“I will punish them,” Jack said through gritted teeth before he gave orders for his brother to gather his councilmen and prepare the dungeons to receive the culprits once they arrived.
“Where is Jamie?” Jack asked.
“Nay one has seen him,” Elliot replied.
“Ye might need to consider the Master’s proposition, My Laird,” Aideen said. “We have been allies with the Calloways for many years. Losing faith with them will spark a rebellion among the merchants and they will cease to do business with us if there is no means to pass through the Calloway borders to our lands. Humphreys cannae afford to lose shipments currently when we are only gettin’ on our feet again.”
“Do ye think I dinnae ken all this?” he asked his cousin. “What will ye have me do instead? Break faith with the English woman?”
“The English woman’s faither isnae here, none of her family has arrived the borders of our land so far.”
Jack did not say anything before his cousin continued, “Except of course ye love the lady.”
“I willnae discuss this anymore. Find me Jamie and bring him here.”
His brother bowed and left the chamber, but Aideen did not.
“Cousin,” Aideen continued.
“Why dinnae ye wed the Master’s daughter instead?” Jack suggested. “In good faith, of course, and for the good of our Clan. Surely, Cousin, ye are well of age to take a lass to wife.”
“The Master asked for yer hand.”
“Ye are of Lyons blood. My paternal uncle’s only survivin’ son. Ye can take the lady to wife.”
“It will be my honor to do anythin’ for the better of the Clan, My Laird,” Aideen said. “Duty always comes first. It is the ultimate sacrifice of a true laird.”
“I have… sacrificed a lot for this Clan. I have done everythin’ within my power for the Clan and once just this once, I want to do somethin’ for myself,” Jack yelled.
His ears burned, and so did his cheeks. He didn’t understand the sudden outburst or why it came out at a time like this.
Jack knew he would do anything for his Clan still, but Isla… she was the one thing he wanted, and he couldn’t have her. Not because of his Clan, but because of fate.
He realized his anger was not with his cousin for speaking the truth. He hated that he met and fell for a woman he couldn’t have.
Gods be good.Jack’s throat burned as his cousin stared at him hard, then said, “As ye wish it, My Laird.”
Aideen left his study, and he sank into his chair, buried his head in his hands and shut his eyes tight.
It was only a few days until the Birlet Shallows Fair now. The end was near and there was no changing it. Isla would return to her time, he would take a lass to wife, wed her, and have babes. Isla had said it herself.
Right now, he had to focus on catching the culprit trying to sabotage his Clan by turning the Calloways against him, murdering his people, and burning their fields.
I’ll make sure they pay.
He waited until Jamie came into his study before he got on his feet again. “Where were ye?”
“In the village, My Laird,” Jamie replied in a breathless voice. “I rode here as soon as I got word from Elliot. Onich burns as we speak.”
“We are in tryin’ times, Jamie, and we move from one precarious situation to the other, but we might even have a bigger issue at hand now.”
“The Master’s marriage proposal?”
“Nay,” Jack replied. “An inside man betrayin’ us. It’s the only logical explanation for these recent happenin’s. There is only one man I can trust to do this for me, and that is ye.”
Jamie’s gaze landed on him and Jack’s jaw tightened.
“Tell me what to do, My Laird.”