Page 29 of The Duke’s Bride (The Duke’s Alliance #6)

Beau was unsurprised that Bishop had been unable to interest the magistrate at Bow Street in the possible sighting of a band of highwaymen.

‘They were sympathetic, sir, but even knowing who was likely to be held up was not enough to send any of their runners.’

‘Then we will have to travel at speed through the danger area as originally planned. You have had an exhausting journey; are you fit enough to ride or do you require an hour or two to recover?’

‘I have been sitting in a carriage so will be ready as soon as I have eaten.’

Beau looked up and saw the children watching from the window. He smiled and beckoned, and they understood they were to get ready to descend and begin the next stage of their journey home.

It took them a considerable time to get organised and the carriage was waiting by the time they eventually arrived.

He lifted them into it and then assisted the two ladies.

The carriage rocked and moved forward. The coachmen had been told to take it steady and then spring the horses as they entered the forest.

‘Would it not be more sensible, Edward, for us to wait until there are other vehicles travelling through this part and then go with them?’

‘If there are coaches and carriages approaching at the same time as us then of course we shall travel with them. I have instructed your coachmen to do so if possible. However, one cannot keep horses standing when the temperature is so low. If we are alone, then speed will be our protection.’

The children kept up a running commentary on what they could see from the window whilst Mrs Alston slept in the corner. After travelling for an hour or more the vehicle slowed to a stop. He opened the window and leaned out to speak to the coachman.

‘Have you seen anything untoward ahead of us?’

‘No, sir, all quiet. We’re the only vehicle on this stretch of the road at present. Nothing behind us neither.’

‘Then take this mile at a gallop. I thank God the road is well maintained and relatively straight, as I would not wish to endanger the horses or ourselves by this venture.’

He pulled the window up and resumed his seat in between the children. ‘This will be an adventure. Elizabeth, Thomas, take tight hold of the straps; I have no wish for you to fly off the seat.’

They did as he instructed and he braced his feet against the seat on the other side of the carriage.

His future mother-in-law was tucked in tight beneath the furs and should be relatively stable, however bumpy the ride became.

Viola and the twins were similarly covered but he had refused.

He disliked being encumbered and was quite warm enough beneath his thick greatcoat.

The driver snapped his whip and the horses moved into a trot, from there to a smooth canter.

Once the carriage was bowling along at this speed it would be safe to increase the pace again and get the team to gallop.

Horses could not keep this up for more than a mile without becoming blown.

This would be more than enough to take them past the trees that grew so densely on either side of the road, which was why it was the favourite haunt of those wishing to hold up a passing carriage.

The children squealed in delight as they were thrown from side to side. He was less enthused about the experience, as he knew only too well that if a wheel dropped into a pothole the carriage could overturn and all of them be killed.

This was madness – he should not be risking their lives with this foolish race. He stood up and hammered on the roof and immediately the coachman responded. The horses dropped back to an extended trot and he unclenched his fists.

‘I think we might have been in more danger from overturning than we were from anything else.’ He had checked his weapon earlier and it was primed and loaded and ready to fire if needs be.

‘This is quite fast enough for me, young man,’ came the muffled voice from the corner.

‘I agree, ma’am, and we are almost through the forest and will soon be…’

The carriage lurched. He heard the coachman yelling at the horses as the man hauled desperately on the reins. Then his world turned upside down. The children screamed. Viola and her mother did the same. A horrible silence followed for a second.

Beau could not breathe. The air had been pummelled from his chest. There was something heavy adding to his distress. His head cleared and he was able to assess the damage. One door was beneath him the other above.

‘Thomas, Elizabeth, are you hurt?’

There was no response and neither was there from his beloved, or her mother. The carriage was on its side. There was no sound of screaming horses, which was a small comfort.

‘Viola, talk to me. I dare not move until I know you have no broken limbs as you are resting on top of me.’ The children were sprawled across his feet but he could not see the whereabouts of the old lady who was also ominously silent.

‘I am perfectly well, Edward, just stunned.’

‘We are unhurt, Uncle Edward, but I think that our grandmama is not at all well,’ Elizabeth said.

‘Can you move all your limbs without pain, sweetheart? What about you, Thomas?’

‘I’m a bit bruised, but nothing broken. Is it safe for us to sit up?’

‘Remain still for a moment, I need to hear from Bishop or the coachman that we will not turn completely over if we do so.’

Bishop called out to him. ‘We will soon have you out of there, sir. There was a tree blocking the road. Thank God you were not travelling any faster.’

‘Whoever placed it there might well come. Send Brutus to investigate.’

‘The dog’s already gone into the trees.’ The door, which was now above Beau’s head, opened and Bishop looked in. ‘We can lift you out, sir, easy enough but I reckon it would be safer to right the carriage with you all still inside.’

‘Only Mrs Alston appears to have taken any injury. I am most concerned about her as she has a feeble heart. Pull the carriage onto its wheels and we will brace ourselves.’

He heard the sound of voices that did not belong to his party and guessed another vehicle had stopped to assist. Whoever had caused this accident was not likely to appear if there were others there to witness it.

‘Listen, children, they are going to pull us the right way up. We need to position ourselves so we will not be hurt when this happens, but just slide back onto the squabs. Slowly turn so your feet are facing the same way as mine.’ He had already swivelled round.

‘Why is my mama not speaking? Do you think she has had a fatal apoplexy?’

‘I have had no such thing, daughter; I was merely gathering my wits after a very unsettling experience.’

‘Thank God, Mama, we all thought you badly hurt. Are you able to move at all?’

‘I thought I was having a nightmare so ignored everything about me. I am quite capable of turning so my feet are pointing inwards like everyone else.’

Beau would have preferred to be next to her so he could hold her steady when the carriage began to move. It would begin slowly initially but then, once it was almost upright, it might well be different and he had no wish for anyone to be injured after surviving the first impact.

The children managed to wriggle themselves so they were between him and Viola. Mrs Alston was beside her daughter and closest to the side of the carriage.

‘We are ready, Bishop; start to pull the vehicle up.’

There was a deal of shouting, some worrying creaks and groans from the carriage, then it began to right itself. The procedure took less time than he’d expected and they all ended up in a heap for a second time.

He extricated himself from the mêlée of arms and legs. ‘Excellent, we are all in one piece.’ The carriage door opened, which was in itself a surprise, and willing hands were there to lift out the children and the two ladies.

He jumped down after them. A florid gentleman of middle years slapped him on the back. ‘Well done, well done, sir. A miracle no one was injured and that your carriage has suffered no damage either, apart from a few scratches.’

‘I thank you for your assistance.’ He looked around and saw that Bishop had already organised the removal of the tree so the road was now clear of obstruction.

The little ones had recovered from the accident and were now bouncing about as if nothing untoward had taken place. Viola was taking care of her mother who also seemed in remarkably high spirits considering what had just happened. This left him free to examine the horses and carriage for himself.

‘The axles are undamaged, sir – blooming marvellous, is what it is. If you hadn’t got me to slow down we would all have been done for.’

‘And the team?’

‘Jed, the under-coachman, has checked them all thoroughly and they are ready to go. A few buckles broke on the harness but that’s no never mind. It will hold together until we get to the next coaching inn and I can get repairs done.’

‘Good man – how soon will you be ready to depart?’

‘Give us a quarter of an hour and I reckon the horses will be back in harness.’

‘We are blocking the road at the moment so the sooner the better.’

He wandered over to speak to Bishop who was looking into the undergrowth. ‘No sign of Brutus? I think he would bark if he had found anyone close by.’

‘That’s what worries me, sir; we should be able to hear his movements. Do you think the varmints caught him?’

‘Absolutely not – the only way they could harm him is if they shot him and we would have heard that. He will probably be back before we leave. If not, then he will follow us.’

The coachman had been correct in his prediction and in the allotted time they were all snugly inside and on their way to the next inn. The dog had yet to return but he had reassured the children he would come eventually and they were satisfied with that.

‘First, we were travelling at breakneck speed, young man, at your behest, and now we are progressing at a snail-like pace. If we continue as we are it will take us a week to get home.’