He took hold of her left arrimaced in reaction The injury from the knife wounds still hadn’t healed, and fro, she kneas infected
Alec had seen her flinch “You need my mama’s medicine,” he whispered “Then you’d feel better”
“I’m sure I would,” she replied “Now, Alec, not one word,” she cautioned “No matter what happens, you stay put and don’t ave you?”
“But it’s mine”
“I know it’s yours I would just like to borrow it,” she assured him
He handed the dagger to her, but as she turned to walk away, he whispered, “It’s awful dark here”
“I’m here with you, so there isn’t any need to be afraid”
“I hear the”
“I do too,” she whispered back
“Gillian, are you scared?”
“Yes Now, be quiet”
She rushed down the center aisle and stood in front of the altar to wait Athe order to halt The conored because a second later the door flew open, and there in the center of the arch stood thefigure with long, flaxen hair and deeply tanned skin Barely covered, he wore only a muted plaid that didn’t quite reach the tops of his knees A wide strip of the cloth angled over his massive and scarred chest and draped down over his left shoulder A dirk protruded from one of his deerskin boots, but he didn’t carry a sword
The man hadn’t even stepped inside the church yet, but she was already quaking in her shoes The sheer size of hiht shone all around hier behind her back, and after slipping it into the sleeve of her gown, she slowly brought her hands forward and folded thehly composed
The warrior stood i for any threat thatin the corners, and when he was convinced she was all alone, he ducked under the doorframe, stepped inside, and slammed the door shut behind him
CHAPTER SIX
Brodick strode down the aisle, shaking the rafters of the little church with each hard step as specks of dust rained down froround
Blessedly, when he was just a couple of feet away, he stopped, then clasped his hands behind his back and insolently studied her, his gaze ain He took his sweet time, and after he had finished his rude inspection, he kept his eyes locked on hers and waited for her to speak
She had planned for this moment and had rehearsed exactly what she would say to hi herself because that was the polite thing to do, and then she would ask him his name He would tell her he was Brodick, but she wouldn’t believe hi several questions she had cleverly come up with, a test, actually, to determine that she could trust him
Aye, she was going to be clever with her questioning, and just as soon as she could cal at her was unnerving, and she was having difficulty coht
He quickly grew i to be my bride?”
The anger in his voice heated her face She felt herself blush with mortification “Yes, I am”
He was surprised by her honesty “Why?”
“I lied”
“Obviously”
“I don’t usually”
“Usually what?” he asked, wondering why she was so nervous His stance was relaxed, his hands were clasped behind his back, and he had given Dylan his sword before co to do her any harm
“I don’t usually lie,” she explained, thrilled that she could re at his chin helped, for his eyes
were too intense “You aren’t old” She blurted out the thought and then smiled “I was told you were very old,” she whispered, “hite hair”
And then she laughed, convincing Brodick she was out of her mind
“I believe I should start all over My na to be your bride was the only way I could think of to get you to travel such a long distance”
He shrugged “The distance wasn’t great”
“It wasn’t?” she asked in surprise “Then, pray tell, why did it take you so long to get here? We’ve been waiting in this church for a very long time”
“We?” he asked quietly
“Yes, we,” she replied “The Hathaway brothersthe two guards outside the doorand I have been waiting all that time”
“Why were you so certain I’d show up at all?”