by Nancy M Bell
“Let her be, for God’s sake Daniel,” Sarie shouted.
When Daniel took no notice, Sarie grabbed the frying pan off the cooker and clouted him on the shoulder. He released Bella’s mouth, but not her chin and glared at Sarie. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and flung Bella’s chin away from him.
“That’s just a taste of things to come, Miss High and Mighty Arabella. After we’re churched, there’ll be no one around to stop me takin’ what is rightfully mine,” Daniel promised, dark lights glittering in his eyes.
Bella shrank from him. Daniel enjoyed her pain and panic Bella realized, but she couldn’t control the revulsion she felt at his touch. With a final possessive look in her direction Daniel left the Angarrick kitchen to join Barney at the Arms. Bella laid her head on her arms where they rested on the kitchen table and let the sobs come. Sarie put a comforting arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair.
“We’ll find a way out of this, my flower. Just let me think on it for a moment,” Sarie promised.
“Oh my God, oh my God.” Bella whispered over and over while she tried to choke back her tears and think properly.
* * *
Sarie left Bella to speak to someone on the phone. She returned to Bella and prompted her to get to her feet. Sarie left Bella standing blankly in the hall while she raced up the stairs to fetch Bella’s bag that was sitting still packed inside her bedroom door. Sarie lifted the latch on the front door just as Barney entered the hall from the kitchen.
“Here now, what’s going on, Sarie?” Barney’s voice was laced with suspicion.
“We were just going out to celebrate with a drink of our own,” Sarie lied.
Bella just stood staring blankly ahead of herself. The hall was dark and Sarie hoped fervently Barney couldn’t see Bella’s case at the foot of the stairs.
“No now, I think Daniel was right and Bella should make an early night of it.” Barney pushed by Sarie and took Bella’s arm.
Barney led the unresisting Bella up the stairs and closed the door of her room after her. Sarie heard the scrape of the key in the lock and Barney came down the stairs with his hand in his pocket.
“Here, now, what’s this?” Barney’s foot brushed the suitcase by the newel post.
“Oh my stars! Bella must have forgotten to take that up earlier,” Sarie improvised.
Barney snorted and kicked it aside. “I’ll look to that later then.”
“There now, Sarie. I’ll just see you out and lock the front door. Bella’s settled for the night.” Barney ushered Sarie out unto the front stoop with his hand on her shoulder.
Sarie had no choice but to go along with him. If he suspected anything Sarie would never get within ten yards of Bella before the wedding. Sarie started off up the cobbled street and waited until the lights at the front of the house were extinguished. She slipped into a short alleyway and made her way to the stable yard at the back of the Angarrick house. The light was still showing from Bella’s window but the curtains were closed over now. Barney emerged from the kitchen door of the house and set off into the gloom to return to the Arms. Sarie shifted from foot to foot trying to decide what the best course of action would be. Her mum was on her way to meet them, but Sarie had to get Bella to the meeting point on the pier first. Before Sarie could decide on a good plan, Bella’s light went out and Sarie swore under her breath.
“Damn, Bella! Don’t give up,” Sarie muttered.
A wet mist was blowing in from the sea and moisture gathered quickly on Sarie’s face. Through the wet patter of the light rain Sarie heard the scrape of wood as Bella’s window was pushed open. In the gloom Sarie saw Bella step out of her window and balance on the slippery slate of the roof over the kitchen. She held her breath in case her friend should fall from her precarious perch.
* * *
Bella gripped her windowsill like a lifeline and prayed she wouldn’t come crashing down. She reached back inside and brought her bag of belongings through the window. The damn suitcase was still down in the hall. She vaguely remembered Sarie dragging her and it down the stairs before Da showed up earlier. With a quick toss, Bella threw the bag into the manure pile by the back gate. She grimaced as she thought of her clothes landing in the muck heap. She eyed the slick roof, maybe the muck heap was a better choice than the hard cobbles waiting below her. Bella drew a shaky breath and inched her way along the roof toward the point where it met the stable. The stable was three feet lower than the house and Bella was sure that she could make the leap and then it was just a short jump to the ground and freedom. Bella’s foot slipped and she looked quickly over her shoulder to make sure that old Mrs. Hayle who lived next door wasn’t looking out her window.
The wind blew rain in her face, but Bella inched along and finally reached the spot closest to the stable. Bella hesitated and then counted to three. With a desperate effort she launched herself toward the stable roof, three feet below her with a couple of feet of dark wet space between it and the eaves of the house. Bella landed on her hands and knees, fingers scrabbled on the wet tiles in an effort to keep from sliding unto the cobbles below her. Once Bella was fairly secure, she slid down the roof until she was at the eaves.
“Bella, jump in the muck heap!” Sarie hissed as she stepped out of the shadow of the stable.
“Lord God Almighty, Sarie!” Bella exclaimed her heart hammering in her throat.
“Just jump!” Sarie called softly.
Bella swung her legs over the edge and dropped into the wet muck heap. Quickly, she reclaimed her bag and crawled out of the dirty straw and pushed herself to her feet. Sarie caught Bella’s hand and pulled her into the shadows. Bella threw her arms around Sarie and hugged her tight.
“Lord, you scared me! I should have known that you wouldn’t leave me,” Bella whispered.
“We’ve got to get moving, Bella. Come on, then.” Sarie hurried Bella out of the stable yard and into the back lane.
“Where are we going?” Bella was still winded from landing.
“To meet Mum. She should be at the pier by now.” Sarie squinted into the gloom as they came out of the lane near the docks.
“Your mum is the best,” Bella said fervently.
“There she is!” Sarie sighed in relief.
Quickly the girls scrambled into the car and Mrs. Waters lost no time in leaving the docks and heading out of Penzance toward Newlyn and Mousehole. Bella saw Mrs. Waters give a quick look in the rear view mirror and raise her eyebrows in an unspoken question. Sarie shrugged in answer.
“I don’t know, Mum. Getting Bella out of there was the important thing, I didn’t think much past that.” Sarie sounded uncertain, not her usual confident self.
“I have to hide somewhere,” Bella spoke suddenly, “Da and Daniel will be livid, and the first place they’ll go is your place.”
“What about the cave out at Lamorna Cove?” Sarie suggested the first place that came to mind she thought would be fairly safe. “They never thought to look there last time.”
“That’s brill! We left a lot of stuff there and the tinned stuff will still be good.” Bella smiled in relief and leaned her head against the back of the seat.
Mrs. Waters shook her head in the front seat and frowned at Sarie in the mirror; things were far from safe. Sarie smiled wryly back and shrugged again. At least now there was a plan of some sort. Mrs. Waters switched on the wipers as rain started to fall in earnest and the wind whipped across the fields, bending the tall hedges. Bella was aware of the exchange although she didn’t pay it much mind. She was safe, for now anyway.
Soon, Mrs. Waters pulled the car to the side of the narrow lane and Bella gathered up her rucksack and coat. Sarie handed her a sack of food and a container of water and hugged Bella close. Bella peered out into the dark night and shivered, the rain was cold and the wind strong, but compared to staying where Daniel could get his hands on her it was much preferable.
“I’d come and keep you company, Bella, but I need to be home f
or when your Da and Daniel come looking for you,” Sarie said.
“I know,” Bella replied. “I’m just being silly. I know the way down to the cave like the back of my hand.”
With a deep breath and a last hug from Sarie and Mrs. Waters, Bella stepped out into the night and watched until the tail lights of the car disappeared into the rain. Bravely, Bella started down the steep path that led to the cave. The footing was slick and Bella used the small bushes to keep from sliding down too fast, or missing a turning. At least the rain would erase the evidence of her passage, just in case Da or Daniel thought to come out this way.
By the time Bella reached the shelter of the dark cave mouth she was soaked to the bone and shivering. Gratefully, Bella dropped her rucksack down by the fire ring and searched for the lamp Sarie had left up on the shelf on the far wall. Her numb fingers found the lamp and the matches. She fumbled at bit before the match flared into life and Bella held it to the wick of the lamp. Warm yellow light made a small oasis of comfort in the dark. Bella placed the lamp on a flat rock by the fire ring and built a small fire to warm herself with. Quickly, she stripped off her wet clothes and wrapped herself in one of the blankets they had left earlier in the old chest. Bella fought the urge to let her eyes drift shut. She arranged her clothes by the fire to dry and then ate half a chocolate bar. Try as she might, Bella couldn’t stay awake, the toll of the excitement and terror of the day caught up with her and she dozed by the small light of the fire and the lamp. The warmth felt delicious on her cold skin and Bella wrapped herself more warmly in the blanket and curled her body around the warmth of the fire.
Bella jerked awake at the sound of footsteps coming across the sand floor of the cave. The next instant a rough hand pulled her to her feet. Bella swayed uncertainly as she forced herself to wake up, her hands scrabbled to keep the blanket from falling to her feet. The hands on her shoulders shook her until her teeth rattled in her head.
Bella tossed her hair out of her eyes and stared into Daniel’s furious face. For a sickening instant Bella was terrified she would faint; she struggled to force air into her lungs but her throat seemed to be frozen and her heart hammered in her ears. She cursed herself for being stupid enough to fall asleep with only the blanket around her. Daniel gave her a final shake and then shoved Bella towards the back of the cave. Bella stumbled and fell to her knees, still clutching the blanket. She raised her terrified eyes to Daniel’s face and tried to force words out of her dry throat.
“Shut your trap, you bleeding manky trollop! I don’t want to hear yer excuses,” Daniel snarled at her as he advanced on Bella and stood over her.
Bella shifted backward away from him as quickly as she could. The blanket slipped off her left shoulder and Bella’s stomach knotted as Daniel’s look changed from one of rage to savage lust. Quickly, Bella wrapped the blanket tighter around her and attempted to get back on her feet. If she could just get around Daniel somehow, she could make a run for it. Daniel moved like a snake striking and pushed her backward so she sprawled in the sand, the blanket tangled around her legs. Daniel stood over her and smiled down with a feral light in his eyes. Bella wished she could disappear into the sand, be anywhere except in the cave with Daniel.
Her face stiffened in terror as Daniel reached down and snatched the blanket from her. Bella closed her eyes to stop the tears of embarrassment and horror from leaking down her face. She shivered in the wind from the entrance and the cold that seeped upward from the sand. She trembled harder as she realized there was no one to stop Daniel this time. No one even knew she was here, except Sarie and her mum. Bella jumped and held her breath as Daniel ran a finger roughly along her chin and then down her throat. Terror raced through Bella and her heart hammered so hard she knew Daniel could feel it. Her breath left her in a sharp gasp as Daniel’s hand closed over her breast and squeezed it hard.
“Please, please stop!” Bella squeaked the words out of her frozen lips.
“What’s that Bella? Did you say please?” Daniel laughed quietly.
“Please Daniel, please don’t,” Bella managed a little louder.
Daniel twisted her breast harder in his fingers and his other hand clamped Bella’s chin and turned her face towards him.
“Open your eyes, Bella,” he commanded her. “Look at me when I touch you!”
Bella shook her head and scrunched her eyes tighter shut. Stars exploded behind her eyes as Daniel let go of her chin and hit her hard across the face. When Bella could think again she started to open her mouth, but Daniel’s fingers dug into her cheeks.
“You will open your eyes and look at me. You will tell me you like what I am doing to you, and you will beg me to bury myself in your dripping fanny. You will pant for me, spread yer legs fer me,” Daniel spoke quite calmly though Bella could feel the tension in the hands on her flesh. “Open your eyes!” Daniel shook Bella violently.
Bella opened her eyes and recoiled from the livid face inches from her own. She had a horrible headache and her cheekbones ached. Daniel stroked her breasts with his free hand and then ran his hand down the flat of her stomach. Bella cringed away from his touch. Daniel’s smile was cold and Bella was more terrified than she had ever been in her life.
“Tell me you like it, Bella.” Daniel tightened his grip on her breast.
Bella couldn’t get the words past her tight throat, her lips moving wordlessly.
“Say it, Bella!” Daniel rested his knee on her stomach to hold her and pinched the inside of her thigh hard.
A high thin wail forced its way out of her mouth, but no words came. Daniel laughed and slid his hand higher, forcing her legs apart.
“Tell me how much you’re enjoying this, Bella,” Daniel commanded again, his voice rough with emotion.
“Please, Daniel!” Bella choked and couldn’t get any farther.
“Ah now, darlin’. That’s better.” Daniel shoved his hand up between her legs and Bella thought she would die right then.
Just as suddenly as Daniel had grabbed her, he was gone. Bella shuddered, rolled over and scrambled to her feet. She blinked in confusion. The light of the fire blinded her for an instant. A large figure was silhouetted against the fire, Bella blinked again. The man had Daniel by the throat holding him a foot above the sand with his legs churning in the air. Bella grabbed the blanket from the floor and wrapped it around her. She glanced back over her shoulder in time to see the man throw Daniel to the ground. In an instant the dark figure was beside her, reaching out his hand. Bella shrank away from him and gripped the blanket more tightly. Her breath caught in her throat. Perhaps it was a smuggler come to see who was in his cave. Would he take up where Daniel left off? She was safe from Daniel, but who knew if this bloke might be worse. The man drew back and let his hand drop to his side.
“Bella.” He said her name gently in his soft velvety voice. “Bella, are you all right? Has he hurt you?”
Bella’s eyes snapped open and she turned toward the man’s voice. She hesitated not wanting to believe what her eyes were telling her.
“Vear?” Bella’s voice rose hysterically. “Vear, is it really you?”
“Bella, darlin’. Who else would it be, come to rescue you, again?” Vear’s voice was gentle and soothing.
With an inarticulate cry Bella threw herself into the waiting strong arms. She hid her face against his broad chest and shook violently, unable to control the rush of relief and reaction flooding through her body.
Daniel’s boots scuffled in the sand as he rose. He swayed on his feet and massaged his bruised throat with one hand. Vear turned to face him, keeping one arm around Bella. Daniel put his hand inside his jacket and fumbled for something in the inner pocket. Bella gasped as Daniel pulled a pistol from his jacket and pointed it at her.
“Let her go, or she dies and ye’re next….” Daniel’s voice was harsh in his raw throat.
“You might want to re-think your position,” Vear said quietly.
“Give her to me. She’s mine,” Daniel
roared, the pistol waving wildly in his fist.
Vear tightened his hold on Bella as she pushed herself into his side. The selkie turned so Bella was shielded by his body and swung her up into his arms.
“Close your eyes and hold on to me. Don’t let go, and don’t panic,” Vear whispered in her ear.
“What’re ye up to, ye bloody tosser?” Daniel screeched and coughed violently.
Bella was only too happy to close her eyes. She clung tightly to Vear’s neck and hid her face in the silky dark hair hanging below his shoulders.
Chapter Six
Vear said something in a language she didn’t understand. His voice was like thunder in her ears, her head spun and her stomach threatened to spill itself over her. There was a sensation of falling and a complete blackness which Bella could see even through her closed eyelids. She gripped Vear’s neck with cold fingers and prayed Daniel hadn’t killed her and she was in the process of dying. Suddenly there was warmth and light and the sound of the sea crashing on the cliffs quite close by. Cautiously, she opened her eyes and then closed them again. This just couldn’t be. How could she be somewhere else entirely than where she had been when she closed her eyes?
“Welcome to my home, Bella,” Vear said and set her on her feet.
“How did you do that? Get me from the cave at Lamorna to wherever it is we are now?” Bella stared at Vear. “And how did you know I needed you?”