Free Shadow Music by Julie Garwood Page B

child. She wanted to attend Gabrielle’s wedding, of course, but from the moment she had informed Brodick that he was going to become a father, leaving their holding was out of the question.
    The priest who had intercepted Geoffrey and given him the news about Liam MacHugh acted as though he had a pack of wild dogs on his tail. As soon as he had blurted out the news, he had turned and urged his mount into a full gallop and had disappeared into the trees.
    Geoffrey headed back to the Buchanan holding, but Brodick wasn’t happy to see him again so soon. He certainly wasn’t in the mood to put up with another social call.

    The laird was an intimidating sight as he stormed toward Geoffrey. Tall and muscular, he was fair-haired and battle-scarred, and he wore a scowl as black as night. His first in command, a fierce warrior named Dylan, followed in his laird’s wake. Then two more warriors joined the procession.
    Geoffrey rested his hands on the pommel of his saddle and waited for Brodick to reach him. The laird’s greeting wasn’t pleasant, but then Geoffrey didn’t expect it to be.
    “I thought I was rid of you, Baron.”
    Geoffrey ignored the insult. “Liam MacHugh is at Arbane Abbey.” His announcement took the scowl off Brodick’s face. “Is he alive?” The baron quickly recounted what the priest had told him, and when he was finished, Brodick asked,
    “What in thunder does ‘I hope so’ mean? Liam’s either alive or he isn’t.”
    “He must have meant that Liam was alive the last time he saw him,” Geoffrey suggested. “You’ll tell Laird MacHugh?”
    “I will.”
    Brodick turned around and walked away from Geoffrey, dismissing him. He was barking orders to his men. He would go with MacHugh to the abbey. There was no doubt in his mind that Colm MacHugh would stop at nothing to find out who had done this to his brother. If God was merciful, Liam MacHugh would be alive when they got there.

    W HILE GELROY HAD BEEN WORKING UP THE COURAGEto make the trip to inform Liam’s family of his whereabouts, Gabrielle had been filling her days with social obligations and preparations for the wedding. In the late of night she would leave her chamber to look in on Liam while he slept. Her guards stood watch at his door. Father Franklin explained to his patient when he finally opened his eyes that, even though the abbey was a sanctuary and was therefore considered holy ground by all good, God-fearing men and women, he wasn’t going to take any chances that a heathen might sneak in and do Liam further injury. He told Liam that Lady Gabrielle had arrived for her wedding with a contingent of guards, and he had asked for their help. In his weakened condition, Liam didn’t protest. He was aware that they were watching over him, but he didn’t speak to them, and when they spoke to one another, it was in a language that Liam had never heard and couldn’t understand.

    ONCE LIAM WAS CONSCIOUS, Father Gelroy announced that he would be leaving to deliver his message, and he set out the following dawn. He returned at nightfall. When he knocked on Gabrielle’s door, she was happy to see him, but she was surprised that he had returned from his important errand so quickly. She made him comfortable in a chair on the balcony, offered him refreshment, and then took her seat across from him.
    “You are well, Father?” she asked.
    “I am,” he replied. “And you, milady?”
    “I am most well,” she replied, “but I am quite curious. May I ask, how were you able to complete your errand in such a short time?”
    “I rode hard and fast,” he boasted.
    A servant stood in the doorway with a tray. Gabrielle motioned to her, and she offered a goblet of cool water to the priest. Father Gelroy thanked her with a smile and a nod and then took a hefty drink.
    “Was Laird MacHugh overjoyed with the news about his brother? Was he relieved?”
    “I imagine he was overjoyed and relieved,” he answered. “You see, I didn’t go to