A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (30 page)

Muira shrank back against her husband as Mrs MacRae
’
s words lashed over her like a whip crack.  She timidly raised her eyes to look at Lachlan
’
s face, a little surprised to see that he was wearing a rather harsh scowl.  She didn
’
t think that a full-blown argument with his mother was the right way to go about things, and to be honest she hadn
’
t expected one, fearing that he would respect his mother
’
s views more than he valued his duty to her, his wife.

“
I hardly think you need to be quite so dramatic about it, mother,
”
Lachlan said.  Muira was relieved, if also a trifle disappointed, to hear that his voice was even. 
“
You
have
been pressing me to find a wife ever since Bridghe got married,
”
he pointed out calmly.

“
A
suitable
wife, Lachlan,
”
Mrs MacRae hissed, forcing the words out through obviously clenched teeth.  She let her cold eyes fall on Muira, looking over the dishevelled appearance of the young woman with a barely conceal sneer.

“
Muira is Laird Cameron
’
s niece,
”
Lachlan frowned. 
“
As our own Laird is attempting to settle a peace between our two clans I can see nothing unsuitable about our marriage.
”

“
You can see nothing unsuitable about marrying a girl you can only have known for a matter of days!  Especially when there were so many bonnie lasses here vying for your attentions?
”
Mrs MacRae demanded furiously. 

Her eyes fell accusingly on Muira, who gulped, and felt very keenly that her mother-in-law was silently demanding to know what she had done to trick Lachlan into marrying her.  She also felt a terribly deep pang of jealously at the mention of the other women, who had shown an interest in her husband before his journey to Castle Cameron.

“
Mother, I will explain everything to you later,
”
Lachlan sighed wearily.  He hadn
’
t slept for at least thirty-six hours, Muira thought guilty. 
“
We
’
ve had a terrible journey.  I would like to speak briefly with Laird MacRae so that I can present Muira to him, and then retire to my rooms and rest.
”

Mrs MacRae looked absolutely outraged by this suggestion. 
“
You can
’
t see Graem,
”
she snapped. 
“
He had one of his turns while you were away
getting married
and is in no state to see anyone.
”
  She shot a nasty glance at Muira as her son dipped his head in a worried frown.

“
In that case, we
’
ll retire immediately,
”
he nodded, taking a step towards the large castle doors.

“
Would you like me to find a room for Miss Cameron?
”
Mrs MacRae asked icily.

Lachlan turned back to face her. 
“
Mother,
”
he said.  He did not raise his voice but his tone was clearly menacing. 
“
Muria is my wife.  I would therefore expect you to treat her as such,
”
he warned.

A flush of colour appeared on Mrs MacRae
’
s cheeks.  She pinched her thin lips together very tightly and deigned from further comment.  Lachlan shook his head tiredly and made to walk up the rest of the steps and into the castle. 

Muira bobbed in a low curtsy, and murmured:
“
Please to meet you, Mrs MacRae,
”
which earned her only a fiercer scowl from her mother-in-law, and was then gently pulled along after her husband.

“
I am sorry about that,
”
Lachlan sighed, once the doors had been opened for them and then were walking through the castle
’
s grand entrance hall, earning a few curious glances from the servants who were about.

“
We knew it would be difficult,
”
Muira murmured, squeezing her husband
’
s hand tightly.

“
I have a feeling that it may get more difficult before it gets any better,
”
he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. 

Muira was of the opinion that it would
definitely
get more difficult before it got better, but wasn
’
t inclined to say so aloud.  She was looking all around her, trying to take in the interior details of the castle, but Lachlan was walking so swiftly that she barely got a chance to turn her head from side to side as she struggled to keep up with his long strides.  Indeed, she almost careened into him when he did stop, throwing open a large oak door and leading Muira into, what she took to be, his bedroom.

“
Home sweet home,
”
he sighed, and Muira wasn
’
t sure whether he was being serious or not.  He walked over to a chair that stool beside the unlit hearth and sat down, groaning audibly as he took the weight off his feet.

Muira felt a small tender smile tug at her lips. 
“
Poor thing,
”
she breathed softly, shutting the door and then walking over to her husband, sure enough his eyes had already dipped close. 
“
You need to sleep,
”
she said gently.

“
I
’
ll be fine,
”
he murmured. 
“
I need to see Graem, I don
’
t care what mother says, it
’
s not right that he doesn
’
t know about you being here.  And I need make sure one of the servants brings up your luggage.  And I-
”

“
Need to rest!
”
Muira giggled. 

She crossed the room to the bed, drawing back the blankets so that Lachlan could get in, before returning to his side, intent on prodding him into action. 
He was already so dear to her
…
Muira
’
s heart ached with an emotion that she was too afraid to examine as she stared down at Lachlan, studying his handsome, if exhausted, face.

“
Come on now,
”
she said gently, kneeling before her husband and going to work on his boots.  Muira smiled when Lachlan dropped a hand to her hair, gently patting her head as she heaved and tugged until both of his boots were off.

“
I can manage you know,
”
he yawned, but made no actual move to help himself when Muira
’
s fingers rooted for the bottom of his shirt.

“
I don
’
t want you to manage,
”
Muira answered, and then surprised herself when she leant forward and dapped a kiss against his lips.  Lachlan looked surprised too, his tired eyes flickered open, but he smiled warmly as Muira helped him out of his shirt and pulled him up onto his feet. 

“
You
’
ll sleep more comfortably without this on,
”
she murmured, hesitating finally when he was clad in nothing more than his kilt.

“
Undoubtedly,
”
Lachlan chuckled. 

He reached for the belt himself, sensitive to Muira
’
s embarrassment, but she reached out a hand and stilled him, intent on finishing what she
’
d started.  She was not being ruled by passion, but by a deep desire to help Lachlan- to take care and look after him like a
real
wife.  A wife bound to her husband by more than just carnal lust...

Of course, that didn
’
t stop Muira from drinking in the sight of Lachlan
’
s body.  She had no point of reference to use as a comparison of course, but she knew instinctively that her husband was as close to physically perfection as a man could hope to be.

“
Sleep now,
”
she whispered soothingly, taking his hand and leading him towards the bed.  He went without a word of protest, which rather impressed upon his wife how exhausted he was really feeling.

Lachlan released his breath in a huge, contented sigh as he sank down onto the soft mattress.  Muira smiled softly, watching his eyes shut as she straightened the sheets and fussed with the blanket.  She was just started to pull away when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

“
Where are you going?
”
he sighed, eyes still closed.  Lachlan
’
s voice was heavy as if he was fighting off sleep, but he didn
’
t let Muira go.

“
Nowhere,
”
she promised him, brushing his hair off of his forehead.