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When they finished their tea, he suggested that he could be back with a carriage within an hour, take her to see the Physician, and return to the cottage before mid-afternoon. Glancing again at Maggie, Verity sighed at the woman’s nod of assent. She did not always have a good opinion of the physicians whom she had met, but, at the same time, she did not wish to risk any harm to her child. She sighed again.
“Daniel, this is a lot to take in, yet now that you put it all before me, I see no reason to tarry. If the physician recommends this move and your assistance, I will do it. Edward’s child may need all the help he can get, once he is born, and I think it best to take all care possible from this point on. And I must admit that I couldn’t do that without you, given just how reduced my circumstances are.”
Daniel smiled encouragingly.
“Then I will leave you here to ready yourself, whilst I go to get the carriage.”
*****
As Daniel opened the door and slipped out, a figure drew back around the side of the cottage. Daniel, unaware that he was watched, went quietly to the back of the building, collected his horse from where he had tethered it, and rode away.
The watcher waited until Daniel had disappeared over the hill, before turning back into the Inn Yard, and going to the stables. Not long after, the light cart which they used to go to market and the like was driven out, and set off along the road at a smart pace.
*****
The carriage was not a new one, but was definitely as fine as any Lady Chittendom owned. It was a chaise, and Daniel had left the top up, to better hide them from curious eyes. For that same reason, he drove himself, rather than bringing a larger carriage and a coachman. It was not long before the beautiful bay horses were trotting along the road away from the village.
Conversation was minimal, as each was occupied with their own thoughts. Verity was wondering if she need dwell on this man’s possible motives for helping her. She was slightly ashamed of herself for feeling a flutter of warmth when his arm brushed hers - Edward had been a forceful and handsome man, who had pursued her with affection and gifts. Unaccustomed to such attention, she had felt honoured and a little overwhelmed.
It wasn’t exactly passionate love, but she had never expected to find that rare thing, and had been grateful for his affection. Despite the fact that it had not been a deep and desperate love, his memory was dear to her, and her thoughts of him affectionate. Being with him had been an easy companionship which had seemed to promise a wonderful life.
Somehow, the reality of his military obligations had been put out of their minds for many days at a time. When he’d left for France, she’d fully expected him to return.
Even as she considered her own responses to the man beside her, she found herself wondering what Daniel truly thought of her – was he just being kind to a woman in difficult circumstances, or was there, perhaps, more to his attention to her? But that was a foolish idea, as she had told herself before – he was obviously a man of power and influence, and she was very much beneath him, socially.
The sound of flying hooves and the cracking of a whip suddenly intruded upon her consciousness. What in the world? A man in a small cart was racing to pass them, edging into their path, on this road which was not really wide enough, at this point at least, for two carriages of any size to fit past each other. The horses shied away from the thundering vehicle so close beside them, and Daniel had difficulty containing them in their fright.
Fear filled Verity, and she clutched at her seat, feeling herself sliding, even as she clung.
*****
Daniel had been wondering how long it might take to woo this woman, how long before her heart began to heal. His attention had been on her, more so than the surroundings, on this quiet country road. Hence, the shock of the cart passing them at dangerous speed was even greater.
The light cart careened past them, missing a collision with their wheels by a hair’s breadth, and cut across in front of them to go down a smaller track which ran almost straight on, whilst their own road curved around a copse of trees. Daniel knew that their larger carriage would never pass the trees without damage, either to go straight into the narrow way, or to turn, for they were going too fast, and the horses still fought his control. Trying in vain to slow them, he entered the curve of the road much faster than was entirely safe.
To his horror, Daniel realised that an upset was inevitable.
“Hold on Verity! Hold on!”
That was all he had time to say, before the carriage was tipped, it’s wheel hub caught by a small tree very near the edge of the road. The carriage jerked, the horses rearing as the harness dragged them back, even as they still tried to charge forward, then, with another horrible jerk, it was free of the tree, tilting violently before righting itself. As he struggled to control the horses, to bring them to a stop, he saw, with absolute horror, the moment when Verity’s grip failed, and she slipped, falling from the carriage into the trees, just as they pulled free.
As he fought the horses to a stop, the jarring noise of damage to the carriage wheel did little to assuage Daniel’s fear. Once the horses stood, blowing hard breaths and quivering, he jumped down, and rushed to Verity where she lay, unmoving, curled between two small trees. He would simply have to trust that the horses would stay where he’d left them.
“Verity, Verity, are you all right?” She appeared to be unconscious but was not bleeding that he could see. “Please God, don’t let her be hurt.”
Gently, he felt of her arms and her head. No bones protruded and he found no blood, but why did she not awaken? Continuing to whisper prayers as he felt for a pulse and listened for breath, Daniel felt slight relief to find that both were strong enough to prove that she lived.
He glanced back to where he had left the horses and carriage, and was glad to see that, now that the cause of their original fright was gone, the well-trained animals had behaved admirably and stood, stoically waiting for him to attend to them. That attention would have to wait, for he needed to ask more of them, if he was to help Verity.
He lifted Verity, surprised at just how light she was, and carried her to the carriage. With some difficulty, he lifted her onto the seat, then climbed up beside her, shifting her so that she lay along the seat, with her head and shoulders resting in his lap. He took up the reins in one hand, and held her steady with the other, then urged the horses into a walk.
The damaged wheel creaked alarmingly, but held, and he prayed that it would continue to do so, until they reached Simpson’s cottage.
In the end, the wheel did hold, but the few minutes which it took to reach the physician’s home were the most fraught of his life.
Through it all, Verity lay on his lap, unmoving.
When they drew up before the cottage where the physician lived, he was grateful for the physician’s man of all work, who rushed out to take the horses’ bridles. Carefully, Daniel edged out from under Verity, and went around to where he could lift her down from the carriage seat. Throughout it all, she remained silent and utterly unaware.
