“Go, man!” Lord Hutton exclaimed, pulling the carriage door open. “What are you waiting for?”

Lucy held her breath as the carriage slowly began to move, with Lord Hutton pulling himself up into the carriage at exactly the same time. Lord Hutton was wasting no time in getting away, apparently fully aware that every second they lingered was a second closer to them being discovered.

“Wh…what?” he spluttered, the carriage door still open behind him. Lucy saw his eyes narrow, only for a slow, malevolent smile to spread across his face. “Well, this has worked out better than I expected.”

Lucy saw the threat in his eyes, heard the menace in his voice, and did the only thing she could think to do in that situation.

Launching herself at him, she pushed hard against Hutton’s large bulk, her hands hitting him roundly in the stomach. The man’s breath left his body with a whoosh, and with the force of her strike, he fell backward, completely out of the carriage door. A dull thud told her that his body hit the ground, fear crawling up her throat as she looked out after him.

Was he dead? Had she inadvertently killed him?

To her very great relief, Lucy saw the man’s bulky form turn over, attempting to push himself onto his hands and knees. No shout came from him, no cries to alert his driver that something was amiss. The carriage clattered out of the gates and into the London streets, evidently heading towards White’s. That was where Lord Hutton had said the carriage was going, although she did not want to think what the driver intended to do with Edward once Lord Hutton was gone.

Lucy pulled the carriage door shut with trembling fingers, wishing that Edward would wake. She had no idea where she had found the strength to push Lord Hutton from the carriage, hoping that someone from the house might find him before he could make his escape. She had been given no time to think and, as such, had acted instinctively. At least, for the moment, Edward was safe, but unless he awoke, she could not think about how to get him home.

Moving carefully over to him again, Lucy knelt in between the carriage seats, ignoring how uncomfortable she was as she took in his closed eyes. The lamp lighters had been hard at work, allowing her to see his face in a little more detail and helping her to find the deep gash on his forehead.

Stifling a gasp, Lucy leaned forward and studied it as best she could, and she noticed that it was still oozing blood.

“It is no wonder you are unconscious,” she murmured softly. “Whatever am I to do, Edward?”

The only thing she could think of to do was stop the bleeding. Tearing a large strip from the bottom of her skirts—and praying that her mother would understand why she had done it—Lucy wadded up one strip and placed it gently against the wound before using a second strip to hold it in place. To her utter delight, Edward groaned slightly as she gently placed his head down again, the bandage now firmly secured.

“Edward?” she whispered, tenderly brushing his cheek. “Are you awake?”

He groaned again, but she pressed a finger to his lips.

“Please, we must be silent,” she begged, hoping he would listen to her. “You are in Lord Hutton’s carriage. He is not here, but his driver does not know that. Please, stay quiet.”

“What happened?” Edward murmured, his eyes opening just a little as he attempted to focus on her face. “I only remember going to fetch you a glass of ratafia.”

Lucy answered him, trying not to let her concern over him show on her face. “You were quite right to suspect that Lord Hutton had deadly intentions towards you. It appears he almost had you, too!”

Edward winced when he tried to sit up, the pain he felt evident on his features as he grimaced.

“Careful,” Lucy murmured, rising so she might sit opposite him. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” Edward mumbled, his eyes now tightly closed. “We must return to the house, Lucy. Lord Hutton cannot be allowed to escape.” Cracking open one eye, he tried to smile before leaning his head back against the squabs. “Unfortunately, I do not think I will be of much use, my love. I can barely see straight and certainly cannot stand without assistance!”

Lucy swallowed hard. She was still alone, even with Edward now conscious. His injury was severe, meaning that he would not be able to assist her in any particular way.

“What are we to do?” she asked, half to herself. Her mind worked furiously, knowing that she could not remove Edward from the carriage anytime soon, for he would not be able to take a step on his own. That meant that, somehow, Lucy was going to have to drive this carriage back to the house by herself.

“We are headed towards White’s,” she murmured. “Although he will stop a street or so away. Perhaps then…”

The responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders as the carriage began to slow. She only had minutes to think—minutes to make a decision about what she needed to do.

“There may be shotguns,” Edward said softly. “This is Lord Hutton’s carriage, is it not? He might have hidden some around the carriage so that I would not attempt—or be able to—escape.”

Lucy nodded, fully aware that Lord Hutton could have hidden a shotgun with the intention of shooting Edward dead before flinging him in the Thames. She did not need to tell Edward that, of course, so she frantically began searching the carriage, her fingers seeking the feeling of cool metal instead of plush materials or wooden boards. The carriage had now come to a complete stop, and Lucy could hear the driver murmuring something to the horses.

Hurry, her mind screamed as she felt up above the window. Find something. Anything!

“Hutton?” came the voice. “Aren’t you getting out?”

Lucy said nothing, praying that Edward, too, would remain silent. His eyes were still closed, although he did not look to be unconscious again.

“Looking for me to open the carriage door, are you?” came the voice again, this time fraught with tension and a trace of mockery. “Or is it because your bulk will not allow you to exit without the steps?” A harsh laugh echoed through the air, making Lucy’s skin crawl.

She could not find a gun, could not find any sort of weapon that would allow her to take control of the situation.

She could not give up, not now.

Suddenly, an idea hit Lucy full force. It was incredibly dangerous, but it was the only solution she could think of.

“Trust me, Edward,” she whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cool cheek. “And stay here.”

Knowing that the driver would be placing the foldable carriage steps to the door on her left, Lucy pushed open the right-hand side carriage door and peered out.

There was no sight nor sound of anyone, and, with trepidation, she slowly lowered herself to the ground, hoping her slippers would make very little noise. Holding her breath, she waited until she heard the driver muttering from the other side of the carriage with the sound of the portable steps being put in place.

“There, Hutton,” the driver sneered. “Hurry up, man! Didn’t you say we…”

His voice trailed off, and Lucy fled to the front of the carriage at once, hauling herself up into the driver’s seat as best as she could. Sweat trickled down her back as she maneuvered herself in, grasping the reins and startling the horses. The driver’s shout told her that he had opened the door and discovered Lord Hutton’s absence, giving her the impetus she needed to tug hard on the reins. The horses jumped into action at once, and she flicked the reins once, twice, until they were moving swiftly away.

Lucy did not know where she was going, trying her best to maneuver the carriage along the streets of London in a desperate attempt to lose the driver, who, she assumed, would be chasing them on foot. She could not tell how Edward fared, nor whether the driver was close behind them or not, turning the horses as best she could down one street and then another.

“Left!”

Startled, Lucy visibly jumped, only to realize that Edward was shouting directions at her from inside the carriage.

“Turn left, Lucy!”

With hands gripping the reins in an almost deathly grip, Lucy turned the horses left and then right, following Edward’s directions. Relief flooded her as she saw the entrance to his home, and she turned the horses back into the gate. Mustering the last of her energy, she pushed the tired horses a little faster until, finally, they arrived back at the front of the house.