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“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Trenton growled as he jumped down. His eyes remained locked on the broad shoulders of the driver who was now sitting at the end of the road in gridlocked traffic. Even if he ran as fast as he could, it would be a miracle if he managed to reach them before they reached the clearer road to the right.
Desperate to get Ursula out the Sinnertons’ clutches, Trenton raced in and out of the traffic and pedestrians, and only just managed to reach the carriage before it moved. There wasn’t enough time to try to yank the door open. Instead, he swung onto the footman’s seat using Herculean effort, and clambered across the roof.
A bitter curse escaped him when he realised that he was drawing attention from everyone around them, but there was little he could do about it. Right now, he had to get the carriage to stop. He wasn’t just fighting for the freedom of an innocent woman. A woman who was the kindest and sweetest he had ever met. He was also fighting for the chance of a future. He knew now that without Ursula in his life, he had no future. Without her, he had nothing; he was nothing.
“Stop this carriage,” Trenton growled when he reached the front of the carriage. His eyes widened when the driver’s head spun around and he found himself staring at Mrs Sinnerton. “You!”
“Calderhill, get off my carriage,” Mrs Sinnerton snarled.
She turned her attention back to the road and tried to ram her shoulder into his chest to unbalance him. Unfortunately in doing so she inadvertently pulled on the reins and startled the horses who slammed to a halt. She immediately flicked the reins to get them going again but Trenton unbalanced her, causing her to tug on the reins again. Confused, the horses started to prance about nervously.
“Stop this carriage, Sinnerton. I shall have you in jail for this. This is abduction.” Trenton’s voice was harsh with rage. “Stop this carriage,” he repeated when the carriage lurched forwards.
When Sinnerton flicked the reins again, he leaned forward and snatched them out of her hands, hauling hard on the reins. The horses, now scared, yanked at their heads and began to trot briskly along the road. Mrs Sinnerton suddenly screeched like a banshee and launched herself at him. Her actions left him with little choice but to release the reins and defend himself.
“Get out of the way,” he shouted at two pedestrians in the middle of the road when it was clear the horses weren’t going to stop. “Get out of the way.”
He had to turn his attention to thwarting Eunice Sinnerton’s desperate attempts to push him off the carriage. While he was bigger and stronger, she was broader and heavier. His breath left him in a whoosh when she rammed her elbow hard in his ribs then lunged toward the reins that now dangled uselessly at their feet.
To his disbelief, she suddenly lost her balance and fell in between the stays, landing on the road with a heavy thud. The carriage tipped wildly as the wheels ran over her. He knew from the screams of horrified pede
strians that she was dead.
Trenton cursed when the horses tried to force their way through the traffic. The carriage rocked wildly as it careered wildly from right to left and back again, and he found himself thrown toward the road. He clutched the seat with desperate fingers and slammed his booted foot down on the reins before they could slither in the same direction as Mrs Sinnerton.
Once he had regained his balance, he grabbed them, and heaved a sigh of relief when he finally managed to guide the carriage to a stop at the side of the road. When he realised he was safe, he took a deep, fortifying breath and clambered down to secure the horses.
Ursula nearly wept with relief when the darkened interior of the carriage was suddenly flooded with light and Trenton appeared in the doorway. She had heard his muffled shouts but could only imagine what had been happening at the front of the coach.
“Oh, thank God,” she gasped. When she began to move toward the safety of Trenton’s arms, Alfred leaned forward and blocked her exit.
“Stay right where you are,” he ordered coldly, and motioned with his gun for her to get back into her seat.
So close to securing Ursula’s safety, Trenton wasn’t about to be thwarted, and hurriedly forced his way inside while Alfred’s attention was diverted. He pushed the hand holding the gun away so it wasn’t pointing at Ursula, and landed a heavy fist right in the centre of Alfred’s face. The man crumpled without a murmur.
The screech that suddenly echoed around the interior of the carriage made Ursula gasp in horror. Hyacinth had been so still, so quiet, that she had forgotten all about her, but watched in horror as the young woman launched across the carriage toward Trenton.
“Trenton!” Instinctively she lifted her booted foot and kicked the woman hard beneath the chin.
Although Hyacinth wasn’t knocked out, she was stunned enough to hesitate, which gave Trenton the opportunity he needed to relieve Alfred of the gun, and point it at Hyacinth.
“Sit down, or I will shoot you,” he growled.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Now that help had arrived, Ursula’s self-control wavered.
“Trenton,” she gasped as she slid across the seat.
He swept her against his side for a somewhat awkward hug and kissed the top of her head without taking his eyes off either Alfred or Hyacinth.
“Are you alright, Ursula? Did they hurt you?” he asked without taking his eyes off the people on the seat opposite.
Ursula shook her head. “No, they didn’t hurt me. Other than a fright, and a few bruises, I am fine.”
“You alright, guvnor?” the coachman who had helped him race after them asked suddenly from the doorway.
“Yes, but I need more help. Can you get someone to secure the horses and make sure they don’t run away on us? Also send someone to fetch the magistrate. We have three – no, make that two people here who have abducted this lady and need to be arrested. Tell them Viscount Atherbury sent you.”
