A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (99 page)

“
Indeed,
”
Muira nodded, and then she did something Lachlan certainly hadn
’
t been expecting.  She slipped her arm possessively around his waist, and then shot a superior smile in Morag
’
s direction, before gazing back up at her husband
’
s face. 
“
So you
’
d best come inside, don
’
t you think, darling?
”

“
Apparently so,
”
Lachlan said slowly.  He draped an arm around Muira
’
s shoulders, no wanting to spoil her little display and land himself in worse trouble- he didn
’
t doubt, whatever her reaction might be at present- that he was in trouble. 

His wife gave a satisfied nod. 
“
Come along then,
”
Muira said brightly, exerting a little pressure on his arm. 
“
Excuse us, Morag,
”
she said smugly. 
“
But my
husband
and I are needed inside.
”

Morag was too shocked by Muira
’
s nerve to stammer a word, she just gaped, open mouthed and seething, at the couple as they walked back to the castle arm in arm.

“
I
’
m sorry about that,
”
Lachlan murmured, a little unnerved by Muira
’
s silence now that they were alone.

“
About what?
”
she asked airily.

“
Muira,
”
Lachlan growled in warning.  And then he sighed heavily. 
“
I just came out here to escape for a few minutes, only she happened to be out here as well.
”

“
Mmm, I know,
”
Muira said, a little stiffly. 
“
I watched her follow you out to the courtyard.
”

Lachlan choked. 
“
What?
”

“
Oh come now, Laird MacRae, surely even you can see what she
’
s after?
”
Muira said, cocking an unimpressed eyebrow at her husband.

Lachlan snorted indignantly. 
“
I
’
m sure I don
’
t know what you mean,
”
he then said calmly. 
“
I only have eyes for one woman after all,
”
he purred, bending slightly so that he could whisper the words into her ear. 

Muira gave a little squeal when she felt his hand slide from her waist to her bottom, causing a couple of old gentlemen to look at the young couple scandalously. 
“
Lachlan!
”
she hissed breathlessly, but there was an amused flush in her cheeks now, and all of her irritation seemed to have melted away.

“
Where
’
s Ross then?
”
Lachlan groaned, looking around the hall for his newly appointed Tanist.  People certainly didn
’
t seem to be gathered as if waiting for a new round of speeches to begin
…

“
Ah, yes, well-
”
Muira stuttered, the colour in her cheeks darkened.

One corner of Lachlan
’
s mouth rose in a half smile.  He raised a curious eyebrow. 
“
Yes?
”
he prompted, when Muira seemed disinclined to continue.

“
I may,
possibly
, have been mistaken about that,
”
she muttered.

“
About what?
”
Lachlan grinned, but he had worked it out by now. 
“
You wouldn
’
t have lied to your Laird now would you?
”
he chuckled.  Muira blinked up at him sweetly.

“
Why?  What
’
s the punishment for lying to one
’
s Laird?
”
she cooed.

..ooOOoo..

The trial of Tavish MacEantach took place the following morning.  He was, of course, found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.  The sentence was to take place two days after the trial, to give Tavish the time to prepare for his fate, to send for a Cameron priest if he chose, and to give the MacRae
’
s time to erect the gallows. 

It was not, Lachlan reflected grimly afterwards, the best way that he could have started his Lairdship.

“
He knew, everyone knew,
”
Ewan was saying, as he sat with his sister, drinking tea after being invited to sit with her.  She
’
d said that she wanted to spend as much time with her brother as she could before he returned to Castle Cameron.  Ewan suspected that she just wanted the gossip. 
“
Before they even led him everyone knew.
”

“
What do you mean?  That it wasn
’
t a fair trial?
”
Muira frowned.  She couldn
’
t believe that Lachlan would be guilty of such a crime, not matter what the circumstances.

“
No, I don
’
t mean that, carrot,
”
Ewan shrugged, and helped himself to a biscuit. 
“
It was hardly an impartial court that Tavish had to face, but even Donaid and I accept that he
’
s guilty.
”
  Muira watched her brother
’
s face darken.  His skin was still mottled with bruises. 
“
Stupid bastard,
”
he spat, helping himself to a second biscuit, and not minding his language at all in front of his sister.

“
And how- how was he?
”
Muira asked, she had a most morbid curiosity about the whole affair.  She couldn
’
t help feeling a little responsible in some ways, and she couldn
’
t quite forget that she had once had feelings for the condemned man- that was why she was questioning Ewan and not Lachlan.

Her brother finished his current mouthful of food thoughtfully. 
“
He
’
s-
”
Ewan paused and washed down the crumbs with a great gulp of tea. 
“
It
’
s almost like he
’
s already dead somehow,
”
he said gravely. 
“
It
’
s like- his body
’
s there, but his mind
’
s not with us anymore.
”
  Ewan shrugged his board shoulders. 
“
I
’
m not saying he doesn
’
t deserve it.  It
’
s just hard to watch.
”

Muira nodded her head quickly and leant forwards a little in her seat. 
“
I- I know I shouldn
’
t do, but I- I feel a little sorry for him
”
she confessed nervously. 
“
Is that wrong?
”
she blurted.  Ewan
’
s hand had stopped midway to the plate of biscuits.

“
Of course not.
”
  He gave her knee a brotherly pat. 
“
It just means you
’
re human,
”
he paused. 
“
Although, I don
’
t know that you want to go telling Lachlan that you still have feelings for your old fianc
é
- who attacked you, killed the man
’
s surrogate father, along with two dozen other members of his clan
…”

“
I don
’
t have feelings for him!
”
Muria wailed, and then glared. 
“
Oh for goodness sake, just take the plate, Ewan,
”
she snapped, tired of vying for her brother
’
s attention with a pile of shortbread. 

Ewan gave an embarrassed little cough and settled back in his chair. 
“
You do- maybe not
those
kinds of feelings,
”
he qualified quickly, seeing the look on his sisters face. 
“
But Tavish was an integral part of your life for a number of years.  You might very well hate him- but that won
’
t make things any easier.
”