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Brodick joined Colm as Gabrielle said, “They mean us no harm”
A part of her actually believed that to be true, that the Highlanders had followed the was possible
“Step aside and let me speak to them,” she ordered
Her guards hlanders
“What language are you speaking?” Brodick asked the question in Gaelic
She responded in kind “It is the language of my mother’s homeland, St Biel”
Her coe was excellent Brodick assuht her His wife, Gillian, would do well to take a lesson from Gabrielle His men still occasionally winced when she spoke to them
Turning to Collish, just half”
Why Brodick thought that fact would lish to hi
Brodick stepped toward Gabrielle When her guards reacted, he glared at them His followers also took offense and moved forward
“Enough!” Gabrielle called out She raised her hand and repeated the coh”
Since she’d spoken Gaelic, it was obvious to Brodick and Coluards but to their soldiers Her assertiveness amused Brodick, but it irritated Colm
Only after a signal from their lairds did the men move back, but all intently watched her protectors Gabrielle thought perhaps they aiting for an opportunity to pounce
“Do you knoe are?” Brodick asked
She nodded “You’re the wild—that is to say, you’re my cousin, Laird Buchanan I’ve heard stories about you” The comment didn’t remove his scowl “They were th”
He clasped his hands behind his back “Who told you these stories?”
“My father, Baron Geoffrey”
“Then the stories are true He would not lie”
She knew she was going to have to acknowledge the other laird, and a shiver of dread rushed through her when she finally turned andeyes
“I also knoho you are”
His response was a slightly raised eyebrow She wasn’t deterred “You’re Laird MacHugh, and you have ayour brother”
Colreet him?”
“With your fist”
Ah So she’d been watching Liam leave the abbey
For the briefest of seconds Gabrielle saw a hint of warh for her to realize he wasn’t a core
Father Gelroy pushed his way through the clansmen He bowed to Gabrielle and then turned to address Coloodfrom his injuries at the abbey I mentioned theotten”
The priest had a little courage deep inside hiht Gelroy dared to reratitude Colhed heavily until it was repaid
He didn’t thank the guards, but nodded in acknowledghs, hearing what the priest had said, also relaxed their positions
“Did anyone try to get tohim?” he asked the four
Gabrielle started to answer no, but decided she should let them speak for themselves
“Stephen, did anyone try to hurt Lia him?”
He hesitated before answering, then gave a quick nod “Two ht”
“What did he say?” Brodick asked Gabrielle
Gabrielle was so surprised by the guard’s answer she ignored Brodick “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We didn’t feel it necessary to tell you,” Lucien said
“You asked us to guard him, and that’s e did,” Stephen said
“We took care of the matter,” Faust added
Brodick and Colet an answer
“You will tell us what they said,” Colm ordered
She quickly apologized and asked Stephen and the others to speak directly to the lairds
Stephen turned to Colh, two uarded him”
If the lairds were surprised that Gabrielle’s guards were also proficient in their language, they didn’t show it Colm folded his arms and waited for further explanation
“They were dressed as monks, but carried knives in their sleeves,” Lucien said
“Lucien and I were on watch,” Christien explained
“We waited until ere certain they meant to murder your brother before we acted,” Lucien said
“And what did you do when you realized what they were about?” Brodick asked
“We killed them,” Christien answered frankly
Colm nodded approval “Did they speak? Did you hear their names?” he asked
“Did they mention where they were from or who sent them?” Brodick asked
“No,” Lucien answered “They spoke your language, but differently from the way you speak it”
“Describe these men,” Brodick ordered
Lucien told of twohair and beards ere burly but not exceptionally tall
After he had finished, Christien added, “They were ordinary”
“No marks on their skin or their weapons,” Lucien explained
“My brother slept through this fight?” Colm asked
Christien was offended by the question “There was no fight We didn’t give theht us”
“A surprise attack then,” Brodick said, nodding approval
“No,” Lucien said, “they saw us co”
Colm admired their conceit “What did you do with the bodies?”
“We couldn’t leave Liam unprotected, so we kept the bodies in the corner of his room until Stephen and Faust arrived to relieve us,” Christien said “Then, Lucien and I carried the bodies outside the abbey and threw them in the ravine It was still dark; I’m certain no one saw us”
“We tossed dirt over theotten to them”
The questions continued, but Gabrielle wasn’t paying attention She was still reeling frouards had killed two intruders Honest to heaven, she didn’t think she could take any more shocks She orn out; all she wanted to do was find a quiet spot and sit for a fewdown around her, and she needed time to sort out the horrific events of the day before she tried to make plans
Understanding these horrific events would take er
When it appeared that the lairds’ questions were at last finished, she called to Stephen “May I have a word?” she asked
Gabrielle led Stephen away from the others so she wouldn’t be overheard, but just to be absolutely certain, she spoke the language of St Biel
“Why didn’t you tell me about these attackers?”
“I’m sorry, Princess, but I felt that if their bodies were found, you would be safer having no knowledge of them”
“Did you recognize them? Could they have been at Finney’s Flat?”
“We all got a good look at theht so Remember, Princess, you are the only one who saw all of their faces”
“The description I just heard Lucien give the lairds didn’t sound like any of the ht perhaps they had followed us to the abbey”
Stephen shook his head “That isn’t possible Christien kept backtracking tofollowed He would have seen them”
“Then how d