by Joannie Kay
forward, until her bottom was directly on top of his right thigh;
then he wrapped his left arm tightly around her waist to hold her
in place. He proceeded to smack her cheeks until they were
flaming, and Bridget was lying limply over his lap, sobbing. He
held her like that until she quieted, and then asked, "What have you learned from this, young lady?"
Bridget felt so vulnerable that it didn’t even occur to her that just yesterday she would have told him to go straight to hell! "That I am not to ride alone at night because it isn’t safe for me to do
so," she admitted, then added, "I’m truly sorry, Will!"
"Then you admit you deserve punishment for risking your life?"
he asked quietly.
"Yes, Sir," she whispered in a small voice.
"Good girl." He lifted her to her feet, and then told her, "I left the riding whip hanging on a peg by the kitchen door. Go and get it
and bring it here, and we’ll finish."
Bridget wanted to crumble, and didn’t know if her shaking legs
would carry her to the kitchen and back, but she did as she was
told, moving slowly because her drawers restricted her
movement. She handed the hated whip to Will.
"Since you did that without fussing at me first, Bridget, and since I do believe you are sorry for what you did, I’m going to combine
your extras with what I intended to give you as your punishment.
Cooperating now is in your best interests," he told her seriously.
"When I stand up, I want you to lean over the back of the chair and place your hands on the seat. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Sir," she could barely get the words out. The little whip had hurt so much over her jeans; what would it do to her bare skin?
When Will stood up, she walked around the chair and bent over
the back, her red hair falling forward in a puddle on the seat
between her hands.
Will took the whip and gently tapped her right thigh, "Spread your legs apart, Bridget."
Bridget complied, but felt so exposed. She knew he could see
everything she was attempting to hide, and husband or not, no
one had ever gazed upon her in such a manner! It was
humiliating!
"Bridget, I want you to listen to me," Will said clearly. "I only intend to use this whip on you when what you do is extremely
serious. I consider risking your life as one of those times. You
will receive ten cuts for that!" He heard her gasp, then he added,
"I will also include the ten extra you earned for fussing with these ten, unless you jump up or start fussing at me. If you jump up or
try in any way to stop me, then you will receive the extra ten
when the first is over. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir," she whispered. Only ten more and this would be over!
Surely she could take ten more!
"You will count each one and thank me as usual," he reminded her, and then brought the little whip down across the spot where
her bottom cheeks met the top of her thighs.
"Owwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! Oh!!!!! That hurts!" Bridget cried out in shock. "One. Thank you."
"One, Sir. Thank you, Sir," he corrected. "Repeat it, Bridget."
"One, Sir. Thank you, Sir," she dutifully repeated, and no sooner were the words out than she felt another biting sting across the
tops of her thighs. "OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!! OUCH!!! Two, Sir.
Thank you, Sir."
Will didn’t give her time to think about what was happening. He
spanked her briskly, keeping the strokes moderate, until the last
one. He waited until her, "Nine, Sir. Thank you, Sir," was completed, and then he brought the implement down sharply
over the crease under her bottom, wanting her to have an
extremely painful reminder every time she tried to sit for the next few days.
Bridget screamed at the final blow; its bite was so much worse
than the other nine! She barely managed to whimper, "Ten, Sir.
Thank you, Sir," before bursting into sobs of relief that it was all over. To her surprise, Will pulled her into his arms and held her
comfortingly, stroking her back and telling her how brave she
was. He guided her over to the corner, cautioned her not to rub
her inflamed bottom, and then left her alone in the room to
ponder the changes in her life.
A week later she was still pondering those same changes as she
stirred the pot of stew simmering on the stove. She missed the
freedom she’d enjoyed before marrying Will, but she truly
couldn’t say she was unhappy. Will treated her well, and was
always quick to praise her efforts in the kitchen. He even picked
up a towel to help her with the dishes in the evening, and didn’t
seem to think there was anything unusual in the act.
Her father had been to see her a couple of times, as had all of
her brothers, except Patrick, and Will had done his best to make
them feel welcome. Her father seemed to like Will, and said he
enjoyed seeing his daughter wearing a dress for a change.
Bridget wanted to rush off to the bedroom and change into her
pants, but one warning glance from Will’s blue eyes was all it
took to convince her otherwise. Instead, she cut a second piece
of chocolate cake for her father, and thanked him nicely when he
complimented her on her cooking.
Her brothers had also come, one at a time, and always at meal
time, and Will couldn’t help grinning and teasing her about her
over-protective brothers. She’d smiled in response. And, if Will’s reasoning held true, it would be Patrick taking his turn today. She knew how much he loved apple pie, and she’d baked two of
them earlier and they were cooling on the marble surface of the
cupboard.
Will was working down by the barn, building a new corral, and
she decided she would go for a ride. She hadn’t tried sitting her
saddle for a week, and knew she was still tender, but thought
she could bear it, at least for a short while. She set the stew
aside, planning to reheat it when she got back, and then went
into the bedroom and changed into a riding skirt, then sauntered
down to the barn.
"Where do you think you’re going, Mrs. Bishop?" Will asked with a smile.
"For a short ride, Will. I’ve been cooped up for too long!" she admitted.
Will nodded, then offered, "Need some help with your saddle?"
He was relieved she felt like riding. Spanking her so hard had
disturbed him to no end, even though she’d earned every last
smack.
"No, I can manage," she assured him, then suited actions to words. She led Sampson from the barn, and mounted gracefully.
Will took hold of the bridle, and then asked, "You do have a rifle with you?"
"Yes! I can take care of myself, Will!" she snapped, irritated with him for treating her like a greenhorn.
"That sounded almost sassy, Bridget," he looked at her.
"I’m not a greenhorn, Will! I know to carry a gun," she said in a quieter tone of voice.
"Don’t be too long!" he warned.
Bridget could see he was having a hard time trusting her to ride
out and come back. She flushed in embarrassment, and then
said, "I’m not going to run away, Will. I gave you my word, and I never go back on my word. I’ll be back in time to put the noon
meal on the table," she promised, and then rode out at a brisk pace.
Sampson was grateful for the exercise, and Bridget gave him
> free rein, exhilarating in the freedom. Her bottom ached, but she
decided to simply ignore it and enjoy the simple pleasure of the
sun on her face and the wind blowing through her hair!
"Help! Help!" she heard someone calling out, and quickly reined in Sampson, listening again to hear where the cries were coming
from. "Help! Somebody!!!!"
Bridget cautiously edged Sampson forward, and to her surprise
she saw a young woman brandishing a stick at Patrick. She rode
closer, and the blonde looked at her pleadingly, "Shoot him!
Shoot him! He’s threatening me!!"
Bridget looked at Patrick. "Why are you threatening her?"
"I’m not threatening her! Yet! But if she doesn’t put that damned twig down, I’m going to take it from her and whale her good!"
"See! See! He’s been like this ever since he rode up to me!" the other woman claimed, waving the stick at Patrick again.
"She was on a runaway horse and I rescued her…. And this is
how she thanks me!" Patrick roared.
"I was not on a runaway horse! I was riding to get to my
brother… who needs me desperately, I must add!" she argued.
"And now my horse is gone, and it’s all your fault!"
"You must be insane to be riding like that… especially if you don’t know the countryside!" Patrick scolded her, then glowered,
"And if you shake that thing at me one more time, I’m going to teach you a good lesson!"
Bridget giggled at her brother’s temper, but turned to the other
woman and asked kindly, "Who is your brother, Miss. We’ll help you get there…"
"Thank you! I’m Katie Bishop, and Will Bishop is my brother!
Some hateful bitch has tricked him into marrying her, and I’m
going to go and save him!" she declared, and no sooner were
the words out of her mouth than Patrick grabbed her and bent
her under one arm then brought the palm of his right hand down
on the seat of her pants. "Owww!" she cried out.
"You’ve had this comin’ ever since I set eyes on you!" Patrick told her, spanking her repeatedly.
"Patrick, stop it!" Bridget cried out.
"OWWW! I’m going to tell Will and he’ll shoot you!" Katie threatened.
"He’ll be thanking me!" Patrick replied, spanking her again and again.
Bridget jumped off Sampson’s back and hurried to grab her
brother’s arm before it could descend again. "Patrick, stop it!"
"She called you a bitch!" Patrick turned his angry eyes on her.
"She is Will’s sister! Let her go… NOW!"
Patrick released the struggling blonde, letting her fall to the
ground. Katie came up immediately, her blue eyes flashing fire.
"You are going to pay for that!"
"Girl, don’t threaten me."
"Patrick, I baked an apple pie for you this morning," Bridget said placatingly. "Please help me find Katie’s horse so we can take her to Will."
"That horse was a rental, Bridget. It’s halfway back to town by now." She can ride double with me."
"She can ride with me," Bridget quickly stated.
Patrick shook his head no. "You’re too tender to be riding
double. I’m surprised to find you sitting a saddle after what Andy told us yesterday. Will must have tanned you proper?" he looked at her for signs of abuse, but none were apparent.
"Will made it clear that I’m not to ride at night by myself," she admitted, blushing that he would question her in front of Katie.
"If you ever do it again, you’ll deal with me, and I will take my belt to you until you’re raw. Husband or no husband. Pa or no Pa.
Got it, girl?"
"Patrick, I’m sorry I frightened you so. I won’t do it again," Bridget said contritely, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
He immediately wrapped his arms around her to hug her tightly.
"I love you, little sister, and I couldn’t bear to go through that a second time." He gave her bottom a gentle swat. "Now get mounted, and let’s get this little brat delivered to her brother!"
Katie fumed, but when Patrick held out his hand, she allowed
him to pull her up on the saddle in front of him, wincing when her bottom made contact. Her bottom stung like fire, and she could
well imagine she had perfect red handprints of his large hand on
her bottom, in spite of the heavy denim pants and her
undergarment!
"Smarts, huh?" Patrick said in a low voice. "Ever let me hear you use words like that again, and I’ll find me a bar of soap and scrub your mouth, then set your ass on fire! My sister is not a bitch,
and she didn’t force your brother into marriage. If you’ve got a
beef with anyone, it’s with my Pa… and he eats little girls like
you for breakfast every day!"
Katie’s response was to jab him in the ribs with her elbow, and
was rewarded when he grunted in pain. "I’m not scared of you or your Pa… And you can bet Will isn’t going to like it that you put
your hands on me!"
When noon came and went with no sign of Bridget, Wil didn’t
know whether to be worried or angry. He was just ready to
saddle up King and go after her when he spotted her on
Sampson, and another rider with her. It wasn’t until they were
closer that he could make out Patrick O’Riley and his sister!
"Katie! What are you doing here?" he reached up and lifted her from Patrick’s saddle.
"Will! He hit me!" she declared dramatically, pointing at Patrick.
Will took her chin in his hand and turned her face back and forth
to examine for bruises. He didn’t see any. "Where did he hit you, Katie?" he asked suspiciously, knowing his hotheaded sister only too well.
"I turned her butt up and spanked it, Bishop. Care to tell him why, brat?" Patrick glared at the blonde, sorely tempted to turn her butt up for a few more healthy whacks.
"Really, Patrick! Let it go!" Bridget pleaded, thoroughly embarrassed. "She is Will’s sister!"
"And you are my sister, and I won’t have her calling you names."
He looked at Katie again, "Tell him what you said, girl."
"Katie…?" Will leveled his eyes on her.
"I didn’t know she was your wife, Will. I called her a … a bitch!"
she whispered the word.
"Then you got exactly what you deserved," Will informed her without the least bit of sympathy. "I expect you to apologize to Bridget immediately, or you’ll get another tanning from me."
Katie’s blue eyes expressed her shock, but she knew better than
to openly defy Will. He was too much like their father in some
respects. "Bridget, I apologize for calling you that. I shouldn’t have said it."
"It’s all right, Katie, I understand," she graciously accepted the apology, hoping that would be the end of it.
"Do the folks know you are here, Kathleen?" Will demanded suspiciously.
"Well… yes…" she hedged.
"Kathleen? Did they give you permission to travel here by
yourself?"
"No. But, I did leave them a note, Will! Someone had to come
and check up on you… and see what kind of mess you were in!
Oh…" she broke off in embarrassment.
"Pop is going to take a hairbrush to you and you won’t sit for a month when he’s through!" Will told her. "How did you end up with Patrick?"
"He thought my mount was running away, and he tried to rescue me!"
"You were riding like a reckless idiot again, weren’t you? Just because you thought you could get away with it?" Will reached out and took her arm and gave her a shake. "Katie, Pa’s told you a thousand times it isn’t safe to ride like that!" He offered Pat
rick his hand, "Thanks for saving her butt, Patrick."
Patrick actually smiled, "You’re welcome, Will," he replied, shaking hands, then dismounting. "Bridget says she has an
apple pie in the house with my name on it?"
Will chuckled. "We were expecting you today. Come on inside.
Katie, don’t think I don’t intend to have a little talk with you before this day is done."
Katie’s blue eyes opened wide, and she couldn’t help wondering
what Will meant by ‘talk’. When Papa said that, it meant one
thing… a good spanking. Surely Will didn’t intend to do that! He
simply wouldn’t dare!
"Will, please be nice. Your sister is our guest," Bridget defended the other woman, then linked her arms through hers and walked
her into the house. She busied herself reheating the stew and
setting dishes on the table, while Will made it a point to talk to Patrick, and the two were soon bantering back and forth like two
old friends. Poor Katie was sitting at the table, and she didn’t
need to be a mind reader to know the young woman was sorely
provoked with her brother for making friends with the man who
spanked her. She understood that feeling perfectly.
"This is really good, Bridget," Will complimented her when he tasted the stew. "I haven’t had good stew since the last time I was home to the folks place."
"I’m glad you like it, Will," she smiled, pleased.
"I like all your cooking," Will said graciously.
"I didn’t know you knew how to cook like this, Bridget," Patrick was genuinely surprised.
"There are lots of things you don’t know!" she retorted, and then smiled at Katie when she giggled.
"I know Pa did a pretty fair job of getting you settled down, although I kinda feel sorry for Will, here. Not only does he have
to put up with you, he’s got a bratty sister too!" Patrick teased right back.
"I am not a brat! You are a horrible, hateful man Patrick O’Riley, and I hate you!!!" Katie declared vehemently, thoroughly
insulted.
"Kathleen, Patrick is a guest at my table. Apologize immediately, and then go to the parlor and wait for me to join you!" Will
ordered in a no-nonsense tone of voice.
"I will not apologize to him! And I can’t believe you would let him get away with beating me, Will! I’m going home right now!" she jumped to her feet and ran out the door before Will could catch
her.