Claire looked at the small windows. There was no way they would be able to squeeze out of the limited space.
Her eyes took in the lavishly decorated interior of the carriage, searching for a way out when she smelled it.
Smoke!
Her brown eyes turned to Lady Suzanna in fear. “Did they—?”
Her friend pushed open the curtain and saw flames licking the side of the carriage.
The carriage had been lit on fire and they were still trapped inside!
Chapter 24
Claire realized in sudden horror that they were trapped in a burning carriage with no possible way out. Fear clawed at her heart as thick smoke started to fill the air. In a few moments, the flames would engulf the carriage and with it, both her and Lady Suzanna
She took her handkerchief and covered her mouth as she and her friend resumed their call for help.
I cannot die like this!Claire thought in desperation.Trixie is waiting for me at home and His Grace! Oh, His Grace would be so heartbroken if both of us were to perish in this attack. No…we must both survive!
Her friend saw the steely determination in her eyes and together, they called out louder, hoping somebody would finally take notice of their plight.
She could not believe that there was somebody so bold as to attack their carriage in broad daylight. Whoever did so was clearly setting themselves against Oliver for it was a fact widely acknowledged that His Grace loved his sister dearly and cared for Claire and her younger sister.
As the thick smoke swirled around them, she gave out a cough but refused to give up. She would call for help until the smoke choked the breath out of her.
She was close to losing hope when she finally heard it.
Voices.
“Help!” she cried out again. “Oh, please! Help us!”
“There’s women trapped inside!” a man called out. “Hurry, ye dimwits!”
She heard gathering voices calling for help in putting out the fire. Moments later, the unbearable heat abated and only thick, dark smoke swirled into the open windows.
There was a loud crash and Claire let out a small scream as an axe broke through the carriage door, sending splinters flying into their clothes and hair.
She watched in horror as the axe continued to hack at the carriage until the door was finally flung open and a burly man peered inside.
He was dressed in a dirty shirt and a scruffy beard obscured most of his features but his eyes regarded them with concern.
“Don’t be afraid, milady,” he told them. “Name’s Corman. Lemme help ye out!”
Lady Suzanna looked at Claire and they both nodded at Corman.
He reached out a thick muscular arm and with a grunt, he hauled Lady Suzanna out of the carriage first before helping Claire out of it.
Claire clung to her friend, her knees knocking so hard against each other she feared she would not be able to stand.
She looked back to the ruined carriage, to the door that Corman and the other rescuers had hacked to get them out. One of the wheels had been broken in half, which was probably what tipped the carriage earlier, sending her and Lady Suzanna sprawling to each other. The flames had blackened the paint until she could no longer make out the Duke’s crest that earlier identified the carriage.
However, that was not all.
She shuddered in fright as she saw the coachman slumped just a few feet away from the carriage. Hanson and Graham, the other footman, lay motionless a short distance from them in a pool of their own blood.
Murder,she realized weakly, feeling the acid burning at her throat.They have been murdered!
If Corman and the others had not come to their rescue, she and Lady Suzanna would no doubt have perished in the fire themselves.
