Free Shadow Music by Julie Garwood

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