Ana Leigh - [The Frasers 4 - Jed] - One Night with a Sweet Talking Man by Unknown Read Free Book Online

threw his hands up in the air. “You even resent our accents? Aren’t you carrying your resentment toward Virginia to an extreme?”
    “On the contrary, sir. I find your accent very pleasant and soothing—when you’re not shouting.” She sat down in the rear seat of the buggy. Nathan and Garrett quickly climbed on, and Nathan took the reins.
     
    “Granddad, since we’ll be home soon, can I drive the rest of the way?” Garrett asked later.
    “You know your mother says you’re too young to handle a buggy. Belle’s old, but she’s still got some run in her.”
    “Mama’s asleep,” the boy said. “Besides, how’s a person to learn if I can’t get to practice?”
    “All right, you can drive for a couple of miles,” Nathan said and handed him the reins. “But I’ll have the devil to pay if your mother wakes up and sees you.”
    “Driving’s not hard,” Garrett said proudly as they rode along. “I like it.”
    “I feel the same way about sailing, boy. I imagine you do, too; don’t you, Jed?” Nathan called over.
    Jed nodded. “Nothing can compare to it. You’re doing a good job of keeping that buggy on this bumpy road, Garrett.”
    He’d no sooner spoken when a bevy of quail, flushed from the surrounding brush, fluttered across the road. Spooked by their flapping wings, Belle reared on her hind legs and Nathan was tossed off the seat. The horse bolted, and Jed goaded Liberty into a gallop to catch the runaway.
    Caroline awoke sharply when she was thrown out of her seat. She tried to reach Garrett, but the careening buggy rocked for the length of several gasps of breath, then the rear end collapsed. The horrifying screech of splintering wood combined with Garrett’s screams as the buggy’s tongue splintered and broke off and the vehicle tipped over on its side.
    Garrett, who had the reins wrapped around his fists, was dragged along the ground by Belle.
    Jed jumped from his mount onto Belle’s back and reined the runaway horse to a halt. Though the whole incident couldn’t have taken more than sixty seconds, it left a trail of devastation behind it.
    Buffer was licking Garrett’s face by the time Jed dismounted. The dazed boy sat up and Jed quickly unwound the reins from Garrett’s bleeding hands.
    “Don’t move, son, until I can check if anything’s broken.”
    “I’m okay,” Garrett said, “but my hands sure sting.”
    “We can take care of them right away. Are your hands the only thing that hurts?” Jed asked as he continued to check the boy for any further injuries.
    “Yeah, but don’t tell my mother: I peed in my pants,” he whispered.
    “If that’s the only thing wrong, pal, I don’t think your mother will care.” He studied the youngster’s eyes. “I’d say you look pretty good for what you’ve just been through.”
    “Oh, she’s gonna care, all right. Me and Granddad are gonna be in trouble, ’cause I ain’t supposed to be driving the buggy.”
    Jed glanced up and was relieved to see Caroline and Nathan running toward them. “Well, we’ll soon find out.” He helped Garrett to his feet as Caroline rushed up to them.
    “Oh, thank God you’re okay! Thank God! Thank God!” Tears of joy streaked her cheeks as she hugged and kissed Garrett. She tenderly wrapped a handkerchief around one of his hands, then ripped the ruffle off one of the sleeves of her gown to wrap around his other hand.
    “That feels better, Mama,” Garrett said as she wiped away her tears with the skirt of her gown.
    “Are you hurt, sir?” Jed asked Nathan.
    “No. These old bones will be aching for a couple of days, but it wasn’t as bad as getting tossed from a horse.”
    “What about Caroline?”
    “She was just scared about Garrett. She got over her pain when she saw the boy on his feet. It was all my fault—I never should’ve given him those reins. I’m beholden to you, Jed. You saved my grandson’s life.”
    “Don’t give me the credit, sir. If it was his time to go, he would