Married To The Mad Vampire Lord novel Chapter 253

Chapter 253: Desperate for an escape

Belle, on the other hand, could hardly believe her misfortune.

There were no coaches on the street. None at all, neither the public rides nor those belonging to nobles. The night street was eerily deserted, not a single soul in sight. And to make matters worse, the sky had darkened, heavy with the promise of rain.

She needed to find shelter before the downpour began. She couldn’t be caught in it, not in her condition.

She didn’t know how far she had come from the house. She hadn’t once turned around to check. She just kept moving, pushing herself far beyond her limits.

The night was silent, with only the faint chirping of unseen crickets and the distant barking of a dog echoing through the emptiness.

It was only when she was on the verge of crumbling under the weight of dismay and exhaustion that she heard it, the distant gallop of horses and the creaking of a carriage wheels.

Without thinking, Belle stepped into the middle of the road and lifted her hand, waving frantically to stop the carriage even before it reached her. She couldn’t risk being caught in the storm or by the men back in the house. She needed somewhere, anywhere, to stay, as long as it was safe.

And worse, she could feel something wasn’t right about her body.

Her stomach ached, not the familiar, sharp pangs that came when her baby needed blood. This was different. Strange. And she needed to find safety before she could even begin to understand the cause of it. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The coachman spotted her standing in the middle of the road and pulled the reins immediately, jerking the horses to a sudden halt before they could rear back. He cursed loudly, muttering under his breath as annoyance flared in his voice. Whoever was standing in the street at this hour, he thought, had to be insane.

"What’s the meaning of this, woman?!" he barked, leaning forward as the light from the carriage lamps spilled across her form.

Belle limped to the side, just enough so she could see the man clearly. He was frowning down at her from his perch, clearly displeased, squinting through the dim light to get a better look at her.

"I need a ride, mister. I need to get to Roseville," she said, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. She couldn’t afford to sound frightened or urgent, he might grow suspicious and report her. She needed to stay calm.

She didn’t know many towns in this land, but she had read about Roseville. It was a small village, tucked far from civilization and nestled deep into the countryside. If she could get there, she would be putting real distance between herself and the city, just enough to hide for a while, until she could think of what to do next.

"Ride’s closed for the day, Lady. I’m headin’ home now to rest," the coachman replied gruffly. "Ya won’t find no rides at this time of night—nothin’ till the morrow morning. Ya best head back where ya came from and wait till morning."

He tugged at the reins, preparing to leave. He would have to be mad to ride to Roseville at this hour.

Belle was too desperate to let him go. She knew that if this man left, she had no way of finding another ride—not at this hour.

Hurriedly, she pulled out the pouch of gold coins from her pocket and held it out. "I have money," she said, her voice trembling despite her best effort to stay composed. "I’ll pay you any amount you want. Please, mister, I have to get there..."

She scrambled for a lie, anything to make him stay, and found one when she noticed his eyes drop to her swollen belly. "I need to get to my ma," she added quickly. "She’s old, and she lives in Roseville. I can’t deliver my baby without Mama. Help me, mister... please."

The coachman looked from the pouch of coins to her stomach, then let out a weary sigh. He jerked his head toward the back of the carriage.

"Get in," he said. "But don’t go complainin’ when the ride ain’t smooth. I canno promise it’s goin’ to be easy in ya condition."

Belle smiled in pure, aching gratitude, even though she knew deep down that he was doing it for the money, not for her.

"Thank you, mister!" she said, clutching her bundle and moving toward the carriage with a breath of relief.

She hurriedly got into the carriage and pulled the curtains over the windows, and the moment it started moving, she felt herself release the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding the whole time she had been running away from the manor.

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