The words were flung at him, a challenge, a taunt. Brows slowly rising, his gaze intent, locked on hers, Richard held her trapped-and raised one hand. And deliberately caressed the curl quivering by one ear.
Her ice shattered-she gasped, shivered, and stepped back. The blood drained from her face, then rushed back as she stiffened.
And threw him a sizzling glare. "Forget it!"
She whirled, skirts hissing; spine rigid, she stalked out.
And slammed the door behind her.
Chapter 4
That night, Catriona slept poorly, bedevilled by a vision of a warrior's face. Forced to view that same vision, in the flesh, over the breakfast table, she inwardly sniffed and decided to go for a long ride.
Heading upstairs to change, she met Algaria at the top of the stairs. Algaria's black gaze swept her, then fastened on her face.
"Where are you off to so early?"
"I need some fresh air-how can a place so cold be so stuffy?"
"Hmm." Looking down into the hall, Algaria sniffed disparagingly. "The atmosphere is certainly less than convivial"-she shot a shrewd glance at Catriona-"what with this unnecessary charade."
"Charade?"
"Aye. It's plain as a pikestaff that bastard from below has no real intention to wed-not you, nor, I'll warrant, any woman." Algaria's face was set, the lines deeply etched. "It's clear he's a wastrel and just enjoying himself at our expense. Even Mary holds no hope other than that he'll eventually decline to be a part of Seamus's wild scheme and go back to London. She thinks he's making a show of considering the issue out of politeness."
Catriona stiffened. "Indeed?"
Algaria's lips twitched; she patted Catriona's hand. "No need to take offense-it's what we want, after all." She started down the stairs "Him to go away and leave you alone."
Catriona stared at the back of Algaria's head; her answering "Hmm" was supposed to be approving-somehow, a hint of disappointment crept in. She shut her ears to it, swinging about, she marched purposefully to her room.
It was the work of a few minutes to don her riding habit, a snugly fitting jacket and full skirt in jewel green twill. Serviceable, it was not especially warm; she hunted through the wardrobe for her old fashioned fur-lined cloak. Her hair was a problem-in the end she braided it and looped the braids about her head.
"There"! Satisfied her hair would not come loose no matter how hard she rode, she swung the cloak about her shoulders and headed for the door.
The stables huddled between the main house and the mountain, sheltered from the incessant winds and, at present, the lightly flurrying snow. The day was overcast, but the clouds were too light to deter her; she was accustomed to riding in all weather, whenever her duties called. The views might be grey, but they were visible; the hovering clouds kept the temperature above freezing. While the snow on the bare fields was hoof-deep on the paths and tracks, the cover was less, and none of it was dangerously icy.
All in all, a perfectly acceptable winter's day to go riding in The Trossachs. That was Catriona's determined thought as, atop a strong chestnut, she clattered out of the stable yard and headed into the trees. She'd ridden often in the few weeks she'd previously spent here as an escape from the battleground of the house; she remembered the tracks well. The one she took wound its way through stands of birch girding the rocky mountainside, eventually meeting another bridle path leading to the summit. Looking forward to a brisk gallop across the clear top of Keltyhead, she urged her mount upward.
The Highlands spread out before her as she emerged from the trees onto the normally wind-
swept mountaintop. The earlier breeze had died to nothing more than a whisper, threading sibilantly through the bare boughs. Even the fall of fine snow had ceased Catriona's spirits soared; scanning the wide views, she drew in a deep breath. Directly before her, an open area thinly covered with rough mountain grass beckoned-she waited for no more. A smile on her face, a "Whoop!" on her lips, she set the chestnut to a canter, then shifted fluidly into a gallop.
Cold, bitterly fresh, the air rushed to greet her. It whipped her cheeks and tugged at her braids. She welcomed it joyously-one of The Lady's simple pleasures. Exhilarated, at one with her mount, she journeyed across the empty space, immersed in the wide silence about her.
She was halfway across the treeless expanse when a heavy clop and a whinny broke the stillness. Glancing back, she saw a familiar tall figure, mounted, watching her from the skirts of the forest. As still and dark as the trees behind him, he studied her. Then he moved; the deep chested black beneath him stepped out powerfully, on a course to intercept her.
Her breath tangled in her throat; abruptly, Catriona looked forward and urged her mount on. Damn the man!Why couldn't he leave her alone? The thought was shrewish, the smile tugging at her lips much less so-that was instinctively feminine, a reflection of the frisson of excitement that had shot down her nerves.
Had he followed her?
She plunged on, determined to lose him-he rode much heavier than she. And she knew she rode well; as the end of the open area neared, she considered which of the three tracks ahead, each leading in a different direction over different terrain, would best serve her purpose. That depended on how close he was. She glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see him in the distance-and nearly lost her seat. Eyes widening, she gasped and swung forward. He was only two lengths away!
Lunging onto the nearest path she raced along it, through twists, around turns, over rocky ground screened by tall trees. She burst into the next clearing at a flat gallop, the chestnut eagerly answering the challenge. They flew across the snowy white ground-but she heard insistent, persistent, inexorably drawing nearer, the heavy thud of the black's hooves gradually gaming ground, moving along side.
A quick glance revealed her nemesis riding effortlessly, managing one of Seamus's big stallions with ease. He sat the horse like a god-the warrior of her dreams. The sight stole her breath; abruptly she looked ahead. Why on earth was she running?
And how, once he caught up with her, would she explain her reckless flight? What excuse could she give for fleeing so precipitously?