page16 (1/2)

The stables were halfway between the lower and the upper bailey, and they passed the garrison on the way to the laird’s courtyard There wasn’t anyone waiting at his door to greet hiht to ask that question She’d find out soon enough, she supposed

MacHugh diso of her, she stepped back to put some distance between them

“Where will uards and I have rooms? Inside your hoes? Are there any e “That is to say, I’d like to rest I just need to knohere I am to stay”

Father Gelroy saved her fro to rary as I am?”

She latched on to his arh it was her lifeline “Yes, I am,” she saidthe laird where we should take our shelter for the night”

“You’ll sleep inside,” Colet a word in

Braeden rushed ahead to the tall door made of oak timbers and thrust it open Gabrielle thanked him as she walked past, but she came to a quick stop on the threshold It was so dark inside, she couldn’t see her way Col

The wooden floor sagged under his weight, and the ht filtered in through the open door As Gabrielle’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she e storeroorain and barley, and there were barrels of wine stacked high Froh clan could hold off a siege for a good six h Gabrielle doubted their eneet all the way to the castle with the treacherous trail they would have to climb

An opening in the wall on her left led to stairs, the steps surprisingly wide and deep On the second level was the great hall It was spacious, and a fireplace with a huge hearth took upfire warmed the room

The housekeeper—a stout, older woman named Maurna—iving instructions, Colm left the hall Stephen and Lucien ith him to see to the horses

Another set of steps continued up to a third level, which, Maurna explained, held the aruards should sleep there and so could Father Gelroy until further arrangeiven the room next to it

Gabrielle wouldn’t have cared if she was given a stall in the stables The day had caught up with her Tired and hungry and dusty from the journey, a rooe When Maurna announced that she had prepared a meal and would show them where they could wash their hands and faces, Gabrielle thanked her profusely

At supper, Father Gelroy sat next to her and seeitated

“There isn’t a chapel here,” he whispered “I didn’t see one on the ride up to the courtyard, so I asked the housekeeper, and she told me there isn’t one I worry they may all be heathens If that is the situation, I have my work cut out for me”

“It will be a challenge, but I believe you’ll do well here,” she assured him

He leaned closer and whispered, “I don’t think the laird brought me here to look after his followers’ souls I think he’s wanting me to explain how Liam ca about his brother”

“Surely he won’t coerce you”

Maurna interrupted their discussion “Is there so with the food, milady? You’ve barely taken a bite”

“The food is excellent,” she said “I’ht”

“Sleep is what you’re needing, if I est Would you like me to show you to your chamber?”

Gabrielle nodded Saying good night to Father Gelroy and to Christien and Faust, she followed Maurna upstairs Lucien caught up with her He carried her satchel, which held two changes of clothes and the other essentials she had needed for her trip back to England

“Is the laird’s brother here?” he asked Maurna

“He is indeed And sleeping soundly since his return Our healer is watching over him”

The first door they passed was the laird’s chamber, Maurna pointed out

The rooe It was daht several more candles and placed them on the table across from the bed

“I tried to air the room for you, but it seems all I’ve done is make it colder in here Would you like me to pull the tapestry down over the ?”

“I’ll take care of it”

“I’ve got the bed ready for you and put extra blankets on top There’s water to ith on the chest behind the door, and if you’ll givea fire in the hearth My man, Danal, already carried up dry wood and put it in the box”

“I’ll light the fire later”

“Butcommon work?”

She smiled “Of course I should”

Maurna was frowning intently “It’s probably not my place to ot blood on the back of your gown up high by your shoulder Did you cut yourself?”

Gabrielle wondered what the woman would say if she told her the truth, that the stones the

“I must have,” she answered

Maurna wiped her hands on the cloth she had tucked into her belt and walked toward Gabrielle “Since you don’t have a et that gown off so I can see the dae”

There was no talking her out of it “I don’t want to be a bother,” Gabrielle protested “I can take care of myself”

“And how are you going to do that?” Maurna asked as she tugged the bliaut over Gabrielle’s head “How are you going to reach behind you and clean your cut?”

She stopped arguing “Thank you, Maurna”

When the housekeeper saw Gabrielle’s back, she clucked like abruise” She rushed to the basin and dabbed a clean cloth into the water She hurried back to Gabrielle “How did this happen? Did you take a spill?” Deciding that was exactly what must have happened, she went on, “Of course you did You sit down and hile I go get so salve to put on those cuts Wrap yourself in a blanket so you won’t catch cold I’ll be right back”

Letting someone else take care of her was nice, Gabrielle admitted It reminded her of home

Homesickness and worry for her father suddenly overwhelmed her She said a quick prayer to God to watch over him, and then, exhausted, she sat on the bed, closed her eyes, and waited for the housekeeper to return It was quiet at last, and since there weren’t any distractions, Gabrielle could replay in her mind the events of the day Maybe she could sort them out and make sense of them

Ih she wasan important piece of a very bizarre puzzle The barons had been so quick to condemn her It couldn’t all be about Finney’s Flat, could it? Yet what s would want?

Maurna returned with the salve, and after she’d tended to Gabrielle’s back, she insisted on washing her face as though she were a child Dabbing a bit of the salve on the cut under her eye, Maurna said, “You hit your face when you fell, didn’t you?”

Gabrielle nodded

“Does it pain you?” Her voice was filled with sympathy

“Not at all,” Gabrielle insisted It did hurt, but she didn’t want the housekeeper to worry over her Or hover

“Is there anything more I can do for you?”

“No, thank you,

Maurna You’ve been most kind”

The wo what I was told to do, ht I ask a question that’s been nagging me?”

“Yes?”

“What am I to call you? I heard the soldiers who came with you and the priest address you as ‘princess’ Are you a princess?”

“I used to be, but no longer”

The answer didn’t make a lick of sense to the housekeeper, and she fretted that perhaps milady had struck her head in the fall

“Are you seeing two of me, milady?”

Though Gabrielle thought the question was odd, she didn’t laugh, for the housekeeper’s expression showed her concern “No,” she assured her “Just one of you”

Maurna looked relieved “You’re plain worn out, aren’t you? You rest well, milady”

The second the door closed, Gabrielle went to theto pull the tapestry down She usually loved cold weather, but tonight she wanted to bury herself under the covers and sleep It was pitch black outside with nary a star in sight She could see tiny golden lights glowing fro for bed, no doubt, tired from the day’s labors, but content She tried to picture the ideal family There would be children, a healthy hter Aye, they would be happy and safe

Again, her thoughts raced back to her father Was he safe? Had he heard what the barons had done?

Only when the chill became unbearable did she pull the drape and cliled under the MacHugh plaid and fell asleep saying her nightly prayers

She awakened once during the night The room arm A fire blazed in the hearth How had that happened? She rolled over and drifted back into a deep slumber

The following reat hall She greeted hiuards had coht

“Laird MacHugh asked the housekeeper to look in on you before she went to bed”

“Why would he do that?”

“Apparently Maurna went into great detail about the bruises and cuts on your back Perhaps the laird orried”

“Then Maurna started the fire?”