A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (65 page)

“
He was already going grey before I left,
”
Muira pointed out, smiling slightly, but she did heed her brother
’
s censure. 
“
I
’
m sorry, I
’
ll write more often.
”

Ewan gave a grunt of appeasement. 
“
Lachlan treating you well?
”
he pressed, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“
Ewan,
”
Muira sighed, avoiding the question.  She hoped that her brother wouldn
’
t realise that that was what she was doing. 
“
Surely you didn
’
t ride
‘
half way across the country
’
,
”
she said, mimicking him,
“
to try and pick a quarrel with my husband?
”

“
Of course!  If it
’
s warranted,
”
Ewan nodded firmly. 

Muira groaned and threw her hands in the air. 
“
You
’
re
not
to cause any problems, Ewan!
”
she told him firmly, poking a violent finger in his direction. 
“
I
’
ve worked very hard to try to get the people here to accept me and-
”

“
And how
’
s that going?
”
Ewan asked, his voice becoming gentler.

Muira hesitated. 
“
Slowly,
”
she confessed honestly. 
“
But I think I am making progress,
”
she added hurriedly.

Ewan nodded. 
“
I
’
m really proud of how you
’
re handling all of this, Muira,
”
he said warmly.  And Muira knew then that it would be absolutely impossible to confess the truth. 
She
had protected
him
from the truth about Tavish- she could do the same again. 

“
Thank you,
”
she murmured, sitting down on the stool that sat in front of the dressing table. 
“
So, do you know why you
’
re here?
”
she asked curiously, wondering if Ewan would be prepared to tell her more than Lachlan had.  Her brother frowned however.

“
You don
’
t know?  You
’
re married to the MacRae
’
s tanist and you don
’
t know why they
’
ve brought us here?
”
he gaped. 
“
Hell Muira,
”
he cursed, forgetting that he was in the presence of a lady (or perhaps simply not counting his sister as such). 
“
The only reason I felt so confident in coming was because I was sure you would have warned us to stay away if it was a trap!
”

“
It
’
s not a trap!
”
Muira blurted- even though she
’
d had that very same suspicion.  (
And look where that had got her
, she considered angrily!) 
“
I just don
’
t know the particulars,
”
she said carefully.

Ewan looked a little reassured, but not very much. 
“
All we were told was that the MacRae
’
s Laird wanted to make us some kind of offer of peace,
”
he snorted.

“
Which you
’
re going to accept?
”
Muira asked, a little tentatively and a little hopefully.  Ewan cocked a doubtfully eyebrow.

“
You
’
d have thought our uncle would have come himself if that was at all likely, wouldn
’
t you?
”
he grunted.  Muira was forced to nod her head in unhappy agreement.  So long as things between the two clans didn
’
t get any
worse
though
…

There was a knock on the door, and the young maid who had told Muira where she could find her brother entered with a tray of food.  Muira watched Ewan cast the pretty woman a rakish smile and shot him a swift glare of her own.  She didn
’
t need her brother causing a scene or a scandal either!

“
Well we
’
ll leave you eat then,
”
Muira said, standing up, and trying to shepherd the girl out of the room in front of her.  However, the maid scowled at Muira and seem intent on asking Ewan if the room was too his likely, if there were enough logs on the fire, if he needed the window opening
…

Muira pinched her lips together and stared at the ceiling, finally admitting defeat with a sharp:
‘
good
bye
Ewan
,
’
she left her brother
’
s room all on her own.

Not knowing whether to be amused or annoyed, Muria walked along the corridor intending to make her way back to her own chambers.  She was somewhat distracted as she went, and didn
’
t notice the presence creeping up behind her until it was too late.

“
Hello Muira.
”

She gasped and spun around, and found herself face to face with Tavish MacEantach, her ex-fianc
é
.  The way his eyes raking unashamedly over her voluptuous figure made Muira feel dirty.

“
What do you what, Tavish?
”
she hissed, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

“
I want what I
’
ve always wanted from you, Muira,
”
Tavish drawled slyly. 

He took a step closer, and Muira took a step back, whimpering when her shoulder blades bumped against the wall.  She was trapped.  She could scream, Ewan and Doniad were both so close by
…
but then the whole disgusting story would have to be brought out into the open, and Muira couldn
’
t bear the thought of that happening.

“
And do you know what I
’
ve always wanted from you, pretty Muira?
”
Tavish rasped, stepping even closer, so that their bodies were crushed together.  Muria sobbed in horrified fear when she felt his hardness pressing against her. 
“
I wanted to make you mine,
”
he spat into her ear. 
“
But I
’
ll have to be content making sure that you
’
re not
his
!
”

“
No, please don
’
t-
”
Muira whimpered, hating herself for begging, but she would have done anything to escape, even scream- except Tavish had just clamped a rough hand over her mouth and was stifling any noise that she might have wanted to make.

“
If that MacRae bastard is good enough for you, then I
’
m bloody well
more
than good enough to have you!
”
he snarled viciously, gripping Muira by the arm hard enough to leave bruises.  She tried to shake her head, tears prickling at her eyes. 
“
What is it, Muria?  You think you
’
re too good for me now that you
’
re all set to become a Laird
’
s wife?  Well let me tell you something, I-
”

“
Let her go.  Or I
’
ll cut off you hands and make you,
”
interjected a new voice to the fray.

Muira offered a silent prayer, and nearly wept with relief.  She couldn
’
t turn her head, Tavish still had her pinned to the wall, but she could move her eyes. 

Lachlan was standing just a few feet away. 

Neither she nor Tavish had heard his approach.  He looked like he wanted nothing more than to hack Tavish limb from limb.  Muira had seen Lachlan angry before, (to her misfortunate,) but she had never seen him look like he wanted to
kill
a man.  She was almost afraid.  Tavish must have read the look in the other man
’
s eyes correctly too, because he dropped Muira like a deadweight and back away from her quickly.