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David gripped her around the waist and pulled out of the hantour. When she was finally free of it, her skirts settled around where she was left seated on the ground.

Then she stared at what was causing the horses to rear and whinny.

A snake slithered sideways atop the sand, its scales gleaming in the morning sun.

Without thinking, she gripped her reticule by the drawstring ribbon and slammed it down on the creature, over and over until the loud pop of a gunshot sounded.

She reared back, a cry of fright sounding before she scrambled backwards.

In front of her, the snake no longer had a head, and the rest of its body stilled its movements.

She heard a lady’s scream and a man’s shout before strong hands pulled her away from the carnage, her hand still holding onto her reticule.

When she turned around, she was once again in Tom’s arms. He had managed to climb out of the equipage after David had pulled her out, and he had paid witness to what she had done to the snake.

“Are you all right?” Tom asked, his eyes wide with fright.

“What was that?” she asked, attempting to turn her head but unable to do so given how he held her.

“A snake,” he replied. “A viper of some sort.”

“No. That... that sound .”

Tom furrowed his brows. “A gunshot. Your father shot it,” he explained, before Harry joined them, his manner frantic.

“Did it bite you?” he asked, his manner suggesting more than just fatherly concern. Stella appeared at his side, one of her hands in front of her open mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

Helen shook her head. “I don’t... I don’t think so,” she replied. “Mother, I am fine,” she added.

“It would have hurt,” her father said. “A sharp pain.” He lifted the arm that still held onto the reticule, pushing up her sleeve to examine her skin for puncture marks.

“No, Father. I am fine. Truly,” she insisted, rather glad Tom still held her, for her legs suddenly felt rubbery. “My gown is...” She used a hand to brush away some of the dust from the skirt, pulling it out to see that the fabric hadn’t torn. “Surprisingly undamaged.”

Stella already had a hanky out and was brushing away the desert dust from the back of her gown. “As long as you’re not damaged,” she murmured.

Diana appeared on the other side of Helen. “Take a drink,” she urged, holding a flask to her lips.

Helen did so, wincing at the metallic taste of the water. “Oh, that’s awful,” she said.

“Can you walk?” Diana asked.

Tom let go his hold on her, and Helen stood of her own accord. “I... I think so.”

“So nothing broke or bent or twisted when you tipped over?” she went on, her attention going to the overturned hantour. Although the wheels appeared intact, the harness was ruined. The horse, long since released from the yoke, was being led away by the driver.

“What about you?” Diana asked, turning her attention to Tom.

He blinked, obviously surprised by her query. “I am fine. I’d be better if David hadn’t tromped on me, though,” he replied, holding out his leg to show the boot print left on the side of one of his Hobys.

“Apologies, Cousin,” David said, pulling out a handkerchief. He leaned down and wiped off the dusty print.

“Much obliged,” Tom said, realizing he still had a hand at the back of Helen’s waist. “Oh, forgive me,” he said, directing his words to Harry as he released his hold on her.

“I appreciate you seeing to her,” Harry replied quietly. He moved to stand next to where the remains of the snake still lay in the sand. He bent and picked it up, making an odd sound in his throat. “Horned viper,” he commented, arching a brow as he studied the markings.

Mahmood rushed up, quickly assessing what had happened. “Do you wish to keep it, my lord?”

Harry frowned. “Would one of the drivers like it for their dinner?” he asked.

Nodding, Mahmood reached out and took the snake from him. He passed it off to one of the drivers, who seemed especially pleased and bowed several times to Harry before returning to his hantour.

With the other two hantours having returned so their occupants could discover what had happened, Will conferred with Mahmood.

“If everyone is all right, we can still go on, can we not? Three to a hantour?” Will asked.

Mahmood nodded and yelled out instructions to the other drivers.

The one holding onto the Arabian mounted it and rode bareback in the direction of the village.

Meanwhile, the men lined up and lifted the overturned hantour back onto its wheels, experimentally pushing it to ensure the axels were still working.

“He will return with another harness and a different horse,” Mahmood explained to Will. “By the time we are done at the temples, there will once again be four hantours for our use.”

“I appreciate it,” Will replied. He directed the others to return to their carriages and finally joined Barbara in theirs. David sat next to the driver while Helen joined her parents. Tom ended up in a hantour with Diana and Randy.

“How is she?” Randy asked.

“I think the gunshot was more upsetting for her than the snake,” Tom replied. He chuckled softly. “I should never wish to be the target of her ire. She is wicked with that reticule,” he added.

“Best you remember that,” Randy warned, arching a teasing brow.

Diana failed to hide a smirk as the hantour jerked into motion.

A few minutes later, the Temple of Hathor came into view.