Accepting Melissa’s offered hand, Julian got to his feet. “That’s not a wager any of us will take.”
He turned to Melissa and, squeezing her fingers, brushed his lips to her temple. “I’m still reeling, but not from Findlay-Wright’s blow. What in ‘Please stay here’ didn’t you understand?”
She met his gaze and arched her brows haughtily. “And what in ‘until death do us part’ don’t you remember?”
He studied her for a second, then sighed and hung his head. Quietly, so only she could hear, he whispered, “I don’t know how to deal with this—with everything you make me feel.”
She whispered back, “You don’t have to deal with it.” She squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Let’s concentrate on catching the captain. I assume from your comment you think that’s still possible?”
He turned and looked in the direction the captain had gone, and a cold, ruthless smile curved his lips. “Oh yes. We’ll catch him yet.”
Felix came riding up, leading all the other horses.
Julian looked, then shook his head. “You should have left hers.”
Felix regarded him as if he were mad and handed over his reins. “She’s your countess, and I’m unmarried, remember? I wouldn’t dare.”
Already at her horse’s side, Melissa favored Felix with a regal nod. “Very wise.” She turned to Damian, who had just collected his reins from Felix. “Lift me up, or I’ll make your life a misery.”
Damian glanced at Julian as he swung up to his saddle and shrugged. “See.” He gripped Melissa’s waist and hoisted her up. The instant she was steady, Damian released her and mounted.
After one last shake of his head, Julian started off in pursuit, and the others—Melissa included—followed.
During the ensuing chase, Melissa came to fully appreciate just how well her husband could ride. Stretching low over his horse’s neck, he became one with the powerful beast, and the pair flew over the turf and the pastures, leaping across a stream and surging up the low hills.
His brothers weren’t far behind him.
Findlay-Wright had had a head start of several minutes, but Melissa realized Julian and his brothers hadn’t been indulging in unrealistic optimism in thinking they would catch him. The captain might be riding hard—indeed, as if the hounds of hell were on his horse’s heels—but his horse wasn’t of the same caliber as the hunter Julian rode or even the horses his brothers were riding.
They all closed the distance. Gordon was having trouble managing his new mount and fell back to ride with her. Nevertheless, whether the captain was pushing his horse too hard or it was simply an inferior beast, even they had him in sight soon enough.
Then Julian’s knowledge of the land came into play. While the captain, having noticed his pursuers, desperately flogged his horse down a track following a small stream along a shallow valley, Julian took to the ridge above, riding hard along the crest before rocketing down the slope at the other end and leaping across the stream to land almost on the captain’s horse’s heels.
High on the ridge, Melissa watched the scene unfold. Julian paced the captain’s horse for several strides, then urged his mount forward, almost alongside the captain’s flagging steed, and launched himself across. He hit Findlay-Wright and carried him out of his saddle and onto the ground.
The pair rolled in the thick grass.
Felix and Damian were thundering closer, but were still some yards away when Julian and the captain stopped rolling.
Julian had heard Findlay-Wright’s breath leave him when they’d hit the ground and knew the man was almost spent. But the bastard was a fighter and would keep clawing and fighting to the end. Before Findlay-Wright could get his breath back enough to come at him again, Julian reared up, pinned the bastard down, and smashed his fist into Findlay-Wright’s face.
The man’s eyes rolled up, and he slumped in the grass.
Not entirely sure he trusted the faint, Julian rolled to his feet. He stood over the captain and absentmindedly massaged his knuckles as the others rode up.
Damian slowed his horse, then walked it forward and leaned over to study Findlay-Wright’s face. Damian smiled, then grinned at Julian. “Despite the pain, that must have felt good.”
Julian nodded. “It did.” He looked around as Gordon and Melissa followed Felix toward him.
Noting Findlay-Wright’s horse waiting with Julian’s farther along the stream, Gordon offered, “I’ll fetch the horses.”
Julian nodded his thanks. As Gordon rode past, to Felix and Damian, Julian said, “Let’s tie him up, lash him to his saddle, and take him back to the castle.”
Melissa had halted a yard away. She looked down at Findlay-Wright with a degree of satisfaction, then she looked at Julian. “Your hand?”
He wiggled his fingers at her. “Bruised, but not broken.”
The look she bent on him informed him that was just as well.
