Prudence Read Free

hands where the multi-coloured bundle was still struggling.
    ‘Ran across in front of your carriage, it did,’ volunteered another.
    ‘The missie here went after it.’
    Glancing round, Prue became horribly aware that a number of interested spectators were rapidly gathering. A fellow in homespuns and another in a smock seemed to be taking the lead. One of them must have saved the kitten for her. Consciousness deepening, she discovered a couple of boys with trays and an elderly man with a cane standing close, and caught sight of one or two figures moving towards them from across the road. Prue felt her cheeks grow warm.
    ‘Oh, dear. I n-never meant to cause such a stir!’
    ‘A stir? The wonder is I did not run you down! And all for a kitten.’
    ‘I didn’t think,’ pleaded Prue, turning back to the unwitting victim of her mad action.
    ‘That, my girl, is obvious. Dear God, don’t you know better than to chase a cat? It was in far less danger than you. Are you all right? Not that you deserve to be!’
    This unkindness served to waken Prue’s indignation. She threw up a defiant head. ‘That is most unfair! Iwas in the wrong, I admit, but so were you, sir. You were driving at a shocking pace! And in a town, too.’
    Muttered comments of agreement reached her ears, but the gentleman seemed wholly unaffected. Prue received an impression of lean strength, with a jutting nose and eyes of ice and steel.
    ‘Never mind my driving,’ said the gentleman shortly. ‘I am the more concerned that you have taken no sort of hurt. Have you?’
    ‘I have not,’ responded Prue, adding huffily, ‘though that is small thanks to you!’
    ‘On the contrary. You may attribute the fact that you are still alive to my skill with the ribbons.’
    A general assent from the bystanders made Prue the more resentful, but she felt herself grow hot with embarrassment.
    ‘However,’ pursued the gentleman, ‘if you are sure you are none the worse for wear, I shall look instead to my horses. And if they have taken any sort of hurt, you had better pray that you never run into me again!’
    It was on the tip of Prue’s tongue to respond that the last thing in the world she desired was to run into him again, but her conscience intervened. Penitent, she looked up into the strong features above her.
    ‘I am truly sorry, sir. I do hope your horses are unharmed. I know it was wrong of me, but you see, one moment this poor little kitten had been happily purring in my arms. And the very next instant, it jumped out and ran across the road! I am afraid I acted out of sheer instinct, but I see that it was excessively foolish of me.’
    A slight quirk of the lips disturbed the severity of the gentleman’s expression. But he made no reference to her explanatory speech.
    ‘And what do you propose to do with the animal?’
    ‘Nothing! I mean, it is not mine, you know.’
    ‘Yet you risked your life to save it. I see. I was going to suggest you drown it, but perhaps that advice had better be applied to yourself!’
    With which, the gentleman turned on his heel and walked away towards his carriage. Indignant again, Prue watched him confer with his groom, and then jump up into his seat.
    In the event she did not see him drive away, for she felt a tap at her shoulder. Turning, she found that those who had remained for the little drama were drifting off about their business. It was the chambermaid from the inn who stood there.
    ‘Miss, I come to tell you that the stage goes in two minutes. The guard is fretting already.’
    ‘Oh, dear, I must run! I cannot afford to miss the coach.’ She became aware of the squirming bundle in her grasp. ‘Oh, what shall I do with this kitten? Do you know who it belongs to?’
    ‘It’s one left from a litter born to our cat, miss. Missus tried to chase it away, but it won’t go.’
    Dismayed, Prue held the kitten close to her chest. ‘What will happen to it?’
    ‘Likely the missus will have it drownded.’
    ‘Oh,