A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (9 page)

“
Thank you, Aunt,
”
Muira murmured quietly, unable to fully express with words how grateful she was, how sorry she was, they
’
d all hate her they ever found out the truth, and Muria didn
’
t think that she would be able to bear that!

..ooOOoo..

The very next morning, Lachlan was granted all of ten minutes to wash his face and don a clean shirt, before being dragged by Ewan to the little chapel inside Castle Cameron.  For the first time, as he stood there, at the front of the aisle waiting for his
bride
to arrive, Lachan really began to believe that this was all
real
.  That these people were seriously going to force him to marry this girl, and for-
for what?

He took a deep breath, wincing at the pain it cause his bruised ribs, and scowled at the altar.  Would death have been a more honourable escape than this shame?  Lachlan wasn
’
t afraid to die.  He had ridden to Castle Cameron fully expecting the worse, but he had still made the journey, because it had been this Laird
’
s command, and Lachlan believed in duty and honour, and dying for those ideals if it was called for
–
what he could not do, was lay down his life without a fight for no reason!  He
was
going to get to the bottom of this sham!  Although it might be too late by then to do anything about it
…

Lachlan cursed the fact he
’
d spotted the woman by the roadside!  He also cursed himself for being so stupid as to leave his room and wander the castle alone.  He continued silently cursing in the chapel as he clenched and unclenched his fists, aware that Ewan Cameron
’
s eyes never one left him, as he considered how many instances might have happened differently to have prevented this strange, twisted fate.

He was surprised when the pipe organ began to play.  In most, almost
all
, other respects the chapel didn
’
t look like it was about to be the setting for a wedding.  There were no flowers, no decorates, and there were only a handful of guest in the bride
’
s pew (and none, of course, on the groom
’
s side): the young man who
’
d given Lachlan at least one of his black eyes was sitting beside a young woman Lachlan also recognised from the night that his life had started to spiral out of control.  The Laird and his Lady were also present, and Ewan was standing beside him, making sure he that didn
’
t so much as breath out of line.

Lachlan refused to turn around and look at his bride as she walked down the aisle towards him, although he heard other people shift and turn to look.  He kept his back ridged and his head lifted high.  She was going to regret buying Lachlan MacRae like a trinket that had caught her fancy!  That was one vow he intended to make and keep
…

He kept his eyes averted for as long as was possible, not wanting to see her and
…
weaken?  Was that really a danger?  Lachlan didn
’
t think so, not given the wealth of fury pulsing through his veins.  All the same, he had to succumb to curiosity eventually.  He kept his jaw titled arrogantly, but glanced down at Muira from out of the corner of his eye.

Lachlan was a little surprised to find her staring back so unashamedly.  Her eyes, (green in that instance, the flecks of colour brought out by her dress no doubt, Lachlan frowned, and possibly also by the nasty yellow bruise she was sporting,) were riveted on his face.  What a sight they made!  Both beaten black and blue, Lachlan nearly laughed at the absurdity of the situation.  It was either that or throttle whoever was standing within reach.

He fairly spat his vows.  His voice grew harsher with every line that he was required to speak, whereas Muira
’
s, in contrast, was growing weaker and fainter.  She was asked to repeat one line twice, the words being nothing more a trembling indecipherable mumble. 

Muira
’
s body was shaking just as hard as her voice Lachlan realised when he was asked to take her hand before slipping on the ring that someone in Clan Cameron had provided.  He couldn
’
t help but frown.  Hadn
’
t
she
planned this whole charade?  Wasn
’
t this was
she
wanted?  Maybe she was just as trapped as him?  Lachlan didn
’
t really see how that was possible, but something in the way that she was stood there beside him, teary and trembling, tugged at his heartstrings.

Lachlan forced his tone to soften, as he in turn was forced to speak the final words that would bind him unbreakably to Muira Cameron. 
Muira MacRae
, Lachlan corrected himself bitterly, as he slipped the band of simply metal onto her ring finger.

When the pronouncement came that they were man and wife it was not followed by any jovial call to
‘
kiss the bride
’
–
that was fine by Lachlan, he couldn
’
t imagine that anything would ever induce him to kiss the woman that was his wife!

..ooOOoo..

Muira thought she might actually be ill.  Gone was all the warmth that she remembered seeing in Lachlan
’
s face on the first day that she
’
d met him
–
all of two days early
, she remembered her herself feebly.  It had been replaced by a burning anger that terrified the young woman. 
Well what had she expected!
  Muira demanded of herself.  She had no right expecting Lachlan to rescue her- she certainly had no right to force his hand! 

The only way out now for either of them was through death
…
  She choked, what if he-

Muira stumbled as she walked back up the aisle.  Lachlan caught her, and shot a puzzled frowned at her, which was at least an improvement on the black scowl he
’
d been wearing throughout the ceremony.  Her heart gave a painful, guilty beat when she looked up into his beaten face. 
Her fault
, she thought,
all her fault
, could she blame Lachlan if he took his freedom back by force?

No one had put much thought into organising any of the celebrations that typically followed a wedding ceremony.  There hadn
’
t really been time, but there also hadn
’
t been any inclination.  The Camerons were not celebrating this union.  There was no large feast, no dancing, no speeches- there was a simply meal of roasted Highland beef, and then an awkward nothingness that no one seemed to quite no how to fill.

The hours wore on slowly, and Muira still hadn
’
t been alone with her new
…
husband.  Lachlan hadn
’
t said a word to her through dinner.  He ate hungrily, (she had a nastily suspicion that this was the first time he had been permitted to eat since arriving at the castle,) and completely ignored her.  She couldn
’
t keep her eyes from drifted towards him though. 

She had controlled matters up until now, she had forced their marriage, a marriage that still didn
’
t seem quite real, but very soon she would be at the sole mercy of Lachlan MacRae.

“
You
’
ll need time to pack I suppose?
”
Lachlan said gruffly.  Muira jumped when she heard his voice after such a long silence.

“
T-to pack?
”
she stammered nervously.

“
We
’
re leaving,
”
Lachlan growled. 
“
As soon as possible.
”
  Sitting in the seat next to his sister, Ewan tensed, Lachlan saw the reaction and shot the other man a fierce glare. 
“
Unless you also mean to continue keeping me a prisoner here?
”

“
You don
’
t need to be leaving immediately, MacRae,
”
Ewan grunted.

“
Oh I think I do,
”
Lachlan snorted in reply.  He looked at Muira, a cool, calculating look, and her blood ran cold. 
“
She could stay here though.  Wait until I
’
m ready for her back at Eilean Donan Castle.
”

“
Like you
’
d come back for her,
”
James spat in disgust.

Muira drew in her breath with a sharp hiss as Lachlan turned to look at her younger brother.  She was glad that they were sat far enough apart that Lachlan couldn
’
t reach James, because the glint in the MacRae
’
s eye was practically murderous.  He opened his mouth to speak, but was prevented from saying anything as the Cameron Laird and his wife had just stood up, everyone else rose to their feet too.

“
I know, MacRae, that this is not how either of us would have wished for this visit to conclude,
”
Laird Cameron sighed. 
“
It weighs heavily on my heart.
”
  He spared a sad smile for his niece, and Muira felt like she wanted to crawl under the table. 
“
But young men are susceptible to temptation when it is laid in their path.
”
  Muira could hear the grinding of Lachlan
’
s teeth beside her and shivered. 
“
At least you have been willing to try and rectify your transgression in the only manner open to you.  I believe you know what will happen if any harm comes to my niece-
”