Page 16 of Heart of the Highlands: The Rose (Protectors of the Crown #6)

Laird Munro stormed into the room. Members of the council rose from their seats as if readying for battle.

“This is an outrage,” he hollered, his booming voice echoing in the room.

“Take a seat, Sorley,” Ian urged him.

Aiden eyed the man down with an angered glare. He didn’t trust him. The man was nothing more than a weasel trying to intimidate every laird to do his bidding. Well prepared, Aiden presented the documentation he’d found in his grandfather’s desk, satisfied he’d put Laird Munro in his place once and for all and make sure the attempt on his life did not go unpunished.

“And did ye or did ye no’ have yer men deliberately capture laird McKeirnan?”

“Is this the contract ye had wit’ the Laird Thomas Rose?” Ian questioned him as he slid the papers across the table.

Sorley glossed over the document with scrutinizing eyes.

“It appears to be.”

“There we have it. Proof that the terms of the contract have been paid in full,” Aiden confidently stated.

“Ye mistake my words, boy. I only said it appears to be. No’ that it was.”

“What the bloody hell does that mean?”

“This is a forgery.”

“Bullshit!”

“Look again. My eyes may be old, but even I can tell the signatures dinna match,” Sorley remarked, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin.

Ian took the document from his hand and looked it over before passing it to Aiden. It couldn’t be true. Why would his grandfather possess a forged copy? There was more to this story than he’d realized.

Aiden meticulously examined the document multiple times. Laird Munro had to be wrong. No one else would have benefitted from attempting to have him killed. He shifted his attention to the other documents inside the leather-bound binder he had taken with him and examined the signatures.

Bloody Hell.

The realization hit him hard—the man was right. But admitting that would only make the situation worse. He couldn’t afford to show any sign of weakness. There had to be a way to turn this around without exposing his vulnerabilities.

“Thomas still owed three months of payments,” Sorley stated.

Aiden pulled the satchel from his belt, placing it on the table with a thud.

“Consider this debt paid in full.”

Sorley picked up the satchel and pulled the ties. He eyed its contents, feeling the weight and counting the coins.

“Yer short.”

“Ye’ll get the rest when I am satisfied that ye’ll never set foot on my land again.”

The man’s expression faltered momentarily, but Aiden saw the flickering uncertainty in his eyes.

“I think that is a fair, deal,” Laird Gunn, one of the elder councilmembers, added. “Wagering war would no’ be in yer favor, Sorley.”

Sorley gave the room a seething look, his eyes diverting back to Aiden.

“You will regret this decision, Laird McKeirnan,” he warned, backing away slowly. “You’ve made a powerful enemy today.”

Aiden remained unflinching. As the man retreated, Aiden felt a mix of resolve and a deep churn of unease. He had won this small battle, but the war was far from over. And he knew Munro would come, perhaps with a fury he did not yet imagine. But Aiden was ready to face whatever threats lay ahead. It may not be today or tomorrow, but he’d always keep an eye over his shoulder.

“We’ll keep an eye on him,” Ian declared.

With Munro’s absence, the council convened in the dimly lit chamber, the air thick with urgency as they deliberated on the impending winter and the critical need for alliances. Now was a time for trade and treaties. Discussions flowed as they considered potential partnerships that could bolster their resources and ensure survival against the harsh elements to come. Newly titled, Aiden learned the importance of setting aside his differences and acting upon his clan's best interest.

In the forefront of his mind, however, there was still one issue at hand, the forged contract. He’d racked his brain and could not find a satisfying explanation to understand the stark differences in the signatures.

As the council meeting drew to a close, the heavy weight of the discussion still hung in the air. The member filed out, their murmurs fading into the corridors of the castle. Aiden stood momentarily, his mind racing with the decisions to be made.

Outside the chamber, servants bustled about, preparing for the evening’s ceremony. Aiden’s heart quickened. He’d only met Bella once, not counting the brief moment they shared at the masquerade. His time with her had been pleasant, but there was still so much uncertainty.

With a final glance toward the castle’s grand hall, he took a deep breath and went down the narrow corridor leading to the chapel.

As he reached the castle's west wing, he heard Trey further down the hall, his voice growing louder as he neared. Rounding the corner, Aiden skidded to a halt when he saw Trey conversing with two unmistakably familiar men. His stomach churned, and his heart pounded violently against his ribs with fury at the sight of his captors.

Several gold coins slipped into the taller man’s palm from Trey's hand. Aiden paused, hidden in the shadows just beyond the doorframe, his pulse quickening with every word. His cousin’s smooth and calculated voice slithered through the stone walls, each sentence laced with venom.

“’Tis only half of what ye promised,” the man said, his tone angered.

“Well, since ye didn’t finish the job, I’d say we’re even.”

“We did exactly what ye told us. How could we have known he’d escape?”

“Ye were supposed to kill him. In three hours, he is to be married, and the title of lairdship will officially be his. This is yer last chance.”

The two men marched away further down the hall. Trey stood by the window, observing the scene below.

Aiden’s breath hitched, the words sinking deep into his chest like a knife. His cousin, his own blood, had plotted to kill him. He felt his heart stutter, then rage, boiling up from his gut. His fingers tightened into fists, the blood rushing to his knuckles, the bitter taste of betrayal rising into his throat.

All those years, his cousin had played the role of a trusted ally, a loyal family member, and a brother. And he gave all that up for a title and power that he will never retain.

He stepped forward, his hands shaking with fury, his footsteps heavy against the stone floor.

“Aiden!” Trey said with a hitch of surprise. “I was just coming to find ye to see how it went wit’ Munro.”

Aiden’s rage drowned out his words.

“How could you do this?” His voice was low and controlled, but his words quivered with anger.

His eyes narrowed, revealing the depth of his fury. This situation was more than just an attempt on his life; it had been years in the making. He had assigned Trey to assist with the documents, which would have made it easy for him to forge them, and Trey had access to the coffers. Additionally, he had been the only one by their grandfather’s side before his death. Trey would have known how much Thomas disliked the idea of Aiden succeeding him, and perhaps he thought Thomas would have given Trey the title. Aiden could only imagine Trey's fury when he was left with nothing.

Trey's brows furrowed in confusion, unaware that Aiden had witnessed his betrayal. Without a thought to his following action, Aiden drew his dagger and backed Trey up against the cold stone wall, and the steel pressed hard against his throat.

“What is there to stop me from ending yer life when ye so quickly wanted to take mine?

Trey’s face went pale, but he dared not move. Aiden would feel his pulse quicken beneath the blade. He swallowed hard, his face flooded with guilt.

“The title was ne’er meant to be yers,” he finally responded.

“Ye better start talking before I cut yer tongue out,” he warned in a voice devoid of emotion.

“The land was supposed to be seized by the Munros. He paid me to forge the contract. Then, my transgressions would be overlooked once they took the land, but only under one condition. Ye were no’ supposed to survive. Ye dinna understand. They were going to take my life. I dinna have a choice.”

“What transgressions?” Aiden demanded.

“His daughter. She is wit’ child. My child. When ye dismissed the idea of marrying her, it left her shamed and damaged.”

Heavy footfalls came down the hall. Two guards approached Aiden from behind.

“What is the meaning of this?” one of them asked, swords drawn.

“Aiden!” a woman’s voice cried out as she ran into the hall. At first, his heart leapt, his mind wishing to turn and see Abby once more, but as he glanced over his shoulder, it was Bella who stood in the hallway, concern etched on her face.

Aiden turned his attention back to Trey and kept his eyes firmly on his cousin. It was a sobering lesson to not trust so easily again.

“There will be no blood spilled today, but know this, as of today, ye are banished. Ye are a disgrace to yerself and our clan. Guards, get him out of my sight,” Aiden ordered, lowering his blade.

As soon as the guards took Trey forcefully by his arms and led him away, Bella an into his arms.”

“I was so worried about you, my laird. I heard the guards speak your name as they ran down the hall. Are you alright?”

Aiden looked down at his lovely bride-to-be and smiled.

“Aye, I am fine, lass, but there is something I wish to discuss.”

Aiden sat across from Bella just a mere few hours before they were expected at the chapel. He sat quietly, trying to guess what thoughts were on her mind. He had not mentioned anything to her about Abby. The conflict of them being cousins would complicate it further, and he did not want to be caught in the crosshairs between the two women.

“Do ye wish to marry me?” he asked, looking for an acceptable answer other than simply formality.

“We have already decided upon this, my laird,” she replied with a hint of confusion.

“I mean, is it yer wish to be tied to me, no’ my title, nor my station, or e’en because of something written on a contract? What is it that ye want? Am I the mon ye wish to father yer children, a mon ye can see yerself loving and sacrificing everything for?”

“Tis a strange question, my laird. No one has ever asked me before what it is that I want. I am no’ given that luxury to decide.”

“And what ye had that luxury?”

“I do not like where this is going, my laird. We have obligations and duties to uphold.”

Aiden lowered himself to his knees. With a gentle touch, he placed her hands in his, looking up at her with empathy.

“If ye truly wish to marry me, I will honor my vow and marry ye if I know that is what ye truly wanted. Because once we cross that threshold, there will be no turning back.”

Aiden could see the distress in Bella’s eyes. Her palms became clammy to the touch. He could sense her inner turmoil as she chewed over his question.

“I appreciate your concern for my welfare, my laird, but I can assure you, I came to Scotland to find myself a husband. I do not have the luxury of my own choosing.”

“That, my lady, may be one luxury I can offer ye.”