A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (74 page)

“
Ewan.
”
 

Muira
’
s face fell just a fraction.  Not only was it not her husband, but also she had forgotten about the little
situation
that now existed between Lachlan and her brother.  Why her husband had gone running to Ewan, Muira was sure she couldn
’
t fathom!  Well
…
she could- she just didn
’
t want to remember all of those unpleasant things.

“
What brings you here so early?
”
she asked, as innocently as she could manage.  The look Ewan shot her told her that he wasn
’
t fooled.

“
Why don
’
t we just cut to the bit where you tell me what the hell is going on?
”
he asked bluntly. 

Muira bit her lip. 
“
Thank you, Liane, I think that will be all for now,
”
she said, dismissing her maid, who was staring at Ewan with the same vacant, doe-eyed expression that most women adopted when regarding the Cameron captain.  The fact that Ewan did not even take the time to flash the young girl one of his charming smiles did not bode well for his sister.

“
Well?
”
he growled, the second that he and Muria were alone.

“
Well wh-
”

“
Don
’
t, Muria!
”
Ewan barked. 
“
You know perfectly well
‘
what
’
.
”

“
If you
’
re here about what Lachlan said to you yesterday-
”

“
Hmm, I wonder if that could be it?
”
Ewan interrupted sarcastically.  Muira scowled at him.

“
-it
’
s been sorted out.
”

“
Sorted out?
”
Ewan echoed.  Muira couldn
’
t quite understand why he seemed so cross. 
“
Sorted out
how
?
”
he asked suspiciously.

“
Lachlan was under the impression that I wanted to leave Eilean Donan.  I simply informed him that I don
’
t,
”
Muria said airily. 
“
Really Ewan, you should get married yourself before you start trying to meddle in other people
’
s affairs.
”

Ewan made an odd sort of choking noise, and then he seemed to think it best to simply ignore the latter part of what his sister had said. 
“
You
don
’
t
want to leave Eilean Donan?  Are you
mad
?
”
he blurted.

“
No!
”
Muira snapped, and then she smiled dreamily. 
“
I
’
m in love.
”

“
Oh God,
”
Ewan groaned after a moment of silence. 
“
That
’
s
much
worse.
”

..ooOOoo..

Lachlan attended to his duties that morning with a spring in his step and a smile on his lips.  A fact that didn
’
t go unnoticed.  Morag passed him in the castle courtyard and commented upon the change in his humour.

“
Something
’
s definitely put you a good mood,
”
she simpered, although there was a tiny sullen note to the assertion, almost as though Morag was bitterly disappointed that
she
wasn
’
t the cause of Lachlan
’
s cheerfulness.

“
Aye,
”
he nodded calmly, and then couldn
’
t resist adding:
“
my wife.
”
  Just as he had expected, Morag
’
s lips became very thin and pinched, and the colour drained very quickly from her face.

“
Your wife?
”
she echoed, as though the words left a nasty aftertaste in her mouth. 
“
I thought things between you and your wife-
”

“
-have never been better,
”
Lachlan interrupted coolly. 

He was a little relieved that his sister, Bridghe, happened upon the scene at just that moment, providing an effective deterrent against Morag.  The pretty blonde muttered something about having people to meet and then flounced away, with Bridghe glaring after her.

“
Why were you talking to
her
?
”
she snapped at her brother.  Lachlan opened his mouth to defend himself, however Bridghe didn
’
t give him a chance to speak. 
“
Oh- never mind; that wasn
’
t what I wanted to talk to you about anyway.
”

“
Oh?
”
Lachlan said warily.  He wasn
’
t sure that he liked the look in his sister
’
s eyes. 
“
What did you want to talk to me about?
”

“
Muira,
”
Bridghe nodded, ignoring her brother
’
s sudden, dark frown.  He
’
d thought that Bridghe got along with his wife!  Surely she wasn
’
t about to join the rest of his family and turn against them too? 
“
I want to ask her to help with the preparations for the feast at the end of the Cameron
’
s visit.
”

“
All right
…”
Lachlan nodded slowly, thinking that he must be missing something vital. 

“
Only, it
’
s
your
idea,
”
Bridghe whispered conspiratorially.  Lachlan frowned,
certain
that he was missing something vital now.  At her brother
’
s blank look Bridghe rolled her eyes and sighed. 
“
I
’
m going to tell Muira that you asked me to ask her to help with the preparations for the feast- to, you know, help her feel more included in castle life.
”

“
And why are you going to tell her that I asked you to do that?
”
Lachlan puzzled, still not fully understanding his sister
’
s motives, although he did approve of anything that might help Muira feel as though she was a proper member of the clan.

Bridghe rolled her eyes again. 
“
Because everyone knows that the two of you have had some sort of falling out,
”
she informed him bluntly.  Lachlan winced. 
“
And while most people are secretly rubbing their hands gleefully-
”
Lachlan flinched
“
-I
’
m rather fond of your bonnie wife, and I
’
m not going to let
you
mess things up,
”
she informed him, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

“
You know I am capable of unmaking the messes I make
on my own
,
”
Lachlan muttered sullen.  Hadn
’
t he already proven that?!

“
Of course you are,
”
Bridghe said airily, giving his arm an affectionate pat before darting off- to set her plan in motion no doubt.

Lachlan watched her go with a silent shake of his head.  He wondered if Muria would actually
believe
the story that his sister planned to concoct for her benefit.  Something leant him to think possibly not
…