Page 18 of Falling for His Cousin’s Betrothed

“Good night, Robert.” Laila gazed at him with her mystically penetrating eyes.

“Emerald Diamond,” whispered Robert as he turned to walk away. “Her eyes remind me of a precious emerald diamond .” He sighed, wondering how long he’d be able to play along with the charade. He wasn’t one for lies and deceit, although in this case, he would be unfortunately forced to disguise his wishes, lest they drive him to treachery.

After Robert was gone and the only light was coming from a bedside lamp, Laila leaned on her elbow and stared out the window. It had been an adventurous week for her, and it took a few minutes to process all that had transpired. She wondered if Lyall had tried to find her since her great escape. Perhaps she and Elliot had forced Maxwell and his comrades to band as one in a thorough search of the Yew Forest. What did any of it matter, though? She had no desire to return to that melancholy castle, and if she were forced to do so, well…it would only be a matter of time before she took it upon herself to slip away, under cover of darkness once again, into the beckoning woods of freedom.

* * *

“I only wish I could have kissed her just once tonight.” Alastair changed into his bedclothes and climbed under the sheets, his mind on Laila. There was no other woman for him, he’d decided, and their marriage couldn’t come soon enough. He imagined inviting her into his chambers but knew better than to force her affection. For now, he could only resign himself to waiting patiently for her love. He patted his down pillow once, flipped it over, then threw his legs around and got under the covers, watching as an owl took flight from a thick oak. Then he lied down, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

“Robert.” Laila clutched her wrists and leaned forward. “Robert,” she called again, looking over her shoulder. He was sound asleep in his bed, his coat on a brass hook beside the door and his shoes on a bearskin rug beside the desk. “Wake up.” Laila rubbed his arm, and he stirred, grunted, then snored. “Please,” she whispered. Robert’s eyes opened, and he jumped. “Shh!” Laila squealed with laughter.

“Laila! What on Earth are you doing?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. “Is something the matter?”

“Absolutely nothing is the matter. I wanted to see you, that's all.”

“In the middle of the night?” he asked, sitting upright.

“Yes. It’s the only way I can talk to you without Alastair eavesdropping.” Laila gulped, nervous because she wasn’t supposed to be in his chambers but excited because she so desperately wanted to visit with him under the darkness of the moon. “I had no idea that I was slated to marry your cousin. But now, it feels as if all of my control is gone.” She wiped a tear as it fell from her eye, then straightened and took his hand in hers. “But I also can’t fight how I feel.” She realized that her rambling words might have no effect on his actions, but she felt compelled to let him know how she felt, regardless.

“Laila.” Robert smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “I share your sentiments. I want to be with you, too, but it’s too dangerous right now. We cannot under any circumstances allow Alastair to find out we have feelings for each other.” He opened his amber eyes wide and stared at her silhouette, feminine and beautiful in the moonlight. “Promise me you’ll return to your chambers without so much as an utterance of this meeting.” He looked at her eyes. “My Emerald Diamond ,” he said, caught up, momentarily, in the pure desire that coursed throughout his entire body.

“I promise.” Laila placed a hand on his shoulder, then kissed him gently on the cheek. She heard footsteps in the hall, so she quickly backed away from his bedside and dashed into the hall where Shelley stood holding a lantern.

“I see it is you.” Shelley lifted the lantern to Laila’s face, then dropped it to her side. “Alastair called me to check on the noise…said he heard footsteps in the hall.” Shelley looked at Laila, then at Robert, who was upright in his bed.

“All is well, Shelley. You can retreat to bed.” Robert waved her on, and she stood thoughtfully for a moment, then turned and headed back down the hall. Laila followed behind her and ducked into her own bed as soon as she reached her room. To her surprise, Alastair was seated on a high-back chair at the mahogany desk when she arrived.

“And where, perchance, were you, Laila?” He stood up, placed his hands on his hips, and walked to her side.

“I…I walked to the washroom to have a glass of water.”

“Interesting.” Alastair placed a hand under his chin and cocked his head. “I’m not so sure I believe that.” He knew she was lying, and while he wanted to force her confession, he also didn’t want to admit that his soon-to-be-wife was disloyal. “Shelley informed me that you were in Robert’s room.” Laila gulped, then lowered her gaze. How could she lie to him? It wasn’t in her nature to be deceitful.

“Well, I…” she stammered, shook her head, and threw her arms in the air. “I did want water, Alastair. But I stopped to ask Robert a question on my way back from having a drink.” Will he believe me? she wondered, turning to stare out the window. The moon, a round, glowing orb in the distance, lit up the room and accentuated her soft, dew-like skin.

“You lie!” Alastair raised his voice, then covered his mouth. “I did not want to have to engage in this conversation, but I see now that this was unavoidable. Do you understand that you are my betrothed? That you and I will soon be in union, sharing a chamber in this very castle?” He pursed his lips and shifted his weight onto his other foot. How could she have left her bed and scurried off like a frightened titmouse to Robert’s bedside? Alastair was angered and hurt, yet he knew it was important to maintain his composure. “I must speak to my cousin now and ensure this never happens again.” With that, he took off and ventured down the dimly lit hall until he reached Robert’s room. Robert, once again, was fast asleep.

Alastair took a cane from the guest room umbrella stand and tapped it on Robert’s bedpost. “Aah!” Robert sprung awake. “What brings you here so late, Cousin?” He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“What brings me here so late is the anger I can’t contain.” Alastair placed his hands on his hips.

“Anger with what, Cousin?” Robert squinted in the darkened room.

“With my bride-to-be. Tell me…” Alastair leaned in toward Robert’s face. “Did you sleep with her, Cousin? Or is she still a virgin?”

Robert, infuriated with the accusation, ripped his arm out from under the bedcovers and, using only the moon as his guide, closed his fist, wound back his right arm, then punched Alastair square in the jaw. Alastair fell in a heap against the bedpost, groaning in pain.

“Cousin! You can’t,” he mumbled. “She’s mine to wed.” He got up as Robert jumped from the bed and paced the room.

“I understand. I do, Alastair. But you can’t make accusations of that sort.” Robert reached for his shirt coat, tossed it over his shoulder, and walked, without knowing where he was headed, out of the bedroom and down the dark, quiet hall.