Sally’s Wedding: Book 3 Of A Contemporary Romance Short Story Series (7 page)

She struggled to get out of his grasp, only to feel a blow to the side of her head that caused her to
see  little
bright shining lights – before the blackness overtook her and she slipped into unconsciousness.

The sun was high in the sky when she gradually awoke; the pain in her head
,
a terrible reminder that all was not well.
With a shock she realised that she was standing up – but she could not move. Struggling mentally to understand what was happening, she realised that she was tied to a tree with her hands tied to branches above her and her legs fixed apart -ankles anchored to spikes sunk into the soft earth.  The greatest shock however was still to come – she had been stripped naked!

“Ah, so my sleeping beauty awakes does she? Good now perhaps we can get this show on the road! As you can see I have prepared the table for the feast – and now at last the banquet can begin!”

“Brandon
please
….” Sally wailed, stricken by terror. She screamed aloud as he approached her with lust burning in his mad eyes.

“Now
now
my dear, we really can’t have that – you might frighten the locals!” He said, pushing a
cloth that smelled of rancid sweat into her mouth.

“I was going to try the drug again. “ He spoke in a calm almost conversational voice. “
then
I thought, what the heck – it might be good to actually get some ‘feedback’ from a girl for a change!”

He ran his sweating hand over her naked breast, pinching a nipple painfully; causing Sally to scream into her gag, and wriggle against the tree. She felt the rough bark tear against her smooth buttocks
, adding more pain and humiliation to the whole nightmare.

She closed her eyes
,
and prayed harder than she had ever prayed in her life – the prayer of the desperate and fearful.

“Oh yes….” Brandon said with a voice cracking pent-up lust. “This I am really going to….”

The sudden snap
of a branch, caused him to spin around – and come face-to-face with two strangers.

They stood stunned at the sight before them. One was an older grizzled looking man, and the other a resembled a
Grizzly Bear to Brandon’s astonished eyes.

The Brandon noticed another fine detail – the older man was aiming a fully loaded crossbow straight at him, the noonday sun gleaming off its wicked barb.

Attracted by the scream, they had sneaked up with the stealth of their trade; and came across the sight of a naked woman bound and gagged and tried naked to a tree; obviously being tortured by a sadist. It was a sight that they least expected to see in the quiet woods surrounding Loch Morlich; and one that chilled the hearts of them both.

“Just you step away from the girl mister, or so help me I’ll send this arrow straight through your mis
erable liver
!”

Brandon did as he was told, eyes fleeting panic-stricken between the wicked point of the arrow, and the possibility of escape.

“Frank, grab hold of that bastard before he gets away
will
you?”

Frank strode over to
Brandon -
with an agility that was unusual for such a large man
-
and planted a
n uppercut from a closed fist resembling a ham-end
,
under Brandon’s chin
,
lifting
him clean off his feet
,
to
end up
lying stunned
amongst the bracken.

“Shit Frank,
I said grab hold of him;
you might have bloody killed him!”

“Would have been no more than he deserved – the dirty bastard!”

Frank replied
in a voice that brooked no argument.

“Now don’t you worry
miss!
”
The older of the two said as he rushed up to put his jacket over Sally’s naked body. “My
name is John, and this here’s Frank. We’ll get you down from here in no time!

Sally fell crying with shame and relief into John’s arms, just as a crash in the undergrowth announced the arrival of Robert with a young police officer!

******

Robert rushed into the clearing and let out a roar of fury
, as he tried to take in the scene before him. An obviously naked Sally, half covered by an old jacket, being held by two men that resembled the descriptions of the poachers they had been hunting. Another man lay semi-conscious in the bracken.

“ROBERT STOP!” Sally managed to cry out. “These men just saved me from this pervert!” She said pointing down to Brandon; who was now awakening to the sound of his own broken teeth crunching in his bloody mouth.

Robert rushed over and took Sally carefully in his arms. “My love, are you hurt at all?” he managed. “We’ve been searching for you for the last couple of hours,
We’ve
all been frantic!”

“But how did you know?” Sally asked him tearfully.

“I forgot my blessed mobile phone and returned to get it. The lights were all on in the house
, but there was no sign of you. When I went down to the stable Romeo had just about kicked the doors off! I knew something had happened and immediately made a few
calls .

We’ve been out scouring the woods ever since I saw a piece of your torn skirt in the brambles by the side of the trail.”

The police officer spoke out as John and Frank edged towards the woods.

“Now then you two.
I think it’s fairly obvious who you are! However it looks like you have done a great service here in stopping this
gentleman
– he glared down at Brandon.”

John and Frank looked ready to bolt.

“Dad!”
John stopped in his tracks, and looked quizzically over towards Robert.

“You don’t recognize me do you?” He said.

John looked closer
,
as the
realization struck him.

“Robert? Surely not I.....” He closed his mouth, dumbstruck.

“Yes
It’s
me, your son that you abandoned thirty years ago!” Robert said through a jaw set tight by emotion.

“Now gentlemen.”
The police officer spoke up again. “Perhaps we ought to get Miss McInnis back to the house; and sort out the other business in due course? I’ve radioed up ahead and an ambulance will be waiting for the lady.”

Robert immediately nodded his acceptance, and they all headed back to the cabin; with Brandon handcuffed securely, and John and Frank bringing up the rear.

There was a reception committee awaiting their arrival at the cabin
, and the first to rush up to sally’s side was a tearful Agnes.

“Oh my dear, what have they done to
you!
” She had seen at a glance that Sally had been stripped, and was covered by an over-size jacket to protect her modesty.

“
come
away in and let’s get you cleaned up!”

Before anyone could protest, Agnes had her
up the steps and into the cabin; followed closely by a concerned Robert.
The police constable however raced behind them, and in the privacy of the house asked the question that had to be asked.

“Miss McInnis, I’m so sorry to have to ask you this at this time? But I must do so before you get showered”

Sally knew what was coming. As an investigative journalist she had some experience in rape
,
and attempted rape cases.

“It is perfectly all right
officer
. I was not violated by that beast – thanks to the timely intervention of our two poachers – there will be no need for an internal examination.”

She choked on the words as they left her mouth; as the reality of what might have been sunk home.

“I just want to get showered and changed, if that’s ok.”

The officer thanked her, and said he had arranged for WPC to come visit later that day for a full statement.

Robert kissed her and hugged her to him, before leaving her to the tender ministrations of his mother Agnes.

Th
e
y
went outside to be informed that Frank, one of the two poachers had disappeared. John however had stayed behind, and
immediately Robert strode over and bombarded him with questions
–
looking
ready to assault him
at any moment
!

“Now then you two – I’m sure you have a lot
to talk about; but for
now
Mr
Turner
,
I will need to take you down to the station!

John was grateful for the intervention, and went
willingly
, with the police officer.
While Robert
made to go
inside to comfort Sally

The crowd of close friends that had gathered for the search, began to disperse, delighted at the outcome – and the timely intervention o
f the two poachers; As Sir Malcolm and
his
wife
Katriona
entered the car-park.

Robert stopped mid-way up the stairs, as he heard the crunch of tyres on the loose gravel. He recognized the
new
Range
Rover 
immediately
; and to whom it belonged.

“Crap, this is all I need right now!” He thought to himself.

The distinguished figure of Sir Malcolm and lady
Katriona,
got out of the car and made their way towards him.

“I’m sorry my dear, we have only just received news that Sally has been found – can I take it that you are her fiancé Robert?” Said Katriona, her hand extended.

“Thank you Lady Katriona
..”

“Oh please, Katriona is just fine; and this is my husband Malcolm.” She said indicating tall elderly gentleman by his side.

“Of course Sir Malcolm.”
He said rather awkwardly. “I know you from a distance, as I work on the Loch
An
Eilein Estate.

“Robert my boy; it’s a real pleasure to meet you! Your charming fiancé has spoken well of you
rest assured. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last; even though it would perhaps have been better under more pleasant circumstances!  And please; cut out the ‘Sir.’ Malcolm will do just fine!”

Surprised by the genuine concern showing in the faces and actions of the couple, Robert found himself warming to them – despite his earlier protestations.

“Thank you so much for your concern; I really appreciate it. I’m just so happy that Sally has been returned to me without any serious harm done – physically at least”

“Can I just ask how she is Robert?” said Katriona.

“Well, at the moment she is being cared for by my mother. She has just gone in to get cleaned up and rest a bit after this terrible ordeal.”

“My boy, I just cannot believe that such a thing has happened in our sleepy village. The superintendent has given me the basic details – I hope you don’t mind -
we were so concerned, that we just had to come down and offer our support should you need it. We won’t keep you just now, but please tell Sally that we were here; and if there is anything at all we can do for you both, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Robert thanked them both; and promised to let Sally know that they had visited. They said their farewells and Robert waved as the car left the parking area, scattering gravel as it went.

“Well Robert you stupid fool.”
He mumbled to himself.
“Where are your objections
now!
They seem like a really nice couple; and obviously genuinely concerned for Sally’s welfare.”

He continued
,
with some trepidation into the cabin, to comfort his fiancé
– mind reeling, and body exhausted over the events of the past few hours.

******

The next few weeks went by in a blur for Sally. After the events
in the woods, Brandon had found himself under arrest and charged
with  ‘kidnapping
with intent to do bodily harm.’ Before he faced sentence however, he skipped bail and fled back to the United States; where a warrant had been issued for his arrest – as soon as he was found.

Sally was ‘
made of strong Stuff’
as Agnes proudly declared, and was soon back to her normal gregarious self
; albeit she was a little more wary when outdoors by herself.

She had been forced to tell Robert of the previous attempt by Brandon, which made him incandescent with rage, as she had predicted. Now she had to deal with his sometimes o
verwhelming need to protect her; often resulting in arguments brought on by concern bordering on irrationality. She hoped that this fear for her safety would ease over time.