37
Even as Frank’s body was beginning to fall over the low castle wall into the loch below, with a bullet between the eyes, Hugh was already running to Anneliese.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t even wait for her to ask about him. His right arm tightened around her, squeezing her against his chest. His voice was barely audible—broken, raw—when he whispered, “When I think of what might have happened…”
And everything seemed to happen at once.
Her grandfather, Stephan, policemen, and paramedics all swarmed into the ruined ward, all of them competing to get to Anneliese.
“I’m fine,” she signed. “It’s Hugh you need to help. He’s been shot.”
The paramedics hadn’t a clue of what she’d just said and looked around for help.
MacDonald translated. “She’s okay. But he’s been shot.”
“Just
