GABRIELLE WAS ABOUT TO GO INTO HER ROOM WHEN Father Gelroy called to her.

“Milady, a word, please?”

He ran toward her, robes flapping against his ankles. His face was bright red, and he was frowning intently.

She didn’t think she could handle more bad news. Bracing herself, she walked toward him. “Yes, Father?”

“They’re here.” He was panting so rapidly, he could barely get the words out.

“Who’s here?” she asked.

“The MacHugh laird and the Buchanan laird. Both have their warriors with them. They’re at the top of the hill overlooking the abbey.”

“This is good news, isn’t it?”

“Oh, no, no. I mean yes,” he stuttered. “They’ve come for Liam, and that’s very good.”

“Then you should go and greet them, shouldn’t you? And take Laird MacHugh to his brother?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Gelroy answered.

“I don’t understand. Of course it’s necessary. Laird MacHugh has come all this way, and he should be taken to see his brother,” she insisted.

“Oh, he’ll see him. I’m sure of that,” Gelroy asserted. “But the laird won’t be taken to him.”

Gabrielle was more confused than ever. “Then how will he see him?”

“Liam’s waiting outside the gates,” the priest blurted.

Shocked, Gabrielle said, “That poor man hasn’t been able to rise from his bed since he got here. How could he possibly get outside the gates of the abbey?”

Gelroy couldn’t look her in the eye when he answered. “Father Franklin and I carried him.”

“And you just left him there?” She couldn’t believe what the priest was telling her.

“You don’t understand. Laird MacHugh is a mighty warrior. Everyone has heard of his amazing strength…and his amazing temper.”

Suddenly the situation became clear to her. “You’re afraid of him.”

“Only a fool is unafraid of Laird MacHugh.”

“But just abandoning the poor man—” she began.

“Come with me,” Gelroy said. “I think you’ll understand when you see for yourself. Don’t worry. They won’t be able to see you. We’ll climb the wall and peek out. I’ll show you the way.”

The priest led Gabrielle outside and up the narrow steps to an opening carved out of the thick stone wall.

Gelroy pointed to the hill. “Can you see them?”

Her sharply indrawn breath answered his question. The sight of the warriors had rendered her speechless, and she could only summon a quick nod.

She didn’t have any trouble locating the lairds. The two men were in front of their followers, each atop a magnificent horse, one black, the other gray. Both men looked as though they’d been fashioned by a god of ancient times. She knew that Zeus never actually existed, but when she looked at these giants, she couldn’t help but think that maybe…

“The one on the right is Laird MacHugh,” Gelroy said.

Was he real? She closed her eyes, opened them again, and he was still there.

“He’s quite…large, isn’t he? They both are actually,” she said, glancing from MacHugh to Buchanan.

The priest laughed. “They’re Highlanders,” he said, as though that explained everything. “They are not as civilized as the rest of us.”

“They have come here for one of their own, which tells me they are capable of brotherly love. They are human, Father,” she said with a hint of disapproval at the priest’s negative judgment.

“There’s Liam,” he whispered, even though he surely knew they couldn’t possibly hear him.

“We’ll get to see their joyful reunion,” she said. “Is it wrong of us to intrude?”

“I don’t believe so. Besides, they’ll never know.”

They watched another minute or two, and then she whispered, “Liam’s having trouble walking. Do you see how he’s trying not to limp? He’s favoring his right foot, isn’t he? He’s slowing down, too. How will he ever climb the hill?”

“Pride will get him there.”

“But pride is a sin.”

“Not to a Highlander.”

Gabrielle stared at Laird MacHugh. His expression was rigid. There was no trace of feeling in his eyes as he watched his brother struggle to move forward.

Barbarian, she decided. MacHugh was a barbarian. Had he no feelings for his own brother? He’d come this far for him. Why wouldn’t he help him now? Why wouldn’t any of them help poor Liam?

They were all barbarians, she decided. Every last one of them.

Liam tried to stand erect, but when he moved his foot forward to take a step, he swayed and stumbled backward. Laird MacHugh immediately swung down from his horse and handed the reins to Laird Buchanan.

“My faith has been restored,” she said. “I was wrong to think ill of the laird. He’s going to help Liam after all.” Gabrielle smiled as she added, “’Tis brotherly love.”

She watched in anticipation as the laird strode toward the weakened man. He didn’t stop to speak to him; he didn’t smile at him, and he certainly didn’t embrace him.

What he did do was give his brother the full force of his fist.