eyes burned at the sight. From this distance, they appeared too late, but if that were the case, the girl would be of no further use to the man and he would not be holding her in such a defensive manner.
Sophie’s kidnapper whipped around, yelling at someone beyond the tree line. Sebastian saw no one, but a movement at the back of the carriage captured his attention. A small boy leveraged himself into a crouched position on the luggage boot.
Teddy. Two children in harm’s way. Ice glazed Sebastian’s spine and sweat dampened his palms.
His gaze narrowed on the boy, who had his hand raised in an attack position. Sebastian could not detect a weapon, but Teddy was definitely preparing to do something rash.
“Don’t do it,” Sebastian demanded in a harsh whisper. He gave Reaper all the lead he wanted, and his mount burst forward in an amazing display of power.
The boy picked that moment to launch himself onto Cochran’s back.
The night exploded into a cacophony of screams and curses.
***
“Teddy!” Catherine yelled. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The stable lad had launched himself onto the back of a grown man, who would as soon kill the boy as look at him. Infuriated and writhing in pain, Cochran dropped Sophie and wrenched the boy off his back, throwing him across the road like a bucket of yesterday’s slop.
Right into their path.
“Watch out,” Sebastian warned.
Out of nowhere, a big black horse appeared carrying a cloaked figure. The rider maneuvered his mount over the stable lad, shielding him from their approach.
Sebastian jerked his horse to the right and Catherine pulled Gypsy’s reins to the left; the three men behind followed suit.
“Danforth, to Catherine. Jack, the boy,” Sebastian directed, after they cleared that particular danger. Helsford followed Sebastian into the fray.
Catherine scrambled off her horse and stood paralyzed as she watched Sebastian dismount and draw a pistol from the back of his waistband. Sophie was on the ground, kicking at Cochran as he attempted to recapture her. From a distance, Catherine heard Danforth calling her, but she couldn’t obey his entreaty for her to come away. The two people she loved most in the world were fighting for their lives.
“Cochran, stand down,” Sebastian said, leveling the pistol at his head.
Desperate now, Cochran smacked away Sophie’s legs and scooped her up.
“You killed Teddy, you beast!” Sophie cried. “How could you?” She no longer dangled passively in Cochran’s arms. She fought like a wildcat.
Catherine was equal parts proud and terrified. She wrenched free of Danforth’s hold and ran forward.
“Get back, Catherine.” Sebastian’s harsh command stopped her in her tracks. His eyes blazed with a luminescent vengeance that froze her heart.
From behind the battling duo emerged Declan McCarthy and several men from the village, including the vicar, who ran over to assist Jack with Teddy. Two of the men held Silas between them.
With her daughter acting the she-cat, Cochran appeared to Catherine almost relieved when Sebastian stowed his pistol and then plucked Sophie off her cursing and bleeding captor. Her sweet girl scratched at the air, determined to do the man more damage.
McCarthy sank a fist into Cochran’s stomach, then kneed him in the face when the man bent forward. He knocked the man to the ground and forced his arms behind his back. Helsford pulled a length of rope from his saddle and tied Cochran’s wrists and ankles.
With both men subdued, Catherine ran forward. Even though Sebastian tried to shelter Sophie’s curious eyes from McCarthy’s attack on Cochran, her daughter observed far too much.
“Sophie.” Catherine held out her arms. “Come to Mama.”
Fierce blue eyes turned her way. From one second to the next, the fight went out of her daughter and her eyes filled with tears. “Mama.”
Sebastian handed her daughter over, and Catherine’s pulse quickened when the girl’s small frame began to quake. “I have you now, pumpkin. Everything’s fine.” Catherine smoothed her hand over Sophie’s back in wide, calming circles. Sebastian also placed a hand on Sophie’s back while he angled around until he stood face-to-face with her daughter. “Brave little sprite, why the tears? You vanquished the enemy with nary a bruise.”
Sophie reared back and settled liquid blue eyes on him. An instant later, she bounded up and wrapped her thin arms around his neck. “Bastian,” she said. “You saved me.”
With Sophie half in Catherine’s arms and half in Sebastian’s arms, he stood awkwardly for a few seconds before finally giving in and embracing them both. Catherine closed her eyes and absorbed the