number of people. Brummell was also in attendance and winked at Caroline right in front of a large group.
Bradford and Caroline barely exchanged a word. There was quite a crush outside the opera house while everyone waited for their carriages. It had started to rain and several ladies shrieked their distress. Caroline stood between Milford and Bradford, completely ignoring the rain, and waited until Bradford's carriage arrived.
When the vehicle drew up in front of them, Bradford opened the door and helped Caroline inside. He seemed preoccupied and suddenly turned and walked to the front of the carriage. When he returned and joined both Caroline and Milford inside, he was scowling.
'There is speculation that your father will marry Lady Tillman,' Milford said to Caroline when the carriage was on its way.
Caroline was looking out the window, thinking that she was certainly turned around, as the carriage should have veered to the left, down the main street, and not in the direction they were now heading.
She frowned as she asked Milford to repeat his comment and glanced a quick look at Bradford. He was staring off into the distance, obviously lost in his own thoughts.
'My father does seem interested in Lady Tillman,' Caroline returned. She looked back out the window, dismissing the subject, and immediately noticed the abrupt change in neighborhoods.
'Draw the curtain!' The curt order, given by Bradford, jarred Caroline. He seemed furious. 'Damn! My instincts were off,' he told Milford.
Caroline didn't understand what he was telling Mil-ford. The two men exchanged a look and then both withdrew pistols.
The carriage had picked up speed and Caroline braced herself. Bradford threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, providing the anchor she needed.
'What's Harry up to?' Milford asked, referring to Bradford's driver.
'It isn't Harry,' Bradford replied. His voice was mild now and Caroline thought he was controlled for her sake, so that she wouldn't be alarmed.
A series of emotions warred inside Bradford. He was furious with himself for not paying more attention, for accepting the groom's explanation that Harry had taken ill and trusted him to be his replacement, but most of all, he was concerned that Caroline would be hurt. She was caught in the middle. Someone was out to get him, probably because of his involvement in the war effort, but whoever it was had made a fatal mistake. He had involved Caroline and would die for it.
Milford lifted the edge of the curtain just as the groom jumped from his perch. 'Driver's gone,' he said in a nonchalant voice. Bradford increased his grip on Caroline just as one of the wheels flew off the vehicle.
The noise was deafening! The curtain fell and Caroline could see the sparks from the metal scraping against the street. Milford braced his feet against the opposite seat and Bradford did the same. He used his broad shoulders as a wedge against the corner. Caroline was suddenly jerked onto his lap, her head protected against his chest.
The carriage turned over with a vengeance that knocked the wind out of Caroline. She could hear the horses racing on, knew the straps must have torn, giving them their freedom, and was thankful that they hadn't been dragged down by the weight of the carriage.
Bradford took most of the impact. He was on the bottom of the pile, with Caroline on top of him. Milford was draped over the two of them.
Caroline slowly opened her eyes and saw Milford's pistol just an inch from her nose. She gently pushed his hand until the pistol was pointed away from her while she continued to try to breathe.
She let out a groan, more from Milford's weight than the bizarre position her legs were in, and Milford immediately rolled off her. Caroline started to sit up, realized her legs were straddling Bradford's hips, and quickly tried to flatten herself against him. She struggled to bring one leg around, lost her balance, and her knee wedged between his knees.
Bradford let out a groan and grabbed Caroline by her hips. 'I take it you weren't hurt,' he remarked with a grimace that alarmed Caroline. She reached up and brushed her hand against the side of his head.
'Are you all right?' she asked. The fear sounded in her voice, and Bradford realized she was more frightened by his possible injury than what had just happened.
He had to brush her hair out of her face in order to see her. 'If you don't remove your knee, I'll soon be a eunuch,' he told her in a whisper.
Milford heard the comment and let out a chuckle. Caroline blushed and then groaned again, when Mil-ford's boot whacked her.
Milford apologized while he got the door opened and then climbed out. Bradford protected Caroline's head from Milford's boots as his friend swung up and through the door. He then lifted Caroline and Milford pulled her through the opening.
The carriage was on its side and Caroline circled it to look at the destruction as Bradford climbed out.
One look around told Bradford that they were in the heart of London's lower side. A crowd was already gathered, but they were all gawking at Caroline instead of the carriage. Bradford muttered something under his breath to Milford and then walked around the side of the vehicle and pulled Caroline next to him.
Caroline noticed then that both Milford and Bradford still held their weapons. It dawned on her that the danger hadn't passed quite yet.
Bradford saw the sign to a rather infamous looking tavern halfway down the street and said to Milford, 'Take Caroline inside while I find someone willing to go for assistance.'
Milford nodded, and Caroline was suddenly dragged next to him and pulled along. She glanced back at Bradford and was about to call a word of caution but changed her mind. She didn't want any of the seedy-looking people staring at them to know she might be concerned over safety. That just might put ideas in their heads.
'The Mischief Maker,' Caroline announced when she read the sign hanging lopsided over the door to the tavern. 'What an odd name. Are we to go inside and make mischief then?' she asked Milford. Her voice was shaky and her legs had started trembling, and she knew she was finally reacting to the accident.
Milford proved to be a calming influence. He smiled, gave her shoulder a hearty squeeze, and then saw the door opened for them.
'Lady Caroline,' Milford said in a very formal voice, 'I am about to introduce you to the art of slumming. Are you eager for your first lesson?' he asked, grinning that rascal's grin Caroline had grown quite fond of.
'Immensely,' Caroline answered, smiling in return. She walked inside the smoke-filled room and felt at once out of place. Her fine gown and fur-lined cape provided a severe contrast to the gray and brown peasant garb the occupants wore.
The room was only half filled and Caroline estimated that no better than fifteen patrons were staring at her. Milford nudged her forward until they were standing at the far end of the bar's railing. She realized his intent then. He eased her into the corner so that her back was protected, and then took his place standing in front of her.
The owner of the disreputable establishment finally finished with his leering and requested their order. Milford told the man that two brandies would do for now, and since he was in such a jovial mood, he would like everyone to have a drink on him.
The silence before Milford's statement that he would buy a round of drinks had been unnerving. A shout of acceptance went up and yells for ale and whiskey echoed around Caroline.
'That was a clever move on your part, Milford,' Caroline praised. 'You have made possible enemies friends in the space of bare minutes. You are to be congratulated.' Caroline was forced to give her compliment to Milford's shoulder, as he refused to turn and look at her. He had put his pistol away but his stance suggested that he was still quite ready to do battle.
'I'm almost sorry for it,' Milford admitted with a chuckle in his voice. 'Lord, it's been years since I've been in a good brawl.'
Caroline smiled but the smile vanished when the door to the tavern was thrown open and a motley group of four evil-looking men barged inside. 'You may still get your wish,' Caroline whispered as she observed the men staring at her.
A hush descended as one of the men, a tall man with a huge belly who looked as if he hadn't bathed in a decade, slowly began to advance in their direction.
'Let's have a look at the lovely you've got hidden,' the man demanded. He reached out to push Milford aside as soon as he had made his statement, but Milford proved unpushable.
