Which was all very well but it was she who had to cope with his unsettling presence.
Off-balance, uncertain-in severe need of some quiet and calm-she waited until dessert was being cleared, then set aside her napkin. "I'm afraid the journey must have been more tiring than I thought." She smiled at McArdle. "I'm for bed."
"Of course, of course." He started to rise to draw out her chair, then smiled over her head and subsided.
Catriona felt the chair shift and looked around. Richard stood behind her. She smiled at him, then smiled at Mrs. Broom and the rest of the table. "Goodnight."
The others all nodded and smiled. Richard drew her chair farther back; she slipped past, then glided along behind the other chairs, stepped off the dais, and turned through an archway into the corridor leading to the stairs.
The instant she was out of sight of the dining hall, she frowned and looked down. Pondering her state-the uneasiness, the sense of being off-center that had gripped her the moment she'd stepped over her own threshold, Richard by her side-she absentmindedly trailed through the corridors, through the front hall, and climbed the stairs to the gallery and crossed it to her chamber.
Halting before her chamber door, she focused-to find herself standing in deep shadow. She'd forgotten to pick up a candle from the hall table. Luckily, born in this house, she didn't need to see to find her room. She reached for the door latch-
And very nearly screamed when a dark shadow reached past her, gripped the latch, and lifted it.
Hand to her throat, she whirled-even before she saw him, denser than night at her side, she realized who it must be. "Richard!"
He stilled; she could feel his frown. "What's the matter?"
The door swung wide, revealing her familiar room, lit by flames leaping in the grate. Catriona gazed in and tried to calm her racing heart. "I didn't realize you were there." She stepped over the threshold.
"I'll always be here." He followed her in.
Catriona whirled-her heart raced again as she faced him. And realized what he meant. "Ah… yes. Well…" Airily gesturing, she turned and walked further into the room. "I', just not used to it-having someone there."
Truer words she'd never spoken. That was borne in on her as she walked to the fire, scanning the oh-so-familiar, oh-so comforting furniture, and behind her, heard the latch click. Stopping by the fire, she half turned and glanced at him from beneath her lashes-he was standing just inside the door, studying her.
This was her own private sanctuary. A place he now had the right to enter whenever he chose. Yet another change marriage had wrought-yet another change she would have to accept.
"I… was tired."
He tilted his head, still studying her. "So you said." With that, he started to stroll, prowling about the room. Like some wild male animal assessing his new home.
Pushing the vision from her, Catriona straightened and jettisoned all thoughts of spending a quiet hour or two considering her state. Considering her husband.
She could hardly do that with him prowling so close.
She could barely think with him prowling so close.
His "I'll always be here" was not reassuring.
"Ah…" Eyeing him as he neared, she forced herself to meet his eyes. "We didn't discuss our sleeping arrangements here."
One black brow rose. "What's to discuss?" Reaching her side, he looked down at her, then crouched to tend the blaze.
Looking down at his head, Catriona felt her temper stir. "We could discuss where you'll sleep, for instance."
"I'll sleep with you."
She bit her tongue-and warned herself of the unwisdom of biting off her nose. "Yes, but what I wondered was whether you would like a chamber of your own."
He seemed to consider that, he remained silent as he piled on logs, building a massive blaze. Then he stood; Catriona only just stopped herself from taking a step back.
Richard looked down at her, then scanned the large room. Despite containing a bureau, dresser, dressing table and chairs wardrobe and two chests, as well as the reassuringly massive four poster bed, the room was sparsely furnished. They could share it comfortably and still have room to spare. His traveling case, set against one wall, was barely noticeable.
He looked down, into Catriona's eyes. "Will it bother you if I say no?"
The puzzlement that filled her eyes was impossible to mistake. "No, of course…"