Free An Impetuous Miss by Mary Chase Comstock Page A

occupants of both carriages, who were now in no small amount of agitation and confusion, to catch the two well-intentioned canines and confine them once again.
    When that situation was under control, Cat had the opportunity to size up their would-be rescuer who sat in the dirt clutching at his ankle in unfeigned agony. His curious feathered hat had slipped to one side revealing sandy-colored hair and regular, if un distinguished, features. Tom and Martin had now come to his aid and were attempting to raise the gentleman up from his prone position.
    “ Have you been harmed, my lady?” the gallant managed to sputter.
    “ I am sorry, sir,” Cat said, suppressing a smile, “but all the harm appears to have been done to you. You must allow me to make amends for the damages my wretched dogs have caused. We are not three miles from the inn where we stopped last night. Martin will lead you and your horse back there and see that an apothecary is called. Then we shall be on our way again.”
    “ But surely you cannot travel this treacherous way on your own!” he protested weakly. “You must allow me to accompany you!”
    “ I think we are in no danger from that poor excuse for a bandit, and besides, my drivers are now alerted. No doubt we shall proceed unmolested now. But whom have we to thank for our gallant attempted rescue?”
    “ I am Geoffrey D'Ashley, at your service,” he announced stiffly, much put out at her sarcastic tone. However ludicrous Cat deemed this gentleman, it was clear that both Audrey and Betsy were taken with his attempted chivalry, for they both stood open-mouthed, hands clasped dramatically against their hearts.
    “ Well, I thank you very much indeed,” Cat told him tersely, “but it appears you would be well advised to be at your own service for the next several days.”
    With a good deal of wincing and suppressed moaning, the gentleman was helped to his horse and Martin led him back the way they had come while the remainder of the party discussed this exciting turn of events. Cat did her best to reassure all of them, for Betsy and Audrey were quite caught up in their lingering distress and fluttering hearts; in her own mind, however, she was not at all sure what to make of this curious episode.
    “It was a madman for sure,” Felicia declared, “but our Miss Cat showed him and no mistake!”
    “ Three cheers for Miss Cat!” Tom shouted. As the others joined in, Cat was very much relieved that this was apparently an unfrequented stretch of road. The last thing she wanted was the sort of sensational attention that an occurrence such as this might occasion, and she instructed her party quite plainly to refrain from discussing this event among any but themselves. This they promised with obvious reluctance, for it was clearly a choice bit of news to share with new acquaintances in London.
    After Martin's timely return, they loaded them selves into the coaches once more and were soon on the road again. Eveline had held her peace until the relative privacy of their own compartment had been gained, before revealing her misgivings.
    “ Whatever do you make of this, Cat?” she asked. “I cannot believe it was all it seemed.”
    “ No more do I,” Cat agreed. “There was something exceedingly odd about both of those men. I feel as if I am on the verge of understanding it, but several very important pieces of this puzzle are missing. I do not think we were ever in much danger except from their remarkable bungling, but I shall be much relieved when we are in London nevertheless.”
    Eveline and Felicia could not but agree, and the latter directed many a backward glance down the road as their procession continued.
    The rest of their journey proceeded without interruption, and it seemed no time at all until Martin was calling out sights of London, and even Tom, for all his apparent world-weariness of the day before, was nearly bouncing with excitement.
    Cat had been to London briefly on several occa