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Astra was in little doubt that the "dangerous criminal" was herself. She decided that she would have to make a run for it, or rather a gallop for it, whilst she had the chance.

She had found that riding side-saddle was easier than she had feared it might be, helped by Folly being so well behaved. That was travelling at no faster than a canter, though. She wasn't at all sure that she would be able to stay on at a full gallop or, even if she could, whether Folly could outpace the reeve's horse. However she felt that she no longer had anything to lose. And at least Gorbeh - inside the inn - was out of the picture for the moment.

Ordinarily, she would have dug her knees into the horse's flanks to let him know that she wanted him to accelerate, and perhaps would have spurred him on as well. But riding side-saddle and without spurs, she could do neither of those things. Instead, she pulled on one rein until Folly had obediently turned through 180 degrees, facing back the way they had come and away from Corona. Then she slapped him on his neck and shouted: "Go!"

Folly instantly seemed to divine what she wanted, and he broke into a gallop. The reeve had been taken completely by surprise, and she had the best part of a hundred yards start before he came after her.

1. She managed to get clean away.
2. But before she had gone very far, she felt herself slipping from the saddle. She tried to grab Folly round the neck to steady herself, but before she could do so she came off. She hit the ground head-first and lost consciousness.
3. But before she had gone very far, she felt herself slipping from the saddle. She tried to grab Folly round the neck, but before she could do so she came off. She landed on her backside, with nothing worse than a bruise.

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