By the time she crossed the meadow she was surrounded by Alford's soldiers and escorted inside the holding. She was then taken to the great hall and told to wait until Alford's senior officer arrived.

A young servant girl who obviously didn't know that the baron wouldn't have wanted her to see to Gillian's comfort carried in a tray of food and set it on the table. Two soldiers stood guard at the entrance watching Gillian's every move. For a long while she paced in front of the hearth, and when she grew weary, she sat at the table and forced herself to swallow bites of the cold meat and bread on the trencher. Gillian had little appetite, but she knew she'd need nourishment to strengthen her for the confrontation with Alford.

The soldier in charge finally came inside. He was a brute of a man with a broad, bulging forehead and small dark eyes as flat and lifeless as marbles.

"Baron Alford doesn't like to be disturbed while he's sleeping. He and his companions, Baron Edwin and Baron Hugh, were up quite late last night."

"I have nothing to say to Alford until I see my Uncle Morgan. Is he here?"

"No," he answered sourly. "But you are in luck. Last week the baron ordered soldiers to bring him here from his estate."

"Then my uncle was allowed to stay in his own home?" she asked.

"Since you've been gone, your uncle has been moved twice, he replied.

"Why is it taking the soldiers so long to bring him here? If they left last week…"

"The soldiers were also sent to Baron Alford's home to fetch his favorite cloak. They should be here any time now."

Gillian was taken upstairs and locked in the same chamber she and Alec had escaped from weeks before. Snickering, the soldier told her the passage had been sealed.

The wait continued until late afternoon. She spent a good deal of time praying and worrying about Brodick and the others. Please God, keep them safe and keep them away from this place until it's finished and Alford can't hurt them.

The brute unlatched the door and told her the baron was waiting to see her. "The rest of your family has arrived," he announced.

She wanted to ask him if her uncle was well, but she knew he wouldn't tell her anything more, and so she hurried downstairs to see for herself.

Edwin was waiting. She didn't give him a second glance as she hurried past him into the hall. Alford and Hugh were seated at the table side by side. They had obviously had too much to drink the night before, for Hugh's complexion was gray and his hands shook when he reached for his goblet. Red liquid sloshed over the rim onto the table as he greedily drank the wine like a man dying of thirst.

Alford rubbed his forehead to rid himself of the pounding headache.

"Where is my uncle?" she demanded.

"He'll be here soon," he answered. "Tell me, Gillian. Did you fail or succeed in your quest?"

"I won't tell you anything until I see my Uncle Morgan."

"Then perhaps your sister will. Bring her in, Edwin," he called out, then grimaced in pain and put his hand to his forehead again.

Because Alford was watching her closely, Gillian tried to hide her surprise and confusion. Bring her sister in? What in Gods name was he talking about?

"Ah, there she is now," Alford crooned.

Gillian whirled around and nearly fell over as Bridgid sauntered into the hall. Dear God, what was she doing? The soldiers must have found their hiding place, Gillian decided then, and if that were true, what had happened to Proster and Ker and Alan?

She took a panicky breath. Bridgid smiled at her and then asked loud enough to be overheard, "Which one of the pigs is Alford?"

Alford lunged forward, bracing his hands on the table to support himself. "You will guard your tongue," he shouted, "or I'll have it cut out."

Bridgid didn't seem the least impressed by the threat. "You'll die trying," she shouted back.

Gillian grabbed her hand to get her to be silent. Inciting the beast in his cave was dangerous and foolish.

"Where is my uncle, Alford?"

He waved away her question. Then Hugh drew his attention with his comment. "I'm not disappointed in the way Christen turned out. She still has her yellow hair."

Edwin joined his friends at the table and snapped his fingers to alert the servants to bring food and more wine. "They don't look like sisters."

Alford studied the two women. "They didn't look like sisters when they were young. Christen was always the pretty one, and Gillian was the mouse."

"She isn't a mouse now," Hugh chortled. Reaching under the table he began to rub himself. "I want her, Alford."

Alford ignored the demand. "What clan did you live with?" he asked.

"The MacPhersons," Bridgid answered.

"And what name did those heathens give you, or have you always been called Christen?"

Gillian's heart started pounding, because she couldn't remember if she had told Bridgid the name Christen was given by the Highlanders.

"I'm called Kate," Bridgid answered. "I much prefer it to Christen."

"She has the same sour disposition as Gillian," Hugh remarked. "They're sisters, all right."

"Yes," Alford drawled, but the furtive look in his eyes said he still wasn't completely convinced. Impatient, he stood up and came around the table. "Do you have my treasure with you, Christen?" His beady eyes darted back and forth between the women as he waited for her answer.

He was so vile he made her skin crawl. She boldly faced him and summoned forth her most defiant look. "I thought the treasure belonged to your king."

"My king?"

Bridgid quickly recovered from her blunder. Forcing a shrug of indifference, she said, "I'm a MacPherson now, and I have lived in the Highlands for many years and have become loyal to the king of Scotland. I don't consider England my home."

"What about your Uncle Morgan? Do you consider yourself loyal to him?"

"I don't remember him," she said. "I'm merely helping my sister."

His eyes were piercing as he studied her. "I plan to see that the king gets the box back," Alford snapped. "Do you have it with you?"

Edwin came rushing forward to join his friend. Scratching his triple chins, he remarked, "Surely she was searched before she was brought in."

"Search her again," Hugh called out, snickering. "Take her to one of the chambers and give her a thorough examination, Edwin. Start with the neck and work your way down."

Gillian intruded before the situation got completely out of hand. "My sister doesn't have the box, and she doesn't know where it is."

Alford slapped Edwin's hand as he was reaching for Bridgid.

"You can have her later," he promised. Sidling close to Gillian, he asked, "Do you have the treasure?"

"No."

"You may take Christen upstairs now, Edwin. Do what you want with her. Hugh, would you like to join them?"

With a hoot of laughter, Hugh drained his goblet and shoved his stool back as he stood. "I believe I will join them," he called out.

Alford was watching Gillian closely as he made his suggestion. She didn't show any reaction, but when Edwin lunged for Bridgid, she moved with amazing speed and shoved him back.

Incensed by her interference, Edwin lashed out and slapped her across her face. The force was enough to knock her into Bridgid, who grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"If you touch her again, I'll kill you," Bridgid shouted.

Alford raised his hand to let Edwin know he was to wait.

"Please, go and sit down," Gillian ordered Bridgid.

She wanted her out of harm's way, and Bridgid didn't have to be told twice. She backed away from Edwin and then hurried to a chair against the far wall. Her heart was pounding from fear and shame because she realized now that she was far more of a deterrent than a help to Gillian. Too late she understood what her friend had meant when she'd told Proster that if he went with her, the baron would use him to get what he wanted.