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Helen felt the deep rumble in his chest as he spoke, and she thought she might explode from the horror. She closed her eyes and opened them, half-expecting to wake up under heavy blankets and soft sheets. Like everything was a bad dream, and she was back at Erbury House.
Instead, the man was still there. None of it was a bad dream. It was really happening to her. His hand traveled all around her making Helen sick to her stomach. It felt like she was swimming in oil, trapped beneath the surface. All she wanted to do was get away from the man in front of her.
The fear in her stomach turned into a blinding rage, exploding through her mind. Helen pushed and thrashed with renewed vigor, her mind intent on one thing — to escape toward the twinkling lights in the distance. With the anger came her voice. She sucked in as much air as she could, preparing to scream.
As if the man knew what she wanted to do, his lips crashed against hers with so much force that it pushed her head back. It was a cold, unforgiving kiss. Helen tightened her lips into a grim line, her screams trapped at the back of her throat.
The stranger wove his hands through her hair, sending the remaining pins to the ground. Her perfectly combed hair was wild once again as the man continued to kiss her. Helen felt like she was drowning, unable to take in any air. She struggled and pushed, tears slipping from her eyes.
“I want you to stay very still. Do not play the blushing virgin part with me!” the man snarled, pulling back for a second. “I know everything you’ve done in this garden today.”
Helen’s eyes widened as she remembered the Duke once again. But this time, the memory was sick and twisted. She did not feel the longing desire and passion any longer. Instead, her heart was filled with horror as she thought of a way to escape. But the stranger knew all her secrets now. If he let it out to members of theton, her family’s reputation would be ruined.
The man still held her tight, even though Helen was no longer fighting. One wrong word and everyone would know of her escapade in the garden. He ravaged her face with kisses, moaning softly as he threaded his fingers through her hair again and again.
“Stop,” Helen pleaded, seeing no other means of escape. If she did, the man had enough power to ruin her forever.
But the man did not. He laughed in her face, his breath spilling all over her. It came with the heavy stench of alcohol, causing her to feel dizzy. Renewed hatred spawned inside of Helen, pushing away all other thoughts. She could not allow herself to be ridiculed just because there was a chance that her reputation might be ruined. For all she knew, the man might not even know anything.
While he groped her, she reached for her other hand. When her fingers grazed the silk ribbon of her reticule, she gasped. The man saw it as a sign and pulled her closer to himself, and Helen fought the urge to squirm. With a small tug, the reticule slipped from her wrist and into her hands.
Quickly, she pulled the ribbon apart and reached inside the small embroidered purse. Helen's fingers felt for the hairpins she picked up before, from when the Duke kissed her and sent them to the ground. She pulled out one pin, the longest one that held up the entire weight of her hair.
Helen flattened against him, circling her hand around him. It made her insides churn with repulsion, but there was no other choice. The stranger hitched her gown a little higher, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
She used all the strength in her body and plunged the pin into the man's back. Blood spurted against her fingers, pulsing slowly. He howled in pain, releasing her from his grip and stumbling back. Helen heard a splash shortly after, and she knew that the man was already in the fountain.
Without further ado, Helen picked up the large folds of her gown and ran. She remembered how she ran around the house, climbing the flight of stairs as fast as she could. Now, Helen was running faster than she had ever run in her entire life. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her blood roared in her ears.
The lights became nearer now, spilling into the garden. She muttered a silent prayer as she pushed herself to move even faster. She could still hear the man's slippery voice in her mind, his dirty hands groping her body. Helen was disgusted at the state she was in, desperate to get back home and take a long bath with Sonya’s special lily soap.
She took a turn, heading for the house. Helen could hear people talking excitedly, and it brought some relief to her heart.
“... I never knew that Lady Surrey would throw her daughter at the Duke like that,” Lady Montgomery said, her voice clear in the night.
“He is such a fine catch, do not you think?” Miss Harrington replied, fanning her bosom.
“A fine catch with the most exquisite tastes, I have heard. The Wallington Estate is a sight to behold,” Lady Carstairs stated quickly, joining the conversation. All the energy drained from Helen as she got to their little gathering. She was breathing hard, bent over from exhaustion. They all stared at her, angry that she interrupted their gossip.
“The garden,” Helen panted. “A man. The garden, darkness,” she huffed, trying to get the words out. They all stared at her like she was going insane. Even Miss Harrington, who was close to her, was appalled.
“A young lady should not wander around without a chaperone. Now, get back to the ball,” Miss Harrington scolded her before the trio left to gossip somewhere else.
“What were you doing in the garden?” Lady Carstairs said, fanning her bosom. “Where is your aunt? Surely, she did not let you wander into the gardens all alone?”
“She must have escaped her chaperone,” Lady Montgomery suggested and pointed to her hair. “Even the pins in her hair are gone! Surely, she met up with a man in the garden!”
The older women gasped, bringing the attention of some other people by the doorway. Helen saw the look of shock registered on their faces and knew how it must have looked. Her hair was askew, the sleeve of her gown displaced. She was a terrible sight.
“The daughter of Lord Erbury? To think she would bring such shame against her family.”
Lady Montgomery closed her eyes in mock anguish, turning to face Helen. “Lord Erbury's daughter? A sad sight for such a good man. I heard —”
Before Lady Montgomery could finish, Helen fled from the small crowd that had formed before her. Quickly, she made her way back to the carriage with fear still sitting in her heart. She felt utter disgust as she wiped the blood on the hem of her skirt. Her head was pounding now, anxiety and nausea washing over her. She could still feel his scent all around her, his growl in her head.
“Take me home,” she said to the footman and helped herself into the carriage. Once she was fully hidden in the warmth and safety of the carriage, Helen let the tears slide down her cheeks.
ChapterSix
