Page 85 of Sighs of the Highland Wind
She pushed open the door of the chamber, then squealed as a hand clamped over her mouth, and sheer terror overcame her as she heard a soft voice in her ear.
“Shhh, my lovely Janet,” James whispered. “I just want to have a little kiss. Relax - I will not hurt you. I will be very gentle.”
Janet was a very muscular young woman but even she could not fight against a man of James’s size and strength, although she was trying with all her might. James was kissing her frantically, pressing his body against hers, pinning her against the wall while she was pushing him away with all her might, but he was far too powerful. She squealed as loudly as she could when she saw Ava, who stood for a frozen moment in the doorway before launching herself at James.
“Get away from her!” she roared. “Leave her alone, ye beast!”
James turned around at the same moment as Ava reached her hands out to pull him away from her sister, but instead of gripping his shoulders her grasping fingers found the skin of his face and gouged three long scratches down his cheeks.
He gave a long moan and clutched at his face, then gave Ava a venomous glare. “I was only trying to give her a kiss!” he growled. “She was walking half-naked along the corridor! She led me on!”
“I have my dressin’ gown on!” Janet protested. “I was comin’ back from the kitchen!”
James was dabbing at his bloodied cheek with a handkerchief, and he reeked of whisky. He stumbled out, grumbling under his breath. Ava watched him, but she knew that it was not just whisky that had fueled his lust. The man was a beast.
At that moment Rona, who had been having a bath in Ava’s room, entered the chamber and was almost knocked flying by James Henderson as he rushed past her. She gave a squeal offright and cowered back against the door, then turned and saw her sisters and her eyes widened in shock.
Ava was holding Janet, who was sobbing her heart out on her sister’s shoulder.
“What happened?” Her voice was fearful as she rushed to Janet’s side and kissed her cheek.
“James tried to rape her,” Ava replied angrily. “Rona, lock the door an’ put a chair under the handle. I don’t want him bargin’ in here again.” She turned her attention to Janet, who was still sobbing. “Poor wee thing, Janet,” she said gently. “Don’t worry - I will no’ be marryin’ that monster!”
Janet nodded, and after a while she calmed down a bit. She was still sobbing, but a little less violently now, and presently she cleared her throat and wiped away her tears with her fingertips.
“Better now?” Ava asked her.
Janet nodded. “Aye,” she said, and Ava could tell by the throb of anger in her voice that her spirited sister was getting back to her normal fiery self.
“What happened?” Rona asked anxiously. “Did he get any farther than kissin’ ye?”
Her face was so concerned that Janet managed a wobbly smile. “No, don’t worry, Rona. I kept him at bay. If I had pushed him a couple o’ feet further back I could have kneed him in his bawsack!” Her voice was a trembling growl.
Despite herself, Ava laughed. It was not at all a funny situation, but she could think of no more fitting punishment for a would-be rapist than that which Janet had suggested.
“He said he only wanted to kiss me,” Janet told them. Her whole body was shaking, and Rona went to find a shawl to drape over her shoulders before Ava gently urged her into a chair. “I pushed him away, but he was too strong for me.”
“Did he hurt you?” Ava asked anxiously. “Ye know what I mean?”
Janet shook her head. “He - he touched my breast,” she answered, her face screwing up with revulsion, “but I am fine, really, just a wee bit shocked.”
“Can ye go to sleep?” Ava asked her.
Janet nodded her head. “I am scared, Ava, but I will try,” she replied valiantly.
“Good girl,” Ava said softly. “Now, get into bed with Rona an’ I will sleep in the chair.” She went over to the fireplace and took out the poker from the stand of fire tools. “I will hit him wi’ this if he tries anythin’.”
She watched her two sisters climb into bed and wrap their arms around each other, then she kissed them both goodnight before sitting down. The chair was soft and well upholstered, but it was not made for sleeping in, and Ava found herself sitting an hour later, still with her eyes open, staring into the fire.
However, it was not the discomfort of the chair that was keeping her awake, but the turmoil of her thoughts. If she told her sisters about James’s plan now they would get no rest, and they would panic. What was she going to do? The same thoughts kept churning around and around in her head until she was dizzy. She had to do something, and there was only one person who could help her.
She could not leave her sisters on their own, however, so she quickly made her way to Davina’s room and knocked on the door. “Davina! I must speak to ye! It’s Ava.” For a moment she thought she had not been heard, then a tousled and irritated Davina came to the door, but as soon as she saw Ava’s face she beckoned her inside.
“Your father has tried to rape Janet,” she said angrily. “I have to go an’ get Cameron, but I cannot leave them there on their own. Will ye sit with them? At least that way ye can block the door.”
“I knew he had something like this in his mind!” Davina growled. “Come, let’s hurry.”
They entered the room quietly, and Ava kissed each one of her sisters before taking Davina’s hands. “Thank you,” she said softly.
