Page 5 of Lord Appleby's Gorgeous Imposter
The coach careened around one corner and down a dark street. Inside the three slid on the benches and careened into each other.
“Help me, help me, help me,” Vivi kept calling to them, working the handle of the door. But the other two women were crying, stunned. And try as Vivi might, the carriage door was locked. Stuck.
Tears scalded her cheeks.
Minutes or centuries later, the coach slowed. All three women braced themselves on the seat.
“Where are we?” Mama whispered.
But staring at the street marked by half-timbered old houses, Vivi knew they must be in the outskirts.
The carriage rattled back and forth to a stop. Vivi banged on the box. Sticking her head near the broken window, she shouted up to their man, “Where are we?”
“Barrière d’Enfer, mademoiselle.”
The post road to the south. “You wait?” she asked him, fearing this answer, fearing others might come for those who remained in the carriage.
“Oui.The rendezvous, mademoiselle.Monsieur le Comtearranged for the change of carriages. I am to wait.”
Her father had told the man to stop here. Yes, but now… Would Tate come? Would he be able to rescue Diane and Beau?
Vivi checked her mother’s gaze. The woman rocked back and forth, moaning. She knew only her fright.
Charmaine’s expression was blank.
They could give no advice. No help. No admonishment to their coachman to drive on or return.
Was it simply best to wait, as her father had planned? Vivi did trust him. She did.
But was the driver telling the truth?
A new fright sent arrows of agony through her.
Was Tate strong enough, wily enough to escape the throngs? Did he have coins on him to hire a carriage to come here? Could he find Diane? Wrest her free? And bring Beau too?
Vivi huddled into her cloak. She would not cry. Would not!
The night grew longer, colder. The wind picked up and buffeted their carriage. Mama sat rigid as stone. Charmaine sneered and complained.
Would Tate find them here? Could he? If he was even still alive. What could one man do against a heinous mob?
Vivi clutched herself more closely. She was cold and hungry. She had to pee.
Had they brought a bourdalou?
She winced. Along with so much else, a porcelain pot to pee in had seemed unimportant, even irrelevant when one’s life was in danger from a mad mob.
She reached inside her pelisse and checked the time. Most precious to her was the large watch pinned to her bodice. Her grandfather’s watch was a sacred piece because he had given it to her days before he died. He pinned it on her dress himself, his palsied hands shaking. “To be noted on days you are happy.”
And note the hour I am terrified, too.She shook it all away.Think. Think!
She leaned out the broken window, careful not to be caught or cut on the glass. “How long did the vicomte say to wait?”
“Until I can no longer, mademoiselle.”
Vivi swallowed her need to scream at him to whip the horses to a trot. To return the way they’d come and find Tate with Diane and Beau in tow.
But she heard no screaming mobs. Saw no one around the corners. Ahead of them were the two white stone buildings of theBarrière d’Enfer. No one was about, which meant the tax collectors had abandoned it, perhaps because they anticipated the mob’s arrival. Maybe Papa knew they would run if there wastrouble, and he had chosen this site for their driver to wait for the change of carriage because it was not only identifiable but safe.
