The next day saw him outdoors, marking out positions for large shelters for the cattle, both those presently in the vale and those he intended to add to the herd. Together with Irons Henderson and McAlvie the herdsman- excited to the point of garrulousness-he hammered short stakes into the ice-hard ground outlining the buildings, then moved on to mark out a series of yards, pens and races, all linked to the buildings.
'I see, I see.' McAlvie nodded briskly. 'We can move them in, then move them out, at will and without mixing the groups.
'And we won't need to get them all round to the one side neither,' observed Irons.
'That's the idea.' Taking a brief rest on the rising slope leading to the house, Richard looked down on their handiwork. 'This will let us get the herd in quickly-they won't lose condition as badly as they do at present if they're properly protected. And we'll also be able to get them back out as soon as the snow melts. We can keep them in the yards until there's enough new growth in the pastures.'
'Which means they'll be easier to feed, and it'll protect the pastures from too-early grazing.' Henderson nodded in dour approval. 'Sensible.'
'We'll put gates inside too,' Richard said, leading the way back down the slope to the held of their endeavor, 'so that once in, you'll be able to bring them out into whatever yard gives access to the fields you want to run them on.'
They tramped eagerly after him, McAlvie's expression one of bliss.
In the ensuing days, the new cattle barn became the focus of vale interest. All the farmhands and laborers at the manor threw themselves into its construction with an enthusiasm that grew with it-as its realization revealed its possibilities. Others from the farms dropped by-and stayed to help. The children, of course, swarmed everywhere, fetching nails and tools, providing unsolicited opinions. Despite the hard ground and the difficulty of sinking foundations, the barn grew apace.
'Oooh!' McAlvie's eyes gleamed as he surveyed the long loft running the length of the barn. 'We'll be able to feed by simply pushing half bales over the edge and into the stalls below.'
'Not this year,' Richard answered caustically, handing him a hammer and directing him to a brace waiting to be secured. 'Let's get this up, and the herd under cover,
The end walls of the main barn went up slowly, rock and stone filling the wooden frames. Meanwhile, the long side walls, wooden slats over a complex wooden frame allowing for doors, gates, shutters and runs, took shape. The sound of hammering rang over the vale; with every day the sense of shared purpose grew. Eventually, every man had contributed something-hammered in at least one nail-even old McArdle, who had hobbled down to view the enterprise and hadn't been able to resist.
As a shared distraction in a season usually marked by doing nothing, the men, used to outdoor work, welcomed the chance of activity wholeheartedly, and happily immersed themselves in it. 'Better 'n chess,' was the general opinion.
Eventually, the women came to see what was afoot.
'Mercy be!' exclaimed Mrs. Broom. 'The cattle won't know themselves.'
Cook humphed. 'Get ideas above their station, I shouldn't be surprised.'
Catriona came down late in the afternoon, just before the light started to fade. Algaria, dressed, as usual, in unrelieved black, glided in her wake.
'This way, mistress.' With a flourish, McAlvie conducted her around his charges' new quarters. 'I'm thinking, if they spend winters like this, they'll regain their summer weight in weeks, rather than months.'
Nodding, Catriona slowly pivoted, taking in the size of the structure-rather larger than she had supposed. 'How many will it hold?'
'Oh, it'll take our present numbers easily.'
'Hmm.' Discovering a gate before her, Catriona opened it. 'What are these for?'
'They,' Richard answered, strolling up, 'are for channeling the occupants.' Taking Catriona's hand, he led her to a ladder left leaning against the loft's edge. 'Go up a few steps and you'll see the pattern more easily.'
Catriona climbed up, and he explained the flow of traffic through the barn.
'How very useful.' Looking down, she smiled at him.
Richard reached up and lifted her down. 'Useful is what I do best.'
She smiled and pressed his hand; together they strolled to the main doors. Leaving him there with a lingering smile and a promise in her eyes, Catriona started back to the house.
Algaria trudged behind her.
Catriona stopped at the stable yard fence and looked back-at the useful structure her consort had fashioned from the materials and energy lying dormant in the vale. A soft smile curved her lips as she turned away and started across the cobbles.
Algaria, behind her, humphed disgustedly. 'Newfangled nonsense!'
As often happened, winter refused to cede its authority without one last freeze. It came literally overnight, a storm that dumped feet of snow over the vale, followed by a cold snap, which froze it all in place.
The cattle barn, while far from finished, was complete enough to house the present herd. McAlvie, warned the day before by both Catriona and Cook's aching joints, had sent his farmhands to all corners of the vale to bring the herd in.
Everyone, both from the manor and the farms, had been there to see the herd, shaggy and gaunt, come plodding and swaying, lowing and mooing, up to the manor. Then McAlvie and his lads turned them down the slope to their new quarters; they'd gone readily, riling in through the main doors, heads up, eyes wide. Those watching had waited, listening for any hint of problems; instead, all they heard was a murmur of contented moos.
That had been yesterday; now, standing by the stable yard fence, Catriona looked down on the snow- shrouded barn. The contented sound still rose from the building. The herd was safe and warm; she could see footsteps sunk deep in the snow leading to the barn and guessed McAlvie's lads had already been out to feed them.
Turning, she surveyed the scene in the yard behind her. Irons was in charge of the team set to clear the pump of snow and ice. Richard was about somewhere; she could hear him issuing orders about sweeping some of the snow from the roofs of the forge and two of the smaller barns. The fall had been heavy; from what she could gather, certain eaves were in danger of snapping under the weight.
All the children had been sternly confined to the house; Catriona could see noses pressed to the window panes of the games room. But she agreed with the edict-every now and then, as the men worked to clear the eaves, a minor avalanche would ensue.
Even she was only there on sufferance. That much was obvious from the frown on Richard's face as he rounded the barn and saw her. He strode up. 'I'm sure you must have better things to do than freeze your witchy arse out here.'
Catriona grinned. 'I'll go inside in a minute. I was just wondering'-she glanced at the games room-'how to best to reward the children. They've been so very good, helping with the barn, among other things.'
Richard frowned at the fogged windows. 'Why don't you tell them that if they manage to
Catriona opened her eyes wide. 'You will?'
Richard narrowed his eyes at her. 'Any further orders, ma'am?'
Catriona giggled. Gripping his coat, she stretched up, kissed his cheek, then his lips fleetingly; then, smiling serenely, keeping her eyes on his to the very last, she drew her shawls about her, and headed back to the house.
Richard watched her go-watched her hips sway provocatively as she crossed the snow. Then he drew a deep breath, wrenched his mind back from where it had wandered, and returned to his task-that of being her right arm.
He had it all done-the eaves all checked, those in danger swept, all the stock checked and safe, paths to the buildings cleared-by lunchtime. Crossing the front hall on his way upstairs to change, he heard Catriona call his name.
She was in her office, seated at her desk with McArdle and a dour man he identified as the recalcitrant Melchett in attendance. Catriona looked up as he entered, and smiled, but a frown lurked in her eyes.
