Chapter 3

Suddenly the carriage stopped, seemed like they had arrived. Breathing in relief, she flew out of the carriage swiftly, not waiting for him to descend first and help her out. She couldn't abide a minute longer with him alone in the carriage. To her dismay, his touch and kisses were extremely unpleasant.

Later, they were mingling with the other guests, greeting each other, having conversations. Roger had come back to his sociable nature, but Ava couldn't help thinking about their ride home later. She should have brought Polly with them.

Some male guests asked her for a dance and she accepted their invitations. Anything to keep her away from Roger. Confused with her feeling, she wished it was just because of her lacking of experience.

Shortly after finishing the last dance, Roger took her elbow and led her away from the crowd.

His hand grasped her waist possesively as they passed some men staring at her.

"Are we going home now?" Her heart racing in anticipation.

"Not yet, my pet" he replied without spared a glance at her.

They reached a corridor with a row of doors in each sides. Randomly, he pushed one of the door open and thrusted her inside. It was a beautiful room with a set of basic furnitures. She heard the door closed behind her, instantly she turned to him.

"Roger, what are you doing?"

He drew her hand, throwing himself into the cushions as he hauled her to his lap.

"Roger!" She cried in panic, before she could say another word, he pulled her head closer and captured her mouth savagely. She writhed and twisted against him to no avail. His hands grasped her plump buttocks and dragged her closer. She gasped as she felt his iron bulge pressed against the thin fabric of her undergarments.

"I've been wanting to do this since the first time I laid my eyes on you." He whispered between their mingled breath, then he sought her mouth again.

"No!" She tried to turn away but his hands clasped her face so tight. "Not now, Roger! We'll soon be married!"

"So stop fighting me, love." He took her earlobe between his teeth in a teasing bite, licking and nibbling.

"I'll marry you eventually, it doesn't make any difference if I take you by now." His hand slipped beneath her rumpled skirt and slid all the way up. She gasped when his fingers travelled further to the slit of her drawers.

Slap!

All in a sudden, he froze, his eyes opened wide as he stared at her with extreme disbelief. Ava covered her mouth in shock. She had slapped him so hard. He looked shocked. Shades of red colored his cheek where she had hit him. Suddenly feeling guilt and tenderness for him, she lifted her hand to caress his face.

"Roger, I'm sorry... I..."

Slap!

The next second, she was pushed aside and pinned against the cushions. For a moment, her vision blurred as heat stung her face, he had smacked her harder.

"Don't you dare do that to me again, you bitch!" He howled frantically, his voice screeching like a mad woman.

"You want to play a lady? Pah!" He spat on her face. "You can't! And you'll never be. Even if I marry you. You'll always be a whore, like your mother, like your sister. Don't ever think I will treat you as an equal, you stupid bitch! I've lowered myself to the hilt by marrying you. My family and the people will despise me." He said the last few words in a bitter tone.

"You and what comes with you were paid for with my honor and my dignity. I paid through the nose for a little mistake."

He tugged at the low neckline of her gown roughly, pulling it down under her belly, exposing her naked breasts. She screamed in horror. "Well." He smirked, his eyes glinting with malice. "At least you're a good fuck." Then he bent down and claimed her mouth again.

Ava struggled helplessly beneath his body as dread filled every fiber of her. He was going to rape her! And she thought he was a good man. God help her! She arched her neck to see the door across the room, hoping it would sway open and somebody came in. The armrest and a table lamp blocked her view. Her gesture made her neck exposed to Roger's mouth. He rained her neck with hot kisses and nibbled her delicate skin. Suddenly flooded by anger and disgust, her free hand reached a table lamp in the nightstand just above her head.

Roger cursed loudly as the lamp hit his head very hard. He bent up straight and covered his face with his hands as blood flowing over his face. Ava crawled out of the couch swiftly and rushed to the door, her heart thumping madly in her chest. Her hands shaking uncontrollably as she pushed the door handle, sobbing in relief when the door clicked open.

"You'll pay for it bitch!!!" Roger shouted behind her. "After I marry you, I swear I'll make you pay!!!"

She ran along the corridor, startled an old couple on their way. She pulled up her messy gown higher to her chest. The old lady choked when she saw her appearance. The lady knew her, they had been introduced to each other once. She couldn't remember the lady's name but certainly the lady knew she was Lord Roger's betrothed. She didn't care, she had to get out of here. By sheer luck, a vacant hackney coach passed by as she ran out of the gate. She entered the coach quickly, turning back to see if Roger was chasing her. He wasn't. The sight of the house slowly disappeared as they reached the main road. She leaned her back to the seat, her body was quivering all over.

As soon as she arrived at home, she ran upstairs, right to the main bedroom and pounded the door like crazy.

"Ava! What are you doing? You're scaring me." The door opened and her mother appeared at the doorway.

"You'll wake up all the servants and ..."

"Mother!!!" She cut off, shouting.

"Roger! He tried to rape me!!!"

"What?" Desiree seemed confused.

"He kissed me like a crazy animal, he forced me, he pinned me to the couch and... and..." heat rose to her cheeks when she continued "he tried to undress me, he almost has raped me!"

"Calm down, my dear" her mother stopped her ravings. She turned to see father on the bed. He was still sleeping like a child.

"No need to wake him up. He was very tired today." Desiree led her to her room and seated her upon the bed.

"Darling, sometimes if a man does it to you in a different way... you know, the things between man and woman... kissing, caressing, fondling... it doesn't have to be sweet or gentle or tender..." mother paused, seemed like she was choosing her words carefully.

"Some people like it slow and tender, some like it passionate and rough..."

What the devil is mother talking about?

"It's normal and quite common for a man to play the dominant in ... such private matters..."

"Mother" she cut off again. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Desiree sighed desperately.

"Darling, you'll understand later in time. I know you're uncertain and confused now. It's not a thing you can comprehend overnight. You're so young and naive, and you never have a special friend before... it's a new thing for you. What I need to say to you is..." she stopped for a while.

"Lord Roger didn't mean to hurt you. He did it simply because he really desired you, and it's normal. Men are really different from us, darling. They are more into physical things. You are such a beauty and I thought he was just too carried away."