A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (90 page)

“
All right,
”
he agreed. 
“
But you
’
ll stay close to me.  No wandering off.
”

“
Aye, sir,
”
Muira gave a little smile. 

Lachlan caught hold of her hand and led her out of the Laird
’
s chambers.  They walked through the corridors of the castle until they reached the great hall, which was being used as a hospital.  There were at least a hundred people who had eaten the poisoned porridge that morning at breakfast, mainly the servants and labourers who had to be up and working earliest.  They were all laid out on mats on the floor, writhing and groaning, while a few healthy members of the castle tried to do what they could to help.

“
Oh my!
”
Muira gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. 
“
I had no idea so many people have been effected!
”

“
No,
”
Lachlan agreed with a worried frown.  He ran a distracted hand through his already dishevelled hair, and then beckoned for one of the carers to come over and speak to him.  A rather plump woman, in quite fine dress, bustled over to him. 
“
How many aunt?
”
Lachlan asked hoarsely.

“
Ninety-eight cases in total, Lachlan.
”
  The lady looked exhausted.  She bowed her head for a moment. 
“
A dozen have already been taken from us,
”
she said, her voice shaking. 
“
The elderly mainly, but there were a couple of wee bairns that didn
’
t make it.
”

Lachlan turned away from the women and curse under his breath. 
“
What can I do?
”
he asked, his eyes burning as he looked around at his kinsmen.

“
And me?
”
Muira said quietly, stepping out from behind her husband. 
“
Let me help too.
”

Lachlan
’
s aunt gave her a surprised look, but she nodded her head. 
“
Aye lass, we need all the help we can get.
”

..ooOOoo..

Muira worked doggedly for hours without a break.  She couldn
’
t bear to see the suffering that surrounded her, and did everything in her power to alleviate it as best she could.  A few of the young, strong men and women who had been taken ill showed signs of recovering, but the elderly, and the very young, and those who had already been ill beforehand, worsened as the day dragged by.

“
You should rest, lass,
”
Lachlan
’
s aunt said, as she passed by as evening was drawing near.  Muira shook her head.  The older lady hadn
’
t stopped, and neither had Lachlan, nor had many of the other people helping.  She wasn
’
t going to be the first.

“
In a minute,
”
she murmured, pushing her head out of her eyes, and then turning her attention back to the woman she was tending.

No one seemed to care that she was a Cameron anymore.  There were a few snide comments, a few nasty looks, but on the whole those who needed it gratefully accepted her help.  She could barely put one foot in front of the other by the time Lachlan came up to her and told he it was time to leave.

“
No, I need-
”

“
You need to look after yourself too,
”
he murmured, letting his eyes drop to Muira
’
s stomach. 
“
You need to look after the both of you,
”
he said gently.  Muira sighed wearily, but she knew he was right, besides she wouldn
’
t be any help at all is she collapsed from exhaustion.

“
You
’
re coming too?
”
she asked.

“
I want to see the Laird first, but you go on up.
”
 

Muira shook her head. 
“
No, no- let me come with you?
”

“
Muira-
”

“
Or, maybe I could see Ewan while you visit the Laird?
”
she said instead.

“
Muira, I just want you to go to our room, ring for a meal, and get some rest,
”
Lachlan sighed wearily. 

Muira opened her mouth to argue again, but Lachlan had been through so much and he looked as exhausted as she felt, that she bit her tongue for once and nodded her nod like a good little wife.

“
I won
’
t be long,
”
Lachlan promised. 
“
Unless-
”
but he couldn
’
t finish that sentence.

Muira gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and walked with his as far as their paths were the same.  She felt guilty once she got to their rooms and was able to slump in a seat by the unlit hearth, letting her tired muscles relax against the comfortable cushions.  It was several minutes before she could muster the strength to ring for a maid, and it was several more minutes before anyone answered the call.

Muira didn
’
t recognise the young woman who came to see was what needed, but Muira did notice that she was the most polite MacRae servant that had ever waited on her.  Well, with perhaps the exception of Liane.  Muira bit her lip and worried for her own maid.  She hoped that the young girl hadn
’
t been struck down.  She hadn
’
t seen her in the great hall.

“
Would you like me to light the fire for you before I go, Mrs MacRae?
”
asked the maid.

“
Oh-
”
Muira looked at the unlit hearth, a fire would be nice, but she was absolutely famished, and she was sure that Lachlan would be more in need of food than warmth when he returned. 
“
No, no thank you,
”
she said with a small smile.  The girl nodded and curtsied and then went on her way.

Lachlan arrived not very much later, although Muira had dropped off to sleep and was dozing in her chair.  She started awake at the sound of her husband 'striding across the room.  She could tell just by looking at his face that Graem was still alive
…
but she couldn
’
t tell how much longer that might last.

“
How is he?
”
she asked quietly.

Lachlan sank down beside her before answering. 
“
Fighting,
”
he murmured,
“
but he
’
s fading.
”

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
Muira whispered.  It was all that she could think to say.  Lachlan gave his shoulders an odd, half-hearted shrug. 
“
You and Laird MacRae you- you
’
re very close aren
’
t you?
”
she asked gently.

“
Aye,
”
Lachlan breathed. 
“
He
’
s been like a father to me.
”
  Muira nodded silently and nestled closer to her husband, letting him know that she was there if he wanted to say more, after a few minutes he did 
“
He taught me a lot of what I know.
”

“
After your own father died?
”
Muira asked softly.

“
Aye,
”
Lachlan looped an arm around her shoulders. 
“
Once I
’
d lost him, and my brother, Graem was the only man who didn
’
t mind having me around.  I learnt everything from him really.
”
 

Muira wound her arms around her husband
’
s waist. 
“
He doesn
’
t have any sons of his own?
”

“
He doesn
’
t have any children of his own.  I think that
’
s why he took me under his wing like he did.
”
  Muira nodded again, and looked up expectantly at Lachlan
’
s face. 
“
He loved his wife very much, and they wanted nothing more than to have a child-
”
he paused and frowned. 
“
But it just wasn
’
t to be,
”
he finished sadly. 
“
He could have tried to have a child with another woman- I- ugh-
”
he looked suddenly sheepish. 
“
I heard him and Maisie talking about it once.
”