Page 20 of A Remarkable Rogue

The black horse ate up the ground to the runaway landau in only a few long strides. Nate drew alongside the team as the driver and prime minister held tightly for dear life. They were bounced wildly about on their seats and flew up from the cushions at each jarring rut and bump that passed beneath the spinning wheels, yet the carriage traveled too fast for them to leap to safety.

The right wheel hit a bump and sent the entire rig high into the air. When it landed with a wood-cracking jolt, the last ribbon snapped from the driver’s hand. The driver was unable to do anything more than cling to the bench as the team raced on fully unchecked.

Nate gave his horse free rein, but the well-trained animal kept on a parallel path with the racing carriage and an even pace with the lead horse. Nate leaned far out of the saddle toward the team. The entire weight of his body hung dangerously off his right stirrup as he made a frantic grab for the rein at the runaway horse’s head—

And missed.

Sydney cried out in fear for him as she chased them through the grass. In front of her, the uncontrolled team ran on, heading straight toward the trees.

Nate lined up for another grab at the ribbons as the trees rushed toward them. His hand swooped down and caught the rein at the lead horse’s head.

With a straining groan Sydney could hear across the park, he held on and pulled back with all his might. The team began to swing in a circle toward his horse, and the landau’s wheel spun toward the gelding’s front legs.

The black horse darted out of the way as Nate still hung off its side in midair between the saddle and the team. All his weight balanced precariously on a single stirrup. If the leather broke, if the saddle girth came loose, if his horse misstepped just once—

Sydney pressed her hand over her mouth to keep back a terrified scream.

His gloved hand fisted like an unbreakable manacle around the rein. He pulled back again to slow the speeding team, and his own horse reduced its strides to match until the horses all slowed together to a trot, then to a walk. Finally, he stopped them completely. Angling his horse in front of them as a barrier, he swung down to the ground and grabbed both horses’ heads to hold them still.

The trees were less than fifty feet ahead.

Nate glanced grimly over the horses’ flickering ears as Sydney approached. He fought to catch his own breath, just as the three horses heaved for air beside him. She slowed to a walk as she came closer so she wouldn’t frighten the already nervous team or the two occupants of the landau who had somehow managed to remain onboard.

His hazel eyes pinned hers in silent warning, and she halted in midstep several yards away. The message was clear—

Stay back.

The sound of pounding hooves rushed upon them from around the park as half a dozen Horse Guards galloped past Sydney and surrounded the landau. They swarmed like scarlet-coated bees who’d been agitated by the excitement of the runaway team and by curious onlookers who had come running, most likely to see the carnage of the wreck rather than to help. They expertly moved their horses between the carriage and the gathering crowd to keep everyone at a distance.

Sydney stepped to the side of the lawn, well out of the guards’ way, and watched one of the soldiers help Lord Liverpool and his driver to the ground. Their faces were white, and their legs shook so violently they could barely stand, but they had survived and were already giving their grateful thanks to Nate.

He accepted it with a simple nod.

“Hold the horses,” he ordered the young guard to his left.

“Yes, Captain.” The guard took hold of the team, who now hung their heavy heads in exhaustion.

Nate moved forward to check the horses’ legs for any cuts or injuries. He ran his hands slowly over each horse, softly talking to each one to keep them calm, and the team responded with attentive flicks of their ears as if they understood what he was telling them. Then he turned his attention to the harness and ran his hands over each length of leather and brass. He held up one of the ends of the torn ribbons and laid it over the back of the lead horse.

Finished with his examination, Nate stepped away from the rig and ordered two other guards to unhitch the team. Even Sydney could see that the landau was in no state to be pulled anywhere, and its team was still too agitated to be controlled even if it had been.

Then Nate strode directly toward her. Without a word, he took her arm to lead her along with him as he stalked away from the prime minister.

Sydney had to nearly run to match his long strides as he hurried her across the grass toward her waiting barouche, with his horse trotting easily along behind. The battle-conditioned gelding was barely breathing hard now, but the man leading him radiated tension.

“What you did back there—that was—” she huffed out as she struggled to keep up with him. “I can’t believe you did that.”

He was simply amazing. She’d read about his heroics on the battlefield, but it was one thing to read about him in the papers; it was another completely to watch with her own eyes as he risked his life. This selflessly reckless side of him excited and terrified her until she wasn’t certain which emotion had her heart pounding except that Nate had sent it somersaulting.

She shook her head. “You could have—”

He bit out a fierce curse and halted in his steps so suddenly she nearly ran into his side and the horse into his back. “I can’t help people who won’t help themselves.”

He didn’t mean the runaway landau. “I don’t—”

He jabbed a finger behind them at the broken rig. “Scepter just tried to kill the prime minister.”

Her stomach lurched. “That was an accident.” Sickened at the possibility, she pressed her hand to her belly to keep down both her accounts and her fear. “The horses heard gunfire and panicked.”