Once Upon a Highland Moon by Gwyn Brodie

Author:Gwyn Brodie
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Highland
Published: 2014-06-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Galen hurried through the door of the library, followed closely by Cinead and Duncan. "We can't find Jillian or Sorcha." A blade of fear stabbed at Galen. "We've searched the castle already, they're not here."

Kade jumped to his feet, sending the documents on his desk flying to the floor. "By this time of day, they should have returned from their walk in the garden and gone to the nursery."

They stormed out of the library and raced down the corridor. Kade threw open the nursery door.

Startled, Winnie looked up from folding linens. "M'laird, is something amiss?"

"Has my wife returned from the gardens with my son?"

She shook her head. "Nay, I thought perhaps she'd taken the wee lad to the great hall for his porridge."

An icy finger trailed down Galen's spine. "Search the gardens," He called over his shoulder, already halfway down the stairs.

They ran out to the courtyard. "Jillian!" Kade shouted. When she didn't answer, they raced past the rose bushes and into the clearing where she usually took Robbie to play.

They found her lying motionless on the ground, but Sorcha and Robbie were nowhere to be seen. Kade dropped to his knees beside her. "Jilly, wake up. 'Tis I, Kade," he said, gently shaking her. Galen saw him wince upon seeing the dark bruise covering Jillian's cheekbone.

Galen darted about, combing the garden for Sorcha and the bairn, but found neither. He rushed back to the others. "They're not here." A cold knot formed in his stomach.

Jillian began to stir, then her eyes opened wide and she fought to get up. "Robbie," she screamed." Where's Robbie?"

Kade held her against him in an effort to calm her. "Listen to me, Jilly. Could he be with Sorcha?"

"Nay," she cried, shaking her head. "Campbell took Sorcha. You've got to find him, Kade."

A heated arrow of rage shot through Galen's heart. "How many men were with Campbell?"

"Perhaps twenty-five, thirty…I don't ken for certain," she said, as tears rolled down her face.

He had to get her back. Galen needed to tell her how he felt about her. But first, they had to find Robbie.

Kade helped Jillian to her feet. "Search every inch of this garden. Perhaps he's crawled off somewhere and fallen asleep."

"Kade," Galen said, nodding toward the open postern gate.

Fear flickered through his friend's eyes. "We'll search the loch's edge, then the wood," Kade said, his voice thick with emotion. "He couldn't have gone far. I'll carry Jillian inside, then I'll join you."

"Nay, Kade. I'll be fine right here. Hurry. If anything happens to Robbie…" She sobbed.

"Don't worry, Jilly. We'll find him." He kissed her on the forehead, then went with the others.

They hurried through the gate, then slid to a stop when they spotted Jim and Erwin's blood- soaked bodies.

Galen cursed. Both men had been good friends of his.

Kade growled. "The whoreson! He slit their throats."

"Campbell will pay dearly for all he's done here," Galen said, "of that you can be certain."

"Cin, Duncan," Kade shouted. "Search around the loch. Galen and I will scour the wood.

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