Virginian Lover

by Oliver, Marina

  'I am in no position to judge your wishes! But a prudent woman does not run risks! I apologize for ruining your amusement. I quite thought you were complaisant until you saw me!'

  Bella gasped. 'I did not see you! I had no notion you were there until he went!'

  'Then you had best not encourage opportunities for further attempts on your virtue!' he snapped. 'Some storms are not so easily controlled as you appear to think! Stay in calmer waters, Mistress Sutton, and do not encourage tempests you do not understand!'

  *

  He turned abruptly and left her, and she retreated to her cabin, seething with anger at the scorn in his voice. She heeded his warning, however, and was careful not to remain alone on deck again, for fear the sailor, or another of his companions, would seek to force their company on her. She saw the one who had approached her a couple of days later and was surprised when, on espying her, he turned and almost ran in the other direction. Several others of the crew eyed her with respectful, cautious interest, and she was puzzled until she overheard one of them challenge another to speak to her.

  'Or are you afraid that her gentleman friend will deal with you the same as poor Dickon? He couldn't sit down for two days! And all he did was talk with her!'

  Bewildered, knowing she ought to be grateful to Adam for his protection, yet furious with him for interfering in her concerns, Bella did not know whether to thank him or protest to him. Wanting to complain she could not, for she knew she owed him a great deal. She resented this, for while she had no hesitation in accepting anything for Toby, she wished she need not otherwise be under any obligation to the hateful man.

  The days passed, and Toby's strength gradually improved. The weather was mild and Bella and Alice often sat on deck. One day Toby was playing with a little girl a year or so older than himself while Alice stitched at a shirt for him. Bella was mending a rent in one of her gowns and when she had finished she rose to her feet.

  'I'll take this back to the cabin, Alice. Do you need anything?'

  'No, Miss Bella, thank you, except to get off this ship!'

  Bella laughed, but as she went towards her cabin she wondered if she really wanted to arrive in Virginia. Edward awaited her there. Try as she might to dismiss him from her thoughts, he appeared in them more and more frequently as the long voyage drew to an end. Soon she must think of a plan to evade him, she told herself, but she knew in her heart she had already considered and discarded as impracticable all possible courses of action.

  She pushed open the cabin door and went in. Shaking out the creases in the gown she hung it on a peg and then, seeing some of Toby's clothes on the floor, began to pick them up and put them away in the chest. She was busy with this when the cabin door swung open and a man stepped quickly inside.

  It was the man who had attacked her on the first evening when she had met Adam, but who had ignored her ever since. Bella had thankfully assumed that he had been too drunk to remember her, and tried to forget the incident which had introduced her to Adam. He shut the door behind him and stood there, looking at her in what Bella, her heart pounding loudly, thought was a horribly gloating manner.

  *

  'What do you want?' she demanded angrily, forcing down her fear.

  'Oh, not what you think, my fine lady!' he sneered. 'I've no taste for you, whatever the others may want. No, I've come to pay my debt!'

  'Will you get out of this cabin, or you'll be sorry!' Bella ordered, and then gasped as he brought his hand from behind his back and showed her the knife he was carrying.

  'You're mad!' she exclaimed. 'What do you mean to do? Kill me? Just because you were prevented from attacking me when you were drunk? You'll not escape even if you do harm me!'

  'It's not simple murder I have in mind,' he sneered, slowly advancing on Bella as she stood at the far end of the cabin. 'That's too quick and easy!'

  She wondered for a panic-stricken moment whether to scream. Would anyone hear her and come to her aid? Most of the passengers were on deck as it was a fine warm day, there were none likely to be down in the cabins. She backed away and was brought up short by the table. Feeling behind her, her hands encountered a pewter mug, and she grasped at it thankfully. It was a puny weapon against a knife, but it was something.

  'I'm going to spoil that beauty of yours!' the man continued, pausing to survey her. 'It's a snare and a temptation, just like the drink! Oh, I've seen the error of my ways since I've been aboard, and I'm going to cut the out the Devil from your heart!'

  'What do you mean? You're mad!'

  'You are a temptation, leading on weak foolish men. You led me on when I wasn't in my right senses, and you've been doing it to many another! I've been watching you! They're all sinners, led astray by a vain woman! When I've finished with you you'll have nothing to be vain about!'

  As he lunged forward Bella stepped aside as far as the small space allowed and swung her inadequate weapon round, catching his arm as he thrust the knife at her face. He gave a shout of rage, seized her right arm in his left hand, and twisted her round to face him, forcing her backwards so that only his grip prevented her from falling onto the bunk which pressed against her thighs.

  'How will you like it, my pretty one, when your face is marred? When men shudder and turn away from your ugliness? Then you won't be tempting them as you do now, will you, my fine beauty?'

  Bella struggled, clawing at his face, but he was too strong for her and held her easily. He pressed the point of the knife against the bodice of her gown, then slowly drew the sharp blade down across the thin silk, slitting the taut material which covered her breasts. She drew in her breath and he laughed.

  'You might still attract men who cannot see your face! All cats are the same in the dark, they say. But not with what I'm going to do to you!'

  Suddenly he twisted the knife in the material. The bodice of Bella's gown fell away as he sliced through the waistband, revealing her smooth ivory skin. He licked his lips, then with infinite care stripped away the last shreds of her gown and the thin chemise beneath.

  He stepped back to look at her, and as he did so, Bella seized her only chance. She dodged sideways and stooped to grasp the heap of material at her feet. She threw it at him as he lunged forwards, and the knife caught in the folds, distracting him momentarily. With a couple of strides she had reached the door, but before she could drag it open he was after her again. This time he caught one arm and twisted it behind her back, and she could feel the sharp point of the knife pressed against her skin just below the side of her breast.

  He laughed triumphantly. 'I'm going to carve patterns all over this wicked body,' he promised. 'It shall never tempt men again. Then I'll start on your face! Don't resist me, or the knife might go deeper than I intend, and I don't want you to die. I want to watch you when you can no longer drive men out of their senses!'

  He threw Bella so that she sprawled face downwards on one bunk. She wriggled to turn over and try to beat him off, but he cast himself across her and pinioned her, holding her with his body and left hand while he drew the knife slowly in front of her face a finger's breadth away from her flesh.

  'Now, a mark just here, so that you'll never wear these evil gowns which show so much flesh!'

  He raised himself slightly so that he could press the knife against the swelling curve of Bella's breast, and as she writhed beneath him to escape it the cabin door burst open. Before Bella realized what was happening her assailant was hauled away from her and his knife clattered onto the bunk beside her.

  *

  She looked up to see Adam struggling to force the man's arms behind his back, while he cursed violently and kicked backwards in an attempt to free himself.

  'Have you something for a cord to tie him?' Adam asked quickly and Bella, shaking herself out of her horrified shock,seized her torn chemise and twisted it into a rope. Then, following Adam's terse instructions, she bound it about the man's wrists until he was secured.

  'I'll be back,' Adam said curtly and thr
ust his captive out of the door before him.

  Bella, weak with relief at the narrow escape she had had, and reaction to the frantic terror of the past few minutes, sank to the floor, her head resting on the bunk. From time to time she shuddered as she recalled the hateful weight of her attacker, his rough hands, and the prick of the knife against her breast. Unable to believe she was still unmarked, she passed her hands over her body, reassuring herself the skin was whole. She was unaware of Adam's return until he spoke.

  'It's all over. You are safe now.'

  She looked up at him, a wavering smile touching her lips.

  'He must have been mad! He – threatened to – carve patterns on me!' she finished with a sob, and then began to shiver uncontrollably.

  'You are cold!' he said abruptly, and she looked up at him, uncomprehending, unaware of her nakedness until she saw his narrowed eyes. Instinctively she crossed her arms across her breasts and turned her back on him.

  'You are safe now,' he repeated, and took a blanket from the other bunk to wrap about her.

  She felt its roughness against her skin, took a deep breath and struggled to her feet, clutching it about her awkwardly, unaware that her long slender legs were partially uncovered still.

  'Th – thank you! I am most truly grateful! Where is he?' she added, glancing fearfully towards the door.

  'Safely locked away until we land! The Governor will deal with him. Come here, you are still shivering!' he ordered, and unthinkingly, responding only to the comfort of his tone, she obeyed.

  He pulled her down beside him on the bunk, and holding her tightly against him so that she felt the beating of his heart against hers, he stroked her hair, whispering nonsensical, soothing words. Her trembling gradually ceased and she became aware of his warmth, the soft feel of his breath against her cheek, and the power and the strength of his arms about her. She felt his lips on her closed eyelids and instinctively raised her mouth to his. Gently but firmly he took her chin between thumb and forefinger. 'Look at me.' Her eyes flew open, startled.

  'Are you feeling better now?' he asked.

  'Yes,' she whispered, shivering, 'but how did you know? How did you come to be there?'

  'Your maid's friend, Joan Bidwell, saw the man enter your cabin. She thought it was odd and came for me. But she could not move fast, she is so near her time, or I would have been here earlier.'

  'Thank God!' she murmured. 'They won't let him go free?'

  'No, you can be sure of that. Do you know why he attacked you?'

  'He was mad! He said – ' she hesitated, and then went on in a rush ' – that I had tempted him, and it was sinful. He did not want me to tempt other men, he said!'

  Adam chuckled. 'So wine and women are sinful, but attacking you with a knife is not! Shall I send Alice to you?'

  Suddenly reminded that she was curled up against his broad chest wrapped onlyin a blanket, Bella blushed furiously.

  'No, thank you! I would prefer to be alone while I – while I find some more clothes!'

  'I'll leave Daniel on guard outside, so you need have no fear of unwelcome interruptions.' Adam rose and left the cabin.

  *

  Still trembling from the shock, Bella looked down at her ruined gown, lying on the floor. It had been one of her favourites, and for a moment she felt a helpless anger against the madman who had so wantonly destroyed it. Turning away from it she sought in the chest that held their clothes for a new chemise, and had just pulled it over her head when Alice came quickly into the cabin.

  'Miss Bella, are you all right?' she demanded. 'Joan told me, and Mr Tarrant explained what the wretch had tried to do! He didn't harm you, did he?'

  'No, Alice, no! Only my gown, my lovely green silk! Thank heaven Joan saw him and had the sense to fetch Adam!'

  Alice, helping Bella to put on the dress she had so recently been mending, smiled to herself. It was Adam now, was it?

  'He's a proper man, Miss Bella!' she enthused. 'I don't mind telling you that if I were only five years younger I'd be making eyes at him myself, like most of the silly girls aboard! Yet he doesn't seem to care for any of them!'

  Bella tried to change the subject, but increasingly frequently Alice reverted to it in the days that followed. Adam did not seem to avoid Bella so obviously as before, and soon Alice was hinting that if she would only encourage him life would be better for all of them.

  'Would you make me a whore?' Bella demanded angrily when the hints could no longer be ignored.

  'He's a deal better than that one Henry forced on you,' Alice responded.

  'But I am wed to "that one", and there is nought either of us can do to change that!' Bella pointed out.

  'Hm! I'd not be too sure of that. We're going to a new country. Who's to force you to stay with a man you hate?'

  'I couldn't escape from him! What would we do? How would we live? Oh Alice, I've tried to think of a way out, but there isn't one! I should never have agreed to marry him. At least we'd have had a better chance of making a living for ourselves in England.'

  'You'd not have had Toby then,' Alice said flatly. 'That devil Henry Martin would have seen to that, never fear!'

  'He's much better now, isn't he, Alice?' Bella asked, seizing on the opportunity to turn Alice's thoughts away from Adam. Alice, however, was not to be deflected.

  'Thanks to Mr Tarrant,' she said firmly. 'He'd look after you both if you gave him just a little encouragement.'

  'You'd have me sell my body?'

  'What else has Henry Martin done? At least this way you'd enjoy it!'

  Bella was about to deny this when she recollected the shameful episodes when she had permitted Adam to make love to her, and had felt her willpower dissolve as she lay in his arms and he had caressed her. Had she taken pleasure in such activities? She turned away to hide her flushed cheeks from Alice.

  'I'll never willingly submit to that degradation!' she declared. 'Edward, I suppose, has a right to use me for his own pleasure, but no other man shall!'

  'Why remain with a man you hate when there is a much better one willing, I'd hazard, to do anything you wished?'

  'Edward would never permit it!' Bella said angrily. 'Even were I to agree, Edward would fight, and have the authorities on his side.'

  *

  Gradually, imperceptibly, Bella's anger at the idea began to evaporate. The closer they came to Virginia and Edward the more apprehensive she grew about what awaited her there. Alice lost no opportunity of reminding Bella of her fear and hatred of Edward and his unwelcome attentions. At other times she was full of praise for Adam, repeating her gratitude for his many kindnesses and the conviction that but for him Toby, and quite possibly both of them too, would have died on the voyage. She referred occasionally to Mary Bolton, gloating at the frustration she sensed in the other woman when none of her overtures to Adam met with more than politeness.

  They were over twelve weeks out of London when one morning land was glimpsed far ahead.

  'They say it's Somer's Islands!' Alice cried in excitement, and along with the remainder of the land-starved passengers rushed onto the deck to watch as the tiny speck grew larger during the next few hours, and became separate specks which were gradually revealed to be many small islands.

  The following day they anchored near the largest, and the passengers had their first glimpses of previous settlers who had been sent out by the London Company some years earlier. The Virginian took on fresh stores, including water which had been collected by the settlers in large barrels from the rain which provided for most of their needs. Apart from the sailors who were busily loading the fresh stores, no one was permitted to land, and the passengers lined the rails looking hungrily at the lush forests that covered most of the larger islands. Bella, standing with Alice and Toby watching the sun setting behind another of the islands, suddenly found Adam behind her. He casually rested his hand on her shoulder, causing her to quiver with shock as his fingers, in a seemingly accidental gesture, rested against her bare neck
.

  'Do you see that? It is a canoe such as the natives use,' he remarked, and leant closer, pointing with his other hand across her other shoulder at a small, strange looking craft which had just appeared near the ship. It was long, narrow, and looked rather like a log hollowed out in the centre.

  'The islands were originally called the Bermudas,' he went on. 'The Company discovered them by accident twelve years ago.'

  'By accident? How was that?' Bella asked, trying not to show her awareness of his fingers, which were casually caressing the bare hollows in her flesh between her neck and her shoulder.

  'Shipwreck. The first settlers came to Jamestown in 1607. Two years later the Company sent out another six hundred settlers in nine ships. One of the ships was wrecked on Bermuda, as it was then called, and the settlers spent the winter there while they built another boat of cedarwood.'

  'Did they escape safely?'

  'Yes, and arrived in Jamestown to discover that only sixty of the other five hundred settlers had survived the winter. There had been much disease and starvation.'

  'How terrible!'

  'The earliest settlers were gentlemen who did not care to work! They came looking for gold, not seeing the need to develop their agriculture, and sat around eating their stores. And to make matters worse the Company sent out too many settlers too soon, before there was any provision made for them, such as food and housing.'

  'Is it better now?' Bella asked doubtfully.

  'A great deal so, although such vast numbers of people have been sent out these last few years that there have been problems again. You are perhaps fortunate your husband has come early. He will have a home prepared for you,' he added, and his hand slid down her arm as he moved to stand beside her, his arm now encircling her waist.

  'Yes, I expect so,' Bella replied, averting her face. She did not wish to think of that home, or of Edward awaiting her with his animal demands on her body. She shivered suddenly, despite the warmth of the evening.

  Alice had earlier slipped away, saying she had better put Master Toby to bed, and they were alone on this part of the deck. Adam regarded her quizzically.