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Dylan glanced about the hall and relaxed His anger quickly turned to satisfaction Robert and Liam had stationed themselves near the hearth so that they could easily intercept any eager soldier foolish enough to atteet to Gillian With the same determination, Stephen, Keith, and Aaron had taken up positions on the opposite side so that they could effectively block access to the lady from both the entrance and the south side of the hall
Brodick changed the subject then “How did Ramsey take the news that it was Michael they wanted?”
“I didn’t tell him”
“Why not?”
“There were toothe bastard MacPhersons,” he explained “Not knoho to trust—”
“You shouldn’t trust any of them,” Brodick interjected
“That’s true,” Dylan agreed “So I simply told him that Iain and you wanted a conference with him as soon as possible I also insisted that Michael coet him alone, I told him that Alec had been found”
“I i Ramsey the full truth now,” Brodick remarked when he saw the two lairds in deep discussion Iain’s anger darkened his expression and his gestures were animated as he related what had happened to his son, but Ra news He stood with his hands at his sides, looking as though he were hearing complaints about the weather
“Ra the neell,” Dylan remarked
Brodick disagreed “No, he isn’t He’s furious Can’t you see how his hands are clenched? Ras,” he added
“Laird Maitland’s beckoning you,” Dylan said
Brodick immediately went to join his friends He showed his affection for Ra him hard in his side with his elbow Ramsey shoved back
“It’s good to see you again, old friend,” Raan
“There’s a foul ruhlands about you, Ramsey, but I refuse to believe it They say you’ve taken the MacPherson weaklings under your wing, but I know such odious gossip couldn’t possibly be true”
“You know good and well the MacPhersons have joined my clan They wanted to be Sinclairs,” he added “But they aren’t weak, Brodick, only poorly trained They didn’t have the good fortune of a chieftain like Iain to train them properly the way you and I did”
“That’s true,” Brodick conceded “Iain, what have you told him?”
“I told hiet”
“Where’s the woht Alec home?” Ramsey demanded “I would have a ith her now”
“And so would I,” Iain announced “The party is over”
Iain signaled to the elders, and within ht to his brother and asked him if he would like to stay with the Maitlands for a while
Michael was thrilled “Alec said his papa would take us fishing and he won’t let us drown”
“I would hope not,” Ramsey replied “While you are here, you will remember your manners and you will obey Lady Maitland”
Michael went running up the stairs with Alec and his older brother, Graham, as Winslow came back inside The Maitland coht to Frances Catherine
“My as upset with me because I didn’t introduce her to you If you could make time tomorrow”
“I would love to meet your wife before I leave”
“Leave?” he repeated, sounding puzzled “Where will you be going?”
“To the Sinclair holding with Ramsey”
“Brodick’s allowing this?” he asked incredulously
“I haven’t asked his permission, Winslow”
“My brother would never let you go anywhere with Ramsey,” he announced
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“My wife’s name is Isabelle”
The abrupt change in topic was deliberate, of course He wanted to end the discussion His behavior reminded her of his brother’s, for Brodick was just as abrupt
And just as bossy, she decided when he told her she would like his wife He hadn’t made the statement as a hope No, he’d ordered her to like Isabelle
“I’ her”
Winslow nodded approval and then said, “The lairds are waiting for you”
With a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and nodded
The hall was still ablaze with light fro fire in the hearth The iathered at the far end of thefor her to join them Iain sat at the head with Raht As soon as the lairds saw Gillian co, they rose to their feet She pulled out a chair at the opposite end and sat down Dylan and Winslow took their places behind their lairds
“I would hear now exactly what happened to my son,” Iain said
Brodick dragged his chair to her end of the table, sat down next to her, folded his arested he’d bloody the preference
Ra and satisfied Dylan actually nodded, as though giving his approval, and then walked over to stand behind his laird
Iain seemed amused as he watched Brodick, and it suddenly occurred to Gillian that the Maitland laird was actually a very kindand gruff, but she didn’t any longer Perhaps it was the affection she had seen hied her opinion
Rae He seeiven the fact that he had just learned that someone wanted to harm his brother What would he do when he heard the rest of the story?
“I should have thought to have Dylan tell you to bring your commander,” Brodick said to Ramsey
“I’ll tell Gideon what he needs to knohen I return home,” Ramsey said
“My commander, Winslow, and Brodick’s commander, Dylan, are here for a specific reason, Gillian,” Iain explained
She folded her hands on the tabletop “For what specific reason, Laird?”
Brodick’s arm rubbed hers when he leaned forward “Retaliation” He said the word in a hard voice that sent chills down her spine She waited for further explanation, herwith questions, but Brodick didn’t say another word
“What kind of retaliation? Do you mean war?”
Instead of answering her, Brodick turned to Iain “Let’s get on with it She’s tired”
“Gillian, why don’t you start at the beginning, and I proh this quickly and you can get some rest”
She had half expected Ramsey to rant and rave at her and blalish into Brodick’s side
“I’ht,” she insisted “But I appreciate your concern I should start at the very beginning, the night et us to safety”
For the next hour Gillian took the h her history Her voice didn’t falter and she never once hesitated in her recitation of the facts She si that had happened in concise, chronological order She tried not to leave anything of importance out, and by the time she was finished, her throat was dry and scratchy
Thein the fire could be heard in the silence that followed She oblet of water for her She drank it down and thanked him
To their credit, Iain and Ramsey were
a what they had just heard They took turns questioning her, and for another hour she was subjected to an intense grilling
“Your eneht to use your brother to draw you out, Ramsey, so he could kill you,” Brodick said “Who hates you so o to such extremes?”
“Hell if I know,” Ramsey muttered
“Ramsey, do you know Christen?” Gillian asked “Have you heard of the faht have taken her in and claimed her for their own?”
Ra to know all the members of my clan,” he said “I had been away from home for many years, Gillian, and when I returned to the Sinclairs and became laird, I only knew a handful of my father’s followers”
“But Christen isn’t a Sinclair,” Gillian reminded him
“Yes, you told me she’s one of the MacPhersons, but unfortunately, I haven’t had tiet to know many of them either,” he admitted “I honestly don’t knoe’ll find her”
“Then you’ll help me?”
He seemed surprised by her question “Of course I’ll help”
“The old men will know about Christen” Brodick drew everyone’s attention when he made the comment
Iain agreed with a nod “You’re right The old ossip How old was Christen when she came here?”
“Six or seven years old,” Gillian answered