A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (45 page)

“
Oh!  You- you
’
re going?
”
Muira asked softly, watching as Lachlan got back up to his feet.

“
I have got to find-
”
he began, but paused thoughtfully. 
“
Well, I can
’
t very well leave you here alone.  I
’
ll stay until Bridghe gets back,
”
he announced, settling back down in his chair by his wife
’
s bedside.

“
You could ring for Liane,
”
Muira murmured, not because she wanted him to go, but because she didn
’
t want him to think that he
had
to stay.

“
I could,
”
Lachlan nodded, and then very pointedly didn
’
t. 

Muira couldn
’
t help but smile a little.  Maybe she was just being silly?  She had known that she wasn
’
t Lachlan
’
s first lover, even if he had been hers.  It was an accepted state for men.  Besides, she supposed one of them had to know what they were doing!  Lord knows what would have happened if they had both been as ignorant as she had been on her wedding night!  (Or the day after her wedding night, if one was being particular.) 

It was just
…
it was just that Morag was so real, and so obviously expecting things with Lachlan to continue as though nothing had changed.

“
Do you need anything?
”
Lachlan asked.  Muira glanced towards him, and found that he was studying her closely.  Her cheeks coloured under the scrutiny and she quickly shook her head.  Lachlan settled back in his chair, but he didn
’
t take his eyes off her face.

“
Maybe-
”
Muira began, searching for a neutral topic to talk about, and keep him from staring,
“
maybe you could tell me about your day?
”
she asked, snuggling down into the pillows as she looked to him expectantly.

“
Not a lot to tell,
”
Lachlan shrugged, and Muira
’
s face fell.  She wondered if that meant she
’
d caused more problems for him somehow?

..ooOOoo..

Bridghe had returned about half an hour later, and Lachlan had left again soon after, saying something about needing to find one of his cousins.  His sister had turned towards Muira and shot her a triumphant glance.  Muira wasn
’
t quite sure whether or not it was warranted, but she did feel a little calmer.  She ate the whole bowl full of broth that Liane brought her and even nibbled on the chunk of dry bread that had been placed before her.

In fact, she was feeling well enough to begin to feel bored
…
and to wonder what was keeping her husband, and also to notice that Bridghe kept glancing out at the darkening sky.   Muira felt guilty for keeping her away from her own family.  Lachlan
’
s sister had only been married for a few years herself, which had taken Muira quite by surprise when she
’
d found out.  Bridghe merrily say that her mother had written her off as an old maid and lost cause about a decade ago, because she was so picky with her suitors.  However, now she considered herself married to the most perfect of husbands, and was blessed with two little children, twins, a boy and a girl.

“
You should go home to them.  They must be missing you,
”
Muira nudged gently, as Bridghe lovingly recounted one of her son
’
s latest little exploits. 
“
Liane and I can manage quite well on our own, and I
’
m sure Lachlan won
’
t be too much longer,
”
she paused, and cast a longing glance in the direction of the door.

“
No, he shouldn
’
t be,
”
Bridghe agreed slowly.  She followed Muira
’
s gaze. 
“
Would you really not mind?
”
she asked. 
“
I mean I
’
ll stay if you want me to, I probably should, just until my brother gets back,
”
she added quickly.

“
Bridghe go,
”
Muria giggled. 

The other woman was so comically torn it two that if she could have split herself in half Muira thought she might have tried it! It took another few minutes of persuasion, and Muira laughing and threatening to get out of bed and throw Bridghe out of the door (a slight impossibility given their difference in sizes, without even accounting for Muira
’
s illness) before Lachlan
’
s sister admitted defeat and trundled away, with the solemn promise that she would be back the following morning.

Once she was alone with Liane the cogs of Muira
’
s brain began to turn.  She had to convince Lachlan that she was better, that she could fulfil the wifely role that she now held, and so she called her maid to help her out of bed so that she could dress.

“
Do you think that you should, mistress?
”
Liane asked hesitantly. 
“
The master would be awful cross if I should let anything happen to you, mistress.
”

Muira was coming to think very fondly of her little maid, and she didn
’
t like to worry her, so she agree to simply wrap her shawl around her shoulders and sit next to the fire.  This wasn
’
t quite the plan that Muira had envisaged, but she supposed it was something.  At least she wouldn
’
t be lying in bed like an invalid when Lachlan got back.  She looked unhappily at the bracket clock that her husband had in the room
…
if
he got back.

Indeed, it was late evening by the time the door swung open and Lachlan finally wandered back into the room.  He looked absolutely exhausted.  Muira felt a guilty pang for the uncharitable thoughts that she had been dwelling on, especially when his face lit up on seeing her out of bed.

“
You
’
re feeling better?
”
he beamed, any lingering awkwardness between them apparently forgotten.

“
Much,
”
she nodded, causing a concerned eye over his body. 
“
But you
’
ll be sickening for something at this rate,
”
she mothered. 
“
Come and sit down?
”

Lachlan was only too happy to obey.  Apart from his brief visit to see his wife earlier that evening, he felt like he hadn
’
t stopped working all day.  He was amazed at how many tasks had been neglected in his absence.  With Graem so ill many of the laird
’
s duties had gone unseen to along with all of Lachlan
’
s own tanist duties.  Lachlan was also finding that people were a little less willing to help him that they had been before his marriage
…

It angered, more than depressed, him that men he had considered comrades were willing to overlook years of friendship and trust because they didn
’
t approve of the woman he
’
d married.  As if Muira could do them any harm!  But old prejudices were the hardest to let go of, Lachlan understood that, he never would have believed himself capable of taking a Cameron wife, but now that he had, he couldn
’
t imagine taking any other.

“
Have you eaten?
”
Muira asked, wriggling a little closer to where he was sitting.  Lachlan encouraged the action by draping an arm around his wife
’
s shoulder and drawing her closer.

“
I had something while looking over a few maps Graem wanted me to see,
”
he nodded, letting his eyes drift shut as he revelled in the feel of simply holding Muira close.

“
Maps?
”
she questioned curiously. 
“
Maps of what?
”

“
The MacRae borders,
”
Lachlan yawned, forgetting that he had meant to avoid the subject.

“
Borders?  MacRae-
Cameron
borders?
”
she gasped, fighting to wriggle out of his hold, but Lachlan was too strong and she was too easily exhausted after her bout of illness.  When Lachlan deigned to open his eyes again he found that Muira was glaring at him accusingly however.

“
It
’
s not what you think,
”
he chuckled.

“
Hold do you know what I think?
”
Muira sniffed. 

Lachlan caught her by the chin and tilted her head until her eyes met his- the urge to pop a kiss against her lips was damnably strong.  He tried to resist it, and then wondered why he should bother; Muira was his wife after all.  So he leant forward and dabbed his lips against hers.