A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (64 page)

“
No doubt you want to rest and refresh yourselves after your journey,
”
Lachlan said to Donaid, and therefore by proxy to Ewan and Tavish.

“
Oh?
”
Donaid frowned. 
“
I thought the Laird-?
”

Lachlan opened his mouth, he was sure that the Camerons knew of the ailing state that Graem was in
…
  but it seemed somehow disadvantageous to remind them of this fact the very second after their arrival.  However, he could barely believe his ears when Muria stepping in and rescued him.

“
Donaid!
”
she exclaimed. 
“
You can
’
t present yourself to Laird MacRae looking like that,
”
she said simply. 

Her cousin frowned. 
“
What
’
s wrong with the way-
”

“
Converted her into a good little MacRae wife already, have you, Lachlan?
”
Tavish smirked.

Lachlan saw Muria flinch, and in consequence he felt his own tongue thicken clumsily with rage, so that it was actually Ewan
’
s sharp:
careful Tavish, that
’
s still my sister you
’
re talking about
, which actually put the other man back in his place.

Lachlan reckon up the offence however, stored it away with the greater crimes that MacEantach had committed and still needed to be punished for- maybe they
both
needed to be punished, Lachlan reflected guiltily, but he vowed to himself that he wasn
’
t going to let Muira
’
s ex-fianc
é
live the rest of his life without paying for what he
’
d done.

Muira watched as her husband nodded for the Cameron men to be shown to their rooms.  Ewan cast a questioning glance over his shoulder at her as he was ushered away, to which Muira mustered as bright a smile as she could manage. 

She was shaken from seeing Tavish, although she hoped that this fact wasn
’
t apparent to anyone else.  She deliberately avoided his gaze when he sought hers however, pretending to be absorbed in something that Lachlan was saying to one of his kinsmen.  She wasn
’
t actually listened to a word he was saying, so she started in surprise when he turned and addressed her.

“
Thank you,
”
he said, very simply, but so sincerely that Muira felt a genuine little smile bloom upon her face. 
“
You couldn
’
t have been more perfect,
”
her husband added quietly. 

Lachlan looked slightly awkward as he gave the compliment, but Muira couldn
’
t help but glow just a little.  He was proud of her.  She could see it in his eyes.  She felt her heart give a little happy flutter, which was dampened, but not entirely stifled, by what Lachlan said next.

“
I should go and tell Laird MacRae what
’
s happened,
”
he told her gently, giving her hand a light squeeze. 
“
But did you want me to escort you back to our rooms first?
”
he asked, and it seemed that he couldn
’
t stop himself from casting a dark look in the direction that Tavish had been led.

“
Oh no,
”
Muria said, shaking her head, watched distractedly as the other men who had been there to greet the small Cameron party dispersed. 
“
I- I
’
m sure that
’
s not necessary.
”

“
It would only take a minute-
”
Lachlan pressed anxiously.

“
Lachlan, it
’
s fine, really,
”
Muria said firmly. 

She had no intention of returning immediately to their rooms
…
she wanted to go and see her brother too much.  She didn
’
t know why, or what she would say, but the draw to see a friendly face, someone who loved her unconditionally, was immense.

Lachlan sighed his reluctant agreement.  Muira saw him watch her out of sight however, which meant that she had to wait until she was sure that he had gone before doubling back and heading towards that wing of the castle where she knew that their guests were being installed.

She only prayed that she knocked on the correct door!  If she should arrive at Tavish
’
s room by mistake
…
Muria shuddered.  She had however asked a maid, giving a description of her brother and enquiring as to which room he had been show to.  Ewan was the kind of man that women took note of, so Muira didn
’
t doubt the young woman
’
s instant answer. 

She still couldn
’
t completely fight down the tremor of fear that griped her heart as she knocked on the door however, what if the maid, like so many people at Eilean Donan, resented her enough to play a cruel trick and give her the wrong information?  When her brother
’
s voice called for her to enter however, Muira sagged in relief and silently told herself off for being so foolish.

“
Muira,
”
Ewan
’
s face cracked into a wide grin as she opened the door and stepped inside the small, but comfortable, room that her brother had been allocated. 
“
You
’
re looking well,
”
he said, slowly, as if he had expected her to look terrible.

“
I am well,
”
Muira immediately assured him, which caused her brother to raise a wary eyebrow.  He marched across the room towards her, from where he had been standing by the window, and then pulled his sister into a fierce hug that nearly stole her breath (and cracked her ribs).

“
You
’
d tell me if you weren
’
t, wouldn
’
t you, carrot?
”
he demanded.

Muira didn
’
t know how to answer the question.  She and her brother had always been close, and Ewan had always been protective of her, overly so at times, but that was all altered now.  She was Lachlan
’
s wife before she was Ewan
’
s sister, Muira was slowly coming to realise, and while her brother
’
s presence was unarguably a comfort, she couldn
’
t look to him to fight her battles now.

“
I
’
d tell you if I wasn
’
t,
”
she assured him, still hating that she was bending the truth. 
“
Now can you let go of me before you crush me to death?
”
she teased, poking her tongue out and struggling free of Ewan
’
s tight bear hug.

“
Oh aye, I like that!
”
Ewan snorted, feigning an expression of deep offence. 
“
I ride half way across the country-
”

“
It
’
s hardly half way across the country!
”

“
-to make sure that my baby sister is all right-
”
Ewan continued, as if he hadn
’
t heard Muira
’
s interruption.  She quickly made another one:

“
And I
’
m hardly a baby!
”

“
-and this is the thanks I get!
”
Ewan finished, but there was absolutely no venom to his outburst.  As if to prove it, he patted Muira affectionately on the head (while she tried to bat his hands away in irritation) before flopping down on the soft double bed in the centre of the room.

“
Thank you
,
”
Muira pouted, hurrying over to the mirror to try and straighten the mess Ewan had made of her hair.  Her brother chuckled, and was then silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.

“
So?
”

“
So?
”
Muira echoed, casting a glance over her shoulder at the bed.  Ewan rolled his eyes and sighed in heavy, hard done by manner.

“
So how have things been?
”
he asked, turning suddenly serious. 
“
You might try and write more often you know,
”
he scolded. 
“
One letter
father
’
s had off you, he
’
s worrying himself grey.
”