He grimaced. "I won't forget. I'm your right arm-your protector. I'll follow your lead." He gestured her toward the house.
Drawing a deep breath, drawing herself up, Catriona led the way inside.
It was a two-room cottage, one up, one down, with the kitchen facilities in a lean-to at the rear, and a small stable against the side. Pausing on the threshold to let her eyes adjust, Catriona scanned the room and saw Algaria standing, hands clasped before her, her head still bowed in the attitude of a penitent, on the other side of the deal table with her back to the cold hearth.
Catriona moved into the room, until she stood at the opposite side of the table, facing Algaria. Richard's shadow blocked the light from the door momentarily, then she sensed his presence at her back.
Lifting one hand, she extended it across the table. "Algaria-"
"As you love me, let me speak." Slowly, Algaria lifted her head. She looked first at Richard, standing silent at Catriona's shoulder, then shifted her black gaze to Catriona's face. "I now know what I did was wrong, but at the time, it seemed right-what The Lady required of me. But rather than you, it was I who made the mistakes in interpreting Her signs. I acted wrongly, and I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused." She drew breath, her gaze locked on Catriona's, and pressed her hands tightly together. "I ask for your understanding and will abide by your judgment."
Lowering her proud head, she looked down.
Catriona waited a moment, then asked: "What made you realize you were wrong?"
Algaria lifted her head, the glance she bent on Richard was hardly affectionate but contained a respect that had not previously been there. "He lived." She looked at Catriona. "If you knew how much wolfsbane I put in that cup…" She pressed her lips together, flicked Richard another glance, then stated: "Not even your intervention should have been able to save him. Yet he lived. The Lady's intention is clear-she could not have spoken any louder."
Catriona nodded. "As you say. It took him a long time to recover, yet every day longer made his living more remarkable."
Algaria inclined her head and looked down once more. "It is clear The Lady wishes him as your consort-the error of my actions could not be more plain." She lifted her head and met Catriona's gaze levelly. "I am sincerely contrite"-she drew a tight breath-"and ready to accept whatever judgment you make."
"Why?" Catriona asked. "Why did you think it necessary to remove Richard, especially knowing you were acting against my wishes?"
Algaria grimaced. The look she flicked Richard held an element of apology. "Because I believed he was responsible for the fire."
"What?" Catriona felt Richard shift behind her, but true to his word, he held silent. "He was in Carlisle-or riding back-at the time the fire started."
Algaria held up a hand. "Bear with me-I knew that was what we'd been told. However," she paused and drew a deep breath, "if you recall, three days after the fire, we were running low on tansy, and I offered to go and check the patch south of the woods." Catriona nodded; Algaria glanced at Richard. "The patch in the woods always sprouts ahead of the main bed at the manor itself."
Richard inclined his head; Algaria went on: "On that side of the park lives an old man known to us all as Royce. You and he, now I've thought back on it, haven't yet met-he's something of a hermit in winter."
"He's a marvel with animals, particularly with birthing lambs," Catriona put in. "He lives in a small hut on the south side of the park."
"I saw Royce that day when I went looking for the tansy-it was sunny and he was stretching his stiff limbs. He sat on a rock and talked-despite living so alone, he loves to talk to people, so I waited and listened."
"He talked about the fire only in passing-he'd missed all the excitement. He couldn't see the smoke because of the park-he'd only heard about it later. What he did say, however, was that on the day when he came to the manor to fetch bones for broth, while returning home, he saw a stranger-a tall, dark-haired gentleman riding a dark horse. This man rode through the park, but not up to the manor. It was late afternoon, heading into evening-the stranger tethered his horse in the park, took something from his saddle pocket, then skirted the manor itself, and went around behind the forge. He didn't see Royce watching. Royce thought it strange, but…" Algaria grimaced. "He assumed the gentleman was you. Later the gentleman came back, mounted his horse, and rode down the vale-that time, Royce was close enough to see the man had blue eyes." She paused and met Richard's undeniably blue eyes.'
"I knew Royce got his bones on the day of the fire-I gave them to him myself. He didn't know about the timing of the fire, so he didn't know you didn't apparently arrive until black night."
"You thought it was me?"
Lifting her chin, Algaria nodded. "I reasoned that in order to tighten your hold on Catriona, you'd been seen to leave, then you rode back, earlier than anyone thought, set the fire, waited until it was blazing, then rode in and rescued the situation." She eyed Richard; her lips tightened. "If that had been your plan, from all I saw afterward, it worked."
Richard considered, then nodded. "I can prove it wasn't me. Two of Melchett's lads saw me riding into the vale, and we spoke briefly-we could already see the smoke rising." He could remember that moment of dread panic very well.
Algaria waved dismissively. "I accept without question that my interpretation was wrong-else you would have died. It wasn't you old Royce saw."
"So who was it?" Catriona asked. Algaria lifted her shoulders; in the same instant, Catriona's face lit. "Dougal Douglas!" Swinging about, she looked at Richard. "It must be him."
Richard grimaced. "He fits the general description, but tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed gentlemen aren't really all that rare, even in the Lowlands." He paused, his gaze on Catriona's. "Algaria jumped to an erroneous conclusion-we shouldn't repeat the mistake." He studied her face-he could almost see her intransigence, her witch's wiles working. Inwardly, he sighed. "But… I do know that Dougal Douglas knew I'd left the vale. He thought I was heading south, that I'd be well on the road to London by lunchtime that day."
Her eyes narrowed, Catriona humphed. "I know it was Dougal Douglas." Transferring her gaze to Algaria, she raised her brows. "So you poisoned Richard because you believed he was responsible for the fire?"
Algaria drew herself up. "Yes."
Catriona considered-considered Algaria and her rigid discipline, her rigid pride. Considered Richard, a vital force beside her, his heartbeat as familiar to her as her own. They were both dear to her, both with so much to give. She and the vale needed both of them. Straightening, she turned to Richard. "You have heard all I've heard-you know as much as I know. It was your life Algaria sought to take-as my consort and protector, I give you the right to pass judgment and sentence upon her."
She looked into Richard's eyes, then, without another glance at Algaria, turned and left the cottage.
Leaving Richard staring over the deal table at Algaria.
Who stiffened and lifted her chin proudly, her black gaze smoldering. She was still a potent force-he could sense it-but expecting the worst. Yet the old witch would never beg his pardon, or ask for mercy.
He wasn't inclined to be all that merciful but… he had survived-and he and his witchy wife were much closer, more one, than they had been. She'd trusted him enough to leave her mentor's fate in his hands.