Just to Have You (Blackwood & Friends #3)

Chapter Ten

And then it happened so quickly Oliver scarcely knew what had occurred, but Amy was no longer beside him. In fact, she was no longer upright at all as she sprawled against the floor, arms and legs akimbo, her hair a riotous mess of dark curls against the carpet she lay on.

"I told you I couldn't hold that beast!" Arianna said furiously. In response, the wolfhound howled as it ricocheted through the halls, having bounded out the library free from his mother's grasp and tackling Amy sufficiently off her feet.

The panic that had whipped through him that something terrible had happened to her ensured that he was on his knees beside her already, coaxing her into his arms and shielding her with his body. Her shoulders were trembling and concern swamped Oliver as he glared at his father. "Are you mad?" he demanded of Lionel. "You just put a hole in the ceiling!"

"I'll put another yet!" Lionel roared, shaking the rifle at the swinging chandelier. "I hear them! By Jove, I'll get them all if I have to!"

"Don't you dare, Lionel!" Arianna fumed, traipsing up to her husband and slapping him against the back of the head, sending his hair awry. He looked at her as if she were the mad one. "I'll not have you wrecking this perfectly wonderful house because you are feeling caged! Good Lord, I thought we could stay a few more days in the city but clearly you are intent on seeing us ruined."

Amy was shaking now and Oliver glanced down at her to discern the level of injury she had sustained. His surprise was clear however and promptly turned to amusement to find her stifling her giggles against his chest.

"Amy, dear, are you hurt? Oh, Lionel, if you've caused any harm on that poor girl-"

"Me?" Oliver's father protested heatedly. "The damn dog did that, not I!"

"I'm quite alright," Amy told them, biting back her laughter. Her eyes were swimming when she chose to look up at Oliver. "Though my dignity at being manhandled by an astoundingly large dog has taken slight."

"Better Cecil than Penelope, I suppose," Oliver teased and assisted her to her feet, keeping his hand pressed against the small of her back in case Lionel decided it was necessary to wield that hunting rifle again.

"I was actually about to offer to take Cecil and Millicent for a walk," she added, directing her words to Arianna who was still fussing over her rat-crazed husband.

"Oh, do you think that would be wise, dear?" Arianna mused.

"Pah, look at the chit," Lionel blurted, clearly on a rampage of wit and charm this afternoon, "she's built sturdy enough to handle those beasts! Of course she can bloody well take them!"

"Lionel!"

"Father!"

"No, it's quite alright," Amy said, then broke out into peels of laughter. "I mean, his lordship is not wrong!" And she giggled so much then that she almost lost balance and swayed into Oliver's side.

"The devil I say that meant anything bad?" Lionel demanded. "I meant it in a good way! Oliver could entertain himself for days with a woman like that. Lord knows one of the reasons I married you was because of your massive-"

"I believe I hear my mother calling," Amy interrupted and skirted out from Oliver's side, and her watched her lips tremble as she bit back a smile. Casting one last look at his parents, he followed her promptly, hoping his father's madness had abated for the time being. "I am going to take the dogs for a walk," Amy told him over her shoulder, as if sensing his intent to speak with her. "You may accompany me or stay here, but I find myself needing some fresh air and composure."