“For God’s sake, man,” Niall said in a strained whisper, “get the beast out.”
The man on the horse’s neck jumped off and the other man urged the horse up. The horse gave a low whinny and struggled to his feet. The driver drew him away from the carriage. Slowly, Niall lowered the tongue. The instant it touched the ground, Calders jumped onto the side of the coach. Niall leapt over the tongue and bound up beside him so fast, Phoebe blinked.
“A beast of a man,” she murmured.
“Precisely the reason my husband insists he accompany me everywhere I go.” Elise stepped forward and, placing her palms on the coach, craned her neck in order to see inside the compartment.
Niall glanced over her shoulder. “Your Grace.” He ceased yanking on the carriage door and jumped lightly to the ground. Phoebe's mouth fell open and she stepped back when he lifted the duchess bodily from the ground and set her back away from the carriage.
“Dinna’ come any closer,” he admonished as if talking to a child.
“Niall,” Elise threw her cloak over her shoulders, “out of my way.”
“Nay, Your Grace,” he replied. “His Grace wouldna’ allow you near the carriage and neither can I.”
A loud creak drew Phoebe's attention back to the carriage. Donald stood atop the vehicle, where and he and Calders managed to wrench the door open. Donald lowered himself inside the coach.
“The lass first,” he called up. Calders squatted, lifted the woman from the doorway, then motioned for Niall to take her.
“Dinna’ move, Your Grace,” Niall ordered, and returned to the carriage.
Calders gently lowered the woman into his arms, and Phoebe and Elise hurried alongside as Niall strode several paces from the carriage. He laid the woman in the wet grass and Elise went to her knees beside her, pressed an ear at her chest, then looked up at Phoebe.
“A strong heartbeat. Quick, there's a bottle of water in the carriage, and smelling salts in my reticule.”
Phoebe started to turn, but Sue shouted from the carriage door, “I’ll get it.”
An instant later, Sue returned with the salts and water. Niall and Calders approached, the gentleman who had been inside the carriage slouched between them, an arm slung over each of their shoulders. They lowered him to the ground next to the woman. He remained upright and pressed his palm against his forehead.
“My wife,” the man whispered.
“She'll live,” Elise said, and took the smelling salts Sue held out and opened them beneath the woman’s nose. The woman turned her head aside, but Elise kept the salts beneath her nose.
“Douglas,” the woman moaned, again turning her head away from the smelling salts.
Elise brought the bottle even closer to her nose. The woman’s eyes opened and she tried to sit up. “No, no,” Elise said, holding her down. “Phoebe, wet a handkerchief.”
Phoebe retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket, wet it with the water Sue had brought, then handed it to Elise.
“What happened?” the woman demanded, then said in a frantic voice, “My husband.”
“It’s all right, Andrea,” Douglas said, “I’m here.”
She gave a small cry and reached for him.
The short, stout man gave her a crooked smile. “Quite all right, my dear.” He squeezed her hand.
Elise began wiping Andrea’s forehead.
“Where is Gerald?” Andrea asked.
Douglas glanced at the men who inspected the horse that had been pinned. “He is well, my dear. It looks as though he was able to save the horse.” Douglas looked up at Niall, who stood over the group. “Is there any sign of the other two horses?”
“They're not far.” Niall pointed to the trees to the right of the carriage. “I saw them in the forest.”
“Round them up,” Elise said.
Niall nodded to Donald, who took off in the direction of the horses.
“What happened?” Phoebe asked.
“We hit a hole earlier in the day,” Douglas replied. “When we stopped at the inn just down the road, they were supposed to have checked the wheels. The driver was sure he felt some unsteadiness in the rear, right wheel.”
“You’re lucky it was a front wheel that came off,” Phoebe said.
“Indeed,” he agreed. “Though, if those fools at the inn had done their job properly we wouldn't have needed luck. Damn it—pardon me ladies.” He inclined his head in apology, then cleared his throat and went on. “We were moving along at a nice trot when I heard a shriek from one of the horses. The next thing, the coach lurched and we went over.”
“We had better see to the repair of that wheel,” Phoebe said, then stopped and looked at Elise. “Provided, that is all right with you, Your Grace.”
“Your Grace!” Douglas burst out. He began struggling to his feet.
“Please,” Elise said, “don't move until our men can assist you.”
“Come on, man,” Niall said to Calders. “Let’s see to the wheel.” The two strode toward the carriage as Andrea sat up.