Free The Accidental Abduction by Darcie Wilde

sitting on the side nearest the house. That was most decidedly Genevieve, waiting for her would-be fiancé to come fetch her inside.
    Leannah glanced at the inn, afraid to see the door open and let out Mr. Dickenson, but it remained fast shut. Harry Rayburn was doing as he said and detaining the man. Leannah crouched low and ran forward, making a wide circle around the back of the carriage. She skidded badly in some mud once, but righted herself. The rain covered the noise, and she was able to come right up to the carriage door on the far side.
    In one quick motion, Leannah yanked the landau’s door open, and jumped inside.
    Genevieve whirled around, her hand raised. Leannah grabbed her sister’s wrist before the slap could descend. “It’s me, Genny,” she announced and let the shawl slip off her head.
    â€œLeannah!” Genny cried. “How!” Leannah wished for better light. She was certain the look that crossed her sister’s face in that moment was quite priceless.
    â€œNext time you want to keep a secret, you shouldn’t involve Mrs. Falwell,” said Leannah acidly. She was tired. Her hands hurt abominably under the bandages Harry Rayburn had so carefully and expertly applied, and she’d spent a large portion of the night feeling scared to death. It was not a combination that inclined one to immediate sympathy with a sister’s interrogation.
    â€œWell, you have to go away. You’ll ruin everything.”
    â€œToo late for that.” Leannah nodded over her sister’s shoulder.
    The carriage rocked as Genevieve jerked herself around yet again. There, framed by firelight from the inn’s open door stood Mr. Dickenson, gawping. Harry and Mr. Jessop stood directly behind him.
    â€œMrs. Wakefield!” Dickenson cried. “How?”
    â€œAh, well now!” The landlord clapped his hands together with an air of immense satisfaction. “I guess this makes it a family party, don’t it?”
    â€œNow, see here . . .” began Mr. Dickenson hotly, but Mr. Rayburn cut him off.
    â€œLet’s all get inside. We can sort this out where it’s dry.”
    It was quite clear from the stubborn set of her jaw that Genevieve wanted to protest. But the wind chose that moment to gust, and it blew a curtain of frigid rain straight through the carriage’s open side and into her face.
    â€œOh, very well.” Genevieve sniffed and ostentatiously reached for Mr. Dickenson to help her down. For her part, Leannah watched Mr. Dickenson closely, and made sure he knew it. Martin, the stable lad, hustled up glum and resigned to take the equally glum and resigned horses around to the stables.
    â€œMrs. Jessop!” bellowed the landlord as he led them all back into the public room. “You were right! The lady and gentleman were here ahead of their family!”
    â€œCome, Genevieve, we’ll go into the parlor.” Leannah took firm hold of her sister’s arm.
    â€œGood idea,” said Harry, before Mr. Dickenson could protest. “I’m sure Dickenson and I will do fine out here.”
    Leannah shot him a quick glance of gratitude before directing her attention to steering Genevieve into the parlor and shutting the door tight.
    â€œWho is that man, Leannah?” demanded Genevieve as soon as she turned back around. “What have you been doing?”
    â€œWhat have
I
been doing?” Leannah gaped at her sister.
    â€œYes, you! I’m gone a handful of hours and I find you running through the dark with a handsome stranger in tow!” Leannah couldn’t tell whether her sister was shocked, or impressed. “And what on earth happened to your hands?”
    This abrupt questioning was really more than Leannah could bear. It was only years of training in discretion that prevented her from shouting. “Genevieve, I have been chasing you down for most of the night,” she answered as evenly as she could.