As she trekked through the woods she recalled Cree’s warning; do not go into the woods until I return and give you permission. She was disobeying him, though how would he know?
Dawn stopped abruptly thinking she had heard footfalls behind her. The thought suddenly hit her; what if this was a ruse? What if there was nothing wrong with Old Mary?
Fear prickled her flesh and her first thought was to run for home, but she thought of Old Mary. What if the old woman was ill and needed her help? She had no choice but to proceed to her cottage and see for herself.
The attack came so fast that Dawn had no time to react. One minute she was standing and the next she was on the ground. Her heart pumped violently in her chest as she tried to hurry to her feet, but he was on her before she could even try.
Fear would tie you in knots if you let it, her mum would always say. Action, Dawn, action, her mum would remind. And so Dawn listened to her mum.
She swung hard catching her attacker in the face. He grunted and fell off her and she scurried to her feet. She didn’t get far, his hand grabbing her hair, knotting it in his fingers and yanking her back. She stumbled, though made sure to remain on her feet. She turned around swinging and caught him in the side of his head. He swore and swung catching her in the jaw and sent her stumbling. If she could scream she would have, not from the punch but from the way it felt, as if her hair was being ripped from her head as he stopped her from falling with a yank of her hair.
He swung again only this time she was quick to react and he caught the corner of her eye though not as hard if she hadn’t moved. They scuffled and she went down, he on top of her and when he fumbled with her skirt, pulling it up, her fear escalated.
She had to stop him, too much had been taken from her and she would not surrender a single thing more. She clawed at his face and he slapped her hard, stunning her. Frantically, her hands searched along the ground for anything to use as a weapon and she blessed the heavens when her hand connected with a large stone. She didn’t hesitate; she wrapped her hand tightly around it and brought it up against the side of his head with as much force as she could muster.
He tumbled off her and she hurried to her feet, throwing the rock at his face before she took off. She didn’t stop; she flew like the wind until she reached her cottage and once inside she latched the door and collapsed against it.
She didn’t cry, though her body trembled and she comforted herself with a tight hug. With the darkness of the woods and being busy fighting her attacker off, she had had little time to see his identity. But for one brief moment when a cloud had drifted off the partial moon, she had caught sight of him.
Only now did she have time to digest what she had seen. It had been Goddard and she shivered at the thought. And worse Dorrie had helped him. But why? Why would Goddard attack her and why would Dorrie help him do such a thing or did she know his plans? And who would she tell of the attack? Who would care?
Cree.
She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the door. His name had sprung instantly to mind. What did that tell her? Did she believe he would truly care or did she hope he would?
An hour later after debating the issue she picked herself up off the floor and took herself to bed wondering if she should even bother to tell Cree of the incident. Would it make a difference?
She slept fitfully that night and woke shortly after dawn. She winced when she yawned herself awake and her hand quickly went to her jaw. She could feel the swelling and she had no doubt that it was bruised, though how badly she couldn’t say. The corner of her eye also pained her and she wondered if that was bruised as well.
Dawn debated about paying a quick visit to Lila. She would be able to determine the extent of her injures. She dressed quickly and threw her cloak on pulling the hood up. No soon as she stepped out of the cottage then she saw that Cree and his men were returning. They were not far off, a few more feet and they would be upon her, and she did not want Cree to see her before she knew how bad her wounds appeared.