Free A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) by Stephanie Sterling Page A

arms. 
     
    This was different though, Lachlan argued, he only wanted to comfort her.  She looked so heart-wrenchingly unhappily.  Steeling himself to have her shy away, he reached for Muira and pulled her into his arms.  She was so tense at first that Lachlan could have snapped her like a dry twig, but she slowly soften, crying bitterly until she was utterly spent.
     
    “ Better? ” he murmured, stroking her back in soothing circles.  She hiccupped against his damp chest, and Lachlan couldn ’ t hide a smile.  “ Now then, what was that all about? ” he asked softly.
     
    “ I- don ’ t know how to make it better, ” she croaked, her voice exhausted from crying.
     
    “ Make what better, lass? ” Lachlan asked, still keeping his voice low and soothing, so relieved that she ’ d stemmed her tears that he was loathed to do anything that might trigger another onslaught.
     

“ You know what, ” she whispered shakily. 
     
    Lachlan nodded slowly, but he was somewhat distracted.  He didn ’ t know if Muira was conscious of the fact, but she was tracing nonsensical patterns over the bare skin of his shoulder with her fingers.
     
    “ It would have been better for everyone if you ’ d never found me, ” she moaned, but she was clinging to him as if he was the only thing in the world that was offering her protection.  Lachlan hadn ’ t realised until that moment how good it felt to be needed.
     
    “ Don ’ t say that, Muira, ” he growled, tightening his arms around her body.  If he hadn ’ t found her, who might have?  It didn ’ t bear thinking about- and what if she hadn ’ t been found, she could have died …
     
    “ But, Lachlan, I ’ ve ruined your life, ” she whispered, and she sounded so achingly certain of the fact that he didn ’ t know what to say.  He wasn ’ t ready to forgive her, but he didn ’ t know if he could stand seeing her so wretchedly unhappy for very much longer.
     
    “ I wouldn ’ t say ruined , ” he said very carefully.
     
    “ What would you say? ” Muira hiccupped again.
     
    The only answer that Lachlan gave was a heavy sigh, followed by a long, awkward silence.  He wished that Muira hadn ’ t pressed, but he didn ’ t know how to respond.  It was really too soon to tell what overall effect her rash actions would have on their lives. 
     
    A corner of his Lachlan ’ s mind did realise that his life needn ’ t change dramatically.  He would still see the same faces, hold the same position in his clan, sleep with the same women if he chose- for Muira everything had altered- her name, her home, her clan.  She had chosen this route for them, but Lachlan was beginning to wonder if it wasn ’ t going to be harder for Muira to adjust.
     
    “ Lachlan? ” she murmured sadly, when the silence had drawn out for too long.
     
    “ I- ” he began, but was interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door.  “ Come in, ” he barked. 
     
    A maid walked in with a large breakfast tray.  She placed it down on a table, curtsied, blushed when she caught sight of the newly wedded couple in bed and still wrapped in each other ’ s arms, and then hurried out of the room.
     
    “ Oh dear, ” Muira mumbled, blushing herself.
     
    Lachlan just chuckled.  He moved to press a reassuring kiss on the top of his wife ’ s head, but in the end thought better of it.  He moved out of Muira ’ s embrace and rolled out of bed, reaching for his clothes with a decided lack of concern for his nakedness.  Muira had proven less skittish than he ’ d imagined.  She just needed to be a little … acclimatised, before he attempted the next step. 
     
    Lachlan kept his back to her, but it was still more than he ’ d thought she ’ d tolerate.  Oh my , he was sure that he heard Muira whimper, but when he turned to face her, (kilt firmly now in place,) she was staring fixedly at her hands.  Lachlan smiled to himself about his shy little wife, and quickly finished