A Beautiful Lie (The Camaraes) (104 page)

“
If he doesn
’
t arrive soon, I don
’
t know what I
’
ll do,
”
Muira almost cried.

Or she
, Lachlan was tempted to say, as he strolled over to the bed where his wife was lying, but Muira had some how convinced herself that she was having a son and wouldn
’
t hear a word to the contrary.  Even the midwife agreed with her, saying something about the way Muira was carrying the baby, and Bridghe had promised her sister-in-law that her craving for sour food must mean that she was having a boy. 

Lachlan smiled politely through it all, and still privately considered it in the hands of the gods.

“
Any day now the midwife said,
”
Lachlan said soothingly.  He didn
’
t imagine that Muira had forgotten this fact.  He was just keen to do anything that might ease her discomfort. 
“
Poor lass,
”
he murmured, sitting down on the bed beside her and kissing her cheek. 
“
Can I get you anything?
”

Muira shook her head miserably, expecting her husband to get back up and leave her; she knew that she wasn
’
t exactly a lot of use to him in her current state.  It wasn
’
t even as though she could manage a civil conversation without snapping him.  So she was surprised, but pleased, when he settled down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side.

When Muira twisted a little to look up into Lachlan
’
s face, she couldn
’
t mistake the look of love and devotion that was shining in his eyes.  There was something else too.  Pride, she thought?  He had adored showing her off earlier in her pregnancy, before she had begun to show too much to be admitted in public circles.  It should have irritated her, but it hadn
’
t, his fierce protective possession was one of the reasons that she loved him so well.

..ooOOoo..

It looked like rain.  Lachlan gave his favourite horse a gentle kick and urged him on a little faster as they made their way back to Eilean Donan.  He
’
d had some important business with a few of the men who lived out in some of the more distance farms, and consequently had been away from the castle since early morning.  It was now approaching evening and Lachlan was eager to get back to his wife.  He hadn
’
t liked leaving her for so long, but his business couldn
’
t be delayed and Muira had urged him to go.  He smiled at the memory of his wife, promising him not to let anything happen while he was away
…
 

“
Laird MacRae!  Laird MacRae!
”

Lachlan pulled his great steed to a sudden, jarring stop at the sound of a boy
’
s voice yelling to him.  He was just about within sight of the castle now, and one of Eithne
’
s older sons had apparently been waiting to ambush him.

“
Uncle!
”
The boy continued, rushing closer.

“
What is it Davie?
”
Lachlan demanded, starting worriedly at the child.  But if something were really wrong surely his captains wouldn
’
t have sent a child
…

“
It
’
s Aunt Muira!
”
Davie panted, doubled over and holding a stitch in his side. 
“
Mama says my cousin
’
s coming, and Aunt Bridghe told me to stay out here so that I could tell you as soon as you were in sight!
”

Lachlan blinked.  Once.  Twice.  And then the boy
’
s words fell into place, without actually saying a word the Laird leant over in his saddle, scooping the child up into his arms before kicking Fiadhaich on.  Hard.  The horse surged forwards in a bolt of muscle and power, galloping back to the castle as if the very fires of hell were chasing behind him.

His child was on the way.  Maybe already in the world.  And he was missing it.  And Muira, what of her?  Lachlan
’
s stomach clenched fearfully.  So many women dying in childbirth
…
  He
’
d forced that thought from his mind over the last few months, but it returned with a vengeance now.

“
Uncle Lachlan?
”
Davie choked, clutching at his uncle as he struggled to keep his seat. 
“
Can we slow down, Uncle?
”
the boy begged nervously, but his plea fell on deaf ears.  Lachlan knew one thing only - that he had to reach Muira without wasting another second.

He jumped, still holding Davie, from Fiadhaich
’
s saddle before the horse had even stopped moving, setting his nephew on unsteady feet.  Lachlan paused for just a moment to pat the young boy affectionately on the head, but then he
ran
inside the castle, spiriting towards the Laird
’
s chambers where he and his wife now lived.

He almost barrelled into Ross, but didn
’
t stop running. 
“
Lachlan!  Your wife-
”

“
I know!
”
he yelled over his shoulder, rounding a corner and crashing into one of his sisters.  Given the frantic state of his mind, it took Lachlan a moment to work out which one.

“
Well really!
”
  Sorcha stammered, steadying herself as her brother grabbed her and stopped her from falling. 
“
What
’
s got you in such a state?
”

Lachlan stared at her as though there was some, greatly warranted, doubt as to her level of sanity.

“
Davie said that Muira was in labour!
”
he exploded, and the scream that punctuated his own exclamation seemed to confirm this supposition.  Lachlan started towards the door of his chambers immediately, but Sorcha stood in his way, blocking his entrance.

“
Where do you think you
’
re going?
”
she demanded.

“
To see my wife,
”
Lachlan growled through clenched teeth.

“
Oh no you
’
re not,
”
Sorcha shook her head emphatically. 
“
You can go through and sit in the reception room I suppose, but you are not going through to the bedroom.  Heavens!  You
’
re a man!
”

Lachlan clenched and unclenched his fists impotently. 
“
But I need to see that she
’
s all right!  That they
’
re both all right,
”
he begged.

“
Muira
’
s fine, everything
’
s coming along nicely,
”
Sorcha said, patting her brother
’
s hand gently. 
“
It might not even be much longer.  She started over ten hours ago.
”

“
Ten hours?
”
Lachlan winced, although he had enough nephews and nieces to know that ten hours wasn
’
t an exceptionally long time, especially not for Muira
’
s first baby.

“
Yes, and she
’
s doing marvellously,
”
Sorcha said breezily. 
“
Now you can come in, but only if you promise not to storm into the bedroom, can you do that, little brother?
”
she added sweetly.  To which Lachlan scowled and towered over his sister, he
hated
being reminded that he was the youngest of the family. 
“
Can
you do that?
”

Lachlan grunted a yes, and was allowed to step into his own reception room- what had before been Graem
’
s chamber.

“
Now, sit there,
”
Sorcha pointed to a chair,
“
I
’
ll see if anyone can be spared to fetch you some supper.
”

“
I don
’
t want-
”
Lachlan began, taking his seat like an obedient little boy, but his sentence was broken by another wail from the bedroom. 
“
Can
’
t I just pop my head in and-
”

“
No!
”
Sorcha snapped. 
“
She won
’
t thank you for it, in fact, you
’
ll be safer out here.
”