Page 30 of Falling for His Cousin’s Betrothed

“I want to do what’s best for you, Laila. It’s your future at stake.” He lowered his head.

“But why do you have to? How will that even affect me?” She didn’t want him to do anything against his will. The woman knelt down and gave each of her children five cents.

“Alastair is likely going to die. I think we both know that.” He sighed. “And I am not opposed to making the sacrifice by doing what is best for you.” He reached for her hand, and she stood, stunned, as the woman waited patiently for her attention.

“We’d like to buy a few teas.” The woman smiled politely as her children looked up at the table with wide eyes.

“Yes. Of course. Which would you like?” Laila smiled.

“Alfred, choose the tea you would like.” The boy’s mother knelt down again as the child’s eyes moved from left to right, across each tea bag on the table. His sister tugged at his shirttail.

“Pick one, Alfred!” His sister yelled into his ear, and he scowled.

“I’d l-like…” he stammered.

Laila looked back at Robert who, again, had stepped aside to make way for her customers. Laila didn’t want him to leave, so as the children squabbled back and forth about whether they wanted tulsi or chamomile, she drew in a deep breath and held back a tear. Robert was all she wanted and now was her chance, with Alastair approaching his demise. Yet why did it all feel so wrong?

“Have you decided yet?” Laila leaned in and picked up one of the rose tea bags. “Rose is a lovely choice if you need some help choosing.” She handed one of the tea bags to the young girl, who smiled up at her mother for approval.

“I think that will do just fine. Why don’t we take one of each? Alfred, that will suit you. Yes?” Alfred nodded, then ran off to catch a ball that had rolled out from under his grip. Robert chuckled, thinking about his own childhood and how free it had been. Once the woman and children had walked away with their tea, Robert approached once more.

“I plan to ride back there after leaving the market. I will tell him the same. Let me speak to you later.” He took Laila’s hand in his and ran a finger over her wrist. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he knew better than to cause a spectacle. Before she could protest his departure, he had mounted Bonnie, steered her out of the market path, and ridden off toward the valley.

* * *

It didn’t take Robert long to find Alastair, still bound with the hemp sitting beside the tall reeds. His eye was still swollen, and he moaned in pain when he saw Robert approaching.

“Get me out of this mess,” said Alastair, his nose still crooked from the break. Robert stayed atop Bonnie. “I’ll tell you the truth, too, if you release me.”

“And what is that, Cousin? That you were the one who tried to kill me that lonely evening out in the thicket? I already know.” Robert laughed and loosed the reins. Bonnie snorted.

“Yes. It was me.” Alastair grunted and tried to move over for his canteen but toppled from exhaustion.

Robert sighed. For as much as he would have preferred not to have come back to this spot, he knew he had to for closure.

“I thought I could trust you, but I see our familial kinship was based on a lie.” Robert looked away, studying the reeds, then pet Bonnie on the neck. “I only need to speak with Laird Fairfax next and inform him of the same.” Alastair tilted his head to the side, hoping to stretch, but immediately recoiled in pain. Robert was just about to dismount Bonnie and lead her to water when he heard the thundering of hooves. It was Laird Fairfax in the company of two lairds. Robert drew in a deep breath. Now is my chance to reveal what is necessary, he thought as Laird Fairfax dismounted and strode to Alastair’s side.

“I need help.” Alastair cowered in pain, and the Laird looked at Robert for answers.

“He was supposed to be killed!” cried the Laird , looking at Robert with surprise.

“Well, there was a certain turn of events that prevented that,” said Alastair with sarcasm, holding up his hemp-bound wrists.

Fairfax chortled and paced the ground, then threw his arms in the air and scowled. Robert, unsure about what to do next, considered riding off to let Alastair and Fairfax deal with their own misgivings. He was just about to depart when Alastair, having mustered the last of his strength, reached for Fairfax’s leg, took him down to the ground, and jammed a dagger into his chest.

Robert gasped in horror. “You’ve killed him. You’ve killed her uncle! What is happening?” Alastair looked at him. “Poor cousin. I couldn’t let Laird Fairfax continue his sweet life, while I am rotting at the dungeons. A pact is a pact!”

“What pact?”, Robert was furious and he was looking his cousin.

“The pact that I am to be married to Laila and Laird Fairfax takes the whole Nelson Clan. But you stood in the middle of it, cousin”.

Robert covered his mouth and tightened the reins. He would have to tell Laila as soon as possible. He spun Bonnie around and galloped off into the distance, his mind reeling from what he’d just seen. Not wanting to tempt fate, he took a secret path past the river and over the hillside that led toward Nelson Castle. For all he knew, Alastair could rise up and take off after him, even in his stupefied state. Robert was still in shock that Fairfax had been killed and tried to focus on the path before him even though it was unsettling.

* * *

When Robert finally reached the castle, it was almost dark, and he hoped Laila hadn’t retired for the evening. He called to her from the bottom of the moat, and she threw open the sash, then the shutters, as soon as she heard his voice.

“Robert!” She was elated seeing him below.

“Your uncle has passed. Alastair stabbed him with a dagger.” He gave her the straight facts as she stood, dazed, for a moment before covering her mouth with her hand in disbelief.

“How?” she asked. “His hands were tied.” She was puzzled but accepted the news nevertheless.

“I’ll explain when I see you next. Get some rest. It’s late, and I need to return to Glencoe. I’m sorry for the unpleasant news, but you can rest easy now knowing that your life is no longer in danger.” He exhaled in relief and walked back over to the moat, then climbed atop Bonnie and turned east.

“Thank you for saving me, Robert. I owe my life to you!” Laila cried, then wiped the tears from her cheeks. She watched in grateful silence as he rode Bonnie away from the castle and back into the moonlit night.