Her Healing Touch.

Chapter 11.

Cambryn was outside in the training field, practicing with Kollen and the men, when out of the corner of his eye he caught the sight of his aunt heading his way, and from the way that she was walking, Cambryn could see that she must have something urgent to discuss with him. He halted the practice and instructed his men, to go and get something to eat at the noon meal, because the time was fast approaching. When Lydia got to his side, he could see tears in her eyes. 

    "What's wrong Aunt Lydia? Has something bad happened?" 

He said as he gripped her by the arms. Lydia pulled away from his hold and rushed into his arms. Which caused, Cambryn to embrace her by force. 

    "No. My dear. Nothing is wrong, instead, something amazing has just been revealed!"

   "Well? What is it?"

 Lydia brushed the tears from her face away with her handkerchief and smiled up at him.   

   "Perhaps, it would be better if we discussed this in private lad." 

Nodding silently, Cambryn put his arms across his aunt's waist and escorted her to his study. After he got her seated, Cambryn walked over to his sideboard and brought forth his own secret supply of heather whiskey. He poured two drams and offered her one, while he drank the other. In her haste, Lydia gulped down the honeyed colored whiskey and began hiccupping. Cambryn smiled and laughed under his breath.

      "Now, Aunt. You said, that, you had something urgent to speak with me. What is so urgent?" 

After she finished hiccupping, she started to relate the tale that she had with Bella. 

   "You might remember, how your father mentioned that he betrothed you to your second Cousin's daughter right?" 

Cambryn grimaced when he heard and remembered Elsa's name and her story. He nodded. 

    "Yes. But wasn't that dissolved when Elsa died and the whereabouts of the child was unknown?" 

Lydia nodded, but then she smiled. 

    "You might find this hard to believe nephew, but the young lass that you brought home, happens to be the child that disappeared, all those years ago. Bella Skye is, in fact, your betrothed! She is Elsa's daughter!"

Cambryn immediately got up from his chair and turned towards the window in shock. 

    "Are you sure, Aunt? Are you absolutely positive, that Bella Skye is Elsa's daughter?"

 Lydia nodded and got up from her chair as well. 

    "Yes, my boy. I am not lying. Don't you see, Elsa's daughter has returned to us? This should be a time to celebrate. Now you can have a wife. As you should have, being the laird and all.

Holding his hands up, Cambryn slowly backed away from her. 

    "Hang on aunt, we must go about this slowly! I doubt it, that when Bella was relating this story to you, she hasn't even realized that she is who she was even speaking about. I am sure that she would be shocked as well if we went about this and rushed into a marriage. When she told you this, did she happen to mention her father's name? I mean, we all knew that Elsa had a lover! We just didn't know his identity. Do you know, aunt?"

 Cambryn could see, that she was hesitating, and from the look of her, Cambryn winced inside. 

     "Aunt? You know, don't you? You know who Bella's father is don't you?"

Lydia grimaced. And nodded. 

   "Regrettably I do lad. And you're not going to like it."

Cambryn was starting to become annoyed and frustrated when Lydia failed to inform him who this person happened to be. 

    "Well?"

Lydia sighed. Then relaxing her shoulders, she came right out and blurted the name. 

   "I was sworn to secrecy lad. Elsa made me promise, not to tell a living soul. Even the father of the child knew nothing. Bella Skye's father is none other than Tearlach McKenzie, Laird of Clan McKenzie !"