After breakfast and a few stern words with his aunt he set off for Badger’s residence and had only been with his friend for minutes when Arabella ran into the room in a most unladylike fashion. “Arabella, for heaven’s sake, calm yourself.” Badger admonished, but his sister shook her head, panted for breath and waved a hand in the air. “She has gone. Caroline. Driven off to London on her own in a carriage.” Both men were instantly at her side and waiting for more details. “How did she go?” Badger demanded. “Who is with her?”
“And how long ago?” Bertie added. Arabella caught her breath and said that the servants told her that she had left in her own carriage with just a driver about an hour ago. The two men were horrified, and Arabella knew as well that the risks of being held up by robbers was always on the roads. Even when the large stage coaches were guarded, they were still stopped and robbed. Sometimes it was just for the valuables, but sometimes the robbers attacked the victims as well. Bertie made a quick decision. In fact, he did not really think about it. It was enough to know that Caroline was in danger. He turned to Badger and was already heading for the door. “My horse is ready. I will chase after them. An hour is not long. Get some help and follow me.” With that and not waiting for agreement Bertrand Collins-Margrave ran to the stable yard, flung himself onto the still saddled stallion and galloped off along the main drive which was the quickest route to the road. It was a mad and crazy ride, but the horse answered the call, and the pair thundered along the road towards London heedless of the looks they were attracting from anyone who was out and about. He was an excellent horseman and a strong young man. Bertie prided himself on his appearance, and that included having a trim body. That body was using all of its strength to urge the horse forward. His mind was calculating that an hour in a carriage would not have made a lot of progress, and he thought that maybe half of that time would catch them up. He had not thought about what would happen when he found her. “Maybe she will not listen. Maybe she will send me away.” He thought as he travelled but kept on going and after some time, he saw in the distance a carriage on the track ahead and then his heart sank as he realised it was stationery, and there were two men in front of it blocking the way. Bertie did not slow down. As he drew near, he saw Caroline hand out a bag from the carriage to the nearest robber who was waving a pistol in the air. The other one was waving another gun at the driver who was still sitting on the seat holding the reins.