Eva remembered nothing of the second act, as thoughts tumbled around inside her head. She forced a smile onto her face and chatted with the other guests and if anyone noticed her anything amiss, they did not comment. Behind her, Daniel was stiff and silent, and she missed the brush of his hands on her shoulders and his deep rumble of laughter in her ear. Eva was relieved when the play finally closed.
Goodnights were exchanged and Daniel saw his grandmother and Lady Dunbar into their carriage before helping Eva into theirs. She rested her head on the back of the seat, suddenly exhausted from the evening’s events.
“Care to enlighten me as to what took place in the interval?”
“I told you what happened. I was overwhelmed.”
“You don’t lie very well, Duchess. Now tell me the truth.”
There was a ping of broken glass as Daniel leaned forward to close the curtains and he fell backwards, reaching for Eva as he did so. He threw her to the floor, then followed her down.
“What’s happening, Daniel?”
“Stay down. Someone is shooting at us!” Daniel felt the carriage pick up speed and knew instantly that the driver had either been shot or lost control of the horses. He climbed onto the seat, then lifted the hatch. “Elijah!”#p#分页标题#e#
“I’ve been hit in the shoulder, your Grace!”
Relieved that his driver was at least still breathing, Daniel moved to the windows and wrenched open the curtain. They were not being followed. Whoever had fired that shot was long gone. The carriage was rapidly picking up speed and he caught glimpses through the darkness of familiar landmarks as they flew by. Soon the horses would not be able to take a corner and the carriage could overturn. He could not allow that to happen. Eva was too precious to him.
“Eva, Elijah has been shot in the shoulder. I will have to climb up through the hatch and help him stop the horses.”
“Please be careful, Daniel.” Eva gripped his hands.
Daniel crushed her briefly to his chest and then told her to hang on tight to whatever she could. Climbing through the opening, he then struggled against the wind as he fought his way into the driver’s seat beside Elijah. He could see nothing ahead and hoped no carriages suddenly appeared through the darkness. Taking the reins from his driver’s uninjured hand, he tried to slow the four horses.
“Tis no use, your Grace, they won’t be stopped!”
“Knife?”
His driver removed a long blade from his boot and handed it to him. Clamping it between his teeth, Daniel then climbed down and started cutting the traces that held the carriage. It was a risk, yet it had to be done. He hoped the carriage would stop of its own accord, once freed from the horses. Just as he reached the last strip of leather, the horses veered. He scrambled to find something to hold onto but his fingers found nothing and he was thrown from the carriage. Hitting the ground, he grunted at the impact and then rolled several times, narrowly missing a fence railing. Climbing to his feet, he watched, horrified, as Elijah jumped clear when the carriage teetered on two wheels, then turned over completely onto its side. The last trace snapped and the horses charged off into the night. Daniel ran, trying to reach the carriage as it rolled over once more and then finally came to a rest against the side of a building with a sickening thump. He heard the splinter of wood but no cry from inside.
“Eva!” Icy fear filled his veins as he reached the now stationary carriage. Climbing onto the top, he tried to open the door, which refused to move. Stomping his foot through the window, he pushed the glass aside and lowered himself down into the carriage
She lay on her back, one arm thrown across her head, the other flung wide; her legs were twisted beneath her.
“Speak to me, Eva.” He desperately searched her neck for a pulse, it was faint but there was definitely a beat.
“Daniel!”
“Simon, help me!” Daniel heard his friend’s voice drawing near. “It’s Eva. I don’t know how badly she’s hurt.” He couldn’t think. His heart was pounding so loudly, he feared it would burst right from his chest.
“Is she bleeding?” Simon’s face appeared in the hole above Daniel.
“Yes. No. I-I don’t kn-know.”
“Take a deep breath and focus now, Daniel. You need to check her injuries to see how badly she is hurt.”
Daniel latched onto his friend’s voice like a lifeline. Drawing in a deep breath, he began to feel Eva’s body. Straightening her legs, he noted no broken bones. Moving upwards, he could feel no obvious injuries through her clothes. He ran his fingers slowly over her hair, pulling pins free as he went. “Her shoulder appears to be dislocated and there’s a bump above the ear but in this light I can see nothing further.” Gently, Daniel lifted her into his arms.