A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (34 page)

“
Yes, sir,
”
she replied carefully.  At the Laird
’
s deeply questioning gaze she added:
“
that is, they want no harm to come from it.
”

“
Well, that is a comfort.  Yes- yes, it eases my mind considerably,
”
he sighed, sinking a little further back into his chair.

Lachlan leant a little forward in contrast, casting a worried gaze over his Laird and mentor.  Graem was looking weaker than Lachlan had seen him in a long while, and with winter coming on
…
the younger man
’
s face fell into a very anxious frown.

“
There is one other issue I need to raise though,
”
the old Laird coughed.

“
Only the one, sir?
”
Lachlan asked. 

Graem smiled. 
“
Lachlan, I only need to delve into those affairs of yours that I fear might have some negative impact on the clan,
”
he said.  He looked as though he was still deeply curious to know what had induced his tanist to marry the Cameron laird
’
s niece, although his smirking smile seem to hint at the answer that he had privately settled on.  

Regardless, Lachlan could hardly dare to believe their luck.  Graem
wasn
’
t
going to press them for a full explanation?  Of course, there was still his mother to deal with, but-
“
But you said that there was something else, sir?
”
Lachlan frowned mildly.

“
Aye lad.
”
  Graem
’
s own frowned returned to its darkest appearance to date. 

Lachlan was so anxiously nervous to hear what would be said next that he very nearly jumped when Muira
’
s small hand reached for his own.  He gave it a little squeeze and shot his wife a reassuring smile.

“
Without meaning any disrespect to your young wife, Lachlan,
”
Graem sighed again heavily. 
“
I fear that many members of our clan will still see Mistress Muira as a Cameron.  You know how eager I am to lay aside the old clan differences, Lachlan?
”
he pressed, to which Lachlan nodded slowly. 
“
But you also know that the steps I have been trying to take have not been well received.
”

Lachlan nodded again.  He knew it all too well.  Hadn
’
t
he
gone to Castle Cameron thinking that all Graem
’
s talk of peace was nothing more than lunacy?  And yet here he was, only days later, with a Cameron wife
…
  He glanced at Muira out of the corner of his eye.  It was strange, already he didn
’
t think of her in those derogatory terms.

“
What- what does than mean though, sir?
”
Muira asked, her voice quiet and deeply worried.  Graem indulged her with an old man
’
s smile.

“
It means that I am concerned for your husband
’
s position of tanist, Mistress Muira.
”

Lachlan stiffened instantly.  Muira let out a little gasp has his hand, which was still holding hers, clenched painfully tight around her fingers.  He had known that it would be this way of course
…
he had feared for his position in the clan at least
…
but he hadn
’
t been prepared to have it so instantly and so bluntly spelled out.

“
And what exactly, sir, do you mean by this?
”
Lachlan asked grimly.

“
I mean only to point out the facts at this precise moment in time, Lachlan,
”
the Laird assured the tanist with a calming wave of his hand. 
“
I mean to take no action until things are more settled.
”

“
But you do mean to take some form of action, sir?
”
Lachlan pressed, his frown darkening by the second. 

He had worked all his life to protect the interests of the clan, as well as he was able.  He had fought, he had sacrificed, he had done all that was asked of him, and now everything that he had striven towards was in danger of being taken away!

“
I hope not to, Lachlan,
”
Graem sighed deeply. 
“
I love you as if you were my own son.  But you know as well as I do that the laird must have the respect of the clan to be able to govern.
”

“
Aye,
”
Lachlan agreed.  He shook his head and dragged a hand roughly through his hair. 
“
As ever, what you say is only the truth, but-
”

“
It is hard to hear?  I know,
”
Graem looked kindly at both Lachlan and Muira. 
“
I am sorry your welcome here could not have been warmer, Mistress Muira, but we shall wait and see, and given time who knows what may happen?
”
he coughed again, this time more fiercely. 

Lachlan got quickly to his feet and found his Laird some water. 
“
Forgive us, sir, we are agitating your condition,
”
he said humbly, but Graem waved his concern aside.

“
I
’
m stronger than I look,
”
he chuckled dryly, 
“
But take your lady off to supper, and leave me to worry about matters for tonight.
”

..ooOOoo..

“
Lachlan, I
’
m so sorry!
”
Muira blurted, the second that they stepped out of the Laird
’
s dark chambers and into the corridor.  If her husband loss his chance of being Laird all because of her she didn
’
t think that she would ever forgive herself!

“
As you said earlier, you didn
’
t know that I was the tanist,
”
Lachlan said coolly.

Muira bit her lip nervously. 
“
Are you very angry?
”
she squeaked.  It was a ridiculous question, but she couldn
’
t stop it from bubbling out. 

“
Furious,
”
Lachlan barked.

Muira blanched. 
“
With me?
”
she asked in a tiny little voice.

“
No,
”
Lachlan snarled, which was hardly an encouraging reply for his wife.

“
Lachlan, I
’
m sorry,
”
she whispered shakily. 
“
Truly I am.  If you want me to go-
”

“
Go?
”
Lachlan turned his head, finally looking at Muira.  He seemed to hesitate when he saw her upset face. 
“
No one
’
s going anywhere,
”
he told her firmly. 
“
People may not take it as badly as Graem supposes,
”
he added, but Muira could tell that he didn
’
t really believe what he was saying.

“
Well, at least your laird didn
’
t ask to know exactly why we had to get married?
”
she said softly, trying to find something positive in everything that had happened.

“
Didn
’
t he?
”
a cold voice interjected, making Muira jump.  Lachlan
’
s mother stepped out of a side corridor that the couple had just been passing. 
“
How curious.  I think you were going to fill me in on that little detail though, weren
’
t you my dear?
”
she said, smiling icily at Muria.

“
Mother,
”
Lachlan nodded swiftly, saving his wife from having to give an immediate answer to her mother-in-law
’
s question. 
“
Muira and I were just going to supper, would you care to join us?
”

Muira fairly
prayed
that Mrs MacRae had already eaten, or that she had a prior engagement, or just about
anything
to keep her from joining them.  However, Mrs MacRae
’
s icy smile widened on her pinched, pale lips and she inclined her head.