Mistaken Kiss by Kathleen Baldwin

Author:Kathleen Baldwin [Baldwin, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781496145864
Amazon: 1496145860
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2014-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

They Sailed Away In A Silver Cup Upon A Grassy Sea

IT WAS LATE afternoon by the time Alex and Willa slipped away from Lady Tricot’s breakfast party. The day turned unseasonably warm. Side by side they sat on the narrow driver’s seat of a dogcart, a small rig in dire need of new springs, if indeed it had ever had any in the first place. Directly behind them, the stable boy stood on the rear bench holding the side rails like a brave Roman charioteer as they bumped and bounced over the rutted roads.

Although the cart needed refurbishing, the horse pulling it was a fine, sturdy animal, quite capable of maintaining the pace Alex set for him, a pace more suited to a mail coach. Willa felt as if her teeth were about to rattle loose.

She clutched the side of the cart, hoping they would not hit a hole in the road. If they did, surely, they would all spill out into the ditch. “It’s quite serious then?”

He nodded without looking at her. “Almost there.”

Fast approaching them from the other end of the small lane was a cumbersome old black coach swaying ominously with a heavy load. The top deck appeared to be crammed with men. Two more men clinging onto the rear leaned out, peering down the road as the rickety coach barreled toward Alex and Willa. Both drivers were obliged to pull up short. Alex steered as near to the edge of the road as possible without tumbling the cart into the culvert.

“Hallooo, Mr. Braeburn!” The large man driving the coach hailed them.

Alex frowned and tipped his hat. “Squire. What’s amiss?”

“Bit of bad news.” The dust from both vehicles caught up to them and caused him to cough as he pointed off to the east. “Fire at the old Ridley estate.”

Willa tried to make out a plume of smoke in the distance but could see nothing save dust and the nearby trees.

“I’m afraid I need all available men with me,” the squire shouted. “Darley’s Lass is in her stall. Must be off. Can’t let the fire blow this way. Could lose m’barley field. Or worse.” He hefted the reins. “Tommy, you attend to Mr. Braeburn. And lad, mind the other mares as well. The almanac warned me to stay abed today.” He maneuvered the cumbersome old coach around them, grumbling loudly. “Full moon. Every mare in the northern hemisphere will likely drop her foal tonight.”

Alex saluted and flicked the traces. Willa guessed by the hard set of his jaw he was uneasy.

“Can you see the fire from here?” She strained to identify anything on the horizon, but it was hopeless. “Is it very bad?”

He tilted his chin in the direction the squire had pointed. “A good six or seven miles away. Still, I don’t like it. After Darley foals, I’d better lend a hand.”

“I’m sorry to be a nuisance.” Although she knew very well she was a hindrance, she did not wish to be anywhere but at his side.

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