"Sir Olwyn." Catriona's quiet, dignified tones carried clearly down the hall. Richard watched as, having glided from the office, she took up a stance directly before the main stairs. And faced Sir Olwyn calmly.
"Miss Hennessey!" Sir Olwyn's impending scowl was banished by a beaming smile. With over-hearty eagerness, he strode up the hall. "A pleasure to see you returned, my dear." Catriona smiled coolly and inclined her head, but offered no hand in greeting; Sir Olwyn only beamed brighter. "I trust your little sojourn in the Highlands passed without mishap?" As if only then recalling what had occasioned her absence, his smile evaporated, to be replaced with an expression of patently false sympathy. "A great loss, I'm sure, your guardian."
"Indeed." Her voice as cold as the snows outside, Catriona inclined her head again. "But-"
"His son has inherited, I understand?"
Catriona drew a patient breath. "Yes. His son Jamie was, indeed, my late guardian's heir. But-"
"Aye, well-he'll want to pay attention to things down here, and that right quickly, I make no doubt." Bluffy earnest again, Sir Olwyn looked at Catriona and shook his head. "I fear, my dear, that I must again lodge a protest-vale cattle have been found wandering miles into my fields."
"Indeed?" Brows rising, Catriona turned and looked at McArdle, who had followed her into the hall. He looked steadily back, then gave one of his exaggerated, disclaiming shrugs-this one expressing subtle contempt for the suggestion. Catriona turned back to Sir Olwyn. "I fear, sir, that you must be mistaken. None of our cattle are missing."
"No, no, my dear-of course they aren't." Braving the prevailing chill, Sir Olwyn boldly took Catriona's hand and patted it. "My men have strict orders to return them. Many other landowners would not be so lenient, my dear-I do hope you appreciate my concern for you." Cloyingly paternalistic, he smiled into her eyes. "No, no-you losing beasts is not the point, sweet lady. The point is that they should not have wandered in the first place and should certainly not have caused damage to my fields.
Not thawed in the least, Catriona, very deliberately, withdrew her hand. "What-"
"No, no! Never fear." With a hearty laugh, Sir Olwyn held up one hand. "We'll say no more of it this time. But you really need to pay attention to your stock management, my dear. Of course, being a female, you shouldn't need to worry your pretty head over such matters. A man is what you need, m'dear-"
"I doubt that." With languid ease, Richard strolled into the hall. "At least, not another one."
Sir Olwyn stared, then he bristled. "Who are you?"
Richard raised one brow and looked at Catriona.
With unimpaired calm, she returned her gaze to Sir Olwyn. "Allow me to present Richard Cynster-my husband."
Sir Olwyn blinked, then he goggled. "Husband?"
"As I was trying to tell you, Sir Olwyn, while in the Highlands, I married."
"Me " Richard smiled-a distinctly Cynster smile.
Sir Olwyn eyed it dubiously. He mouthed a silent "Oh," then flushed and turned to Catriona. "Felicitations, my dear-well! It's quite a surprise." His piggy eyes sharpened, he looked intently at her. "Quite a surprise."
"Indeed," Richard drawled, "a surprise all around, I fancy." Smoothly moving forward, he interposed himself between Catriona and Sir Olwyn, ineffably gathering Sir Olwyn within one outstretched arm, turning him and steering him back down the hall. "Glean-it is Sir Olwyn Glean, is it not?-perhaps… you understand I haven't yet had time to fully acquaint myself with the situation here-we've only just arrived, you see… where was I? Ah, yes-perhaps you'd be so good as to explain to me how you identified these wandering cattle as originating from the vale. I gather you didn't see them?"
Discovering himself back at the front door, which Henderson had helpfully set wide, Sir Olwyn blinked, then shook himself. And flushed
. "Well, no-but-"
"Ah! Your men verified their identities, then. I'm so glad-they'll be able to tell me the farm from which the cattle escaped."
Sir Olwyn flustered "Well-as to that-"
Catching his eye, Richard dispensed with his drawl. "I will, of course, be taking steps to ensure no similar situation occurs again." He smiled, very slightly, very intently. "I do hope you take my meaning."
Sir Olwyn flushed to the roots of his hair. He threw a stunned look back at Catriona, then grabbed the hat Henderson held out, crammed it on his crown, swung on his heel and clattered down the steps.
Richard watched him go-watched him scramble atop his showy bay and canter out of the courtyard.
At Richard's shoulder, the taciturn Henderson nodded at Glean's departing back. "Good job, that."
Richard thought so. He smiled and handed Henderson his letters, then turned back into the hall. Behind him, Henderson pulled the heavy doors shut.
Catriona hadn't moved from her position before the stairs; Richard strolled up the hall and stopped directly before her.
She met his gaze directly. "Our cattle don't stray beyond the vale-I'd know if they did."