A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (77 page)

“
I thought you had to be with the Laird, when he speaks with Donaid?
”
Muira frowned.

Lachlan hesitated. 
“
Well I do,
”
he confessed,
“
but-
”

“
But go then,
”
Muira said softly, giving him a gentle nudge in the direction of the door, touched by how reluctant he was to leave. 
“
I don
’
t want you to get into trouble on my account.
”

“
There
’
s no one I
’
d rather get into trouble for, lass,
”
Lachlan murmured, kissing Muria
’
s cheek.  She smiled up at him, glowing at his tender concern. 
“
You will send someone to come and find me as soon as the doctor
’
s been to see you?
”
he pressed, finally moving to leave the room.

“
I will,
”
Muira promised, seeing him out of the door.

..ooOOoo..

He wished that he didn
’
t have to leave her
…
Lachlan didn
’
t have a clue what might be the matter with Muira, but he was worried to death.  He made his way the Laird
’
s chambers completely automatically, not even hearing the various people who called greetings in the hall.  He just wanted to get things over with so that he could get back to his wife.

The Camerons were waiting outside Graem
’
s rooms when Lachlan arrived.  Donaid smiled politely, Tavish smirked, and Ewan- Ewan- Lachlan wasn
’
t entirely sure how he
’
d class the look that his brother-in-law shot in his direction.  It seemed to be a strange mixture of weary annoyance and reluctant amusement.

“
I saw Muira this morning,
”
Ewan murmured quietly, once Lachlan was standing by his side and all four men waiting to be admitted by the Laird. 

Lachlan cocked an eyebrow in surprise
…
Muira might have said something!
  Although in fairness there hadn
’
t been very much time to talk
…

“
I
’
m to understand that you want to keep her now then, I take it?
”
Ewan asked, and in a surprisingly amiable tone.

“
Well, I wouldn
’
t put it quite in those words,
”
Lachlan replied, keeping his voice low, so that Donaid and Tavish couldn
’
t hear what he was saying. 
“
However, I-
”

“
Laird MacRae is ready to see you now.
”

Lachlan was interrupted when the doors to Graem
’
s chambers swung open and they were admitted inside.  The young man holding the door open cast the tanist a disapproving look.

“
We were expecting you earlier,
”
he frowned. 

Lachlan chose not to reply.  He brought up the rear, following the other man into the familiar rooms, where they had been just the previous day.

“
Ah, gentleman,
”
Graem greeted them affably.  He was still sat in his usual fireside chair, although Lachlan noticed that the Laird was dressed more smartly, shaved more closely than was typical, out of respect for his guests no doubt. 
“
I
’
m glad you could join me again this afternoon.
”

The Camerons made polite murmurs and then sat in the seat that they were offered by their host.  Graem shot Lachlan a meaningful glance and his tanist nodded in understanding.  He tried to drag his mind away from Muira as he went to collect the papers that he and the Laird had finished drawing up just a few days beforehand.

However, Lachlan barely listened, as Graem laid out his plans and made his offer, handing the Cameron tanist an olive branch of MacRae land; Lachlan simply couldn
’
t keep his mind from wandering back to his wife.  He wondered if the doctor had arrived back at the castle yet- and if so, he wondered if he was already diagnosing Muira.

“
By returning this land, you realise that you
’
re acknowledging that it was originally taken from the Camerons unlawfully?
”
Ewan said slowly. 

Graem just smiled calmly. 
“
I
’
m acknowledging nothing of the sort, my young Cameron lord,
”
he replied evenly. 
“
The land is made simply as an offer of goodwill.
”

Lachlan saw Tavish glance at him out of the corner of his eye, and it sounded suspiciously like he muttered:
simply made to avoid a war over the Laird
’
s niece you mean.

“
The land is question is hardly fertile though, Laird MacRae,
”
Donaid pointed out, almost apologetically. 
“
It
’
s all craggy outcrops and dangerous marshes- hardly of use to anyone.
”

“
Ah, my tanist warned me that you would say as much,
”
Graem said sadly, calculatedly disappointedly, casting a look in Lachlan
’
s direction.  Lachlan watched, as this move had the desired affect on two of the three Cameron men present. 
“
But I told him that hoped you would see that, by giving up these formidable natural defences, you would come to understand that the offer of peace that I make on behalf of my people is genuine.
”

Donaid and Ewan made thoughtful murmurs.  Lachlan smiled to himself, and hoped that he would be as wise a Laird, when the time came-
if the time came-
he was forced to amend.

“
My father will, of course, have to make the ultimate decision, Laird MacRae,
”
Donaid said slowly, and after that Lachlan tuned out again, his thoughts hurried back to Muira and whether or not she was all right.  He was itching to leave the meeting and return to her, but he knew that that wasn
’
t an option.

Even when Graem had dismissed the Camerons, (who were still promising to think over what had been said) Lachlan was asked to remain for a few more minutes, talking over what had happened, and whether he thought that they would accept the offer.  Lachlan tried his very hardest to reply to each of the old man
’
s question with polite interest, but his impatience must have shown, for the Laird asked him what was the matter.

Lachlan opened his mouth to say nothing, but Graem was like a father to him, so instead he blurted the truth: 
“
Muira.
”

“
Your wife?
”
Graem frowned. 
“
What
’
s amiss with the bonnie lass?
”

“
I don
’
t know, sir,
”
Lachlan confessed anxiously. 
“
I
’
ve asked the doctor to call on her.
”
 

The Laird nodded his head gravely. 
“
Well, get yourself back to her then,
”
he commanded.

Lachlan opened his mouth again, at first to tell the Laird that there was no need, that he knew his duties lay here, but in the end he couldn
’
t do it. 

“
Thank you, sir,
”
he murmured, bowing and then walking quickly from the room.

Lachlan hurried through the castle corridors.  He had to force himself not to break into an actual run.  It was the not knowing that was driving him to distraction, or at least that
’
s what he told himself
…
he didn
’
t even want to imagine how if might react if he and Muira were given bad news
…
When he finally rounded the corner, which turned into the hall where his chamber was, Lachlan almost smacked straight into the doctor.

“
You
’
ve already seen her?
”
he blurted without preamble.

“
Aye, I
’
ve already seen her,
”
the doctor snapped.  He looked disgruntled, although he always looked disgruntled
…

“
And?
”
Lachlan pressed desperately.