He was serious when he answered. "Nay, you will not."

She had a sudden urge to start screaming like a wild woman before Annie even touched her just to irritate the pompous man, but she didn't give in to the desire because the kind woman and little Alec would both become upset. When she was alone with Brodick, however, she was going to remind him that she wasn't a Buchanan, and she might also add that she was going to thank God for that fact, because the Buchanans were a little too full of themselves. She had noticed that when Brodick announced that she wouldn't make a sound, every one of his soldiers had nodded.

Oh, yes, she certainly wanted to scream all right.

Annie had turned as pale as milk after Brodick chose the treatment to be used. She leaned against her husband and whispered into his ear. Because she spoke so rapidly, Gillian only caught a word or two, but it was quite enough for her to figure out that Annie was asking Kevin for permission to give Gillian a sleeping draft.

Kevin put the request to Brodick while Annie rushed about the cottage gathering her supplies. Before Brodick could answer, Gillian spoke up. "I don't wish to be drugged. I appreciate your concerns, but I must insist on remaining clearheaded so that we may continue on our journey."

Brodick nodded, but Gillian wasn't certain if he was agreeing with Kevin's request or with her denial. "I mean what I say," she pressed. "I don't want to be drugged."

Alec demanded her attention then by tugging on her sleeve. As she leaned down to him, out of the corner of her eye she saw Annie sprinkle brown powder into a goblet and then add wine.

"What is it?" she asked Alec.

"Are you gonna tell on me?" he whispered.

"About the cuts on my arm?" He bumped her chin when he nodded. "No, I'm not going to tell, and I want you to stop worrying that I will."

"All right," he said. "I'm hungry."

"We'll get you something to eat in a little while."

"With your permission, Laird, I would like to toast you and your bride," Kevin announced as he carried a tray of goblets to the table.

"Oh, but I'm not-" Gillian began.

Brodick interrupted her. "You have my permission."

She frowned at him, puzzled as to why he hadn't corrected Kevin's misconception, but decided to wait until later to ask him to explain.

Kevin put Gillian's drink in front of her. He then placed the other goblets a good distance away, no doubt so that the drugged wine wouldn't get mixed up with the others. The toast was but a clever ploy, and though she knew Kevin's intentions were good-hearted, it still rankled her that he had ignored her wishes. After the toast was given, she would have to take a drink, for otherwise she would be considered rude. That left her only one choice.

"May I call your other soldiers inside to share this toast?" Kevin asked.

In answer Brodick went to the door and whistled. The sound echoed through the cottage. Less than a minute later, the rest of his soldiers filed inside to take a goblet. Gillian helped by handing one to each man.

When everyone held a drink, Kevin stepped forward and raised his goblet high.

"To a long happy life filled with love and laughter and healthy sons and daughters."

"Here, here," Aaron agreed.

Everyone waited until Gillian had taken a drink before they downed their wine. Brodick nodded to Annie, pulled out a chair, and straddled it to face Gillian. He motioned for her to put her arm out again, and then put his hand down on top of hers.

She didn't have to ask him why he was holding on to her. He was making sure she didn't pull away during Annie's treatment.

Dylan came around the table and placed one hand on her shoulder. "Robert, take the boy outside," he ordered.

Alec frantically clutched Gillian's arm. "I want to stay with you," he whispered anxiously.

"Then put your request to Dylan," she instructed. "And perhaps he will reconsider, but be polite when you ask him, Alec."

The boy hesitantly looked up at the soldier, craning his neck back as far as it would go. "Can I stay… please?"

"Milady?"Dylan asked.

"I would be happy for his company."

"Then you may stay inside for a little while, Alec, but you mustn't interfere. Can you promise me that you won't?"

Alec nodded. "I promise," he said, then leaned into Gillian.

Annie stood beside her, watching her closely. She was ready to begin, yet continued to wait. "Are you feeling a bit sleepy, milady?" she inquired casually.

"Not overly," she replied.

Annie glanced at the laird. "Perhaps I should wait another minute or two."

Gillian looked up at the men surrounding her and noticed that Annie's husband was yawning every other minute, but then the soldier named Robert also yawned, and she couldn't decide which one was actually getting drowsy. Then Kevin began to sway.

"Annie, would you please ask your husband to sit down?"

Kevin heard her request and, blinking furiously, tried to make sense of it."Why would I want to be sitting down, lass?" he asked.

"So you won't have so far to fall."

No one understood her suggestion until Kevin suddenly pitched forward. Fortunately, one of Brodick's soldiers was quick on his feet and caught him before his head struck the edge of the table.

"Ah, lass, you switched goblets, didn't you?" a soldier asked.

"She drugged Kevin?" another soldier asked, grinning.

Gillian could feel her face burning and concentrated intently on the tabletop while she tried to think of a proper apology to give Kevin's wife.

Startled by such trickery, Annie turned to the laird. Brodick shook his head as though in disappointment, but there was a definite sparkle in his eyes and voice when he said, "It seems Kevin drugged himself. Toss him on the bed, Aaron, and let's get this done. Annie, we need to be on our way."

She nodded, and with trembling hand she put her knife to Gillian's arm. Brodick tightened his hold on Gillian's wrist just before she felt the first prick of the blade cutting through her tender skin. At first Gillian let him know she thought he was overreacting, yet once Annie began to probe the wounds, she was glad for his anchor. The need to flinch was instinctive, but Brodick's grip wouldn't allow any movement at all.

The treatment wasn't nearly as awful as she had anticipated. Her arm had been throbbing from the pressure of the infection swelling beneath the surface of her inflamed skin, but once the wounds were opened, she felt immediate relief.

Alec squeezed under her right arm and clung to her. Frightened, he whispered, "Does it hurt bad?"

"No," she answered quietly.

When he saw how calm she was, the tension eased out of him. Curious, he asked, "Does it hurt as bad as when that man punched you in the face?"

"Hush, Alec."

"But does it?" he pestered.

She sighed. "No."

Annie had been cleaning the wounds with clean strips of cloth, but paused when Alec asked the question. "Someone struck you, milady?" she asked. The sweet woman looked so appalled, Gillian immediately tried to reassure her.

"It was nothing, really," she insisted. "Please don't concern yourself."

"This man… who was he?" Annie asked.

The room grew deadly quiet while everyone waited to hear her response. She shook her head. "It isn't important."

"Oh, but it is important," Dylan said to a chorus of grumbled agreements.

"He was an Englishman," Alec blurted out.

Nodding to indicate she didn't doubt the child's statement, Annie picked up another cloth and resumed her task of cleaning the wounds. Gillian winced from the discomfort, unaware that she was now gripping Brodick's hand.

"I knew he had to be English," Annie grumbled. "I don't know of any Highlander who would raise his hand against a woman. Nay, I don't."

Several soldiers nodded their agreement. Desperate to change the subject, Gillian latched onto the first thought that came into her mind. "It's a fine day today, isn't it? The sun is bright and the wind is mild-"