A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (95 page)

It was heaven, as they moved together, finding their own, unique rhythm, the one that pleased them both.  It tightened the corresponding bands of pleasure that wound tighter and tighter inside their bodies, until neither had a choice other than to break.

..ooOOOo..

At first Lachlan didn
’
t know what had woken him, and then he heard it- an insistent tapping on the door.  His heart clenched painfully in his chest.  If someone wanted him at this hour of the night then it could only mean one thing.  He hurried out of bed and fumed in the dark for his kilt, quickly fastening it around his waist as he stumbled towards the door before wrenching it open.  Captain Ross was standing on the other side.  His face was grave, skin pale.

“
Is he-
”
Lachlan somehow managed to force the words out, but the captain interrupted before he was finished.

“
We think it
’
s going to be soon.  He
’
s asking for you.
”

Lachlan nodded dumbly.  He wasted a second, grabbing a shirt and pulling on his boots, relieved that his wife too sound asleep to stir.  He didn
’
t want her to see him like this.  His hands trembled.  He didn
’
t want
anyone
to see him like this.

“
Sir?
”
Ross prompted.

“
I
’
m coming,
”
Lachlan said gruffly, walking swiftly after Ross.  He tried to prepare himself for what was coming, as they hurried through the dark castle corridors, but it seemed somehow impossible to properly brace oneself for the death of a friend- for the death of a man who was more than a friend.

Bridghe and Sorcha were both already there when Lachlan arrived at Graem
’
s chambers.  They looked tired and tearful, and both clung to their brother for an impromptu hug before Lachlan realised that his mother was also there.  She looked at her son, but the hard set of her face didn
’
t falter.

“
He
’
s been waiting for you,
”
she said stiffly, nodding towards the doors of the Laird
’
s bedroom. 
“
Go to him.
”

He went, hardly knowing how he put one foot in front of the other.  The room on the other side of the doors was dark, there was only a dim candle or two lit, so it took Lachlan
’
s eyes a moment to adjust.  The doctor was stationed in the corner, with the grave look of a man who had done everything that he could, while Graem lay still in the centre of the bed, just a ghost of the strong, vibrant man Lachlan remembered from his childhood.

“
Sir?
”
he croaked, cleared his throat and repeated the address.

Graem eyes opened slowly, the shadow of a smile touched his lips. 
“
Lachlan.  I hoped that you would come in time.
”
  The tanist swallowed hard and sat down in the chair beside the Laird
’
s bed. 
“
I am sorry to put you all through this,
”
Graem sighed weakly. 
“
But it will not last much longer.
”
 

Lachlan opened his mouth, but he had no idea what he was going to say.  However, the Laird continued to speak.

“
I am not afraid to die you know.  I shall see Maisie again after all.
”
  Graem paused and smiled sadly. 
“
And you must not be afraid to let me go, Lachlan.  I know what you
’
re facing, but you
’
re not facing it alone.  You have your wife, and your family, and the wee bairn that
’
s on the way.
”
  He paused again to catch his breath. 
“
If Maisie and I had ever been blessed with a child, we always said that we could have done no better than to have a wee lad just like you.
”

Lachlan blinked hard. 
“
Thank you, sir,
”
he croaked. 
“
I- I should have been honoured to have you as a father, in- in many ways that how I
’
ve always thought of you,
”
he confessed hoarsely, which brought a smile to the old man
’
s tired face.

“
Thank you for that, Lachlan,
”
he wheezed, reaching for the young man
’
s hand. 
“
The clan will look to you, but you
’
ll lead them well.  I have nothing left to worry about,
”
Graem sighed, his voice fading with every word.

“
I will do the best I can by them,
”
Lachlan vowed. 
“
I will lead them just as you taught me.
”

“
Good lad,
”
Graem sighed. 
“
You do what you think best.  You
…
always had
…
impeccable judgement.
”

“
Well, I don
’
t know about that,
”
Lachlan tried to smile.

“
It
’
s very dark in here,
”
Graem said suddenly. 
“
Have the candles all burnt out?
”

Lachlan looked over at the doctor.  The room was dimly lit, but it wasn
’
t any darker than when he
’
d arrived.  His stomach clenched in dread. 
“
Aye,
”
he said carefully. 
“
It
’
ll be light soon,
”
he whispered, holding the old man
’
s hand a fraction tighter, as if he could keep in him the realm of the living just a little longer by doing so.

“
Yes, I think you
’
re right,
”
Graem mumbled, sinking further into his pillows.  He lay still for a moment, but then spoke again. 
“
Is that the dawn coming, Lachlan?
”

Lachlan clenched his eyes shut and steeled himself before trying to speak. 
“
Aye, Graem, in a way,
”
he whispered. 

And then he sat there as the old Laird slipped away, a comforting presence by his side, which was really all that he could be or do.  It was peaceful.  Lachlan said a prayer of thanks for that at least.  He watched Graem
’
s eyelids close for the last time, saw the finally fall of chest, and felt the life ebb from him limbs.

The doctor shifted in the corner, but Lachlan didn
’
t move, not until the other man murmured:
“
It
’
s over.
”

“
I know,
”
Lachlan muttered, nonplus, but it took another few moments for him to be able to move.  He had to go and tell everyone, Lachlan realised.  They
’
d all no the second he walked out of the doors he guessed, but he was still going to have to frame the right words, or maybe not?  Maybe there weren
’
t any words?

Lachlan got to his feet, feeling a whole lifetime older than when he
’
d sat down.  He
’
d seen men die before, but never- never like this...  He took a deep breath of the close air and then walked numbly towards the door.  When he opened it, he heard the collective gasp that rippled through the next room.

His sisters were there, and his mother, Ross had stayed and, Lachlan
’
s lips twitched in small sad smile, Muira had found her way down.  They were all looking at him expectantly, the same hopeless expression on each of their faces.

“
He
’
s gone,
”
Lachlan said, inadequately in his mind. 

Bridghe immediately began to sob.  Sorcha wrapped her arms around her little sister and held her tight, while Eithne drew a sharp breath and turned away to face the window.  Ross bowed his head respectfully.  Muria hesitated for a second, but then hurried to Lachlan
’
s side to embrace him, while his mother
…
his mother just stood and said calmly:

“
And you
’
re Laird.
”

Lachlan didn
’
t dignify his mother
’
s comment with a response.  He did shoot a stern glare in her direction however, which brought the colour to her cheeks and made her fall otherwise solemnly silent.