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Chelsea's only response was a moan, and the way she clutched one hand to her head and another to her chest suggested to Julia that she was hurt.
"Help! We need help in here!" she screamed, even as she gripped hold of her friend by the shoulders. "Chelsea, talk to me. Are you okay?"
The carriage door was yanked open then and out of the corner of her eye she saw someone standing just back from the doorway. Had she looked up, she might have asked him for help, but instead her attention was entirely fixed on Chelsea; who was still groaning.
"Please, allow me to help, miss," said the voice of a man with a twinge of a foreign accent. She managed just in time to get out of the way as the man clambered into the carriage and delicately helped Julia back up onto the seat. There was something oddly familiar about the man, though she was certain she had never seen him before. When he glanced at her to ask for their names, there was not a hint of recognition in his dark green eyes, only concern.
"I am Julia, and this is Chelsea," Julia told him quickly, dispensing with their titles for in that moment. It didn't very well matter they were the daughters of a viscount and a wealthy businessman. All that mattered was the fact that Chelsea appeared to be gravely injured. She was still moaning and sucking in breath, as though she was in a great deal of pain.
"Miss Chelsea, can you tell me where you are hurt?" the man asked, turning his full attention to the blonde woman. He dropped down into a crouch in front of Chelsea and cupped hold of her shoulder to keep her propped up as he tried in vain to speak to her.
Julia was so concerned about her friend that she barely heard the voice coming from outside of the carriage. It was only the familiarity of it that made her glance around.
"Can I be of assistance, miss?"
And there, standing in the doorway of the carriage with his hand outstretched, was the man she thought she would never see again. His forest green eyes blazed with concern as he urged his hand closer to her, and in an instant, those very same eyes flashed with recognition.
There was the look she had been searching for in the eyes of the other man now attending to Chelsea, the man which Julia now realised looked somewhat like her mystery man, though not nearly so handsome.
Ordinarily, Julia would have stopped at Chelsea's side no matter what but in that moment she could think of nothing but placing her gloved hand in his and allowing him to help her down from the carriage to give the other man some room to help her friend. After all, what use was she in there when she was not strong enough to lift Chelsea, if that was what she needed?
"Are you hurt, miss?" the man asked as soon as she stood on the pavement in front of him. Her hand still in his, she tilted her head up to look him in the eyes and gasped, suddenly coming to realise just how close they were standing. Yet she could not bring herself to take a step away. Nor could she remove her cold hand from his warm one.
"Miss? Are you well?" he asked, his gaze darkening further, and she quickly realised that she had been staring at him silently for far longer than she ought to have.
"No, no, I am fine," she insisted, finally catching her senses and taking a step back with her head lowered. When she raised it again, she was sure she saw a look of disappointment flash across the mystery man's face. "What happened?"
"I regret to say that this is the fault of our coachman," he explained to her with a deep sigh, his face growing dark with shame. "Our carriages collided. Coachmen really ought to know to slow down for crossroads."
Glancing around, Julia almost blanched at the scene before her. The only relief she had was that there were few on the street to stop and watch as there might have been if they had taken Bond Street instead.And if we had, I would have missed him entirely,she realised with a gasp.
It was only a scream of anguish from inside her carriage that brought Julia back to the matter at hand. Guilt crept into her almost immediately as she turned to see the second man helping Chelsea down from the carriage, practically carrying her out with her arm wrapped around his neck.
"Please, will you excuse me a moment?" the mystery man said, tipping his hat to her and before she could say a word, he was already hurrying off to examine the damage done to the carriages.
Feeling a little disappointed that he had not chosen to remain at her side, she wondered whether she had really seen recognition in his gaze or whether she had merely been hopeful for it upon seeing him again.
Trying not to think on it too hard, she turned back to Chelsea who was still being propped up by the other man. She opened her mouth to ask if her friend was alright, but she quickly cut herself off when she saw the way the pair of them were gazing into each other's eyes. The man was busy holding a handkerchief to Chelsea's head as if she were indeed injured. Yet it seemed her friend did not need her now.
"Well, I am afraid it looks as though your carriage was the one to take the brunt of the damage," came the familiar voice that made her insides tingle and she looked around to find that the mystery man had returned to join her on the pavement. He was wiping his now bare hands upon his handkerchief and there was dirt upon the white material as though he was no stranger to getting his hands dirty.
"The axel of your carriage has snapped. I'm afraid I must insist that my brother and I escort you and your friend home in our own carriage."
“Thank you, sir, but that will not be necessary,” Julia responded automatically, knowing that it was not ladylike to merely accept help in such a way, nor was it very orthodox of them to accept a ride from two strangers.We might end up anywhere!Julia thought, though it was a strange thought that did not bring terror with it. Instead, she felt a thrill at the thought of going anywhere with her mystery man.
"Please, my name is Gabriel, and that is my brother Jonathan," he explained, waving in the direction of the man still helping Chelsea.Brothers,Julia thought,that is why they look and sound alike!She was startled when Gabriel snapped in his brother's direction, "Jonathan,mettila giù."
Though her Italian was a little sparse and rusty, Julia thought he had told his brother to put her down.
The other man seemed not to hear for a moment, and Julia was quite unnerved by the way that he and Chelsea continued to gaze into each other's eyes. Then, finally, the one called Jonathan looked around and responded, "I cannot, brother, for she is a damsel in distress and I am her knight in shining armour."
Though she had heard Chelsea's flirtatious laughter many times before, there was something much more serious about the sound this time.
"Perhaps it would be best for us to walk?" Julia suggested, even though her gut was screaming at her just to get into the brother's carriage and enjoy what little time she had in Gabriel's presence.Gabriel, what a lovely name,she thought, swooning all over again.
Her stomach twisted with jealousy at the way both Jonathan and Chelsea were still gazing at each other, more sheepishly now. Trying to catch Gabriel's eye, she wondered whether they might look at each other in the same way, yet he appeared unwilling to meet her gaze.Perhaps he does recognise me but does not wish to admit it,she thought grimly.
"Nonsense. Chelsea has hurt her head. You cannot walk. We will take you. We insist, don't we, Gabe?"
