Page 46 of Cottage in the Mist (Time After Time #3)

For there was no doubt in Bram’s mind that the woman beside Alec was his kin.

There was no mistaking the blue-black curls and the glittering green eyes.

Fool that he was, he hadn’t seen it until now.

Hadn’t recognized that he’d been duped by his worst enemy.

It was as if the curse of the Comyns had been visited upon the Macgillivrays all over again, and he had been stupid enough to fall right into their hands.

Although at least he’d left her behind.

His gaze traveled from her tousled head to her boot-clad feet. She rode astride, a quiver of arrows at her back. But unlike the others, she had not armed herself. Instead, her eyes never left his, her chin quivering even as she held it aloft. Always the brave one, his Lily.

His horse moved forward, and Alec shifted his, protecting his own.

God, how had Bram been such an addlepated ninny?

He’d allowed his heart to rule his head and now it was breaking in light of her betrayal.

Everything that had passed between them was a lie.

She’d tricked him into believing she was his savior when, in point of fact, she was his worst enemy.

As if privy to his thoughts, Lily swallowed, her hand at her throat, her mouth forming a soft ‘o’ of surprise.

And despite his anger and frustration, he felt his body react.

Damn the woman. She was a temptress of the worst kind.

A Comyn. And just like her ancestor, she’d stop at nothing to destroy him and his kind.

Anger turned to rage, and he spurred his horse forward, intent on finding satisfaction at the end of a sword.

Alec answered in kind, further blocking access to Lily, his claymore held high—at the ready.

The movement to protect only served to goad Bram further, some part of him still believing that Lily belonged to him and that no one had the right to protect her save himself.

But even as he had the thought, he banished it.

His Lily had never truly existed. This woman was a Comyn.

An enemy. First, last and always. He rode forward, ready to engage, aware that Iain and Ranald called to him from behind.

Ignoring them, he closed the distance, Alec’s men rumbling as they too prepared for battle.

He was close enough to see the determination in the Comyn’s eyes.

And then suddenly Lily spurred her mount around Alec, coming straight at him, her shoulders set in defiance.

He fingered the hilt of his sword, his arm raising to take the blow.

And then he met her eyes, crystal clear, like a slow moving burn.

And for a moment, he forgot his anger, his heart reaching out for hers.

Frozen, he sat atop his horse, the sounds around him fading until there was only the two of them. “Why?” he managed to choke out, his sword arm falling to his side.

“It’s not what you think,” she said, shaking her head, tears filling her eyes.

“Then say you’re no’ a Comyn.” He already knew the answer. It was literally as plain as the nose on her face, but some part of him longed for her to deny it.

Instead she dipped her head, sucking in a fortifying breath, then lifted her face back to his. “I can’t do that.”

His heart shriveled, actual pain ripping through his chest. “Then there’s nothing more to say.”

“But that’s where you’re wrong. There’s so much to say. Nothing is as it seems. But you’ll have to take that on faith. You’ll have to believe me. Because to understand you have to trust enough to hear what Alec has to say.”

“I’ll never trust the man who killed my father. I canna believe you’d ask that of me. And besides, now that I know who you really are, I’ve no reason to put any faith in your words.”

“She’s telling the truth,” Alec Comyn said, pulling his mount up beside hers. “And I’ll no’ see you calling her a liar.”

“Ah, but then what would you know of honesty?”

The two men raised their weapons.

“Stop it. Both of you.” Again, heedless of her own safety, Lily pushed her horse between them.

“If you won’t listen to her,” the blond man said, “perhaps you’ll listen to me.”

“I dinna know you from Adam,” Bram growled. “Why would I care what you have to say?”

“Because I have no horse in this race.”

Bram frowned, shaking his head. “I dinna ken what you’re speaking of.”

“Right.” He lowered his voice so that it wouldn’t carry. “Because I’m not of your world. And neither is Lily. And there’s no plot against you. At least not from this quarter.”

“Jeff,” Iain hailed as he and Ranald rode up beside Bram. “What in God’s name are you doing here? With him?”

“Happenstance. Well, at least winding up with Comyn. We started out looking for you. At Lily’s behest. Fergus and William are over there.

” The man called Jeff turned his attention to Bram.

“You don’t know me, but Iain does. And Ranald.

” He nodded toward his cousins, who pulled their horses up on either side.

“And I’m telling you that there’s more to the story than you know. ”

“You cannot believe any of them,” Frazier said, his horse sidling as he jerked on the reins to pull the animal to a stop. “I don’t care who this man is. He’s riding with the Comyn. There is nothing he can say that will negate the fact.” Clutching his claymore, he made to move forward.

“Hold,” Iain ordered. And with a furious frown, Frazier stopped. “I’d trust Jeff with my life. And if he says there’s more to hear, then I believe him.”

“Aye,” Ranald agreed. “He’s no’ going to betray us.”

“No’ going to betray you —you mean. Why should I believe he gives a damn about me and mine?” Bram’s gaze met his cousin’s.

“Because you are my kin and for Jeff family is everything. He would never betray you.”

“And neither would Lily,” Jeff added, his gaze shooting in her direction. “She came here for you, man. After you deserted her, I might add. And to be totally honest, at the moment I’m not sure that I understand why she came.”

“Nor I,” Alec spat. “A Macgillivray. I canna even stomach the idea.” He moved again, his stance threatening.

Bram responded in kind, fingers tightening on his claymore. “’Tis a far sight better than being a bloody, thievin’ Comyn, I’ll wager.”

Ranald and Iain drew their weapons again as well.

“Stop it. All of you.” Lily held up a hand, and despite the fact that she was only a woman, everyone froze, their attention shifting to her.

“This is getting us nowhere. Bram, if you won’t believe me or Jeff, then perhaps you’ll believe your own kinsman.

We found him in the woods. Near to death.

But, thanks to Alec’s man, he lives and when he’s conscious asks for you. ”

“What trick is this?” His gut clenched at the thought of his slaughtered clan. “You know my kinsman are all dead. All but Frazier. He saw the rest of them die.”

She shot a speculative look at the older man. “Then he must have made a mistake, because your man lives as surely as I do.”

“How could you possibly know who he is?”

“Because he keeps asking for you.” Her green eyes were flashing with anger now. “And because you told me about him. Robby. Robby Corley.”

“Is dead,” Frazier said. “I saw it myself. The bitch lies.”

“Mind your tongue,” Bram barked, surprising himself with the depth of his ire. His instinct to protect Lily had apparently not died with her betrayal. “Is this true?” He turned his attention to Jeff St. Claire and to Fergus, who had ridden over to join them.

“Aye, that it is,” Fergus said, his grizzled gaze on Iain. “I dinna know what games any o’ these folk are playing, but I can tell you with certainty that the lad is who he says he is. He’s too far gone to be capable o’ a lie. As it is, he can barely talk.”

“Did he tell you what happened to him?” Frazier asked. And again Bram waved a hand to silence him.

“No.” Lily shook her head. “Like Fergus said, he can barely talk. For the most part all he’s done is ask for Bram.”

“Will he live?” Bram asked Alec, the words coming despite himself.

“I canna say. My healer is good. But the man was far gone when Lily found him.”

Bram exchanged a look with both Ranald and Iain. There seemed to be no choice in the matter. For the moment they had to trust Alec Comyn. At least long enough to find out the truth about Robby.