The carriage rumbled through the night, its wheels a relentless drumbeat against the cobblestone streets, the world outside a blur of shadows and fleeting lamplight.
Diana sat pressed against the cushioned seat, her graceful composure undone by a visceral panic that clawed at her chest. Her dark eyes, usually pools of serene wisdom, flickered with urgency as she urged the driver to hasten, her voice sharp with desperation, barely audible over the clatter of hooves.
"Could you go faster, sir? It's a matter of urgency and I need to be back home as soon as possible."
The driver, sensing her distress, complied without hesitation, his whip cracking to spur the horses into a frenzied gallop.
