GABRIELLE’S ARRIVAL AT THE FRONT GATES OF ARBANE Abbey was met with great jubilation.

The abbot had given orders to summon him the minute she appeared, and he now hurriedly rushed forward, tying his cincture around his rotund stomach and breathlessly calling out for food and drink.

With a grand bow, he stammered, “Such an honor. It is such an honor to offer you our humble hospitality, milady. Yes, we’re truly, truly honored.”

He clasped her hand and squeezed. He didn’t let go until she forcefully pulled her hand back.

She introduced her guards to the abbot and said, “We thank you for opening your rooms to us, and I thank you for allowing my wedding to take place here.”

“We are thrilled to have the honor. Everyone has been making preparations for the holy sacrament for some time, and now, to think it’s only a week away. This union will surely secure a peaceful and lasting bond between our two noble countries.” Snapping his fingers, he motioned for a servant to hurry and make preparations. “You must be hungry and thirsty. Come inside. We have refreshments for you and your soldiers. I understand they do not leave your side when you are away from home. Is that not true?”

“It is true, but I am happy for their company.”

A pretty young woman rushed forward and thrust a bouquet of flowers in Gabrielle’s face. Gabrielle took them and thanked her, smiling when the woman made a quick and awkward curtsy.

“These are lovely,” she called out as the woman scurried away.

“Was your journey pleasant?” the abbot asked.

Gabrielle didn’t laugh, but she wanted to, wondering what he would think if she blurted the truth about their journey. They had been inside the abbey for hours now, but the abbot couldn’t know that. Gabrielle and her guards had gotten back on their horses and had circled through the forest so they could approach Arbane Abbey by its front gate. Their trip had taken a few minutes at the most, but since they were keeping silent about Liam MacHugh, she could only say, “It was most pleasant, but I would like to change my gown before I have refreshments.”

The cloak hid the stains from Liam’s blood. Since the weather was still warm, the abbot must have thought she was ill to be wearing such a heavy garment.

“Yes, of course. Brother Anselm waits inside to show you the way to your rooms. I pray they meet with your satisfaction.”

“I’m certain I will be most comfortable.”

“We began to worry when the time passed and you hadn’t arrived. We expected you hours ago.”

“I’m sorry to have caused you concern. Your countryside is so lovely I lost track of the time.”

The abbot seemed satisfied with her answer. He took her arm and started walking.

“Guests have been arriving and setting up their camps outside of our monastery for days. Most are from England as one would expect, but some came from as far away as France and Spain, all bearing gifts to mark this auspicious occasion. The contingent from your family’s homeland of St. Biel brought the most wonderful gift of all, I believe. It is a lovely sculpture of your patron saint. They have asked us to hold it in our chapel’s sacristy for safekeeping until the wedding, and I’m sure Laird Monroe will want to set it in a sacred place of honor in his own chapel. You’ll see some of the other offerings at the banquet…”

Gabrielle smiled and nodded as the abbot continued to chatter on about the gifts and the visitors and the feasts. It was apparent the abbey had never seen such a celebration, and she was happy to indulge his enthusiasm.

They’d just entered the commons when the abbot stopped and motioned to a man crossing their path.

“You must meet Laird MacKenna. He, too, is a guest, but he’s leaving shortly. Laird,” he called out, “come and meet Lady Gabrielle. She has finally arrived.”

The man turned and walked toward them with a smile that seemed genuine and warm. His stride was long, and he carried himself proudly. His wavy black hair was swept back from his high forehead, and there wasn’t a single scar on his flawless features. He must lead a charmed life, she decided.

He bowed to her. “I have heard it said that you are a beauty, and I must say it was not an exaggeration.”

“I thank you for the compliment.”

“I know you are aware that Lady Gabrielle is to be married here to Laird Monroe,” the abbot said.

“Of course, I know,” Laird MacKenna answered. “He’s my friend,” he said to Gabrielle, “and I will attend the celebration at his request. It will be a great day for both of our countries. Returning the glen…I mean Finney’s Flat…to a Highlander will bring peace among the clans, for Laird Monroe will see that it is used wisely. I look forward to the ceremony.” He bowed again. “Until then…” he said and took his leave.

The abbot waited until he was out of sight and then said, “Laird MacKenna surprised us with such an act of kindness. He brought us a wagon full of grain from his fields. He’s never been so generous before, and we were quite stunned and pleased. The laird has become a thoughtful man. Ah, here is Brother Anselm. He will show you the way.”

The two rooms assigned to Gabrielle were in the largest wing of the abbey. They were surprisingly spacious and had connecting doors on either side. Servants were busy unpacking her clothes in preparation for the festivities ahead. Gabrielle kept her cloak wrapped around her until she was alone in her room. She wasn’t sure what to do about the blood on her cream-colored bliaut, and she couldn’t come up with a plausible explanation as to why it was there. She ended up folding the garment and hiding it in the bottom of one of her trunks.

Later that evening, after her maids had gone to bed, Faust and Lucien led Gabrielle to Liam’s room to check on him. Father Franklin and Father Gelroy were both there and in the middle of a heated argument.

“Has he awakened yet?” she asked in a whisper so as not to disturb the patient.

Franklin smiled at her. “No, he hasn’t, but he’s done some moaning, and I’ve a good feeling he’ll wake up soon.”

“Or he won’t,” Gelroy said, scowling. “He isn’t out of danger, now is he, Franklin?”

“One must have hope, Gelroy.”

“If he dies, Colm MacHugh will tear this place apart, sacred or not. It won’t matter to him. He needs to be told that his brother is here. Hopefully he’ll come to fetch him before Liam dies.”

“If he dies,” Franklin snapped. “But I don’t think he will. I do agree that Laird MacHugh should be told Liam is here. I think you should leave with morning light.”

“I would be happy to take over your duties while you make the trip to the MacHugh holding,” Gelroy responded.

“I’m too old and feeble to make this journey,” he whispered.

Gelroy snorted. “You’re neither too old nor too feeble. What you are is afraid, Franklin. Aye, that’s what you are.”

“And you’re not?”

“Of course I’m afraid. In fact, I’m more afraid than you are,” he boasted in a low voice. “And older by two years, which is why you should go on this errand, and I should stay. My heart couldn’t take Laird MacHugh’s disappointment.”

Before Franklin could work up a rebuttal, Gelroy turned to Gabrielle. “We’ve been bickering about this for over an hour now.”

Frowning, she said, “I don’t understand your hesitance. I would think that Laird MacHugh would be overjoyed to learn that his brother is alive.”

“Perhaps,” Franklin allowed. “But what if Liam were to die before Colm MacHugh could get here? And after Gelroy has told him Liam’s alive. What then?”

“You mean to say after you tell him Liam’s alive,” Gelroy snapped.

“I believe you’re borrowing trouble,” she said. “And this Colm MacHugh must be told. He’s surely frantic by now. If someone I loved disappeared, I don’t know what I would do.”

Though they had been discussing the issue in low voices, Gabrielle felt they should move into the hallway so they wouldn’t disturb Liam.

“He can’t hear us,” Franklin said. “He’s still in a deep sleep.”

Gelroy followed Gabrielle into the hall and closed the door behind him. “I promise you, milady, that Franklin and I will work this out. Have no worries. One of us will make certain Colm MacHugh is informed of his brother’s whereabouts.”

“My guards have asked me to inquire if you would like their assistance sitting with Liam during the nights ahead. He shouldn’t be left alone.”

Gelroy was both pleased and relieved by the offer. “I would be most appreciative for their help. Franklin and I promised you that we wouldn’t tell anyone how this poor soul came to be here, but we have also decided that it would be for the best if we didn’t mention Liam at all. There would be too many questions and speculations. We’ll keep his presence secret for as long as possible. So you see, we cannot ask any of the others to sit with him because the secret will then be out.”

Franklin stepped forward. “Gelroy told me that he doesn’t know what happened to Liam or who inflicted the severe beating, but he and I promise you, whoever it was won’t get another opportunity to do him harm while he is a guest here. With the help of your guards we will all make certain he remains safe.”

“I wish I could be more helpful and take a turn sitting with him, but I realize—”

Lucien interrupted. “You cannot, Princess.”

“It wouldn’t be proper for you to be in a man’s room, no matter if he were sleeping or not,” Franklin told her.

She didn’t argue, for she knew he was right.

Turning to Gelroy, she said, “And one of you will go to the MacHugh holding?”

His shoulders slumped. “Aye. One of us will go.”

“You understand, milady. Whoever goes won’t be coming back,” Franklin said matter-of-factly.

Gelroy was nodding agreement when Franklin patted him on his shoulder. “I’ll miss you, Gelroy.”

“It is a dangerous journey?” she asked.

“Not particularly,” Franklin answered.

“Will it take long to get there then?”

“Not overly long,” Gelroy answered.

“It isn’t the getting there that’s the worry, milady. It’s the getting out of there that has us worried.”

Gabrielle was certain their fears of the MacHughs were exaggerated. They couldn’t be as fearsome as the priests were insinuating.

“You’ll go soon?” she pressed.

“Very soon,” Gelroy promised.

The priest’s definition of very soon was different from Gabrielle’s. It took him three full days and nights to gather his courage to head out. By that time Liam had improved enough that Gelroy could feel confident he would survive, but the priest was still apprehensive. Even though he knew he must carry the news to Laird MacHugh, he still had his doubts that he would be returning to Arbane Abbey.

Father Gelroy finally rode out on a borrowed mount, but his destination wasn’t the MacHugh holding. After putting considerable thought into the matter, he decided instead to go to MacHugh’s loyal ally, Laird Buchanan. Gelroy foolishly believed that Brodick Buchanan would be easier to talk to and less likely to physically react to the news that Laird MacHugh’s brother had been severely beaten.

The closer he got to the Buchanan land, the more violent his trembling became until he feared he would shake himself off his horse. But God took mercy on him. As he was resting under a huge oak tree just below the Buchanan holding, he spotted a horse and rider coming down the broken trail.

Now he had a dilemma on his hands. He didn’t know if the rider was friend or foe. Should he try to hide? No, the rider had already spotted him. Gelroy said a prayer and decided to hope for the best.

Lo and behold, it was Baron Geoffrey riding toward him. He made the sign of the cross in thanksgiving, and as soon as the baron was within shouting distance, Gelroy called out to him. He reminded him that they had met before at the abbey, nearly two years ago. Without mentioning the baron’s daughter, Gelroy asked the baron if he had been with the Buchanans. “It seemed to me you were coming from their land.”

“I was,” Baron Geoffrey answered.

“Do you know the Buchanans well?”

“We are distantly related, and though I had thought to pay my respects and not linger more than one night, a tragedy occurred. A warrior was missing. The men were out searching for him and were expected to come back to the holding yesterday but were delayed by a terrible rainstorm the night before. I had to wait for Laird Buchanan to return home.”

“Could the warrior’s name be Liam MacHugh?” he asked mildly.

“Aye. So you have heard what happened.”

“I’ve seen him,” he said. “He was brought to the abbey, the poor soul.”

The baron was rendered speechless. Gelroy took advantage of his condition.

“You’ll be getting a high place in heaven, even though you’re English, if you’ll go back and tell Laird Buchanan this news so that he can tell Laird MacHugh.”

While Baron Geoffrey was reeling from the information given so casually, Father Gelroy turned around and nudged his mount into a trot down the mountain.

“Wait,” the baron shouted. “You cannot go without—Is Liam still alive?”

Gelroy slapped his horse’s hindquarters to get it to speed up. Without glancing back, he called over his shoulder, “Oh God, I hope so.”