Arthur cringed when he saw the murderous rage in the baron's eyes. 'I'm telling you the truth. The men have vanished. The holding was completely empty, milord, and there was no sign of attack or struggle. Not a chair or a stool was overturned, and we couldn't find any arrows or blood anywhere. It's as though they all just got up and walked away.'
'Where is my Uncle Morgan?' Gillian demanded.
'Silence,' Alford shouted. 'What did the servants tell you happened?' he asked Arthur.
'There were no servants there, milord. The place was deserted I tell you. We decided then that the soldiers must have gone to your home and taken the servants with them and that you had ordered them to do so.'
'I gave no such order,' Alford muttered, his anger barely controlled. 'And they will pay with their lives for leaving their posts, every last one of them.'
Horace cleared his throat and said, 'There is more for you to hear, Baron.'
Alford squinted at Arthur. 'Well?' he snapped when the soldier stood there quivering in his boots.
'We rode like lightning to your holding, milord, but when we got there, the drawbridge was down… and it was the same. Not a soldier was there.'
'What say you?' Alford screeched.
'Your home was deserted.'
'And the servants?'
'They, too, had vanished.'
Alford became rigid. 'My own men dare to desert me? Where could they have gone? Where?' he bellowed. 'I will know who is responsible for this…' He suddenly stopped ranting. His head snapped up and he whirled to confront Gillian. 'What do you know about this?'
'I know only what I have just heard.'
He didn't believe her. He reached for his dagger at his waist, realized it was on the table, and went to get it. Then he slowly, deliberately walked back to her and held the blade in front of her face.
'I'll slice your throat, you bitch, if you don't tell me the truth. Where are my soldiers?'
'I don't know,' she answered. 'Would you like me to guess?'
He pressed the point of the blade against the side of her neck, a look of perverted pleasure in his eyes as he deliberately pricked her skin. He took yet another step closer to her and then froze, slowly looking down at the knife Gillian had pressed against his belly.
'Shall we find out whose blade is quicker?' she whispered.
He jumped back. 'Seize her,' he shouted to Horace.
Bridgid jumped up and ran to Gillian, but Horace saw her coming and shoved her aside. He grabbed Gillian's arm and tried to snatch the weapon away from her. She cut him twice in the palm of his hand before he was able to get the knife.
'I know what happened to your soldiers,' Bridgid shouted.
'Move back, Horace,' Alford ordered.
Shaken, Alford poured himself a drink, then turned and leaned against the table's edge. 'Tell me what happened to them.'
'They're dead,' Bridgid answered. 'All of them. Did you think you could take a child from a powerful laird and not suffer the consequences?' Gripping her hands together, she laughed. 'You're next. You and your friends.'
Edwin scoffed. 'They won't come to the heart of England. They wouldn't dare.'
'Yes,' Hugh agreed. 'If it was the Highlanders, they've gone back home by now. They've certainly finished-'
'Oh, they've only just begun,' Gillian called out. 'They don't care about gold or treasures. They want the three of you, and they won't stop until you're dead.'
'She speaks lies,' Horace shouted. 'The Highlanders are savages, and our soldiers are vastly superior.'
Gillian laughed. 'Then pray tell, where are they?'
'How many soldiers do you have posted along the perimeter?' Hugh asked.
'Whatever the number, perhaps you should double the guards. One cannot be too cautious,' Edwin interjected.
Alford shrugged at their worries. 'If it will please you, I will double the guard. See to it, Horace,' he commanded. 'No one can get into this holding. I've made it impenetrable. Why, I've over two hundred men here, all hand-picked and all loyal to me. Add their number to the soldiers who escorted the two of you, and we are an invincible force.'
'There were forty men who rode with me,' Hugh said.
'Twenty-two came with me,' Edwin said.
'So you see? We have nothing to fear.'
The commander had only just left the hall when he came racing back. 'Milord… you have company coming.'
'Who is it?'
'My God, it's the heathens?' Edwin shouted.
'Nay, Baron, it's not the heathens. It's the king himself and a full contingent of soldiers. The watch spotted their banner, milord, and the drawbridge has been lowered.'
Alford was astounded. 'John is here? The king of England is at my door?'
'Aye, Baron.'
'How many soldiers do you suppose ride with him?' Alford asked.
'The watch reported near to sixty or seventy men.'
Alford snorted. 'So my troops outnumber his,' he remarked.
Hugh laughed. 'You always try to outdo him, don't you?'
'Whenever I can,' he admitted. 'He is king, however, and that puts me at a distinct disadvantage. Still, I do what I can.'
'We can certainly relax our guard now,' Edwin said.
Alford clapped his hands and ordered the servants to prepare a feast for their honored guest. Hugh and Edwin hurried upstairs to change their tunics, and Alford waited until they had left the hall before grabbing Gillian.
In a low hiss he whispered, 'You listen to me. You will keep silent about the treasure. Do you hear me? You will not tell the king you know where Arianna's box is hidden. I swear I'll kill your uncle and your sister if you defy me on this.'
'I understand.'
He shoved her away from him. 'Go and sit in the corner. Hopefully the king will pay you little attention.'
Bridgid followed Gillian and sat next to her. 'I've made a mess of things, haven't I?' she whispered.
'No,' she answered. 'Don't worry. It's going to be over soon.'
'Are you afraid?'
'Yes.'
The women fell silent when Hugh and Edwin came running back into the hall. Hugh was pulling his tunic down over his stomach as he joined Alford, and Edwin was trying to rub off the stain he'd just noticed on his sleeve.
Servants frantically rushed about preparing the great hall for their noble guest. Additional logs were added to the fire in the hearth, the table was cleared, and after a fine linen cloth was spread upon it, tapered candles in silver holders were placed in the center.
Hugh and Edwin stood with Alford off to the side and discussed the king's reasons for coming to Dunhanshire.
'Perhaps he's heard your soldiers have left their posts at your estate and Baron Morgan's,' Edwin speculated.
'They didn't leave their posts,' Hugh argued. 'They fled in the face of battle, and they should all die for their cowardice.'
'The king couldn't have heard that news yet,' Alford pointed out.
'If he hasn't heard the news, then why is he here?' Edwin asked.
'I think I know what he wants,' Alford said. 'There's talk of another journey to France, and he's probably going to press me to go with him.'
