by Margaret Way
He cranked up his offensive. He was half on top of her, shoving his tongue deeper and deeper into her mouth. Carrie almost gagged.
‘Now we’re talking!’ he crowed in triumph, his hand buried in the front of her dress, his fingers clamping on to her breast. ‘You’re the freshest, sweetest girl in the world,’ he grunted. ‘You made me a promise, Carrie. You accepted my ring. Now accept me!’
Quick as a striking snake his other hand was under her skirt, while he rammed her body back into the seat.
‘Stop, Scott. Please.’ She was forced to beg, but she was damned if she was going to scream.
‘Relax, you’re going to love this.’ His hungry hand was at the top of her panties.
‘Dammit, I said stop!’ Carrie cried, cursing her own stupidity. She was frightened of his brute strength. Drunk or not, he was physically in control. Even his weight was relentless. She could never get clear of him.
It was time to think, not give in. The day hadn’t arrived when she was going to lie back and take it. Not like this anyway. This wasn’t love. This was catastrophe. Rape. She let her body go slack, seemingly quiescent, as his hand plunged between her legs. He was moaning now. Moaning with a kind of fierce animal pleasure, primal in its mindlessness.
It was now or never. Carrie gathered herself, fiercely ignoring that his hand was going where it had never gone before. There wasn’t much of her but she was fit. And she was an expert horse-woman with strong legs and knees. She waited her moment then when his fingers were about to thrust into her, she rammed one of her knees hard into his sensitive scrotum.
He howled! He actually howled! The sound was wild and appalled. Sexual passion turned to a stunned rage. ‘God, you bitch!’ He lifted a hand to hit her, only the contempt in her voice stopped him in his tracks.
‘Don’t hit me, Scott. Don’t even attempt to go there.’
‘You bitch!’ he repeated, thinking she needed teaching a lesson. Some part of him was ashamed, the rest was in a whole lot of pain. He let out another moan, rolling across the seat away from her and hunching over, clutching his throbbing parts.
With a dazzling turn of speed Carrie was out of the SUV and on to the grass. Anger burned inside her. She tried desperately to straighten her clothing. What motivated men to behave the way they did? It was a very big question that had never been answered.
A voice called sharply from the other side of the street. ‘You all right, Caroline?’
She could have died from humiliation. Clay Cunningham. This was a nightmare. What was she supposed to do, wave? Call out her fine handsome fiancée had just tried to rape her? ‘I’m okay. It’s nothing,’ she answered, her mouth so dry she could barely form the words.
Clay didn’t seem too impressed with that. He strode across the street, moving towards the parked vehicle. He watched in disgust as Scott Harper, holding his crotch staggered out of it. ‘Mind your own bloody business, Cunningham,’ Scott gritted, his voice full of hate and loathing.
‘Sorry.’ Clay Cunningham had made the transformation from Mr. Nice Guy to one tough looking character, powerfully intimidating. ‘I’m not the kind of guy who walks away from a lady in distress. Come over here, Caroline,’ he instructed.
‘Don’t do a damn thing he asks you,’ Scott snarled her a warning.
That really bugged her. She responded by running around the front of the vehicle, clearly making her choice. When she was on her own maybe she’d have a good howl herself, but for now she had to get away from Scott. At least until he came to his senses. That she was running to Clay Cunningham was just one of life’s great ironies.
‘You’ve torn your dress,’ he said, his eyes moving swiftly over her. The light from the street lamp revealed to him the stress on her delicate face. The bodice of her gown had fallen so low it disclosed the rising curves of her lovely high breasts. One of the thin straps that held it was ripped, the other fell off her shoulder. He watched her straightening it.
‘I’ll get her another one,’ Scott lurched towards them, ready and willing to do battle. ‘Why don’t you get the hell away from here, Cunningham? Do you really think you’re capable of stealing my fiancée?’
‘Where do you want to go, Caroline?’ Clay asked, ignoring Scott.
‘I can’t go back into the hall,’ she said, fighting down her humiliation. She had lost one of her hair combs. She couldn’t retrieve it. Not now. It would have to stay in the SUV. ‘You can walk me back to the hotel if you would. I’m calling it a night.’
‘Don’t go, Carrie,’ Scott called to her with great urgency. ‘Let’s start remembering I’m your fiancé.’
‘I thought that meant I could trust you, Scott,’ she retorted, as though he were beneath contempt. ‘I don’t want to talk about this.’
‘If you walk off with him our engagement’s finished! That’s right, finished!’ he shouted, as if she were about to make the worst mistake of her life.
‘Then let’s get it over with!’ Carrie didn’t go to pieces—though she felt like it. She tugged at the diamond solitaire on her finger, then when it was off, she threw it directly at him. ‘You might like to give this to Natasha. She’s got a reputation for making out in cars.’
My God! For a shocked moment Scott went cold. Did Carrie know about him and Natasha? ‘Hey, come on,’ he cajoled, trying to get a grip on himself. ‘Natasha means nothing to me.’
When did you find out? he wondered, but didn’t dare ask.
Carrie, however, still had no idea of the secret liaison between Scott and Natasha that continued right into their engagement.
‘Be careful you don’t stomp on the ring,’ she warned. ‘It will do another turn. Good night, Scott.’
‘Carrie, don’t go!’ He reverted to pleading as she and Cunningham began to move off. ‘I love you. I’ve had so much to drink.’
Clay Cunningham intervened. ‘There’s no need for everyone to know, Harper. Keep your voice down.’
‘You talkin’ to me?’ Still hurting, Scott made a maddened charge forwards, full of bravado, fists flying, ready to show Cunningham a thing or two. His mind inevitably flew back to the way he had knocked Cunningham down when they were kids. He could take him now. Cunningham was a good three inches taller, but he was heavier and he’d had years of training.
‘Oh for God’s sake, no!’ Carrie was fearful they would soon have an audience ready to cheer a fight on. She couldn’t help knowing some people would enjoy seeing Golden Boy Harper get a thrashing.
Only Clay Cunningham didn’t want any fight. He threw out a defensive arm to block Scott’s vicious punch. At the same time he threw a single punch of his own. It landed squarely on the point of Scott’s jaw as he knew it would. Scott staggered back in astonishment, trying desperately to recover from the effects of that blow. Only his legs buckled, then went out from under him as he fell to the grass groaning afresh.
‘You’ve hurt him,’ Carrie said, in a sad and sorry voice, but not feeling encouraged to go to her ex-fiancé.
‘He’ll live,’ Clay assured her in a clipped voice. ‘The fight’s over. Let’s get out of here, Caroline, before we draw a crowd.’
This was a turning point for Carrie. Her life could go in one of two directions. With Scott. Or without him.
CHAPTER THREE
‘SO WHAT exactly happened?’ It was ten o’clock the next morning. Carrie and her mother were sitting in a quiet corner of the pub having coffee which Katie had served with some freshly baked pastries.
‘I don’t want to go into it, Mamma,’ Carrie said carefully.
‘But darling, I need to know.’ Alicia leaned forward across the bench table. ‘One moment you were there, the belle of the ball. Next time I looked you and Scott were gone. Did you have an argument? I wouldn’t be surprised if you did. Scott has a jealous streak and you did appear to be enjoying yourself with Clay Cunningham, who incidentally, is an extraordinarily attractive young man with a strong look of his father. He disappeared as well and he didn’t come back
.’
‘Scott and I did have a few words,’ Carrie confided, unwilling to upset her mother.
Alicia frowned slightly. ‘Scott’s hopelessly in love with you, darling. You are putting him under quite a bit of pressure.’
‘Are you suggesting I sleep with him, Mamma?’
Alicia glanced away. ‘Who would blame you if you had that in mind? You are engaged. You’re to be married in December.’
‘So I should feel free to jump into bed? Or rather Scott should feel free to force me into sex?’ Carrie took several hot, angry breaths.
‘Gracious, darling, that’s not what he tried to do?’ Alicia looked extremely dismayed. ‘Everything has been going so very well.’
Carrie began to spoon the chocolate off her coffee. ‘He was drunk, Mamma. I’ve never seen him like that before. Losing to Clay Cunningham set him off.’
‘That’s one of his little failings,’ Alicia said, thanking God it wasn’t a whole lot worse. ‘Scott’s a bad loser.’
‘I don’t know that we should count that as a little failing,’ Carrie said. ‘In many ways Scott has been spoiled rotten. His mother idolises him—’
‘Heavens, she couldn’t love him more than your father and I love you.’ Alicia looked at her daughter dotingly.
‘Does Dad love me?’ Carrie asked bleakly. Lord, did I really say that! ‘I’d really like to know. He wants to love me, he tries hard to love me but it seems to place too much of a burden on him.’
‘Sweetheart, you shock me. Please don’t talk like that.’ Alicia’s beautiful eyes filled with tears. ‘Your father is a very reserved man. You know that. He doesn’t know how to be demonstrative. You have to take it into account.’
‘I assure you I have done. For years.’ Carrie couldn’t let go of the mountain of pain that was inside. ‘Why did you marry him? You’re very different people.’
Alicia laughed shakily. ‘I suppose we are.’ She didn’t attempt to deny it. ‘But we were very much in love.’
‘Well, that’s good to hear. Actually Dad loves you to death! He tolerates me, because I look like you.’
Alicia’s dark eyes grew wide with shock. She bowed her graceful head. ‘Carrie, you’re upsetting me, darling.’
‘That’s certainly not my intention,’ Carrie reached out to take her mother’s hand. ‘There couldn’t be many fathers who would bypass their only child—a lowly daughter—for their nephew who’s nowhere near as smart as I am, could there? Alex would be the first to admit it. I’m not even sure he wants Victory Downs.’
Alicia’s voice was heavy with irony. ‘He will when he’s old enough. I console myself you don’t need it darling. You’re going to marry Scott. You will be so well looked after. His will be a splendid inheritance.’
‘His inheritance, not mine, Mamma,’ Carrie pointed out. ‘Even the Japanese government is driven to pass a law to allow the little princess to become Empress in due course.’
‘And so she should!’ Alicia said emphatically, when she had to all intents and purposes given up the fight to have Carrie inherit the McNevin station. ‘Now regards Scott. Give him time to apologise for his less than acceptable behaviour last night. I know he will. He’s mad about you, Carrie.’
‘Why exactly?’ Carrie asked, staring at her mother, waiting for her answer. ‘It’s becoming as much a mystery to me as you and Dad. Scott worked very hard to sweep me off my feet. He was determined to and he succeeded. You welcomed him as a prospective son-in-law, so did Dad. At long last I’m in Dad’s good books. He’s been much more relaxed with me since the engagement, hasn’t he? I pleased him, made him proud. It was a good feeling. For a while.’
Alicia’s hand on her coffee cup was shaking. ‘Don’t make any hasty decisions you might come to regret,’ she warned. ‘A devil gets into the best of men from time to time.’
‘You sound like you know what you’re talking about. Actually you sound like you led a secret life, Mamma,’ Carrie said, surprised to see her mother’s cheeks fill with warm colour. It was so unlike her to blush.
‘My past is an open book,’ Alicia declared, spreading her hands. ‘I can’t say I came to my marriage a virgin. You could teach me a thing or two about abstinence, my darling, but I only had one lover—before your father. When I finally got out of a Catholic boarding school there was no stopping me. I was ravishing in those days. All the boys were in love with me.’
‘I bet!’ The number of men who had fallen in love with her mother was legendary, but Alicia had never been known to have affairs. That would have killed the husband who worshipped her. ‘You know you’re a dark horse, Mamma,’ Carrie said simply. ‘Who was he?’ It occurred to her, her mother might have a whole host of secrets hidden away.
Alicia put her hands together as if in prayer. ‘Good gracious, darling, I’m sorry I mentioned it. No one had what your father had to offer.’
‘And what was that exactly? A well-respected name? Money? A historic sheep station?’ Carrie asked. She couldn’t say it—she didn’t even want to think it—but her father could be a very boring man, given to the silent treatment.
‘Not to be sneezed at,’ Alicia said briskly. ‘There are more important considerations than romantic love in marriage. Love is a madness anyway. And so short-lived! There’s no such thing as eternal passion I’m afraid, my darling. Any fool can fall in love. It takes time and hard work to grow a successful marriage. It is a bit like gardening. Putting down good strong roots. Your father and I mightn’t appear as demonstrative as other couples but we understand one another. We’ll stay together.’
There had to be something about her parents’ relationship she couldn’t see. ‘Can you imagine life without him?’ Carrie asked, knowing however much she looked like her mother she had an entirely different temperament and approach to life. Where did that come from? she wondered, certainly not her father.
‘What a question! This coffee is a bit strong and it’s going cold. Look out for Katie. We’ll order more. Your father is in splendid health. So am I.’
But Carrie persisted. ‘Did Dad ever make you feel breathless with excitement? Under a spell?’ There was something in her mother’s eyes that was troubling her. ‘Did he ever make you feel you could do something utterly rash? Be powerless to stop yourself?’
‘Please…please, Carrie.’ Alicia clutched the table as if the whole world had started to spin. ‘The emotions you’re describing can cause a lot of pain. Even ruin lives that were once full of promise. You’re in a very unsettled mood aren’t you, my darling girl?’ she asked, worried Carrie might be thinking of calling the engagement off.
Carrie began to confirm her worst fears. ‘I don’t think I want to marry Scott and leave you behind,’ Carrie said, staring back at her beautifully groomed mother who always looked that way. ‘I’ve had the feeling recently he’d like to chop me off from my family. He wants me all to himself.’
Alicia stifled a deep sigh. ‘And who could blame him! But that first hectic flush will pass. Your father and I will be very much in the picture. Count on it. We’re looking forwards to becoming doting grandparents.’
Carrie’s voice was shaky, her small face tense. ‘I feel differently about Scott today,’ she said, thinking of his hard, hurting hands on her body.
Concern flew into Alicia’s face. ‘Oh darling, give yourself a little time. He shocked you with his demands, did he?’
‘He did,’ Carrie said grimly.
Alicia’s honeyed speaking voice turned icy cold. ‘Really! Would you like your father to have a word with him?’
‘God, no.’ Carrie was appalled.
‘It wouldn’t bother me to speak to him,’ Alicia said, itching to do it.
‘Please, no, Mamma ‘
‘Men aren’t saints, my darling.’
‘I never thought for a moment they were!’ Carrie answered.
‘You’re a beautiful and sexy young woman, Carrie, even if you don’t see it. In many ways you’re unawakened. Of course I respect your
decision to remain a virgin. Probably a very smart move with someone like Scott.’
‘Smart moves had nothing to do with my decision,’ Carrie pointed out, with a trace of admonition.
‘Of course not. I don’t really know why I said that. My advice is, if it wasn’t all that bad—my God, I’m sure we’re not talking rape—forgive him if you can. If you can’t—’ Alicia threw up her elegant hands ‘—your father and I will always back your decision.’
‘You will,’ Carrie said. ‘I don’t know about Dad. I think he’d be bitterly disappointed if I went to him and said the engagement was over.’
‘But you’re not going to do that, are you, darling?’ More than anything Alicia wanted to see her daughter make a good marriage. Scott Harper mightn’t be perfect but he had a lot going for him. ‘One can understand his being in serious need of sex,’ she pointed out gently.
‘Be that as it may, whatever happened I dealt with it,’ Carrie said. ‘And Clay Cunningham came along at the right moment to back me up.’
Alicia drew in a sharp, whistling breath. ‘Clay Cunningham? Now I do feel rather sorry for Scott. So Clay Cunningham rescued you like a true hero?’
Carrie on the other hand sounded suddenly pleased. ‘He knocked Scott down.’
‘Good God! I must say he had to wait a long time to do that,’ Alicia laughed shortly. ‘It’s no secret Scott put Clay in hospital when they were boys.’
‘I had no idea Scott was such a bully,’ Carrie said. ‘Or I didn’t know until last night.’ Now she sounded bitter and angry.
‘You used to wave to Clay whenever you saw him in town,’ Alicia suddenly recalled. ‘You didn’t wave to everybody.’
‘He told me I used to wave,’ Carrie said. ‘I don’t remember at all.’ She didn’t add she’d been trying very hard to.
‘He was a handsome boy. Now a striking young man. That red in his hair he got from his mother, though she was pure Titian. I only saw her once or twice. She was so pretty. An English rose. I wanted to befriend her but your father was very much against it. He sided with the Cunninghams. So did most people. Reece was to marry Elizabeth Campbell. It was as good as written in stone.’
