Outside the weather was still raw and cold, but inside, the manor was aglow with warmth and laughter. Smiling benignly, Catriona looked out over her extended household and silently blessed them, every one.
Later that afternoon, she left Richard, grumbling, to rest, and went out to watch the riding lessons.
Vane had discovered Richard's attempts in that direction-he'd told Devil and Gabriel.
The children were now in alt. They were getting riding lessons every day, sometimes twice a day, from their very own instructors, all ex-cavalry officers. Catriona had learned that last from a breathless Tom, later confirmed by Devil.
"I'm probably the strongest rider," he'd said, "but Demon's the best." He'd glanced down at her and smiled. "You haven't met him yet-he's Vane's brother."
Catriona was quietly grateful Demon hadn't turned up at the manor, too-multiple Cynsters were a lot to get used to all at once.
But they were very good riders-and very good with children.
Slipping unobtrusively into the yard, she perched on the corner of the water trough in its center and watched the three groups into which they'd divided the children. The youngest were with Devil-totally unafraid of him-giggling and laughing as he patiently held them on and taught them how to sit, how to hold the reins. The next group in age, including young Tom, were with Vane, being coached in the rudiments of active riding. The last group, composed of the stablelads and young farmhands who could ride after a fashion but were definitely not up to the Cynster mark, were drilling under Gabriel's eagle eye.
Catriona watched for some time, trying to comprehend the rapport that seemed so effortless, between Cynster men and horses, and also small humans. In the end, she inwardly shrugged, smiled and accepted it-they were, transparently, naturals in both spheres-that was all there was to it.
And she, and all the vale, were going to miss them when they left.
Later that evening, Richard lay on a daybed in their bedchamber, ten feet away from the bed. That was the present limit of his strength, a fact he found disgusting. At least his witchy wife had let him get out of bed; he could now stand, but beyond a few paces, his strength seemed to fail.
Apparently delighted with his mild progress, and finally convinced the poison had departed his system for good, Catriona had brought him up a special herbal brew, guaranteed, so she'd said, to help him regain his strength. Nothing else, she declared, now stood between him and a full recovery.
And freedom. The wild expanse beyond their windows.
The potion tasted vile, but Richard doggedly sipped-and planned how to celebrate his vigor once it returned.
His musings were interrupted by Devil, who opened the door and strolled in, followed by Vane and Gabriel.
"While our wives and esteemed parent are busy hatching plans, we thought we'd come up and commiserate." Devil grinned. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." Draining the last of the potion and swallowing it with a grimace, Richard realized that was true. He set the beaker aside. "I suspect
I'll have to endure a few more days, but…"
"Just make sure you recover fully," Gabriel cautioned. "Be damned if I'm riding this far north again if you suffer a relapse."
Vane chuckled. "Your wife seems convinced you'll be your old self any day, and I rather suspect she knows best."
"Hmm." Richard eyed them speculatively. "Actually, I was just planning a little adventure, so to speak, to celebrate my return to the living."
"Adventure?"
"How little?"
"What sort?"
Richard grinned. "Nothing too outrageous, but we haven't had any serious excursions, not since Waterloo. I don't know about you, but two weeks in a bed has sharpened my appetite."
"That's hardly suprising," Devil returned, "in the circumstances. But what about this adventure?"
Richard threw a cushion at him, which landed on target and made him feel much better. "If you don't keep a civil tongue in your head, I won't tell you. I'll just ride off one morning and you'll have to wait until I get back."
"Ride?"
"Where to?"
"I promise to be excessively civil."