But there was no way out. The Ring was far too crowded, and somehow, the phaeton’s ribbons had become snarled with his aunt’s carriage ribbons. Her driver, Lyman, was making a heroic attempt to untangle them, but even from this distance James could see it was hopeless. The knots only pulled tighter as the high-steppers lunged this way and that, mindless with panic.
It was only a matter of time before they threw their driver from the box and bolted again, either dragging the carriage with them or crashing directly into it. “That fool is going to kill someone!”
Where was his aunt? Her driver, Lyman was still struggling with the ribbons and shouting something at the gentleman in the yellow coat, but he couldn’t find his aunt. Had she fallen from the carriage? Damn it, he couldn’t see a bloody thing! The entireRing had descended into chaos, with everyone shouting at once, and?—
Wait, just there!
Relief rushed through him as he caught sight of her on the other side of the railing. Somehow, she’d escaped her carriage and was safely out of the fray, but she continued to shriek as if she feared for her life, her panicked wails rising above the din.
She’d entirely lost her composure, and he soon saw why.
Miss Templeton was still in the carriage.
He hadn’t noticed her at first, because she wasn’t shrieking, or struggling, or gesticulating. She’d tucked herself into a corner of the carriage, as far from the horses as she could get. She had one hand braced on the seat beside her, and the other curled around the door. Her knuckles were white, and her face as pale as death, but despite being in more danger than anyone else in the Ring, she was utterly still and silent.
Behind him, Harriett shouted something, but there was no time to answer her— no time to do anything but jump over the railing and run for the trapped carriage. A tight circle had formed around the scene, all the gentlemen shouting instructions at once, but for all that they had endless ideas about how to correct the problem, none of them seemed at all eager to actually help, and he was obliged to shove them aside.
“Out of my way, damn you!”
He shoved his way past the heaving bodies, dodging carriages and treading on ladies’ skirts as he tore across the Ring. He’d half hoped he might be able to calm the panicked horses, but it was already too late for that.
His only option was to get Miss Templeton out of the carriage before the entire thing toppled over and get her to the other side of the railing before either of them was trampled.
“Miss Templeton!” He darted past the struggling horses and came abreast of the carriage, but there was no way to reach theoutside door without catching a hoof to the forehead, and the other door was pressed hard against the fencing, and trapped shut.
There was no help for it. She’d have to slide across the seat toward the fencing, scurry over the top edge of the carriage, and drop down on the other side.
With one leap, he scaled the fence, and leaned over the top railing, holding his arms out to her. “Quickly, Miss Templeton! Slide over to me, and I’ll help you over the side!”
Her face went another shade whiter. “N-no, I can’t! I can’t?—”
“Yes, you can. I’ll help you, I promise it.”
She squeezed her eyes closed, but just when he was certain he’d have to jump into the carriage himself and drag her out, she began to make her way across the seat.
“Yes, that’s it. Good! Just a little further, and I’ll be able to reach you.”
It seemed to take hours, but she slid closer, inch by torturous inch until at last he could reach her. He grasped her forearm, and with one hard jerk, he tugged her the rest of the way across, so she was flush against the door. “Good! Now rise to your knees. Quickly, now. There’s no time to waste.”
The carriage was shuddering and swaying underneath them, and her body was shaking so hard it was a wonder she could move at all. Another lady might have swooned under such circumstances, but Miss Templeton set her jaw and did as he bid her.
As soon as she was on her knees, he caught her around the waist. “There. Very good, Miss Templeton. Now put your arms around my neck, and hold on as tightly as you can.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her slender body trembling against him. He wrapped his other arm around her and spread his hand over the back of her head to protect it, then, with a quick shout to Lyman to abandon the carriage, he hauledher over the side of the door, and into his arms, pausing only to tuck her tightly against his chest before he sucked in a quick breath, and leaped over the fence.
They hit the ground with a bone-rattling thud, and an instant later, Lyman landed beside them with an “Oof!”
“Euphemia!” His aunt was upon them at once, falling to her knees beside them in the dirt. “Euphemia, can you hear me?”
“Miss Templeton?” Somehow, despite his best efforts, he’d landed on top of her. She lay unmoving beneath him, and he jerked up onto his elbows. “Miss Templeton! Are you alright?”
She didn’t answer, and his heart rushed into his throat as he gazed down at her white face. Her eyes were closed, and there was a streak of dirt on her temple.
Dear God, had he crushed her? Broken one of her ribs, or?—
Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a single instant, an instant only, their gazes locked, and they looked deeply into each other’s eyes.
And for that instant, that single instant only, everything around him faded to silence until only one thought remained in his head.
