The third cannon ball however impacted close by and frightened the horses. The driver struggled to control them but a fourth shot hitting another nearby building send the horses over the edge into a panic. They began galloping down the street violently shaking the carriage and its passengers. A building exploded in front of the horses which ran off to the side tipping over the carriage in the process. There was the sound of panicked horses, wood breaking and splintering, and then nothing. Just darkness and silence.
Abigail woke with a start. Her head ringing, her back and knee aching. At first, she couldn't hear anything and started wondering how long she had been out, but then sound returned and it was deafening. The cannon fire seemed to have intensified and the whole of Charles Town seemed to either be screaming in anger or crying out in pain. This was her chance – her one chance to get away from this. She wouldn't let herself be handled like a piece of furniture anymore. It was time to take matters into her own hand. She looked around and saw Mrs. Yate – the handmaiden assigned to her by her father to watch her – lying unconscious on the floor. She was still breathing. Hopefully she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.
Abigail quickly scrambled out of the carriage. Tearing her dress even more so in the process. She managed to climb out of the broken floor. The carriage had somehow ended up half on its roof, half on its side. It was a wonder that both she and Mrs. Yate were still alive. She looked around for the driver and found him half underneath the carriage. It didn't look like he was breathing anymore. "Good," she thought, "he won't be needing his weapon anymore!" She grabbed the sword that was strapped to his belt. It was heavier than she imagined. She feared she wouldn't be able to use it effectively. He former life didn't involve much physical activity and she lacked strength. She tossed the sword aside and grabbed the dagger the driver had strapped to his boot instead. It was much lighter and she would be able to use it. Of course, it wouldn't do her much good in a full-on fight but being armed made her feel much safer regardless.