A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (63 page)

..ooOOoo..

Muira slept alone again that night.  Lachlan hadn
’
t once made a move to try and share their bed, not since he had brought her back to Eilean Donan after she had tried to flee to Castle Cameron.  Muira had slept in a bed on her own for eighteen long years before marrying Lachlan, and yet she missed her husband
’
s presence bitterly.  It wasn
’
t only the act of the lovemaking that she missed (although she admonished herself for this), it was the simple companionship, of knowing that Lachlan was there beside her, ready to take her into his arms and hold her tenderly against his chest.

For his part, Lachlan would have liked nothing better than to slide between the sheets of the bed he had shared with Muira, and to drag his wife against his body- except that he didn
’
t dare, and given what had happened earlier that evening, Lachlan could only suppose this course of restraint had been the right action (or inaction) to take. 

He had taken to walking the corridors of the castle at night, waiting until the clocks chimed twelve before slinking wearily back to his bedroom.  By this time Muira was always asleep, and he was able to creep into his study and doze in the chair that stood by his desk.  He took a masochistic kind of satisfaction from confronting the place where his crime had been committed, of reliving each painful second over in his mind until sleep took pity upon him.

It was in this state, (lying asleep over the desktop that was), that Muira found her husband the next morning.  A message had just been delivered for him, sent via one of the young castle boys, and she had promised to pass it on immediately.  However, she did hesitate in the doorway of the study, reluctant to re-enter the room where all her dreams had begun to be unravelled. 

Muira
’
s hesitation did give her pause to study her husband for a moment or two however.  He looked terribly uncomfortable, his large body hunched awkwardly into the small chair, but his hair was enticingly mussed, and his handsome features relaxed in sleep.

“
Lachlan?
”
she had only to whisper his name and he was awake.  He blinked several times and that looked towards her.  She couldn
’
t quite read his expression.  It seemed to be a mixture of surprise and anxiety, and maybe just a little flicker of hope?

“
What
’
s wrong, lass?
”
he asked, stretching.  Muira couldn
’
t help but watch the flex of his body with some appreciation.  She caught herself staring, as the fabric of Lachlan
’
s shirt was pulled taut across his broad chest, and mentally rebuked herself.

“
Sorcha
’
s boy just brought this for you,
”
she darted into the room and dropped a sealed slip of paper into Lachlan
’
s hand, cursing her body
’
s reaction for the way her cheeks instantly flushed at the mere brush of contact with his fingers.  Fortunately, Muira considered, Lachlan wasn
’
t looking at her anymore.  He was frowning at the note. 
“
Bad news?
”
she couldn
’
t stop herself from asking, and then clapped a hand over her mouth, as if she feared she was speaking out of turn.

Lachlan seemed to miss this too. 
“
Word from one of our scouts.  The Cameron party will be here sooner than expected.
”
  He looked up and glanced at a clock he had in the room. 
“
In the next few hours by all accounts.
”

“
That soon?
”
Muira queried uncertainly. 

She
was
looking forward to seeing her brother and cousin, but she was still a little anxious about it all, about what would happen when they arrived, about what they might be able to work out regarding her marriage to Lachlan.  She didn
’
t even want to think about the other man rumoured to be accompanying them
…

“
Aye,
”
Lachlan murmured, running a hand over his beard. 
“
That soon.
”

“
Why, do you think?
”
Muira pressed softly, but her husband just shrugged his shoulders and got to his feet.

“
Maybe Ewan misses you?
”
he teased with a small smile, but that quickly faded, and his wife wasn
’
t quite sure why. 
“
Well, we
’
d best get ready for them,
”
he sighed, and Muira nodded her head obediently.

..ooOOoo..

Two hours later, Lachlan was dressed and prepared to meet the Camerons- prepared to meet his brother-in-law, the man he feared had it in his power to take away his wife, and MacEantach, the man whose actions had first driven Muira into his arms.

The Laird wasn
’
t well enough to meet the Camerons in the courtyard, or even when they first entered the castle, they would have to be taken to his private chambers for that- so it was left to Lachlan as the MacRae
’
s tanist to welcome their guests.  Muira was with him, waiting and not saying a word, although she kept glancing around nervously.  There were a few other senior members of the clan, but not as many as would have been there, if the Camerons hadn
’
t brought forward their arrival time.

“
Sir!  Sir!
”
  Lachlan
’
s nephew, Sorcha
’
s son came bounding into the hall. 
“
They
’
re here, Uncle Lachlan,
”
he whispered conspiratorially, once he was close enough to do so.

Lachlan chuckled and patted the boy on the head. 
“
Aye, I thought they might be, laddie.
”
 

The commotion in the courtyard outside had already rather given away the Camerons arrival.  Lachlan cast a glance towards Muira and then offered her his arm.  The relief he felt when she took it instantly, without hesitating of flinching, was immense.  He led her towards the great front doors of Eilean Donan, and then as lord and lady they waited to greet the coming party of familiar faces.

Lachlan swelled with pride when he reflected on how beautiful, how regal, Muira looked standing beside him.  None of the other man had dared say a word against her in his presence.  When she twisted her neck to glance up at him, Lachlan reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“
It
’
ll be all right,
”
he murmured, not certain if he was speaking to reassure her or himself, as he looked out of the open doorway towards the three strapping men who were walking up the stone steps of the castle towards them. 

The Laird
’
s son, Donaid, was in front (Lachlan hadn
’
t seen his face before, but as he was the only one of the three men he didn
’
t know, and as he was leading the group, Lachlan made the assumption instantly).  He was following closely by Ewan MacRae, and then finally flanked by Tavish MacEantach
…

Lachlan
’
s hand balled into a fist at his side.  It was taking ever ounce of self-control that he possessed to keep him from lunging forward and pummelling the third man.  He forced himself to relax however, to think of his clan, and not the offence wrought against his wife.

“
Gentlemen,
”
Lachlan nodded his head in a slight bow and spoke when the three Cameron warriors were close enough to hear him. 
“
Welcome to Eilean Donan Castle,
”
he said graciously. 
“
It has been a great many years since we
’
ve seen any Cameron visitors here about.
”
  He nodded again and introduced himself as the clan
’
s tanist.

“
Aye, we know who you are, Lachlan MacRae,
”
Muira
’
s brother snorted wryly.  He was shot a disapproving glance from his older cousin, which he ignored. 
“
Who
’
s your pretty wee wife?
”
he grinned. 
“
She
’
s far too bonnie to be a MacRae.
”
  Lachlan rolled his eyes, but beside him Muria giggled, and took a step forward to embrace her older brother. 
“
Oh wait, on closer inspection-
”
Ewan pretended to reconsider, earning himself a light jab in the ribs from his sister.

Lachlan couldn
’
t temper the jealousy that flared in his heart on seeing Muria so completely at ease with another man.  Yes, it was her brother, and not a true rival for him to fight for her affections, but Lachlan loathed the easiness that simple existed between the two of them. 

One of the older clan members standing behind him cleared his throat pointedly and Lachlan remembered himself.  He formally introduced everyone present, reserving his hardness handshake and fiercest glare for MacEantach. 

Muira, Lachlan was relieved to see, seemed to be coping well with the whole ordeal.  She hadn
’
t faltered, she was keeping her head
…
and Lachlan felt his love for her redouble.  He couldn
’
t-
wouldn
’
t
let these men take his wife away from him! 
But what if she wanted to go
…
?