The carriage turned even as it picked up speed. They were clearly making a getaway and all the women tried to brace themselves as Eliza cried out when her head hit the wood frame.
Suddenly a shot rang out and the driver screamed. A thud followed and Emily squeezed her eyes shut. “Did someone just shoot the driver?” she asked, but no one answered. The next series of questions, she kept to herself but inwardly, her thoughts spun. Had he fallen? What was happening out there? Were random thugs attacking their carriage or was this the work of their uncle?
“Come on out, ladies,” the voice called again. The man’s tone dripped with barely concealed irritation. “There is someone who’d like to visit with you.”
Aunt Mildred let out a gasp. “This is not part of the job.”
“Aunt Mil—"
She waved them off. “My name is Caroline. I quit.”
“You’re quitting now?” Eliza huffed as she grabbed up an umbrella, holding it in front of her like a sword.
Isabella straightened. “I accept your resignation. You may leave the carriage now.”
Emily turned to glare at the older woman. So much for her loyalty to the duke. A chastisement rose to her lips, but she pushed it back down. Her sisters had already done the job of expressing their dissatisfaction. Mildred, or Caroline, or whatever they were calling her, made no move to get out and instead shrunk further into the bench.
Abigail gave a quick laugh as the older woman turned pale, but that voice called again. “If you’re thinking you can escape, you should know there’s a man out here for each of you to make certain you’re escorted to your host.”
“It was a trap,” Eliza whispered. “That note wasn’t from Bash, was it?”
Bash was the duke’s nickname, one that suited him perfectly. Emily looked between her sisters, wondering how they might possibly get out of this mess. “I should have spoken up earlier. I knew this was a mistake but I…”
“No,” Isabella answered. “I should have known. I’ve just never seen his handwriting.”
Eliza frowned. “It’s not either of your faults. But the question now is, do we stay in or get out as they’re requesting?”
“Stay in,” Abigail inserted. “Don’t be a fool.”
“But then they can just drive off with all of us in this carriage,” Emily pointed out, lifting her finger in the air. Abigail gave her a look halfway between quizzical and irritated. Emily understood why. She rarely spoke up in these sorts of situations. But then again, not talking hadn’t helped them at all. Look at where they were in this moment. If only she’d shared her fears earlier, perhaps they’d have been better off.
“Ladies,” the voice called again. It held a sing-song quality that made Emily start in fear. “Time to come out.”
“Eliza.” Isabella turned to their eldest sister, her voice low. “One of us needs to climb out and make it to the driver’s seat to get the carriage out of here.”
“How close are the men? How many of them are there?” Eliza asked as she looked out the window.
Emily could see her sisters forming a plan. As usual, they were jumping to aid their family.
Shame washed through Emily. How could she allow them to put themselves in danger time and again while she stood on the sidelines? Because they’d always taken care of her, protecting her from harm. And yes, she appreciated their concern and love, but at twenty years of age, she was more than capable of assisting them. Now, more than ever, she wanted to find a way to prevent anything like what had happened after their mother died from reoccurring. She couldn’t always rely on her sisters to solve her problems, could she? She looked out her own window, trying to assess the danger. Trying to figure out a way to help.
Abigail peeked through one curtain. “I see two. Ten or fifteen paces away.”
“I see three,” Emily said. “Two further back and one right next to the door.”
Eliza nodded. “Ok, I’ll bash that one with my umbrella and then Isabella will climb into the driver’s seat and whisk you all to safety before the others can reach us.”
“But what if he grabs you?” Isabella asked.
Emily watched Eliza as cold fear flickered across her eldest sister’s face before she carefully masked it. That was Eliza. Brave, bold, and willing to sacrifice for her family.
“I can’t have you being the only hero,” Eliza said as the door rattled. Any moment now their attacker would have the carriage door open.
Isabella tightened her grip on the door. “Eliza. You’re not likely to climb back in if—”
“I’ll be fine.” Eliza grabbed the handle too. Then she whispered, “Get our sisters to safety and marry that duke. They need him and so do you.”
Emily grabbed the handle too, pushing Eliza’s hand away. Eliza could not sacrifice herself today, their sisters needed Eliza alive and well. Emily, with startling clarity, realized that she was completely dispensable. “Give me that umbrella.” Then she snatched the pole from Eliza’s hand. With a quick breath of air, she pushed the door open. “Now!” she yelled.
The door swung out and, with all three of their weights behind it, Emily felt the moment that the wooden panel hit the attacker.
He grunted, stumbling back, and Emily jumped out, hitting him with the umbrella. The force of it rattled through her body, but she didn’t stop as Isabella followed her out, scrambling to the front of the carriage and onto the seat. She saw other men rushing toward them, and her hands shook as she turned, wielding Eliza’s umbrella like a sword.
But the first man had recovered, and he grabbed her from behind, holding her in his beefy grip. A scream ripped from her lips.
Eliza had also climbed out and jumped on the man’s back, clawing at him and attempting to wrench Emily out of his grip. For her part, Emily tried to twist away
