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The little boy ran around the table and pulled a stool close to his father’s chair Gillian noticed Iain’s hand shook when he touched his son’s shoulder Alec smiled up at him and sat down, but was promptly lifted back to his feet and reminded to wait until the ladies had taken their seats
The Maitland co into the hall then, bowed to his laird and lady, and then announced, “Ramsey Sinclair has just crossed our border and should be here within the hour”
“Has he already heard of our good fortune?” Iain asked
“I sent Dylan to hi to his brother
“Gillian, I would like you to meet my brother Winslow, this is Lady Gillian”
Winsloed “Lady Gillian, you are fro
“Yes, I ae that fact, sir Does it displease you?”
Winslow surprised her with a quick smile “It would depend, milady”
“Depend on what?”
“My brother” Without further explanation he disether and turned to Brodick “You’ll see my wife and my boys before you leave? They will be disappointed if you don’t”
“Of course I’ll see them”
“Bring theht The children will stay up late”
“Winslow, do you happen to know if Ramsey’s brother, Michael, rides with the laird?” Gillian asked
If the soldier thought the inquiry was peculiar, he didn’t comment on it “I don’t know, ain and left the hall
Judith personally saw to the task of fetching a pitcher of water for her guests
“Papa, where’s Graham?” Alec asked
“Your brother’s with your Uncle Patrick, but he’ll be ho to be very happy to see you”
“’Cause he erly
Iain smiled “We all missed you, Alec”
“Ma fierce ’cause I surprised her Look, Papa She can’t even pour the water Is she gonna cry again?”
Iain laughed “Probably,” he answered “It’s going to take your et over this joyous surprise”
Alec hadn’t exaggerated Judith’s condition She had already spilled a good deal of water on the tabletop and thus far hadn’t le drop into the cup Her hands were shaking violently and every time she looked at her son, her eyes brimmed with fresh tears
Iain put his hand on top of his wife’s “Sit down, love,” he quietly suggested
She moved her chair close to her husband, collapsed in the seat, and leaned into his side Iain poured the water for Gillian, but as she reached for the goblet, she noticed how dirty her hands were and quickly hid them in her lap
Iain put his ared her His attention, however, was centered on Gillian “Start at the beginning and tell me how and when you found my son I want to hear every detail,” he ordered He paused to pat Alec before adding, “It’s a miracle a five-year-old could survive the falls”
“Alec’s only five years old?” Gillian asked
“But I’onna be seven”
“Your brother’s seven,” Iain reminded him
“But I’onna be seven too”
Alec scooted off the stool and ran around the table to Gillian Without asking permission, he clirinned at her
“You and Alec have beco
“Iain, perhaps you could wait until Alec has gone to bed to hear the details,” Brodick suggested
“But I get to stay up late ’cause Papa said we have to celebrate,” Alec blurted “Didn’t you say so, Papa?”
“Yes,” his father agreed
“You knohat, Gillian?” Alec whispered loudly
She leaned down “No, what?”
“When I go to bed, Maonna sit with me until I fall asleep, and my brother sleeps in the same rooet scared”
“Perhaps you won’t dreaht”
“But you got to have soet scared ’cause I won’t be there”
“I’ll be just fine,” she assured him
Alec wasn’t convinced “But what if you do get scared? You got to have someone to wake you up Maybe you could ask Brodick to sleep with you again like he did before”
She clapped her hand over his et him to hush and felt her face burn withher, but she didn’t dare look at him
Judith laughed “Alec, sweetheart, you’re e Gillian”
“Mama, you knohat Gillian calls me?”
“No, what?”
Giggling, the little boy said, “Honey bear”
Iain’s gaze went back and forth between Gillian and Brodick “Father Laggan’s back,” he reer priest named Stevens with him”
“Why are you telling me this?” Brodick asked
“I just wanted you to know there are two priests available,” Iain explained with a lance at Gillian
“I didn’t sleep with Brodick,” she blurted out “I have no need for a priest”
“Yes, you did too”
“Alec, it isn’t polite to contradict your elders”
“But, Mama”
“Hush, sweetheart”
Gillian glared at Brodick He could easily correct this horridif he would only offer a quick explanation
He wasn’t inclined He winked at her “I didn’t know a face could get that red,” he remarked
“Do explain,” she demanded
“Explain what?” he asked, feigning innocence
She turned to Judith “We were caand it isn’t what it sounds likeI did sleep, and when I awakenedthey were all there”
“They?” Iain asked
“His soldiers”
“You slept with his soldiers too?”
She didn’t understand that Iain was teasing her “Nothat is to say, weslept That’s all that happened, Laird”
“Stop tor this is for her? Gillian doesn’t understand the Highlanders’ hu to turn the subject to a less delicate one “I noticed the bandage, and I was curious—”
Alec interrupted his ot to take a walk”
“Now?”
“Yes, Papa, now”
“Alec, I want to talk to Brodick and Gillian I’m anxious to hear how they found you”
“But, Papa, I got to tell you what I did, and then you’re gonna be ot to take a walk so I can think about it”
“Come here, son,” his father ordered, concerned by the anxiety he saw in Alec’s eyes
The little boy dragged his feet and kept his head down as he went to his father Iain laid his hands on his shoulders and leaned forward
Alec proot real scared, Papa, and I cut Gillian’s arot all swollen, and Annie had to fix it, and it’s all my fault ’cause I hurt a lady, and I’ot real scared I didn’t like England and I wanted to coan to sob in earnest
“Alec has been very worried that he would disappoint you, Laird,” Gillian explained “He didn’t understand that I was trying to help hie, but it was an old rope, and it began to unravel, and he” She
looked to Brodick for help The task of explaining suddenly beca and she was so weary she didn’t knohere to start
“My son isn’t land?”
Gillian braced herself for the ordeal ahead and quietly said, “He speaks the truth Alec was in England”
“I told you so, Papa”