Page 40 of Scars of a Passionate Revenge
The driver slowed as they entered the village. It was not a large village, but there were houses and shops on either side, and the road had become busier, with people walking and riding horses, and other carriages travelling in both directions. Suddenly, from further ahead, there was a shout, and a loud crashing sound. Alice jumped in alarm.
“What ho!” Cecil said. “What’s going on here!”
The driver slowed the horses right down to a walk as they turned a corner, and as they did so, they saw a scene of chaos unfolding ahead. A carriage had overturned, leaving the horses tangled up, and the driver slumped on the ground alongside.
“We must help,” Benedict said, jumping out of the chaise before the driver had even managed to come to a full stop. “Come on, Cecil!”
Alice and Clara watched in awed silence as Lord Grant and Benedict ran towards the scene of the accident. Already, a woman had emerged from one of the nearby shops to attend to the driver, who was now sitting up, looking rather dazed and dusty.
“I wonder what can have happened?” Clara said quietly. “One does not like to think of the dangers of travelling by carriage, but I suppose things can go wrong, even on quiet roads such as this.”
“Yes,” Alice said. “But how brave of Benedict and Lord Grant to go and help. I am not sure I would have the courage, even if I was a man.” She did not say it out loud, as she did not want to reveal Benedict’s other secret, but she also could not help but marvel that he had voluntarily run towards a scene where there were several horses, only partially restrained by their harnesses, and in some distress. The situation was volatile indeed, and she felt a surge of pride at the courage he was displaying, even now as he and Lord Grant joined some men from the village in the efforts to right the carriage.
They all stood along one side of it and began to push. Benedict had removed his jacket and thrown it on the ground, and the muscles of his strong, broad shoulders were visible through his shirt as he exerted himself with the other men.
Alice could scarcely tear her gaze away. She knew that she should not be staring, and certainly that she should not be allowing her thoughts to roam into wondering what his body looked like beneath that shirt, but she stole a quick glance at Clara and noticed that her eyes were fixed on Lord Grant, with a similarly fixed look.
Clara turned her head slightly towards Alice and the girls exchanged a glance, and a small smile. No words needed to be uttered; they both knew what the other was thinking.
Alice sighed and remembered the feeling of Benedict’s lips pressed against hers. She hoped they would find time to be alone again soon, and perhaps he would kiss her again. She knew that she should not even allow herself to think of it, but she could not help herself.
There was a bellow of triumph from the men, as the carriage was righted. Benedict and Lord Grant shook hands with the other men, than began to make their way back towards the chaise, putting their jackets back on as they did so and brushing the dirt from their hands.
“Ladies, I hope you will forgive us our appearance,” Lord Grant said as they climbed back up into the chaise.
“Of course!” Clara replied. “You were both very brave, to go and help. Alice and I were quite terrified that some disaster might befall you.”
Benedict shook his head. “How could we have ridden on by, when there was someone in need of our help?”
Alice smiled. Benedict was as full of kindness and compassion as he had always been. She prayed that she could convince her father, if the time came, that he was worthy of being her husband.
Chapter 18
Alice waited by the stables, listening to the birds singing and feeling the soft morning breeze on her skin.
She smiled a little wryly to herself as she heard footsteps approaching and felt a flurry of nerves in her chest. She and Benedict had been on early morning rides almost every day now, for a whole week, and still she felt butterflies in her stomach when she heard him approaching. She wondered if the feeling of excitement would ever go away; she hoped that it would not.
“Good morning,” he said with a smile as he approached the stables. “And what do you have in store for me this morning, Alice?”
She glanced towards the stables. “Well, I have asked the groom to tack up your horse without a lead rein this morning.” She paused and looked at him. “I think you are ready to ride on your own now. What do you say?”
He looked a little nervous, but he responded with a curt nod of the head. “If you say I am ready, Alice, then I will not doubt you.”
“Very good!” she said. “I shall ask the groom to bring the horses out.”
In a little while, the horses were ready, and Alice and Benedict had both mounted.
“Are you ready?” she asked him.
“Yes,” he said, in a rather small voice.
Alice’s heart clenched to see him looking so nervous. “It will be fine, Benedict, I promise you.”
He nodded. “I trust you, Alice,” he said softly, and she watched as he moved his heels in the stirrups to encourage the horse to begin walking.
The horse began to move, and Alice saw that his knuckles were almost white as he held the reins.
“Try to relax a little,” she urged. “The horse will feel your tension, and think that there is something wrong. Remember that the horse looks to you to lead. You are in charge.”
