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Chapter 18
Victoria practically flew down the stairs, almost tripping over her own feet. She could feel her heart racing as she ran into the drawing room, scared of what she was going to see.
She had heard the shouts and the horse neighing in a panic outside. But when Abigail came running up the stairs to her and told her Rafe had been hurt, Victoria forgot about everything else.
Relief flooded through her when she charged into the drawing room and saw Rafe sitting on the settee by the window with his coat off, his cravat tugged away and hanging from his neck. He looked pale. Mayfield was leaning over him, opening Rafe’s eyes a little more to look more closely. They looked around as Victoria came in. Rafe gave her a small smile.
“Don’t worry, I’m not dead.”
Victoria groaned. She rushed over to him, falling to her knees as she threw her arms around his waist, burying her face against his chest.
“Don’t jest about something like that.”
“My apologies.” Rafe put his arms around her. “I’m going to be fine, Victoria. I didn’t get hurt. Paco didn’t injure me.”
“Apart from a knock to the head when you hit the ground,” Mayfield grunted. “You’re lucky you were only unconscious for a couple of minutes.”
“What?” Victoria pulled back. “Unconscious?”
“It’s nothing,” Rafe assured her, but Victoria was too upset for his nonchalance.
“Rafe, you can’t say that was nothing. You could have been killed.”
“But I wasn’t. I don’t know what came over Paco, but I’m sure things are fine.”
Victoria frowned.
“Paco threw you off? I remember Sebastien talking about horses. He said that Paco was the calmest animal he had ever met. Why would he suddenly throw you off?”
“Maybe because someone had tampered with the saddle.”
Both Victoria and Rafe turned to look at Mayfield, who was scowling.
“What did you say?” Rafe sounded bewildered.
“Jessop asked to speak to me just before you came around.” Mayfield folded his arms. “He got the saddle off Paco and found one of those spike things that people use to make horses lame.”
Victoria’s mouth fell open.
“You mean a caltrop? Highwaymen use them to hinder the horses when they’re trying to steal from coaches, don’t they?”
“They do. And one was tucked into a makeshift pocket on the underside of the saddle. Once Rafe put it on, Paco was going to feel the spikes.”
“Which I made worse when I got on his back,” Rafe murmured. He swallowed. “I used a spare saddle. I couldn’t find mine.”
“Jessop also found that around the back of the stables. It had been ripped to shreds.”
Victoria let the words sink in. She looked from Rafe to Mayfield.
“So, what are you saying? Are you suggesting that someone tampered with Rafe’s things so he would have a fall while out riding?”
“It’s beginning to look like it.”
“But nobody could have known when I would go riding.” Rafe frowned. “Or even if I would choose that saddle.”
“Maybe it wasn’t just you they were targeting.” Mayfield looked at Victoria. “After all, it’s not just you in the household, is it?”
Victoria gasped.
