A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (86 page)

“
I am?
”
  Muira gasped. 
“
But- where are you going?
”
she asked, but she could tell just by the look on his face. 
“
To see Ewan?
”
she pressed breathlessly. 
“
Oh, take me with you, I-
”

“
No, Muira,
”
Lachlan growled, in a low dangerous voice that made his wife pause, but not quite abandon her plea.

“
But he
’
s my brother,
”
she whimpered quietly. 

“
And that is why you must stay here,
”
Lachlan sighed, he brushed a kiss against the top of her head, and then he was gone.

..ooOOoo..

“
Where is he?
”
Lachlan asked, careful to keep his voice hard and unmerciful.  The guard who was standing watch over the dungeons nodded his head in the direction of one of the cells.  Lachlan followed the direction of the other man
’
s gaze and nodded. 
“
Has he said anything?
”

“
Confessed you mean?  Nah,
”
the guard sneered. 
“
Seems to think he
’
s innocent.  Claimed not even to know what had gone on here this morning.
”

“
Is that so?
”
Lachlan murmured heavily. 
“
Let me in to see him,
”
he frowned.  The guard gave a nasty smile and opened the cell door.  Lachlan stepped into the small dark space and waited for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light.

“
Oh- it
’
s only you,
”
coughed a voice from the opposite wall.  There was a pause, and then the raspy voice spoke again. 
“
You know, strangely, this situation reminds me of something
…”
Ewan snorted sarcastically.

“
Still got your tongue I see?
”

“
Aye.  Missing a few teeth though,
”
the Cameron Captain parried back humourlessly.  He did look something of a sorry state: with two black eyes, his lip split open and a nasty cut running across his cheek
…

“
You know why you
’
re here?
”
Lachlan frowned.

“
I know why they
say
I
’
m here,
”
Ewan spat. 
“
Something about poisoning half the castle, women and children along with the men?  As if I
’
d do anything so dishonourable and cowardly!  If I
’
d meant to murder your Laird then I-
”

“
It might be prudent,
”
Lachlan interrupted harshly. 
“
To think a little before you speak.
”

Ewan snorted, but he fell silent, shifting uncomfortably in the chains that bound him to the wall.  His silence didn
’
t last long.

“
It was Tavish wasn
’
t it?
”
he muttered murderously. 
“
Always sniffing around, up to no good, told me to watch my back after I let you have Muria,
”
Ewan continued, mumbling more to himself than the tanist.  Lachlan raised an eyebrow, just a fraction, not enough for Ewan to see in the darkness.

“
You seem to be under the impression that I believe you to be innocent, Mr Cameron,
”
he said coldly, wondering if the guard was listening on the other side of the door.

Ewan chuckled darkly. 
“
Oh aye?  So it
’
s like that is it?
”
he snorted.  He looked gravely thoughtful for a moment. 
“
If you execute me, will that save you from going to war and killing other Camerons?
”

Lachlan opened his mouth.  He wanted to give Ewan some kind of assurance.  They
’
d had their differences to be sure, but Muira
’
s brother wasn
’
t a
bad
man.  However, he was all too aware that the walls had ears, and if he appeared in any way compassionate towards the prisoner then the clan really would believe the evil theory that his mother had spouted.

Ewan didn
’
t wait for his question to be answered anyway. 
“
You- you won
’
t let her come down here, will you, MacRae?
”
he asked hoarsely. 
“
You
’
ll keep her safe?  I know what people will think.
”

“
Aye, I
’
ll keep her safe-
”

“
And you
’
ll keep her away?
”

“
That too,
”
Lachlan nodded.

He withdrew from the cell, nodding at the guard to lock the door again, while his mind whirred.  Graem had told him to go and speak to Ewan, convinced, even as he lay on the point of death, that he couldn
’
t have misjudged the Camerons so utterly, and that Lachlan would be able to draw the truth from the prisoner.

Lachlan agreed with his Laird, up to a point- he hadn
’
t misjudged the Camerons, just Tavish MacEantach.  But how he was meant to prove that
…
Lachlan didn
’
t yet know.

“
Sir?
”

Lachlan glanced up; Captain Ross was striding down the corridor towards him. 
“
What is it?
”
Lachlan frowned.

“
Our two other
guests
are making quite a song and dance about wanting to leave, sir,
”
he sneered.  Lachlan gave an unsurprised nod.

“
Aye, I thought they might.  You
’
ve made it clear that they
’
ll be residing with us for some time yet?
”

The Captain smirked and nodded. 
“
Their tanist seemed to accept it in due course, but the other man-
”
Ross frowned, as if he couldn
’
t quite puzzle something one. 
“
Well, if I didn
’
t think they
’
d all been in it together his reaction when he was told he wasn
’
t leaving would have convinced me.
”

“
Hmm,
”
Lachlan murmured thoughtfully.  He didn
’
t think it would be too hard convincing people of Tavish
’
s guilt, but how was he going to persuade everyone that Ewan and Donaid were innocent? 
“
I think I need to talk-
”

“
Sirs?
”
squeaked a little voice.

Lachlan frowned. 
“
Liane?
”

“
Yes, Mr MacRae, sir, it
’
s me.
”
  His wife
’
s maid stepped out of the shadows in which she
’
d been standing and presented herself nervously to the two men.  Ross shot Lachlan a questioning glance, surprised that the tanist was prepared to listen to the servant.

“
What
’
s wrong, Liane?
”
he pressed gently.

“
I- I wanted to know if it
’
s true, what they
’
re all saying about Master Ewan Cameron?
”

“
It
’
s true,
”
Ross barked. 
“
Now get out of the way, we don
’
t-
”