A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (56 page)

She wouldn
’
t have run from him
…
would she?

That question was answered when someone was finally able to tell him that they
’
d seen a woman that matched Muria
’
s description marching out of the gates that morning at dawn.

Lachlan ran, cursing, all the way to the stables.  He saddles his own horse, having no time to wait around for the stable boy, and was racing out of the gates himself in a matter of minutes.

Let her have stayed on the road, let her be safe,
he slightly begged, riding Faidhiach at a relentless gallop.  Lachlan didn
’
t have a clue what he was going to do when he found Muira.  He couldn
’
t think beyond the moment when he laid eyes on her again.

It was well over another hour before that moment came.  Lachlan groaned in deep relief when he saw Muira
’
s silhouette against he horizon.  She must have heard the horse behind her, but she couldn
’
t know that her husband was the rider.  She kept her head down and continued walking. 

Lachlan urged Faidhiach on just a little further and then he jumped from the saddle, running the last few feet before he reached Muira
’
s side, then, unable to stop himself, he turned her around towards him and swept her into his arms.

Lachlan heard Muira
’
s gasp of surprise and then he watched as her eyes focused on his face.  It seemed to take a moment for her to realise what she was seeing, and when she did her reaction was not what Lachlan might have hoped for, although it was no worse than what he knew he deserved. 

Muira pushed away from him, so hard that she almost stumped and fell as she tripped backwards.  Lachlan reached out to steady her, but one look from his wife was enough to keep him rooted in place.

“
What do you want?
”
she spat, looking at him as though he was something vile on the bottom of her shoe.

Lachlan cringed, but he held his ground. 
“
I
’
ve come to take you home,
”
he said softly.

“
Back to Castle Cameron?
”
Muira asked bitterly. 
“
That
’
s awfully good of you, MacRae.
”

“
Muira, don
’
t,
”
Lachlan pleaded.  He didn
’
t know what else he could do apart from plead. 
“
I
’
m going to take you back with me,
”
he said gently.

“
By force if need be?
”
Muira hissed, taking a step towards him and glaring up her husband furiously. 

Lachlan winced and had to look away. 
“
Muira I
’
m sorry for what happened last night,
”
he said inadequately. 
“
But you have to come back with me.  I can
’
t let you wander off on your own.  Anything could happen to you!
”
he breathed, his voice saturated with fear and concern.

“
And why do you care?
”
Muira snapped back. 
“
I
’
m only your sluttish Cameron wife!  Why does it matter to you what happens to me?
”
she yelled.

“
Because I love you!
”
Lachlan barked in return.  The words spilled out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop them
…
would he have stopped them though, if he
’
d had time to think, because he meant them, with every fibre of his soul. 

Muira stared at him, her eyes wide, looking just as shocked as he felt.  For a moment, just a second, Lachlan thought he saw something flicker in her eyes, a tiny flame of reciprocation, but then it was gone, dowsed completely.  Flames of anger took its place, and then Lachlan was left reeling as her hand struck the side of his face.

Lachlan had seen it coming, but he didn
’
t have the heart to try and stop her from hitting him.  He didn
’
t have the right to do so.  Muira must have put her entire body weight behind her hand though, because it was no feeble slap that she delivered.

“
Don
’
t you dare!
”
she cried, balling her fists and pummelling his chest. 
“
Don
’
t you dare!
”
she sobbed. 
“
You
’
re just like him!  You and Tavish and I- I-
”

“
Hate us,
”
Lachlan said tightly.  He didn
’
t think that anything else that Muira could have said would have brought him so low. 
“
But that doesn
’
t mean I
’
m going to let you try and walk back to Castle Cameron,
”
he sighed wearily. 

His chest ached, and he doubted that the beating Muria had just delivered had caused the pain.  She sagged against him, weeping softly, apparently exhausted, probably both from her long walk and her emotional outburst.

“
Come on, lass,
”
Lachlan breathed, nudging her towards Faidhiach.  He was relieved when Muira let him, but only a little, she seemed broken, and he and done the breaking. 

One way or another he would fix it,
Lachlan vowed.  And if he couldn
’
t make her happy, then at least he would help her escape.

Two or three of the Cameron men were due to visit Eilean Donan to see Laird MacRae in a week or so.  If Muira was still miserable- Lachlan winced, and if she still hated him when that time came- then he
’
d let her go.  Her brothers would most likely kill him once Muira had told them what he
’
d done, but Lachlan couldn
’
t seen to muster the will to care.  Perhaps he even deserved to die after what he
’
d done
”

“
I need to lift you up onto Faid,
”
Lachlan murmured apologetically.  His wife gave a distant nod and allowed herself to swept into his arms again, for however fleeting a moment.  Lachlan didn
’
t dare linger with his touch.  He made sure that Muira was safely mounted, and then he retreated, taking hold of Faidhiach
’
s bridal and urging the great horse to begin walking.

It was going to take them hours to get back to the castle at this pace having to bear the uncomfortable silence that now lay between them.  Lachlan sighed heavily and hunched his shoulders.  A look up at the sky told him that it would probably start to rain before they were halfway back.  Muira was bundled up warmly at least, but he had on only the shirt and kilt from the day before.

They had been travelling for about half an hour before Muira broke the silence.  Lachlan couldn
’
t stop his heart from leaping hopefully in his chest when his wife called his name, but just a look at her grim expression sent it sinking again.

“
What will happen when we arrive back at the castle?
”
she asked. 
Had her voice ever sounded so cold before?
  Lachlan didn
’
t imagine so.

“
Whatever you want to happen, lass,
”
he said softly.  Anything Muira wanted, if it were within his power to give, she would have.

“
I
wanted
to go home,
”
Muira hissed.  The words struck Lachlan cruelly.  He flinched under them.

“
Aye, I know,
”
he breathed. 
“
Your cousins should be here in a week or two.  I won
’
t stop you leaving with them when they go, if you still want to return to Castle Cameron,
”
he confessed, although it pained it deeply.  He thought he heard Muira gasp, but she couldn
’
t possibly have done.  It must have been the wind.

“
Well, I
’
m sure it will help you in your efforts to become Laird if I go,
”
she said waspishly. 

Lachlan cast a tired look over his shoulder.  It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he would give up the lairdship just so long as he could keep her with him as his wife, but the words froze on his lips.  She would never believe him.  Did
he
even believe himself?  Would he really give up everything for Muira?

She had given up everything for him,
a voice whispered.