Halfway across the front hall, Richard halted and swiveled-Jamie stood uncertainly in a doorway.
"I… ah, wondered it you could spare me a moment of your time?"
As lunch had concluded half an hour ago, and as his witch had haughtily declined his invitation to find another tree and, nose in the air, hips seductively swaying, retired to her room, he'd been on his way to the billiards room to while away the afternoon, Richard saw no reason not to smoothly incline his head and stroll
through the doorway through which Jamie waved him.
He knew what was coming.
Jamie didn't disappoint him. Closing the door, Jamie followed him into the room and indicated a large chair angled before a desk. Richard sank into the chair, lounging gracefully, balancing one boot on his knee.
His host, however, didn't settle in the chair behind the desk, but paced nervously before the hearth-before Richard. Glancing about, Richard noted the ledgers filling the shelves lining one wall, and the maps and diagrams of the area scattered about the room. This was clearly the estate office, equally clearly Jamie's domain. The room was small but comfortable, much more comfortable than the library Seamus had inhabited.
"I wondered," Jamie eventually began, "whether you've decided yet how you will answer the solicitor next week."
The look he bent on Richard was a plea-not to be saved, but to have the worst told to him.
"I'm afraid," Richard replied in his London drawl, "that I've not yet decided."
Jamie frowned and paced on. "But… well, it isn't all that likely, is if?"
"As to that," Richard answered, "I really can't say."
In the hall, hugging the shadows, Algaria pressed her ear to the oak panels of the office door. She'd been traversing the gallery upstairs, on her way to Catriona's room to inquire as to the reason for her unusual withdrawal, when she'd heard Jamie speak to Richard in the hall. His intent had been obvious; what she'd heard thus far confirmed it. She was not averse to a little eavesdropping if it served to ease her mind. And Catriona's.
"But you normally reside in London, I understand. I'm afraid Catriona will never live anywhere else but Casphairn Manor."
"So I apprehend."
"And, well, she really is a sort of a witch, you know. Not the sort to change people into toads or eels or whatever she might say, but she really does-can-do strange things-and make other people do strange things."
"Really?"
The tone of that response had Algaria gritting her teeth.
"And doubtless you're accustomed to balls and parties in London-a constant stream of them, I imagine."
"Indeed-a never-ending stream of balls and parties."
The undertone sliding beneath that reply made Algaria frown, but before she could define the emotion, Jamie spoke again.
"And, ah… "He coughed. "I daresay there are many ladies-very beautiful ladies-gracing the balls and parties."
Leaning back in the chair, Richard merely inclined his head and kept his face expressionless.
His lack of response made Jamie more nervous. "I understand life at the manor is very quiet-no balls or parties at all. In fact, according to Catriona, it's even quieter than here."
"But not colder." The words left Richard's lips before he'd thought; luckily, Jamie took them only literally.
"True-but it's still very cold." He threw him a searching look. "The Lowlands are a lot colder than London."
"Indubitably."
As Jamie continued highlighting the stark contrasts between the life he imagined Richard led in London-only a slight exaggeration of the truth-and the life he could expect to lead as the lord of Casphairn Manor, Richard politely held to his noncommittal replies. As Jamie was his host, he felt obliged to humor him thus far, but would not commit himself, one way or the other.
He couldn't. He hadn't yet made up his mind.
Commited by a freakish, witch-induced impulse to seriously consider Seamus's proposal, the more he did-the more he learned of Catriona Hennessey-the more he felt inclined to accept. To take up Seamus's gauntlet, accept his challenge, which, day by day, was looking more like an appeal-an appeal to greater strength-the offer of a commission.