A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (71 page)

..ooOOoo..

Muira, it had to be said, wasn
’
t entirely sure what she was playing at either.  However, keeping Lachlan close seemed like a good place to begin her fight to keep him.  Losing him would be worse than losing a limb.  Muira really didn
’
t see how Lachlan expected her to go on without him- she also couldn
’
t
believe
that he
’
d gone to her brother! 

A part of her was terrified that Lachlan going to see Ewan meant that he was taking the first real opportunity that he
’
d had to be forever rid of a wife that he
’
d never really wanted in the first place, but a larger part of Muira was being to (tentatively) believe that this wasn
’
t quite true.  Surely no man could feign the hurt that she had seen etched across his face? 

He seemed to genuinely care for her.  He seemed to really believe that what he was doing was for her own good. 
Well
, Muira thought to herself,
she would just have to prove him wrong!

She waited anxiously for the bath to be filled with hot water from the kitchens.  It seemed to take forever, but was eventually done.  Liane excused herself when she was told that they could mange without her.  The maid was quite obviously trying to suppress a smile, which made Muira
’
s cheeks burn furiously.  She
wished
that she and Lachlan were happy and in love and about to get up to what Liane clearly supposed they were.

Of course, that was a part of Muria
’
s sketchy plan.  She was beginning to understand the power that her body had over her husband.  She could drive him to distraction with it.  His carnal lust was so great that he
’
d lose control of himself
completely
.  If she could remind him that
that
part of their relationship was as near to perfect as she imagined any married couple
’
s was then maybe he
’
d understand that he needed to keep her?

Muira was aware of the irony of this idea.  She realised miserably that it was
her own fault
that Lachlan had cause to question it at all.

“
Lachlan?
”
she whispered, throwing a leg over the side of the bed.  She
was
still feeling light-headed, but she really just wanted to give her husband cause to help her over to the bathtub.  She watched him rise uncertainly to his feet. 
“
Could you-
”
she began, but she genuinely did sway unsteadily, and her husband was by her side in a heartbeat.

“
Muira,
”
he puffed, sweeping her up into his arms, as easily as if she weighed nothing at all. 
“
I really think I should send for the castle doctor,
”
he frowned.

“
He wouldn
’
t come,
”
Muira pointed out softly.  The doctor had only grudgingly attended on her when she had been seriously ill.  He wasn
’
t going to bother himself with the Cameron usurper when she only had a slightly upset stomach.

“
I
’
d make him,
”
Lachlan growled, placing Muira down gently by the tub. 

He would as well,
Muira smiled sadly as she realised this truth.  Lachlan had done so much for her already.  Weighed against his one offence would it really be so wrong to forgive him?

“
Muira, I really don
’
t think-
”
Lachlan began hoarsely.  However, Muira was already slipping out of the nightdress that she had donned earlier, and this action evidently proved enough of a distraction to still her husband
’
s tongue. 

She let the nightdress fall to the ground around her feet in a puddle of pale fabric, leaving her body completely naked and exposed, before casting a coy glance over her shoulder at Lachlan.  He seemed to be intent not to catch her gaze in return; instead he was stared doggedly at the fire.  His jaw looked set and there was a muscle twitching in his cheek.

“
Lachlan?
”
Muira whispered hesitantly.  She didn
’
t want to make him even angrier, even
more
determined to send her back to Castle Cameron, than he already was. 
“
You don
’
t have-
”
she began to sigh, but a second wave of dizziness washed over her and she stumbled again.

Lachlan
’
s around caught Muira around the waist instantly.  His large hands slid over her bare skin, sending sparks of heat sizzling through his wife
’
s body.  Muira
’
s breath caught in her throat, and she was certain that she heard Lachlan give a low, almost inaudible groan.

“
I
’
m getting the doctor,
”
he grunted, but he didn
’
t actually make a move to release her.

“
In the morning,
”
Muira compromised, stepping forwards and dipping one toe into the water.  She gave a little shiver of delight and then sank her whole foot into the tub, closely followed by her other leg.  Lachlan loosened his grip, so that Muira was able to sit down, but he didn
’
t release her entirely until she was half submerged in the bath.

“
Do you need anything else?
”
Lachlan rasped, moving to pull back.

“
Could you help me wash my back?
”
Muira asked quickly, holding her breath as she waiting for her husband
’
s answer.  He sighed her name, but she could hear him reaching for the soap.

“
This is such a bad idea,
”
he murmured weakly.

“
Why?
”
she breathed, leaning forward and offering him her back.  She gave a little gasp of delight when Lachlan
’
s soapy hands touched her skin without the medium of wet flannel.

“
You know why,
”
he whispered, massaging her shoulders, making Muira whimper in pleasure and arch into his hands. 
“
Because I
’
ll end up wanting you so badly that I won
’
t even be able to think straight, and I know I can
’
t have you,
”
he confessed raggedly.  

“
Why can
’
t you have me, Lachlan?
”
Muira asked softly.  She twisted in the bathtub so that she could look her husband in the eye.  He swallowed thickly.

“
Muira, you said-
”

“
And you said I was whore!
”
Muira exclaimed desperately.  Lachlan winced as through she
’
d just struck him. 
“
And did you really mean that?
”
she whimpered.

“
No!
”
he barked. 
“
Of course I didn
’
t!
”
he swore forcefully.

“
Well then-
”

“
Muira,
”
Lachlan groaned, cupping her face in his wet, soapy hands. 
“
Please don
’
t test me,
”
he begged. 
“
Or I won
’
t be strong enough to let you go.
”

“
I don
’
t want to go,
”
she croaked, a few tears trickling down her cheeks.  She saw Lachlan waver.

“
It
’
s for the best.
”

“
For
who
?
”
Muira demanded tearfully. 
“
Who is it best for?
”
she choked. 
“
I want to stay here!  I want to be your wife.  I want to have your children,
”
she confessed breathless.

Oh Lord, she sounded so sincere, and every word hacked a way a little at Lachlan
’
s fragile resolve.  He wanted her to stay.  He wanted her as his wife for the rest of his life.  He wanted her lushly pregnant with their children
…
but those were all selfish desires that he feared had slipped forever beyond his grasp.