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Grant glared at him. “Why did you interrupt me? I was just about to tell them that.”
Mouse shrugged. “I just thought I’d help you out.”
“Well, don’t,” Grant snapped.
“Anyway,” Chase spoke up as he looked between Ben and me. “It won’t be a comfortable ride for the lady, but it will be fast. You could get to Validen and back in a single day with no problem.”
Ben cast a side glance at me and a crooked smile slipped onto his lips. “It would be faster, and Ferox is no doubt unwilling to leave the green pastures of the villa any time soon. He would drag his hooves if forced to return today.”
I grinned at him. “I’m game.”
“Then it’s settled,” Mouse chimed in as he rubbed his hands together. “Now what’s for breakfast?”
CHAPTERNINETEEN
I may have beenbold at the breakfast table, but when Chase drove up in Bashful my courage failed me. There was indeed a small compartment behind the seat, and the men and Hannah tried their best to plush it up for me.
“Heaven knows why anyone would want to ride in these things,” Hannah muttered as she shoved in a fourth pillow on top of a mess of blankets. “These things are just not safe.”
Ben had leaned over the console with Mouse on the other side giving him a refresher course on the instruments. He paused in his schooling and smiled at her. “I’ll be sure to keep at a safe speed.”
She stopped her fussing and wagged a finger at him. “Don’t you lie to me, Benjamin Rookwood Castle. I can just imagine your foot itching to press down on that block of wood right down there-” She waved her hand in the general direction of the pedal, “-and spiriting your lovely little miss to a horrible doom.”
Ben chuckled. “I’ll be sure to avoid any signs of doom, Hannah, and that will be assured if you would be so kind as to pack us a lunch.”
“I should pack you a shroud. . .” she grumbled as she stalked off into the house.
Lambert and David stood off to one side, and the boy stretched his neck to get a good view of the interior. “Can it go very fast?”
Mouse grinned at him. “Faster than any horse, and it can keep that speed for as long as the road holds out.”
“And the fuel,” Chase reminded him.
“And the fuel,” Mouse agreed.
David twisted his head around to look up at his grandfather. “May I see it, Papa?”
Lambert pursed his lips but caught Ben’s eye. “If the Master allows it.”
Ben gave his farm manager an assuring smile. “It’s safe enough when the key isn’t set in its place.”
David’s face lit up and he hurried over. He nearly dove head-first into the driver’s seat as Ben and Mouse began to explain to him how the thing worked. For my part, I pressed my palm against the mess of blankets and was pleased when I felt only their plushiness.
I caught the attention of Chase and Grant. “You guys really should consider making a back seat for this thing.”
They stared at each other before Chase shrugged. “I never thought of that.”
“It is based off of a racer,” Grant pointed out.
“And it should have something to keep those foolish enough to sit in them inside during a crash,” Hannah chimed in.
I smiled. “Like a seat belt?”
She nodded. “Just that! Belt and strapped in!”
Mouse tilted his head back and rubbed his chin. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“You should’ve been the first one,” Chase teased with a sly grin on his face. “Being the one who needs it the most.”
