Page 27 of All In Good Time

“Aye. I must tell someone. Keeping it inside isnae good for the babe.” She gazed down at her hands. “There was a man who came to visit the MacKenzies a few months back. His name is nae important.” She peeked at Sara, who nodded for her to continue. “He was so handsome and kind.” Her face lit up as she spoke. “I’d never been in love before, but there was something about him… I felt so safe in his arms. Things…went further than they should have. No one knew we were sneaking around to see each other. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t care. And then one day without notice, he told me he was leaving. He promised he’d be back for me and I believed him, but I’ve nae heard from him since.”

The sadness in Aisla’s voice was too much for Sara. She reached out to touch Aisla’s hand. To let her know she was there for her. Sara understood the rejection and heartache she must be feeling, because she was feeling very much the same way. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Nae.” Aisla stood and moved to gaze out the window before turning back to Sara and speaking again. “A good friend of mine has offered to marry me and he has led me Da to believe he is the father. I agreed to marry him, but I’ve been worried I would ruin his chances for real love and I believe I may very well have done so.”

“Wow! He really is a good friend. But wouldn’t you rather find the man you’re in love with?” Sara asked, puzzled by the situation.

“I dinnae know what has happened to him or even how to begin searching. I cannae run off alone to find him, and if I tell me da that I lied about the father he may never speak to me again.” Aisla looked down at her hands, as if she were ashamed of herself. “Perhaps he just decided that he didnae wish to be with a lass like me.”

“What do you mean a lass like you?” Sara was indignant for her.

“He is of more noble birth than I. I thought at first it wouldnae be a problem, but I should have realized when he wished to keep everything secret that he may have felt differently. I dinnae doubt that he loved me, but surely once he returned to his normal life, it was easier for him to see that I couldn’t fit in there. I dinnae wish to burden him with my problems.” Again, she avoided looking at Sara.

“Your problems” Sara was incredulous. “This is very much his doing and by virtue of that fact, it is his problem as well.”

“I appreciate your concern. I truly do, but this is nae something I can fight for. I will end up being the one that will bear the brunt of the shame and my bairn will suffer as well. ’Tis best left alone.”

Sara couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but then again this was the sixteenth century. At least Aisla had someone she could rely on to help her. Sara hoped she’d get a chance to meet him while she was here. A man that selfless was rare, no matter the century.

* * *

The great hallwas a beehive of activity. Logan spotted Helene directing a group of men who were carrying a large wooden table, that was heavy enough to require six of them to propel it, to its place next to the others set in rows in front of the dais. The MacKenzie family would sit at the high table and their guests and other clan members would occupy the tables being set out now.

“Helene!” He waved her over and watched as she gave the men some final direction before heading his way. He had no doubt she’d be an excellent commander in the field. She had a way of giving orders that made people want to fall in line with her directives. He wondered if she’d learned that from Dougall, or from her stay in San Francisco.

“I wish to speak with ye privately.” He cast a furtive gaze around the room.

“From the look of ye, I imagine ’tis Sara ye wish to speak of.” She set her hands on her hips and stared at him with angry eyes.

“Aye.” Logan raked a hand through his hair. He hadn’t slept all night remembering the look on Sara’s face when he told her to go back. The stabbing in his heart had still not subsided. “Why is she here?” he asked.

“Don’t be daft!” she whispered. “She’s here for ye!” Helene eyed him with disbelief.

“I ken that much, but there must be more.” He couldn’t believe she’d traveled through all those miles and all that time just for him.

“Why would ye think that? ’Tis obvious that she’s quite smitten with ye.” Helene’s voice was stern. “Yer a fool to treat her as cruelly ye did yesterday.” The angry eyes she’d given him earlier were back.

Logan looked at the floor. “She spoke with ye about that, did she?” Hewasa fool. He’d hurt her. He hadn’t meant to, but how else could she have taken his words. If only he hadn’t been so shocked to see her, perhaps he would have chosen his words more wisely.

“What is wrong with ye? Ye couldnae have been sweet to her for even a moment.” Helene continued to berate him.

“Nae. I cannae. I dinnae wish her to have false hopes. I’m sure Dougall has told ye that I have made a commitment to marry Aisla.” Helene nodded and seemed to let go of some of her anger. “I wish Sara had come back with me when I left, then things would have been different.”

“Did ye ask her to?”

“Nae.”

Helene took a deep breath and clenched her jaw. He’d been reprimanded by the fiercest of lairds in his years of soldiering. They didn’t come close to this foot tapping, wee woman, who now stood arms akimbo.

“She’s nae able to ken yer thoughts, ye fool.” Helene was making no bones about how upset she was with him. He’d never seen her like this. So far she’d called him daft and twice a fool. It was all true, so he could hardly argue with her.

“I dinnae ken what I should do. My heart and soul wish to be with Sara, but my honor binds me to Aisla.” He raked his fingers through his hair feeling helpless to remedy the situation.

Helene touched his arm. “Ye must tell her. She deserves to know the truth. She may nae be happy, but she’ll understand.”

“Yer right as always. Dougall is a lucky man to have ye.”

“That he is,” she laughed. The tension between them dissipated. “Ye should say something to her tonight at the feast. ’Twould be the time.”