CHAPTER SIX
Sara was pregnant!! One time, one wild night in the Holywell Inn! It had been over two months and she still hadn't gotten up the courage to tell Robert that he was going to be a father��. 
She wrote off the first month, hoping the nausea was just some sort of an illness she had picked up, but when her second month passed with no sign, she knew she was carrying his child in her belly. They had to do something, and quick, or she would be branded for life as a slut. Her father would disown her!
Robert still met her every morning at dawn, done by the lake. �.. 
They were riding as usual the morning the truth came out. She wasn't her usual chipper self. When she had to dismount and ran behind some shrubs, Robert heard her vomiting and it suddenly hit him. Sara was pregnant!!!
He waited nervously until she came out. "My God, Sara, why didn't Ye tell me? You're with child, aren't Ye?"
"Aye, I'm sorry Robert. I kept hoping it wasn't so, but I fear I'm carrying your son or daughter."
They sat there for hours discussing what they must now do, inform their parents. Hopefully, the marriage would be accepted. They were so much in love and Robert said this might just mend the constant strife between the two families. They agreed to each tell their parents that day, suggesting that a meeting between the two clans was in order.
Robert went directly to his parents when he arrived back at the castle. He requested a private family meeting in their chambers. He expected a violent response from his parents, but what happened came right out of the blue.
Laird Andrew sat in his huge chair in front of the fireplace, pipe in hand���
Robert's mother, Angela, sat on the couch nervously pretending to knit�.. ��
When Robert broke the news, Laird Andrew leaped up out of his chair screaming, "You bastard, this is your mother's fault!!!"
Robert was stunned, staring at his father while Angela broke out in tears. "Father, please!! It's nobody's fault, Sara and I are just in love. It happened! Can't we just move on?"
Andrew's eyes turned as black as coal. "You!! .. You're as bad as your real father, that damn gypsy that left his seed in your mother's belly." He turned to Angela and screamed, "Admit it!! You've avoided the truth long enough. Robert looks and acts more like Ian MacLeod every day!!"
Robert was shaken to his very soul, but he tried to argue. "Father, what in God's name are you saying? Mother???" But she looked away, unable to speak.
Andrew's anger had the best of him, screaming again, "Robert has been laying with Ellie, too!! She confessed this morning when I confronted her. I have no heir!! All is lost!!"
Robert couldn't even speak as he remembered all those days when his mother had walked off with Ian, how close they were. It was true, he must be Ian's son.
Andrew's face was now almost purple with rage. Then he grabbed at his chest, his eyes grew huge, and he collapsed to the floor. Robert was quickly down on his knees beside him, yelling for help, but the old man's heart just gave out. A tragic end to the marvelous career that had built MacLaaran.
Robert, realizing Andrew was gone, rose and joined his sobbing mother on the couch. "What now? What do we do?"
All she could murmur was, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Robert."
Robert stalked out of the chambers as several servants burst in, ordering them to take Andrew's body to an empty chambers and prepare the casket. He headed straight away for the forest and Ian's camp.
Ian saw Robert coming, and knew right away something was wrong. "What's wrong lad? You look like you've seen a ghost" ��. 
"I guess in a way I have. Laird Andrew's dead. He suffered heart failure when he heard that Sara is pregnant. And now I know that you're really my father. Why didn't you tell me? Don't lie, my mother has admitted it all."
Ian placed one hand on Robert's shoulder, "Son, I thought it was best for you that way, but I do love your mother. Who else knows I'm your father?"
"Nobody, at least I don't think anyone else knows."
"Then stay quiet. Has Sara told her parents yet about the baby?" the gypsy asked vehemently.
Robert answered, the tension showing in his voice, "Sara was on her way to speak with her father. I assume that she told him."
"Possibly not, I saw her father out hunting an hour ago with his son, on MacLaaran land as usual. I was about to go speak with Andrew about that, before confronting Matthew again. Stay here and let me ride over to the MacDougals and deliver the news of his death. If Sara hasn't said anything yet, all is not lost."
Ian left the stunned Robert standing there, mounted his horse, and rode off spurring the steed to full gallop. He found Sara on the porch of the MacDougal ranch house, obviously nervously awaiting her father's return. He walked her away from the main building, advising her of what had happened and requesting that she say nothing about the child until they had time to meet again with Robert and decide what was the best course of action now.
They returned to the porch and waited there for her father and William's return. When they finally rode up with a dead deer over the pack horse, Ian rose and met Matthew at the steps. "I bare sad news, Laird Andrew has past away, the result of heart failure."
Matthew MacDougal covered his smirk. "Then that wild young Robert is left in charge over there."
"Aye," Ian answered, pleased that his mission had succeeded at least in diverting attention from Sara's condition for a while. "I thought it best if you heard that news from me."
Ian knew that Matthew MacDougal would be pleased that Laird Andrew was out of the way, but he also knew that Robert might not be safe. They now had a few days to decide what next steps should be taken. Deep in his heart, Ian feared that the MacDougals would do anything in their power to end MacLaaran control of the area, even possibly kill off any potential male heir.
Sara walked Ian to his horse as he prepared to leave and Ian said it would be best if she met Robert at the lake in the morning as usual. Ian would also be there and they could discuss what action might best be taken under these new circumstances.
That night, Robert and Ian met in the gypsy camp and reviewed all their choices. After Robert finally left, Ian spent the night casting a pendant that could be worn as a woman's necklace. On the back, he inscribed some words in that strange old gypsy language, words that identified the truth about Robert and Sara's history and their child.
The following morning, they met and Ian placed the necklace around Sara's neck. "Ye must wear this the rest of your life, lassie. We're not sure where this might all lead, once your father is aware your carrying Robert's baby."
Robert insisted he wanted to marry Sara and therefore share the land with the MacDougals. After considering all the possible choices, they agreed it was worth a try. Ian said that after such a marriage, he planned on taking Angela away with him, hoping she would agree and they could spend the rest of their lives together in peace.
Of course, Ian thought it best to wait a few days before broaching this to Matthew MacDougal. What he didn't expect was what the foolish youthful Robert did next. That very morning, without advising Ian, Robert rode back to the MacDougals with Sara and confronted her father, offering to marry her and end this stupid feud.
Sara's two older brothers had returned overnight at her father's request. As she watched in horror, they entered the room and simply slit Robert's throat. She screamed in rage and physically attacked her father. Her brothers dragged Robert out after locking her in her room.
All that was required now to eliminate the MacLaaran clan, was to get rid of the baby when it was born. Of course, they failed to reckon on the gypsy when he realized Robert had disappeared.
Ian had to quell his anger and make every possible attempt to save his grandchild. He decided to retaliate in a way that would leave the MacDougals living in fear for years. Somehow get Sara out of their hands and safely away carrying what they presumed as the only remaining MacLaaran heir in her belly.
His attack was strategically well planned. He watched the house for days, waiting until the lads were off hunting. He entered the rear door, found her father sleeping and had him bound and gagged before he could arouse the servants.
Ian removed the keys from Matthew's hip latch, went upstairs and unlocked Sara's room. They went out via the window, across the porch roof and rode off on two stolen horses.
Ian and Angela took the pregnant lass off with them. When they were safely away, he explained that her child wouldn't truly be a MacLaaran and the gypsy engravings on the back of her pendant would explain that, should she ever need to use it. However, it would never be safe for her to return to MacLaaran. Sara took the name of Sara MacLeod, lived with them until the child was born, and named the baby girl Roberta after Robert.
At the age of twenty, Roberta MacLeod married Bryce Sinclair and they in turn gave birth to Lavena Sinclair. Lavena married and gave birth to the twins, Heather and Breanna in the spring of 1284.
Meanwhile, the MacDougals just assumed illegal control of the MacLaaran lands and let the castle fall into ruins. It wasn't until the early 1300s that Laird Marc and seth arrived, obtained ownership of the lands and began rebuilding, much to the dismay of the current MacDougals.
Quite a bit has transpired since lava and I discovered MacLaaran in 1314. But that's another story in itself.
The End