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“You and your friends will train with me tomorrow”
Proster’s deh he’d just received manna from heaven
“All of ht of us”
“All of you,” Ramsey said
“And will I have an opportunity to fight you, Laird?”
“You will”
“But eight ainst one It hardly seems fair”
“To you or to me?”
“The numbers are in our favor, not yours,” the soldier pointed out
Ralanced at Brodick “Are you interested?”
“Definitely,” Brodick answered
Ramsey turned back to the soldier “Laird Buchanan will join me Don’t worry, Proster I won’t let him kill you or your friends”
The young soldier openly scoffed at the notion “I look forward to sparring with both of you on the battlefield Do you wish to fight eapons or without?”
“You may use your weapons if that is your inclination Laird Buchanan and I will use our bare hands”
“But, Laird, when II mean to say, if I beat you, I want it to be fair”
Ramsey smiled “I assure you it will be fair,” he said “Be on the field at dawn”
Proster bowed and then went hurrying aith his coames
Bridgid had watched and listened to the exchange from the side of the steps She couldn’t stop herself fro “Laird?”
“Yes, Bridgid?”
“Proster and his friends will use their swords How can you defend yourself against them?”
Gillian responded as well Whirling around to confront Brodick, she said, “Don’t you dare hurt those boys”
“You aren’t concerned that they will have weapons?”
“We both know that you and Raotten them out of their scabbards I mean what I say, Brodick I don’t want you to hurt them Promise me,” she insisted
He rolled his eyes “When Raance and insolence will be gone That I promise you”
Rareement “They’ll have humility when they leave my battlefield”
The discussion ended when another group of latecomers hurried forward to bow to their laird Ranition, but she shook her head
Feeling as though she had somehow failed, she whispered, “I’m sorry I don’t see him”
“I thought for certain you’d recognize one of Proster’s friends,” Ramsey admitted
“You don’t believe they’re loyal to you?”
“They have resisted the union of the clans,” he explained “Still, I find I’, and I would hate”
He didn’t give her any further explanation, and she didn’t press him
Brodick said what she was thinking “You’re so certain it’s a MacPherson?”
“I was,” he ader Hell, the Ha the bastard Both clans have good reason to want to see the union with the MacPhersons fail”
The men continued to discuss the matter as they went in for the banquet the servants had prepared Gillian wanted Bridgid to join them at the supper table, but she had disappeared Gillian didn’t see her again until the meal was over
Her friend motioned to her from the back hallway
“Gillian, id asked “I was listening when Brisbane told you that your sister refuses to see you, and I wanted you to kno sorry I am I know you must be terribly disappointed”
“I was disappointed,” she replied “But I’e her mind”
“Ramsey will order her to come forward I heard him say so”
“Yes, but not until the day after toive her a chance to do the right thing, I suppose Still, I hate having to wait”
“If you knehere she lived, ould you do?”
Gillian didn’t have to think about her answer “I would io to her I don’t have unlie her mind”
“I id whispered “Anthony also heard what Brisbane said, and he’s offered to follow hiain”
“Will he get into trouble for doing me this favor?”
“He thinks he’s doing id explained “Besides, Anthony’s second-in-command under Gideon, and he can pretty oing to beto find out Anthony will tell me where she lives, and then I’ll tell you If my laird bows to pressure fro with Christen, then you can take matters into your own hands”
“Why would he bow to pressure?”
“Brisbane is an elder in the MacPherson clan, and my laird respects him He also doesn’t want to order Christen if he doesn’t have to Her faths to make sure her identity has remained secret”
“I’m her family”
“I know,” Bridgid whispered She patted Gillian’s hand “Brisbane could come back with Christen tomorrow”
“But you don’t think he will, do you?”
“She’s rely come”
“Will you take me to her?”
“Yes”
“I want to go tomorrow afternoon”
“You’ve been ordered to wait”
“Not ordered,” Gillian argued “Brodick suggested I be patient”
“All right, then We’ll go tomorrow afternoon”
Gillian glanced at Brodick, then whispered, “I’et rid of Brodick’s men They follow me like shadows”
“They didn’t follow you to the lake”
“No, of course not They kneas going to bathe”
Bridgid grinned “Well then? Si to the lake”
“I hate having to lie to theuard”
“But if we do go to the lake first, then you wouldn’t have to lie, would you?”
Gillian burst into laughter “You have the mind of a criminal”
“What are you thispering about?” Ramsey called from the table
“Foolish raciously offered to sew soowns for Gillian so that she won’t have to borrow from others, but she needs to measure her Could we see to this chore now? It shouldn’t take long”
As soon as they were out of earshot, Raet the narows impatient He wants to move, and so do I”
“Tonight,” Brodick promised
“The woes for you and Gillian, unless you’d rather use one of the chambers upstairs”
“The cottage will afford more privacy,” Brodick said “But I’d rather we stayed outside”
“Your bride deserves a bed on her wedding night,” Rareement
The revelry began with Father Laggan’s arrival Calling out his congratulations, he demanded supper, and while the servants saw to the priest’s needs, Brodick paced and waited for Gillian
In a very short while, the hall was filled with Sinclairs Brodick’s soldiers didn’t s of ale were carried in and a rowdy Sinclair boasted that he could ar a sweat Black Robert ame was on
When Gillian caht she was back at the Ma
itlands’ The noise was certainly just as deafening She stared into a sea of faces and spotted Father Laggan in a corner eating and drinking He pushed the bench back as he stood to wave and beckon her forward Gillian grabbed Bridgid’s hand and threaded her way toward him
Raed Brodick so he’d turn around “Laggan’s with Gillian”
“Ah, hell”
“You really ought to tell her before the priest lets it slip He’s bound to say so”
Brodick pushed through the crowd to get to Gillian One of the MacPherson soldiers was having a heated argument with a Sinclair, and just as Brodick reached theed with fists at one another