Brodick slowed his mount and waited until Gillian was even with him. He'd heard what she'd said to Alec and was curious to know the rest of the story.
'And you went to live with your Uncle Morgan, remember?'
She smiled. 'I remember.'
'But you got to tell it.'
'One night I had a terrible nightmare-'
'Like the nightmares I sometimes have.'
'Yes,' she agreed. 'My lady's maid, Liese, woke me up so I'd stop screaming, and as was her habit, she held me in her lap and rocked me.'
'And then she almost dropped you on top of your head 'cause you finally talked to her.'
'That's right, Alec.'
'And the bad man who told you you killed your sister lied 'cause Liese said you didn't kill her. He was being mean, but you know what?'
'No, what?'
'Uncle Brodick will make him sorry he was mean.'
Embarrassed because she knew Brodick could hear what the child was saying, she hastily continued the story.
'I was very happy to learn that Christen was alive, but then I also worried that she might be lost. Liese told me not to fret about my sister because she was certain my Uncle Morgan would help me find her. She said that all I needed to do was ask him. She meant for me to wait until morning, but I surprised her when I jumped off her lap and went running to my uncle's chamber.'
''Cause it was the middle of the night, right?'
'Right,' she answered.
Alec started giggling because he knew what was coming and he could hardly contain himself. His shoulders shook as he covered his mouth with one hand and eagerly waited, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.
'Liese tried to stop me, but she wasn't fast enough, and she couldn't chase me into my uncle's private chamber. I ran to the side of his bed, climbed up on the platform, and poked him in the ribs to get him to wake up. He was in such a deep sleep, he was snoring, and no matter how hard I poked and prodded, I couldn't get him to open his eyes.'
The story captured Brodick's attention, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the way she told the tale or if it was Alec's reaction that so amused him. The child could hardly sit still in her lap.
'And then what did you do?' Alec demanded.
'You know very well what I did. I've told you this story so many times you know it better than I do.'
'But you got to tell it.'
'I shouted at the poor man and gave him quite a fright.'
Alec burst into raucous laughter. 'And then he screamed, right?'
'Oh, my, yes, he screamed all right.'
'And then you screamed, didn't you?'
She laughed. 'Yes, I did. Poor Uncle was so startled, he leapt up and grabbed his sword, but his feet got all tangled up in the covers, and he fell out of bed and rolled all the way down the platform. And that's the end of the story.'
'But you got to tell how you followed him around everywhere he went, talking and talking and talking all the day long.'
'You just told it,' she said. 'Uncle told me that for the year I didn't speak he would pray every night that I would one day say his name-'
'But when you started talking and you wouldn't stop, that's when he started praying for a little peace and quiet?'
'Yes,' she answered. 'You know, Alec, when you get home, there's going to be quite a lot of excitement, and I doubt you'll get to bed early tonight. Why don't you close your eyes and rest?'
Yawning, he wrapped his arms around her waist. 'Gillian?' he whispered.
'Yes?'
'I love you.'
'I love you too, honey bear.'
The little boy was clearly worn out and fell asleep minutes later. It was blissfully silent as they continued the steep climb up the side of the mountain. Every once in a while, Brodick would turn back and look at her, a puzzled expression on his face, as though he were trying to work something out in his mind.
The wind picked up, a brittle cold wind that felt as if it were slicing through her bones. She felt Alec shiver and wrapped the plaid around him.
The weight of the child against her left arm soon became unbearable, and she finally asked Brodick for help. Alec was so exhausted he didn't wake up as he was transferred onto his uncle's lap. The tenderness in Brodick's eyes as he carefully placed the child's head against his chest made her think of her uncle Morgan and how he used to hold her on his lap while he told her bedtime stories, and she was suddenly so homesick and scared she wanted to weep.
Brodick caught her watching him. 'Alec will get an ache in his ear if you don't cover his head,' she blurted to cover her embarrassment.
He pulled the plaid over Alec's head but kept his attention centered on Gillian.
'What has you so worried, lass?'
'Nothing,' she lied. 'I was thinking…'
'Thinking about what?' he prodded.
He'd moved so close, his leg rubbed against hers. She pretended not to notice.
'Answer me,' he demanded.
She sighed. 'I was thinking that when you marry and have children, you will make a fine father.'
'What makes you think I don't already have children?'
Her eyes widened. 'But you're not married.'
He laughed. 'A man need not be married to father children.'
'I realize that, she replied, trying her best to sound worldly. 'I'm not completely ignorant.'
'But you are completely innocent, aren't you?'
'That, sir, is none of your affair.'
Her cheeks had turned bright pink with embarrassment. She was a delight to observe, he thought, and a sure temptress.
'Do you?' she whispered.
'Do I what?'
'Have children.'
'No.'
'Then you were teasing me.'
She seemed to require an answer to her statement, and so he gave her a quick nod before he nudged his mount and took over the lead.
A few minutes later she heard the sound of thunder and the ground began to tremble. Stephen, Aaron, Liam and Robert all moved forward to circle her.
'Protect Alec and your laird,' she ordered.
'Milady, we're on Maitland land now. There isn't any danger,' Stephen explained.
'Then why are the four of you pressing in on me?'
Robert grinned. 'We're just letting the Maitlands know.'
'Know what, Robert?'
He wasn't inclined to explain. The Maitland soldiers crashed through the trees then and surrounded them. The noise startled Gillian's mare. Before she could calm the horse, Liam grabbed hold of the reins and forced the mare's head down.
They were encircled by warriors, and their closeness became oppressive. They were at least forty in number, and every one of them looked grim.
