Saints above, they were savages.

Faith whirled around. "You can't possibly go back. Thank heavens you came to your senses. No, no, you can't go back to your husband. You should live with Gillian. He'll be happy to have you. He loves you dearly. Why didn't you tell me they were… they were… Oh, Brenna, how did you ever manage to stay alive all this while?"

"What are you rambling about?"

Worried she might come to the window and see who was outside, Faith frantically shook her head. Her sister had had enough upsets to last her a lifetime. The proof was there for anyone to see. She had a scar on her forehead, and another on her arm.

In her haste to make amends because she hadn't had any idea what Brenna had been up against, she stammered out her apology. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know… until I saw them, I didn't know. No, it's out of the question."

"What's out of the question?" Brenna asked. She stood up to join her sister at the window.

Faith ran over to her and shoved her back down on the cot. Then she raced to the door and threw the lock into place.

"It's out of the question to… to go outside. Yes, it's out of the question. My, but it's gotten chilly in here. I believe I'll put the fur back up."

She went back to the window and peeked out, hoping she had only imagined the savages were there. No, they were there all right, looking just as frightening as before.

Her hands shook while she tried to rehook the loops. "Brenna, tell me what your husband looks like."

"Why?"

"I'm curious, that's all," she answered. She stared at the leader and tried to finish rehanging the fur at the same time. He really was scary.

"He's handsome."

"You're jesting."

"No, I'm not. He is handsome."

"But what exactly does he look like? Describe him for me."

"Dark hair and eyes, a straight nose. He's tall, and very strong. Does that satisfy you?"

"Long hair?"

"All the MacAlister men have long hair. What are you looking at?"

"Father Sinclair," she answered, which wasn't a lie, because the priest was running down the path toward the warrior in front of the other savages. Father should have been running the other way, shouldn't he? Surely he noticed they were all armed for battle.

Brenna went to the water basin to wash her face and hands. "If Father's outside, it's safe for us to go out. He won't let you wander off the path."

"Was it safe for the two of you to come here without an escort?"

"No, but it was necessary. It isn't now. Besides, I was dressed as a monk, and all the Highlanders respect men of the cloth. None would harm them. Right now, however, you are the one I'm concerned about. Once you make up your mind to do something, you do it, no matter what the risk, and if you decide to pick flowers up on the hill, I know Father won't let you."

"You taught me how to take a risk," Faith protested. "Oh, dear, the fur just fell out the window."

Leaning out, she watched the covering drop down with a shush to land on the stone path just a step away from the priest. Startled by the near miss, Sinclair glanced up at the window.

"I'm so sorry, Father. It slipped," she called out before she jumped back so he wouldn't lecture her in front of the savages. Besides, she knew she was going to laugh, and she really didn't want to hurt the priest's feelings.

He heard her, of course, and so did the MacAlisters. Everyone but Quinlan pretended not to notice. He grinned with obvious approval.

Curious, Crispin turned to him. "You find her amusing?"

"I find her enchanting."

Crispin shook his head to let his friend know he thought he was demented. Quinlan nodded, and then declared his intention, "I mean to have her."

"She'll run from you."

"I hope so. It wouldn't be any fun if she didn't. She's bonny, isn't she?"

"Marriage?"

"Eventually."

Connor suddenly raised his hand. His friends thought he wanted them to be silent so that he could hear what the priest was telling him. Then their laird gave the signal to let them know the enemy was near. He simply put his hand on the hilt of his sword. Englishmen were approaching.

Gillian and his soldiers were coming up the hill. From the sound their horses made, Connor estimated approximately sixty soldiers rode with their baron. Crispin and Quinlan immediately moved to flank their laird to protect him from an attack from either side.

Father Sinclair didn't notice the MacAlisters were tensed to fight. He was explaining once again that he hadn't helped Brenna leave the Kincaid holding, hadn't had the slightest inkling that she had such a plan in mind, and it was only after they had entered the forest and she called out to him that he knew she was chasing after him.

"Don't you ever look behind you?" Connor asked.

"Not when I'm on your land or Kincaid's, because I know I'm safe. I assure you I took every precaution once your wife alerted me to her presence. I tried to talk her into going back, but she wouldn't listen to me, Laird. I couldn't let her go on without me, could I?"

Connor shook his head. "You have assured me she's all right, and that's all I care about now. Tell her to come to me."

"She'll deny the request," he said. "I'll try, of course."

"She won't deny me." He took his dagger from his belt and cut the threads Jamie had used to sew the medallion to the side of his plaid. "Give her this."

The priest accepted the medallion with a nod. "And your message?"

"The medallion is my message. She'll understand. She can't deny me, Father."

"If you leave your sword at the door, you could come inside," he offered.

Connor's answer was to suggest the priest look behind him.

"Oh, Good Lord. Gillian's here. I'll hurry," he whispered. "Don't do anything rash before I return."

"We won't," Connor assured him, "unless, of course, we're provoked."

The priest picked up the hem of his robe and went racing back toward the abbey.

"You might as well stop brushing your hair, Brenna. Father's coming back inside. He's running, as a matter of fact. I wonder…Uh oh."

"What's wrong?"

"Gillian's here."

Brenna dropped her brush and sat down on the cot. The time had come for her to leave the Highlands forever. Oh, God, why did it hurt so much?

Tears gathered in her eyes. She bowed her head in surrender and began to pray. "Why is this so hard?" she cried out. She doubled over and rocked back and forth, acting as though the pain were physical now instead of inside her heart.

Faith didn't know what she could say to her. "I don't know, Brenna. If I could help you, I would. Your husband might be able to make you feel better."

"No."

"He's here, Brenna."

Other than straightening up again until she was rigid, she didn't say anything or show any other reaction.

"Surely that means…"

"He's here because of his pride."

"I knew you'd say that," Faith said. She leaned back out the window and waved to her brother. Gillian and his men all looked so shiny and new in their hauberks and helmets. She turned then and looked at the MacAlisters again. They looked… "Like savages."

"Come away from the window."

"I think I should wave to your husband. It would be rude to ignore him. I already waved to Gillian, and I shouldn't slight him."

"I assure you he won't care."

She waved anyway. "He didn't wave back. Gillian did."

"Get away from there," Brenna demanded.

"Come and look."

"No."

A knock sounded at the door, followed by loud panting. Father Sinclair had run up the steps to get to Brenna's room.

Faith let him in. "She won't go out to him, Father. I tried to convince her, but she refuses to have anything to do with him."

The priest nodded before he rushed over to the cot. "Your husband told me you would come to him, mi'lady. He was certain this would force you to," he added as he dropped the medallion into her lap.