Gillian, and if that turned out to be true, then the boy decided he would become her champion. If that didn't work, he would go and get his mama.
Brodick had leaned back in his chair and was now patiently waiting for her to do as she had been instructed by all three lairds.
'Yes,' she suddenly said. 'I will be happy to give you their names, just as soon as you promise me you will not do anything until after the fall festival.'
'We need their names now, Gillian,' Ramsey insisted, completely ignoring her demand.
'I need your promise first, Ramsey. I will not let you put my Uncle Morgan in danger.'
'He's already in danger,' Iain pointed out.
'Yes, but he's alive now, and I mean to keep him that way.'
'How can you be certain he's still alive?' Ramsey asked.
'If he were killed, I would have no reason to return to England. The monster knows that. I won't give him anything until I see my uncle,' she explained. 'He won't harm him.'
Iain sighed. 'You're putting all of us in a difficult position,' he began, trying to be diplomatic. 'You've brought my son home to me and for that I will be eternally grateful. I know how much your uncle means to you, and I promise that I will do everything within my power to free him, but Gillian, I want the name of the man who locked my son away like an animal, the man who beat you near to death-'
'Papa, don't be mad at Gillian.' Alec shouted his plea as he ran to his father. Tears clouded the boy's eyes. 'She didn't do anything wrong. I know the man's name.'
Iain lifted Alec into his lap and tried to reassure him. 'I'm not angry,' he promised. 'And I know Gillian didn't do anything wrong.'
'Alec, did you hear all the names?' Brodick asked.
The little boy leaned against his father's chest and slowly nodded. 'Yes,' he said. 'I heard all of the names, but I don't remember the other two… just the man who hurt Gillian.'
'That's the name I most want,' Brodick said softly. 'Who is he, Alec?'
'Alec, please,' Gillian began.
'Tell me, Alec. Who is he?'
'Baron,' Alec whispered. 'His name is Baron.'
Chapter Fifteen
The screams began in the middle of the night. Judith Maitland awakened with a start, realized she was hearing Alec's bloodcurdling cries, and threw the covers off, but before she could get out of bed, Iain had already reached the children's chamber.
Graham and Michael were sitting up on their mats wide-eyed with fear. Alec fought his father, kicking and scratching. The boy was trapped in his nightmare, and no amount of soothing or shaking could bring him back. His son's tormented screams were unbearable, and Iain didn't know what to do to make him stop.
Judith sat down next to her son, took him into her arms, and rocked him. After several minutes, the child calmed down. His body relaxed against his mother, and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully again.
'Dear God, what hell did my son go through?' Iain whispered.
Tears streamed down Judith's face. She shook her head, her sorrow so overwhelming she couldn't speak. Iain lifted Alec from her lap, kissed the top of his head, and then put him back into bed. Judith covered him with his blanket.
Within the next hour they were awakened twice more by their son's screams, and both times they ran to his side. Judith wanted to bring Alec into their bed, and Iain promised her that if he screamed again, he would let Alec sleep with them.
It took a long time for Judith and Iain to get back to sleep, but when they finally did, they weren't disturbed again. They both slept late, past dawn, until their older son, Graham, came running into their chamber. He went to his father's side of the bed, touched his shoulder, and whispered, 'Papa, Alec's gone.'
Iain didn't panic. Assuming his son was already up and about, he motioned for Graham to be quiet so he wouldn't disturb his mother. Then he got out of bed, washed and dressed, and went out into the hallway, where Graham waited with Michael.
'He's probably downstairs,' Iain whispered as he pulled the door closed behind him.
'He wouldn't go downstairs, Papa,' Graham blurted.
'Stop worrying,' he ordered. 'Alec hasn't disappeared.'
'But he did before, Papa,' Graham whispered, growing more fretful by the second.
'Both of you, go downstairs and find Helen and have your breakfast. Let me worry about Alec.'
Neither boy moved. Michael's head was bowed, but Graham looked his father right in the eyes when he said, 'It's dark down there.'
'And you don't like the dark.' Iain tried his best not to sound perturbed.
'I don't like the dark neither,' Michael admitted, his gaze still directed on the floor.
The main door opened, and Brodick and Ramsey came inside. As was their preference, they had both slept outside under the stars. They didn't like being cooped up with walls pressing in on them. They were used to being lulled to sleep with the scent of pine and the brisk wind surrounding them. 'Twas a fact, the only time they liked beds was when they had women with them, but they never slept the night through with any of their female companions.
Michael spotted his brother and went running down the stairs. 'Ramsey, Alec's gone.'
'What do you mean, he's gone?'
'He's not in his bed.'
Iain came bounding down the stairs then. He went into the great hall and pulled the tapestries back from the two windows near the entrance. Light flooded the room.
'He's around here somewhere,' Iain said, trying not to become alarmed.
'The guards would have seen him if he'd ventured outside.'
Ramsey said. 'Where the hell is he?'
Ramsey was obviously concerned, but Brodick, on the other hand, wasn't the least fazed.
'He's with Gillian.'
Both Ramsey and Iain looked at their friend. 'Why would he be with Gillian?' Iain asked as he rushed back up the stairs.
'He feels safe with her.'
Iain whirled around. 'And he doesn't feel safe with his mother and his father?'
Brodick started up the stairs. 'Of course he does, but he knows she'll let him in her bed. He's sleeping with her, and you aren't going in her room unless I'm with you.'
'For the love of…' Iain didn't finish his thought. He strode down the hallway, and without bothering to knock, opened Gillian's door. The room was dark, Brodick brushed past him and went to the window. He lifted the tapestry, tied it with the cord hooked to the wall, and then turned around.
Alec was in her bed all right, just as Brodick had predicted. He was cuddled up against her, his head resting on her shoulder. Gillian was sleeping on her back with her right arm wrapped around the little boy as though she were trying to protect him, even in sleep. Her other arm was stretched across the bed, palm up, and in the light, the scars and raw abrasions were startling to see.
Ramsey stood in the doorway, and though usually diplomatic, he reverted to the days when Brodick's manners had rubbed off on him. 'What the hell happened to her arm? It's a mess.'
Fortunately, he'd whispered the comment and hadn't disturbed Gillian or Alec.
Brodick pulled the tapestry back in place so that the sun wouldn't bother them, and nudged Iain to leave.
Iain didn't budge. 'One angel protects another,' he whispered. He turned then and went into the hallway. 'We will do what she asks,' he told Ramsey.
'We wait to retaliate?' Ramsey asked, already frowning over that possibility.
