A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (93 page)

“
Muira-
”
Ewan growled, and then his whole expression seemed to changed.  He sat down on the edge of her bed, and almost seemed to crumple. 
“
Did you think that we wouldn
’
t help you?  Is that it?  You thought we wouldn
’
t believe you?
”
he asked raggedly.

“
Oh Ewan,
”
Muira sighed softly.  She sat down beside her brother and laid her hand on his arm. 
“
It wasn
’
t that,
”
she murmured quietly. 
“
I was- I was afraid of bring shame on the family.
”
  Her brother started violently, but Muira quickly continued speaking. 
“
And then there was Lachlan, and you all though
…
well, and it was easier to let you believe that I suppose,
”
she muttered. 
“
The MacEantachs were so powerful within the clan and-
”

“
And the fact that MacRae was innocent of everything we accused him?
”
Ewan interrupted with a wry grin. 
“
He went along with it all because-
”

“
He
’
s a good man,
”
Muira said softly.

“
He
’
d have to be!
”
Ewan snorted. 

“
Cousin, he might have been worse than Tavish, you do realise the risk you took in gambling on his good nature and forgiveness?
”
Donaid asked quietly.

“
I know, Donaid,
”
Muira whispered, but really only because she knew that it was what they expected to hear. 

It seemed such a long time ago since she had been worried
…
nervous
…
afraid
…
of marrying Lachlan.  She tried to cast her mind back to their first moments alone together as husband and wife, but it seemed like a whole lifetime ago.

“
Well, I suppose things worked out all right for you in the end,
”
Donaid murmured thoughtfully.

“
Then did,
”
Muira nodded fervently. 
“
And Donaid,
”
she began hesitantly,
“
this doesn
’
t need to go any further does it?
”
 

Her cousin frowned. 
“
You don
’
t think that would do any good?
”

“
I think it would just stir up bad feelings,
”
she murmured. 
“
Just let it lie, Donaid?  Ewan?
”
she looked imploringly between her two kinsmen.  They looked reluctant, but seemed to feel that, given this was the only thing they could do for Muira now, they had better follow her wishes.

“
If that
’
s want you want,
”
Ewan grunted. 

Muira smiled at him and nodded. 
“
It is.  I-
”
she began, but was interrupted when the chamber door opened and Lachlan walked in.  He stopped, on finding that his private rooms had been invaded by Camerons, and cast an enquiry glance at his wife.  She smiled weakly but didn
’
t actually say anything.

“
Come to see what we
’
ve decided to do with you, Ewan?
”
Lachlan asked cryptically.  He stole a piece of toast off his wife
’
s breakfast tray and then ambled into his study in search of something.

“
What did he mean by that?  Ewan?
”
Muria hissed, she
’
d gone a little pale, but was surprised to that her brother
’
s face was flushed red with anger.

“
There
’
s been talk of him- um-
”
Donaid cleared his throat delicately,
“
-having to marry the girl he took a tumble with.
”

“
It
’
s not like she was some pristine little virgin!
”
Ewan snarled.

“
That
is not the point,
”
Lachlan said amiably, returning with a book in his hand.  He flicked through it, looking for something. 
“
I pity
your
maid,
”
he murmured absently. 

Muira was not surprised by the amused smirk curving her husband
’
s lips, but she
was
surprised but the dark flush that tinged her brother
’
s cheeks.

“
I
’
ve never touched C- my maid,
”
he grumbled sulkily.

“
A fact for which I
’
m sure she
’
s most grateful,
”
Lachlan said charmingly. 

Ewan looked ready to pummel his brother-in-law, despite the enlightening new truths he
’
d recently learnt about the other man.  Muira quickly spoke before things could get physical.

“
Lachlan, you
’
re not really going to make Ewan marry Liane, are you?
”
she asked hesitantly. 

She liked Liane, and she felt bad that Ewan had taken advantage of her (although she wasn
’
t certain that Liane had put up much resistance to her brother
’
s charms), but she wasn
’
t sure that she was comfortable with having a maid as her sister-in-law.   Her husband glanced over at her.  He looked a little annoyed that his fun had been spoilt.

“
No, you
’
re safe for now, Ewan,
”
Lachlan confessed. 
“
Ross, one of my Captains, knows a farmer, who was widowed a year or two ago, with a house full of children.  He
’
s taken Liane out to meet him to see if they suit.
”

“
And if they don
’
t suit?
”
Muira frowned.

“
They will,
”
Lachlan replied bluntly. 
“
I
’
m going to back and sit with the Laird,
”
he sighed, suddenly grave and weary again.

“
Oh- I
’
ll walk down with you,
”
Muira said quickly, hurrying over to her husband
’
s side. 
“
I wanted to go back down to the great hall and see what I could do to help.  Ewan, Donaid-
”
Muira snapped her fingers in their direction. 
“
I
’
m sure there must be something you two can do to help?
”

“
Keep out of the way?
”
Ewan muttered, for which Donaid punched his arm, hard.

“
We
’
ll help in anyway you think we can, cousin,
”
the tanist said calmly.

“
Come along then, I
’
m sure there must be something,
”
Muira commanded, taking her husband
’
s arm, and trying not to notice that he was biting his lip to keep from laughing.

“
What?
”
she frowned up at him, but he refused to say. 

They walked in silence for a little way, Ewan and Donaid trailing politely in their wake, before Muira mustered the courage to ask how Graem was fairing.

“
Much the same,
”
Lachlan sighed. 
“
He wanted me to get this book to read to him,
”
he smiled said, indicating to the heavy tome that he held under his arm. 
“
He doesn
’
t seem to be getting any worse, he just- he doesn
’
t seem to be getting any better.
”