Hunting the Hero (The Wild Randalls 4)

Constantine shuddered as Oliver raised his arm to block a blow directed toward his head. How much more of this could a man stand before he fought back? “She could easily be hurt,” Constantine hissed. “Didn’t any of you hear Mrs. Lamb? She might be with child.”

Tobias grunted. “Just the same. Stay out of it. Oliver will have factored her possible condition into his strategy.”

Horrified, Constantine struggled toward Rosemary, but Tobias had a firm grip for one so slim. Tight bands of steel held him apart from the woman he loved and he was helpless to go to her aid.

“This should be interesting,” Tobias said conversationally as Rosemary and Oliver sparred to and fro. He winced every time Rosemary connected a blow with her brother. Yet so far, the taller man had not connected once. He blocked and forced Rosemary to give ground. Rosemary’s face was slowly turning red but Oliver wasn’t even panting.

Leopold shuffled toward them, half bent over, holding his side as if he were truly injured. He glanced over his shoulder as Oliver grunted when struck in the center of his chest. “Damn, she’s fast.”

“And the sly fox appears to be slowly working her way toward the far doorway set in the stone wall. Excuse me. Keep Grayling here, will you, Leo? He’s a little concerned about Rose.”

Tobias released him and ran for the high stone wall surrounding the graveyard. When he vaulted it and disappeared behind, Constantine swore. “My sisters have married bloody circus performers.”

He moved toward Rosemary, but Leopold blocked his path. “I’d rather you kept me out of that description. But never fear, Tobias promised Blythe never to let anyone see him do that anymore. Given this is an emergency, she’ll forgive him soon enough.”

Tobias appeared in the stone archway, arms crossed over his chest. When Rosemary saw her escape route had been thwarted, she renewed her attack on Oliver. Except that in her anger, she made a mistake. As she lunged to thump her fist into Oliver’s unprotected ribs, he again stepped inside the blow and wrapped his hands about her waist. “Yield, Terror.”

“No.” Rosemary squirmed.

Oliver juggled her for a better grip as if she weighed nothing. “Then up you go.”

While Constantine watched in shock, the tall man lifted Rosemary above his head on her side. All five feet two of her was held stiffly in a rigid length.

“Put me down,” she shrieked.

Oliver grinned up at her. “Are you ready for the next part? Remember how much you liked twirling?”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t,” she gasped. “I’ll be sick all over you.”

Oliver tossed her in the air once. “What do you think, Toby? Do we believe her, or should we continue our usual game?”

Tobias kept a distance, his expression wary. “It’s your suit of clothes that will need cleaning. Grayling believes she’s with child. Probably his.”

“Of course it’s his,” Rosemary admitted. “Put me down, you brainless clod.”

“And there is my sweet-tongued sister.” Oliver grinned as he lowered Rosemary gently into his arms and held her there. “So the terror will spawn another. This I cannot wait to see.”

Rosemary thumped his shoulder. “You’re an evil man, Oliver Randall.”

Instead of taking offense, Oliver laughed. “Elizabeth will never believe one disparaging word you say.”

“So you did marry her?” In the blink of an eye, Rosemary wrapped her arms around Oliver. Constantine took a step in that direction but stopped when he heard sobbing. Leopold wasn’t so timid. He strode the remaining distance, coming to a standstill before his siblings. He hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder. “We’ve been looking for you, Rosemary.”

Her head rose and she sniffed. “I know, but it’s much too late to come home again. It would be better for everyone if you had never found me.”

“Of course you can come home.” Leopold pressed his hand to her hair. “You must.”

When she wriggled to get away from the affectionate touch, Oliver lowered her gently to her feet and stepped back.

Rosemary scowled at her three brothers who’d formed a circle about her. “No one can make me do anything anymore. You must know, I am well beyond ruin. I’ll only be an embarrassment to you all. You each have a family to think of.”

All eyes turned accusingly at Constantine.

Yet he had a family to think of, too, and they loved this woman. A woman who would fight, and lie, and love more bravely than anyone he’d ever met. Despite what he’d just witnessed, his feelings hadn’t changed one bit.

“Oh, leave Grayling be.” Rosemary pointed to a headstone. “They’re here.”

All the brothers refocused on Rosemary. “Who’s here?”