Willing hands had appeared from nowhere to help unlock the wheels of the two vehicles. The red-faced man’s groom by now had his horses under control and the ancient horse which had drawn the gig had scrambled to its feet and was quite unconcernedly cropping the grass.
The Earl lifted Demelza up in his arms and carried her towards his phaeton. Without waiting for instructions Nattie followed him.
Gerard, holding the Earl’s horses steady with some difficulty, leant forward as they reached the phaeton to ask anxiously,
“Is she hurt? That damned fool had no right to drive so dangerously!”
The Earl did not answer. Instead he said to Nattie,
“Can you climb up behind?”
“I think so, my Lord.”
She managed to get into the seat at the back.
Holding Demelza very carefully, her face against his
