A Christmas Kiss by Elizabeth; Mansfield Page A

where once, before Jamie was born, a highwayman had met his end—to which Marianne responded with her eager “Really?”
    Reggie was silent except for a few negative comments on Jamie’s way with the horses. “Took that turn a bit too fatht, didn’t you?” or “Watch out for that rut! You’ll dump uth in the ditch!”
    Jamie blithely ignored the warnings until a wheel chanced to catch in a deep rut just as he was rounding a turn at a good clip. There was the sound of a crack, the curricle lurched wildly to the right and came to a sudden stop, the horses plunging and rearing frighteningly. One of the horses broke from the reins and galloped off into the underbrush and out of sight. Jamie jumped out of the carriage with a shout and ran to calm the remaining animal. Reggie glanced worriedly at Marianne, who sat stunned. “You’re not hurt, are you?” he asked.
    She shook her head.
    â€œIt ain’t anything but a broken wheel, I expect. Don’t worry.” Reg patted her hand awkwardly and climbed down gingerly from the lopsided vehicle. Hurrying to Jamie’s side, he helped his friend get the horse under control.
    Jamie looked at Reg shamefacedly. “It was the damned road. I hope you’re not thinking that I let the horses get away from me, are you?” he asked belligerently.
    â€œOf courthe not. Don’t be a gudgeon.”
    They walked to the side of the curricle and surveyed the damage. The wheel had broken from the axle and lay useless and crushed under the weight of the carriage. “Well, what now?” asked Reg.
    â€œThere’s only one thing for it. I must get to the village and rent us another conveyance. This wheel will not be repaired in a day.”
    â€œI’ll go, Jamie. I can ride the horthe. You remain here with Marianne.”
    â€œNo, that won’t work. The road has so many turnings and forks, you’d never find the way.”
    Reggie stared at him in horror. “You’re not thuggethting that I remain here with her!”
    â€œCome now, Reg, don’t be a saphead. It will only be for an hour or two.”
    â€œAn hour or two! It may ath well be a month! No, no, I couldn’t.”
    â€œBut Reggie, you must!”
    â€œNo, wait,” Reggie said, thinking desperately for a way out. “Why don’t you take her up on the horthe with you, and I’ll walk alongthide?”
    â€œThat would slow me up too much. Besides, I’ll have enough trouble riding without a saddle to worry about having anyone else up with me.”
    But Reg was adamant. “Thorry, old man, but you’ll have to think of thomething elthe. I told you that girlth, particularly young oneth, are not in my line. I wouldn’t know what to thay to her for two minuteth, let alone two hourth.”
    â€œBe reasonable, man! I must be the one to go, for I know the way and I am known at the stable in the village, so I won’t have any trouble procuring a conveyance. Someone must stay here with Marianne. We cannot leave her alone, can we? Even you must see that!”
    Though he cast about urgently in his mind for another solution to the problem, poor Reggie could find none. He glumly shrugged his acquiescence. Jamie grinned, clapped him on the shoulder, and hurried to face the shivering, frightened Marianne. With Reggie’s help, they lifted her down from the tilted curricle and set her on the ground. Jamie expressed his regrets for the accident in the briefest terms possible. Then he unfastened the reins from the horse, jumped on its back, and galloped off down the road.
    Reggie looked down at his charge with trepidation. “You are shivering, Mith Covington,” he said with concern. “Pleathe let me give you my coat.”
    Marianne looked up at him gratefully, but shook her head. “Oh, no, Lord Farnham. I’m not c-cold. Only f-frightened.”
    â€œNo need to be frightened. No real harm