Free A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) by Stephanie Sterling

because he was choosing very carefully what he did want to say.
     
    “ Well, what ’ s done it done, ” he eventually murmured, which didn ’ t really tell Muira anything about how he felt!  She supposed it was her own fault for trying to probe, for trying to ease her own immense guilt.  “ We ’ ll just have to come to terms with it as best as we can, ” Lachlan added.
     
    Muira gave her head a small nod.  She fell silent for quite a long while, but eventually lifted her head.  “ Lachlan? ” she whispered hesitantly.
     
    “ Hrm? ” he murmured, to show that he was listening.
     
    “ What- what is your home like? ” she asked, shy and uncertain.  “ And what about your family? ”
     
    Lachlan propped himself up on the pillows, so that he could sit a little straighter.  The ghost of a smile crossed his lips.  “ My family? ” he chuckled.  Muira nodded her head, she didn ’ t realise it, but she was leaning towards him, looking ready to hang off his every next word.  “ Well there ’ s Ma, Eithne, Sorcha, Bridghe and me. ”   Lachlan ’ s smile widened with each name.
     
    “ Three sisters! ” Muira exclaimed.  “ I pictured you with brothers, ” she said softly, although she couldn ’ t say why.
     
    “ I had a brother once, but the English saw to him, ” Lachlan muttered.
     
    “ Oh!  I ’ m sorry! ”  
     
    “ I don ’ t really remember him, ” Lachlan shrugged matter-of-factly, but his eyes were distant.  “ He was the oldest, and well- I ’ m the baby of the family, ” he said, his grin returning.  Just seeing him smile made Muira feel so much lighter.  “ Eithne ’ s the oldest now, then Sorcha, and Bridghe, ” Lachlan chuckled when he said this last name, and Muira found herself smiling along with him.  “ There ’ s less than a year between us, Bridghe and me. ”
     
    “ She ’ s your favourite? ” Muira smiled.
     
    Lachlan laughed.  He actually laughed.  Muira felt herself beam.  “ If I was allowed to have a favourite sister she would be. ”   He winked.  “ Of course, they ’ re all long since married, ” he said, and then fell abruptly silent.
     
    The smile slid from his face and a shadow returned.  He was thinking about her now.  He was thinking about their marriage, Muira realised unhappily.  She wondered if she would ever be able to make him smile in the carefree manner that his sisters ’ could- and it instantly became a vitally important goal.  If she could just made him happy, somehow , model herself into the perfect little wife, then maybe things could be all right?  Unless of course, there was someone back at Eilean Donan who Lachlan had already had lined up for that position?  Muira felt an unexpected stab of jealousy and an even greater wave of guilt.
     
    “ Muria! ” Lachlan said, so suddenly that it made her jump.  “ No more tears, all right, lass? ” he frowned, reaching for her and wiping away the moist droplets with his thumb. 
     
    Muira sniffed shakily.  She hadn ’ t even realised that she was crying again.  “ I ’ m sorry, ” she mumbled, dashing the back of her hand across her cheeks.  “ I just- I can ’ t seem to help it, ” she said weakly, trying to force a smile.
     
    Lachlan nodded grimly.  He opened his mouth hesitantly, but finally forced out the words.  “ Is there anything I can do to help? ” he asked gently.  “ Perhaps- if we waited a few days before leaving?  We don ’ t have to go today, ” he sighed.  Muira glanced at him, and then burst into unexpected floods of tears. 
     
    Lachlan shifted uncomfortably.  Three sisters, and numerous nieces, should have hardened him against the agony of watching a woman cry, but it hadn ’ t.  He couldn ’ t stand it.  It made him feel so despicably weak.  He reached out a hand to Muira, but then hesitated, conscious of his state of undress, but also of what had happened the last time he ’ d found her in his