Sweet Bea by Sarah Hegger Page B

and she clapped her hands to get their attention.
    “I thought you wanted to take the other path?” Garrett raised an eyebrow at her. “The one we discussed this morning.”
    “What other path?” Tom puffed up his chest.
    “Garrett says there is another path, a lesser-known one. We are concerned my family might be trying to catch up with us.”
    “I do not know anything of another path.” Tom perched atop Badger like a wooden post, his brow wrinkled.
    “Which is why you are not leading.” Beatrice nudged Breeze forward. “Come along then.”
    * * * *
    A woman’s scream split the calm morning.
    Garrett went cold. The skin at his nape crawled.
    Beatrice rode slightly ahead of him. She gasped as she stared at something over the rise. Her hand flew to her throat.
    Garrett couldn’t see from here. He needed to get closer. “God’s bones.”
    Beatrice careened down the road toward the scream, her braid streaming behind her like a blasted war banner.
     
     

Chapter 12
     
    Breeze responded instantly to her demand for speed. The ground blurred beneath her as they shot down the rise. The woman’s scream came from a huddle of people near the bottom. The sound still rattled around her brain.
    Two men were shouting and waving at a third, on the ground, his chausses about his knees, his buttocks pumping.
    The woman flailed beneath the man.
    Beatrice’s heart was racing faster than Breeze’s hooves. Her heart in her mouth. She was almost upon them.
    The man on the ground stilled. He got to his feet, grinning. Smug, ugly, triumphant.
    Pigs.
    They scattered like pins as she bore down of them. The rutting sod tripped over his loose chausses, grabbed them with one hand, and stumbled back.
    “Get away from her.” She hauled Breeze to a stop.
    The mare squealed. Her hind legs slid on the road before she gained purchase. Breeze fought for control, tossing her head and rearing.
    “You get away from her, you whoresons,” Beatrice screamed. She wheeled Breeze in a circle before the horse would relinquish control. The mare lunged against the bit.
    Keeping well away from Breeze’s flashing hooves, the men spread out, advancing on her from three directions. “What are you doing here, girl?”
    She struggled to catch her breath. “Get back.” Beatrice tried to keep them all in sight, jerking on Breeze’s reins.
    The one in the middle was the biggest. His face split in an ugly leer. “Do you want some of the same?” His arms were great cudgels, raised to grab her. “Get her.”
    Beatrice spun Breeze.
    He laughed and leapt out of the path of the horse’s hind legs.
    She had no weapon. “Get away” she yelled.
    The man lunged.
    Breeze sidestepped suddenly and Beatrice slipped in the saddle. The mare was panicked, sensing the ugly swirl of emotion.
    A blur of black and Badger was there.
    Tom leapt from his back, bearing the big man to the ground.
    Beatrice’s hands went limp on the reins. Her breath sawed through her lungs in small pants.
    A hand grabbed the bridle and Breeze squealed.
    Beatrice froze. The leering face swirled and swayed before her. Beatrice kicked at him, but he dodged the blow.
    Garrett came out of nowhere.
    The man spun, swinging his fist.
    Garrett ducked the blow and stepped in.
    Breeze scrambled away from the grappling men. She plunged and bucked, the whites of her eyes showing.
    Beatrice clung onto her mane desperately.
    “Get off that bloody horse.” Rough hands grabbed her tunic, hauling her to the ground.
    “Garrett,” she screamed, fighting to stay in the saddle.
    Garrett’s head whipped toward her. His eyes were wild, feverish.
    A body dove at him. He went down.
    Breeze bucked and Beatrice hit the ground. The impact knocked the breath from her body. Breeze’s hooves flashed above and Beatrice threw up her arms to shield her head.
    Pain exploded across her scalp. Her hair wrenched at the roots.
    Garrett had his assailant in a headlock. They writhed and twisted together.
    Tom rolled, fist