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“There were four soldiers and father,” Christen answered “Too with ned to take you to safety”
“Liese told me their na to protect ht”
“I don’t knohat happened to Lawrence and Toiven to one of Tom’s relatives and told that Father would couess that they returned to our father I never saw theain”
“Did you have the box with you then?”
“No, I didn’t”
“Then what happened to it?” Gillian asked, gripping her hands in frustration Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, and then said, “Tell ave you the treasure”
“I dropped it,” she said “I was so afraid I’d broken it and I’d be scolded, but Liese’s husband picked it up Father wrapped it and gave it to me Then he left”
“Ector was there?”
“Yes, that was his name He was there, but only for a ht too in the battle”
Gillian shook her head “No, he didn’t die, but he lost his htened me,” she added “I heard stories about him over the years He lived like an animal in the corner of the old stables, and he carried an old knapsack filled with dirt Liese told me it was cowardice that broke his mind, and she didn’t cry at all when she heard he died”
“And Liese? What happened to her?”
“She lived with an, and I think she was very happy She died in her sleep,” she added, “and she hadn’t been ill long at all She didn’t suffer She knew about the passage door between our chambers, but she never let on that she did”
“But we didn’t go through that doorway the night of the attack We were in father’s room, weren’t we?”
“Yes, and the soldiers lit torches to take us out”
“We fell down the steps,” Gillian said then “It was very steep I had nightreat height even now”
“But we didn’t fall down the steps We were pushed I re with eet the box away from me I turned around to tell you to stop, and I saw him then He jumped out of the shadows and threw himself at us I think he must have taken the box then too The soldiers lost their footing and ent flying down the steps There was terrible screa and then I struck my head on the stones, and when I awoke, I was in Lawrence’s ar”
Gillian’s night “In my dreams there were monsters who leapt from the wall and chased us I must have seen him too”
“I never saw his face,” Christen said “But whoever it was got aith the treasure”
“Then it must still be theresoot away before the baron sealed off the holding Oh, God, I don’t knohat to do”
“Stay here,” Christen urged “Don’t go back to England You’re married to a laird and your life is here”
“Christen, could you turn your back on the family you’ve come to love?”
“No, of course not”
“Uncle Morgan is depending on me”
“He would want you to be happy”
“He raised enerous I would die for hio back”
“I wish I could help you, but I don’t kno Perhaps if I put otten about that night I’ll try,” Christen promised
They continued to sit together and talk about the past until Gillian noticed hoeary her sister was She kissed her on the cheek and proain
“If I’et to know you better I won’t ask anything more of you, Christen I proain, I don’t want to lose you”
Christen slowly stood up She couldn’t quite look Gillian in the eye when she told her how she felt about their reunion “I reers with little in cos, but Iup the past only brings painful memories back, and when I look at you, I’et Perhaps I’ll change o our separate ways I pro that can be of help to you in your search, I’ll send word to you”
Gillian was devastated and quickly bowed her head so that Christen wouldn’t see how hurt she was
“As you wish,” she whispered
Without another word, she turned and sloalked down the path She didn’t look back
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Gillian desperately needed Brodick to put his ared her, she decided, because before she had met Brodick and fallen in love with him, she had always felt that she had to face her problems alone Now she had a husband she wanted to share her worries with, and her heartaches At the moment she didn’t care why he couldn’t tell her he loved her In her heart she believed that he did, and she certainly didn’t believe that he hadcoo to such lengths just to get revenge on his eneet the na conclusion, and Brodick, unwilling to give voice to his true feelings, didn’t bother to correct him
Brodick was stubborn to the core and so riddled with other flaws it would take her an hour to list theh, and she desperately needed his comfort now and his broad shoulder to cry on while she poured her heart out to hi? She had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t want Gillian in her life For so many years she had dreamed of their reunion, and never once had she considered that Christen would reject her
Gillian felt ashamed and inferior, and couldn’t understand why She knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she couldn’t help feeling as though she had
Shaken froet to her husband and tell him what had happened, she returned the horse to the stable and, despite the soreness in her leg, ran all the way to Ra she would find Brodick there
Proster one, one”
“They? Who?” she asked
“The lairds,” he answered “Iain Maitland and my laird, Ramsey, and Laird Buchanan”
“Iain was here?”
“Aye, he was here just a bit after dawn this ”
“Where did o?”
“With Ramsey and Iain”
“Yes,” she said, trying to control her frustration “But exactly where did they go?”
He seemed surprised she hadn’t been informed “To the crest to join their soldiers Surely you knew the call to aro,” he added
“No, I didn’t know,” she admitted
“The lairds have gathered their fighting men and by now they should have all assembled”
“At the crest”
“Yes,” he said with a nod
“And where is this crest?”
“A good ride to the south,” he told her
“Then they won’t be back until late, will they?”
“Late? Milady, they won’t be back for a long while”
She still didn’t understand Proster, seeing her confusion, hastened to explain “They’re going to England, and surely you know the
ir purpose”
“I know they plan to go to England eventually, but you’renow If you’ll excuse e and await my husband’s return”
“You’ll have a long wait, then,” Proster said “He isn’t co”
“Where will I be going?”
“Hoive orders There will be Buchanan soldiers co for you tomorrow to escort you to your new ho to your safety until then”
Gillian’s head was spinning, and her stoh it had been tied in knots “And who are Graeme and Lochlan?”
“Grae soldier told her proudly “And Lochlan is a Sinclair They’re equal in their duties and their standing We’re all equal now, our laird has declared it so, and he says that we may keep our clan’s name and still live in harmony as one”
“I see,” she whispered
“Are you feeling unwell, one pale”
Ignoring his question, she cried out, “Proster, you couldn’t have heard correctly When they go to England, they’re taking me with them I was promisedhe wouldn’t break his word to lish see theoing to come back for me”
Her distress alarmed the soldier, and he didn’t knohat to do He wanted to lie to her, to tell her, yes, he , but he knew that eventually she’d have to accept the truth, and so he braced himself for her reaction, prayed she wouldn’t faint on him, and then blurted out, “As God is my witness, I heard them correctly Everyone knowsbut you,” he sta taken to the Buchanan holding Your husband was concerned about your injury, and he wanted you to have one day’s rest before riding such a distance It was very thoughtful of him, wasn’t it, milady?”
She didn’t answer him She turned and started to walk away, then stopped “Thank you, Proster, for explaining”
“Milady, if you still don’t believe me, talk to Graeme and Lochlan They’ll confirm what I’ve just told you”