Scandals Bride c-3

by Stephanie Laurens

  Algaria, of course, noticed. "You're pale," she said, beaming brightly.

  "I'm wretched," Catriona replied through clenched teeth.

  "It's only to be expected."

  Catriona turned and met Algaria's black gaze, then realized Algaria was referring, solely, to the consequences of her pregnancy. Algaria wouldn't accept-or even recognize-that Richard's departure was her principal woe. Looking back at her cup, Catriona gritted her teeth. "Don't tell anyone-not until I make the announcement."

  "Good heavens-why?" Algaria gestured about them. "It's important news for the vale and the manor-everyone will be delighted."

  "Everyone will be unbearable." Catriona pressed her lips together, waited for three heartbeats, then, in a more reasonable but still cold tone stated: "The news is important to me, too. I'll make the announcement when I'm ready. I don't want people fussing over me for any longer than necessary." In her present state, her temper wouldn't stand it. "I just want to be left alone to get on with the vale's business."

  Algaria raised a shoulder. "As you wish. Now, about those decoctions…

  She hadn't thought it possible to miss him more than she had last night-but she was wrong.

  By the end of the day, as the light faded from the world, Catriona huddled at her desk, fretfully tugging two shawls about her shoulders.

  She was cold to her bones-a cold that came from inside and spread insidiously through her. It was the cold of loneliness, a bone-deep chill. Throughout the day, she'd been rubbing her arms; at lunchtime she'd fetched the extra shawl. Nothing helped.

  Worse, she was finding it hard to concentrate, finding it hard to keep her usual serene mask-the face she habitually wore in public as the lady of the vale-in place. Summoning the brightness to put into her smile when she greeted McArdle and the others was very nearly beyond her. Energy was something she no longer had, not in any quantity.

  And she needed energy to make her lips curve, to disguise the deadness inside, but supporting her usual sunny disposition was more than she could do. Unfortunately, being the lady of the vale, she couldn't even invent a fictitious malady to account for her state-she was never ill, not in the general way.

  Pushing aside the ledgers she'd been studying-the breeding records for the past three years-she sighed. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes. How was she going to cope?

  She lay in the chair in the darkened room and opened her senses. But no help came-no suggestion of how she might manage popped into her tired mind.

  When she finally opened her eyes and sat up, the one thing she did feel sure of was that the situation was going to get worse.

  Dragging herself to her feet, feeling as if the child she carried was seven months older than it was, she straightened, stacked the ledgers neatly, then, setting her shoulders back, lifting her head high, she headed for the door.

  While washing and changing for dinner, she grasped the opportunity to lie down-just for a minute.

  One minute turned into thirty; by the time she reached the table, it was late. Out of breath, wanting nothing more than to crawl back into her bed, she smiled serenely about the hall and helped herself to lamb collops.

  Then pushed them around and around on her plate.

  She felt like slumping; only by maintaining a continuous inner lecture did she manage to preserve her facade. But she couldn't eat-she'd lost her appetite. In an effort to conceal her disinterest in the food, she caught Henderson's eye. "What have the children been up to today?" In spite of his dour demeanor, Henderson had a soft spot for the manor's brats.

  "Seems like the master'd been teaching some of them to ride, so I took them out to the barn." He grimaced, a depressing sight. "I'm no great horseman, though. I'm thinking they'll have to wait on his return to polish up their skills."

  "Hmm." Not wanting to dwell on how long the children might have to wait, Catriona looked along the table at Mrs. Broom and gestured to the steaming apple pie just placed before her, the fruity, spicy aroma much more to her liking than the cold collops a maid had whisked away. "I congratulate you on your new receipe-the spices add a pleasing tang."

  Mrs. Broom beamed. "Twas the master suggested it-seems they cook it that way in London town, but it was easy enough to do. Pity he isn't here to enjoy it-he said it was one of his favorites. But we've apples aplenty in the store-I'll make it again when he gets back."

  The smile on her face felt tight; Catriona inclined her head gracefully and turned to McArdle "Has Melchett-"

  "Mistress!"

  "Mister Henderson!"

  "Come quickly!"

  With those and other cries, the manor children burst into the hall. They were led, as always, by Tom, Cook's red-headed son. He rushed straight to the main table, his gaze locked on Catriona's face. "It's the blacksmith's house, mistress. It's burning!"

  "Burning?" Rising, Catriona stared down at Tom. "But…" She frowned. "It can't be."

  Tom bobbed his head urgently. "It is, mistress! Flames leaping into the sky, an' all."

  Everyone rushed to see. Wide-eyed, Catriona halted on the back step and saw that Tom hadn't lied. The blacksmith's small house, wedged between the forge and the granary, was alight. Angry red flames licked over the wood and stone building, engulfing it from the rear. Beyond, out of sight behind the house, lay open pigpens, presently empty.

  As they watched, the flames caught better hold and roared throwing red sparks high.

  Within seconds, the stable yard was a scene of confusion. Pandemonium reigned. People ran this way, then that, bumping into each other and cursing, some running to fetch pails others had already grabbed.

  Dragging in a breath, Catriona lifted her head. "Henderson-you and the stablelads to the pump. Huggins, check the stable. Irons, where are you?"

  The big blacksmith, a dripping pail in his hand, raised his arm. "Here, ma'am."

  "You and all the men start dousing the fire."

  "Aye, ma'am."

  "All the women-into the kitchens. Grab whatever will hold most water."

  They streamed past her, she heard the clatter as the huge pots and pans were collected. They all helped, even Algaria-a deep jam pot gripped tightly, she flung water onto the burning building.

  Down on the cobbles, her face lit by the garish glow. Catriona monitored their frantic efforts. Huggins came puffing up. "The horses and animals are well enough-I've left two lads with them."

  Her eyes on the flames rising above the cottage, then fanning over to embrace it from behind, Catriona grabbed his arm; she had to scream for him to hear. "Take halt the men and start throwing water onto the back. That's where the source is."

  Huggins nodded and went. Catriona coughed as billowing smoke gripped her throat. Turning, she surveyed the yard-there was a large crowd waiting, buckets, pails, pots and pans in hand around the pump. It wasn't hard to guess the problem. The roads had cleared, but it was a long way from spring-the main snows on Merrick had yet to melt, so the river was still at its winter ebb. Only a gentle gush came up through the pump, enough for daily needs, but not enough to fight a fire.

  A hot roar at her back had Catriona whirling; she backed as heat hit her like a surging wave.

  Sparks and cinders rained down-a real danger for those running close to throw their precious water on the fire. Then came a loud crack!- a beam exploded; flaming debris showered down, driving everyone back.

  Gasping, Catriona found herself cowering protectively over Tom. "Blankets!" Tom looked up at her-she shook his shoulder. "We need blankets to beat out the sparks. Get the others and fetch the horse blankets from the tack room."

  Tom nodded and fled, shrieking through the din for his cohorts to follow him. They did, an unruly band streaking for the stables. They returned in double time, staggering under the weight of the heavy blankets balanced across their arms. Catriona grabbed one and started beating out the flaming cinders. Other women saw and did the same.

  Huggins and his band had reached the back of the house; Catriona heard th
em bellowing for more help. Brushing the back of her hand over her flushed forehead, she looked around. "Jem, Joshua!-take your pails to the back."

  They nodded and changed course around the side of the forge.

  In the yard, everyone redoubled their efforts, trying to fill the gaps left by those who'd gone to the other front. But the pump would yield only so much. Glancing back through the swirling smoke, Catriona saw Irons had stripped off his shirt and was now bending his back to the pump handle. Henderson was slumped, wheezing, on the water trough-now empty.

  "Lady!"

  Catriona turned at the tug on her sleeve. Huggins, doubled over and panting, struggling to catch his breath, grimaced up at her.

  " 'Twas the woodpile behind the house-that's where it started." He paused to drag in another breath, his eyes going to the fiercely burning cottage. "We can douse the pile, but it's almost ashes now. But that won't stop it. The flames have got a good hold on the back wall, particularly on those big lintel beams across the back."

  Following his nod Catriona stared at the huge wooden beams that crossed the cottage, one above the door and window, separating the ground floor from the first, and the other above the first floor, supporting the roof timbers. Matching beams spanned the back.

  "It's going to go." Huggins shook his head and slumped forward again. "We can't reach those big beams, and we haven't got enough water even if we could. It's an inferno, up there."

  Catriona stared at the greedy flames, then dragged in a huge breath. She coughed and took a firm grip on her wits. And ignored the fright licking at her nerves. "All right." She squeezed Huggins's arm, sending him a little of her hard-won calm. "Tell your men to concentrate on saving the granary and the forge." She hesitated, then added: "The granary first if a choice has to be made."

  They couldn't afford to lose the grain and other foodstuffs stored in the granary, their larder for the rest of the winter.

  Huggins nodded his understanding and stumbled away to issue her orders. Catriona took one last look at the fiercely burning cottage and went to find Irons. She found him slumped by the pump; Henderson was manning it again. Grim-faced, his gaze on his burning home, Irons heard her out, then, with a pain-filled grimace, nodded.

  "Aye." With an effort, he hauled himself to his feet. "You be right. Cottage can be replaced-granary, and what's in it, can't."

  He started bellowing orders himself; Catriona rushed forward once more to take charge close to the house, instructing the waterbearers where to fling their loads.

  Her voice hoarse and fading, she grabbed a pot from a maid hard of hearing and showed her where to throw it-at the junction between the walls of the cottage and the granary. Handing the empty pot back to the woman, she paused, wiping the sweat from her brow, trying not to notice the heat washing over her-

  She heard a cry.

  Not from the yard, but from the cottage.

  She stared at the building, the rough stone between the burning beams glowing pink-and told herself she'd imagined it. Prayed she'd imagined it.

  But it came again, a whimpering wail that died beneath the flames' roar.

  "Oh, Lady!" Hand to her mouth, Catriona whirled and searched the host of scurrying women for the blacksmith's wife. And found her, frantically grabbing the older manor children, having to peer through the soot and grime covering their faces to recognize her own. As Catriona watched, the woman grabbed one girl close, hand gripping the slender shoulder like a claw-she saw the woman scream her question, saw the girl shake her head, her own features changing into a mirror of her mother's horror. Then both mother and daughter looked straight at the burning house.

  Catriona didn't hesitate. She grabbed a horse blanket from one of the weary beaters and flung it over her head and shoulders. Then she lunged for the closed door of the cottage.

  She forced it open, and stepped through-

  The flames roared-a wall of heat beat her back.

  She staggered and nearly fell; cries and screams from all around filled her ears. Sure of the whimper she'd heard under the roar, she tightened her grip on the blanket and gathered her courage to step forward once more.

  Before she could, she was bodily lifted and unceremoniously dumped on her feet ten feet back from where she'd stood. "Damn, stupid woman!" was the mildest of the oaths that rang in her ears.

  To her stunned amazement, Richard grabbed the singed blanket from her. Then threw it about his head and shoulders and plunged into the cottage himself.

  "Richard!" Catriona heard her own scream, saw her hands reach out, grasping, trying to catch him to hold him back-but he was already gone.

  Into the flames.

  Others ran to her and gathered about, their eyes, like hers, glued to the open doorway. They waited, tense, on their toes, ready to dash closer at the slightest sign.

  The heat held them were they were. Waiting. Hoping. Praying.

  Catriona prayed the hardest-she'd seen the inside of the cottage. Raging inferno didn't come close to describing it-the whole back wall and the ceiling were a mass of hot, searing flames.

  Everyone in the yard fell silent, all gripped by the drama. Into the sudden, unnatural silence came a loud, prolonged creak.

  Then the main beam beneath the front of the roof exploded.

  Before their horrified eyes, it cracked, once, then again, flames spitting victoriously through the gaps.

  A second later, the lower beam, between the ground and upper floor, groaned mightily.

  Then, in a vicious splurge, flames spat around the lintel of the door itself. In split seconds, the wood started to glow.

  Richard lunged through the door, staggering-a wrapped bundle in his arms, clinging, crying weakly.

  Everyone rushed forward-the blacksmith's wife grabbed her child, Irons grabbed both of them in his huge arms and lifted them away. Catriona, Henderson and two of the grooms grabbed Richard, gasping, coughing, struggling to breathe, and hauled him away from the cottage.

  On that instant, with a deep, guttural groan like the dying gasp of a tortured animal, the cottage collapsed. Flames shot high; there was a deafening roar. Then the fire settled to crack and consume its prey.

  Bare hands smothering the flames flickering in Richard's hair and along his collar and shoulders, Catriona had no time for the cottage.

  Richard was not so distracted.

  Staring at the furnace growing beside the forge, he finally managed to catch his breath-finally noticed what she was doing. With an oath, he spun and caught her hands-and saw the telltale burns.

  "Damn it, woman-don't you have the sense you were born with!"

  Stung, Catriona tried to tug her hands free. "You were alight!" She glared at him "What happened to the blanket?"

  "The child needed the protection more than me." Grabbing a full saucepan from a passing waterbearer, Richard plunged Catriona's hands, gripped in one of his, into the cold water. His face like thunder, he dragged her, her wrists locked in one hand, the other holding the water-filled pan, across to the back doorstep.

  He forced her to sit. "Stay here." Dumping the pan in her lap, he trapped her gaze. "Stay the hell out of this-leave it to me."

  "But-"

  He swore through his teeth. "Dammit-which do you think your people-or I-would rather lose-the granary, or you?" He held her gaze, then straightened. "Just stay here."

  Without waiting for an answer, he strode away. Into the directionless melee about the pump.

  Within seconds, the women were drifting away, pans and pots in hand, uncertain expressions on their faces, all headed to join Catriona. Among them was Algaria. In answer to Catriona's questioning glance, she coldly lifted a shoulder. "He said we were more distraction than help-that the men would do better fighting the fire without worrying if their women and children were safe."

  Catriona grimaced; she'd seen more than one of the men stop and hunt through the crowd, or leave their post for a moment to shout orders at their children. The women, as they neared, collected their children
as they came. The men, now all gathered about the pump, about Richard, taller than them all, were staring at the burning building, listening intently while Richard pointed and rapidly issued orders.

  With a sigh, Catriona lifted her hands from the icy water and studied them. Then she grimaced and put them back into the pot. She looked up at Algaria. "Can you check the baby for me!?"

  Algaria raised a brow. "Of course." She paused, looking down at Catriona. "That was a foolish thing to do. A few minor burns could hardly harm his black soul."

  With that, she turned away and glided, like a black crow, into the house; stunned, her wits too shaken to respond quickly, Catriona stared, open-mouthed, after her.

  Then she snapped her lips shut, glared briefly, and swung her gaze back to more important things.

  As she looked, the group of men dispersed, breaking into teams which rapidly deployed as bucket lines, one to each side of the cottage, and another streaming into the barren gardens, ultimately linking the river with the back of the cottage. Peering through the dark, Catriona could see men filling buckets with snow, still piled in drifts through the gardens, and passing the buckets up the line, accepting empty buckets back. Some of the field workers came hurrying with shovels, the better to shift the snow.

  In the yard, two pairs of grooms staggered along, each pair carrying one of the huge loft ladders. Others rushed to help steady the ladders against the walls of the forge and the granary; they were long enough to reach the roofs.

  By the time the ladders were in place, the first filled bucket arrived and was quickly carried up the ladder to be poured down the wall between the granary and the cottage.

  At the center of the yard, his face set, Richard viewed their combined efforts. He hoped his witch was praying to Her Lady-they were going to need all the help they could get. The main thrust of the flames through the cottage had been via the central beam running forward to back through the roof, supporting secondary beams which in turn had supported the roof struts. They'd all burned, but now the flames were spreading outward from the center of the cottage, in both directions, licking along the timbers and beams ultimately abutting the walls of the granary and forge.