He was five yards from the carriage and the carriage was five yards from the tree as the horse veered frantically at the last moment to avoid the obstacle in its path. There would be an even finish unless Reiver could beat the odds. The black responded to the desperate challenge. With one mighty lunge he leaped forward as Brand yelled, “Miranda! Jump!” She cried out something indistinct to him as the vehicle began to spin in a sickening arc toward the tree. His body leaned toward her, arms outstretched. She leaped, her body seemingly suspended in midair for a breathless instant, arms reaching for his neck. He swooped low and caught her to his side. Reiver veered sharply to avoid disaster as the light slipper Victoria smashed into the tree. The sounds of wood and leather being ripped apart and the screams of the gelding struggling to break free filled the air. The horse lunged over and over with crazed strength until the last pieces of the harness snapped.
