A Husband for Charli Rae

Home > Other > A Husband for Charli Rae > Page 7
A Husband for Charli Rae Page 7

by Elly Knight


  “Only because you needed it,” Ben told her. “You’ve been going your own way since your papa died and steering off track. You need a little nudge to get you back in the right direction and I’m just the man for the job.”

  Charli huffed but didn’t argue. Her bottom burned and she wouldn’t put it past him to resume spanking her at the slightest provocation.

  “Now, there’s another reason I need you to present yourself well in public,” Ben said to her. “Your actions no longer just reflect on you Charlotte, they reflect on me as your husband,” he explained.

  “I didn’t ask you to marry me,” she retorted quickly.

  “No, you didn’t. I could have left you to go to prison and lose the farm and never had to deal with any of these issues,” he said seriously. “Is it too much to ask that in return you not sabotage what I have worked hard to achieve? No one is going to take me seriously as an attorney if my wife runs around town wearing men’s clothing,” he said softly to her.

  All the fight went out of Charli and she collapsed against his chest, the air going out of her lungs. She was being incredibly selfish not considering how her actions effected Ben. He was right and the thought that she had harmed his reputation caused fresh tears to fill her eyes. “I’m so sorry Ben,” she whispered against his chest. “I didn’t even think of that,” she admitted honestly.

  Ben kissed the top of her head. “I forgive you,” he told her as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Now are we clear? No more pants whenever you need to leave the farm.”

  “Yes Ben,” Charli responded, her voice so soft, Ben only just heard it.

  “Thank you,” he responded, kissing the top of her head. There was definitely something to this spanking thing. His wife was a lot softer and more compliant than she had been before he’d burned up her bottom.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I need to go into town tomorrow and I’d like you to come with me,” Ben said to Charli over supper the next night. They’d both worked the farm that day and Charli had been so surprised with how much more they achieved than she ever could on her own that she’d come in early to cook Ben a nice meal as thanks.

  “You’re lucky we’re not that far out with the number of times you seem to need to go into town,” Charli said to him. “I’ve got too much work to do to take more time off.”

  “Like what?” Ben challenged her. “I’m betting we’ve already achieved more this week than you normally would. I can help you with the chores in the morning and then we can go in over lunch. Martha made me promise to bring you by next time I’m in town. We have a standing invitation to lunch with them and I think it’d do you good to get out more. Besides, I want to show you the space I’m thinking of using as my law office. I’d love your opinion on its suitability before I sign the paperwork.”

  “Why?” Charli asked him, genuinely confused.

  “You’re my wife Charli. Your opinion matters to me,” Ben told her sincerely.

  Charli felt an unfamiliar warmth fill her chest. Ben wanted her opinion? He cared what she thought? He’d been nothing but supportive and caring over the few days they’d been married. Nothing like she’d expected from a husband.

  Ben reached out and put his hand over hers. “Smart, hard-working, beautiful and an amazing cook,” Ben said to her with a smile. “What more could a man ask for?”

  Tears filled Charli Rae’s eyes. “You think I’m beautiful?” she whispered. Charli Rae had always thought vanity was a waste of time so it surprised her how much Ben’s opinion mattered to her. She squealed when her husband yanked her out of her chair and settled her sitting on his lap.

  “Of course I think you’re beautiful,” he said to her. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful. You captured my heart when you were only eight years old and I’ve never once wavered. You were my best friend Charli Rae and I’m so thankful you’re finally my wife. Being apart from you very nearly killed me.”

  Charli buried her face in his shoulder. “I’m sorry I pushed you away,” she whispered to him.

  Ben tightened his hold on her. “I understand,” he said to her. “But you need to understand this. Hiding behind the farm and men’s pants might fool other people but it doesn’t fool me. You could never make yourself ugly and unlovable, no matter how hard you try.”

  His words caused her to cry even harder and Ben was content to simply hold her tight, rocking her gently as he gave her time for her tears to run their course. Some men were intimidated by women’s tears, but Ben understood the importance of allowing them to express their emotion. No doubt Charli had been bottling hers up for way too long.

  “I’m so sorry you were alone when your Papa died Charlotte,” he said softly into her ear. “It pains me more than ever that I wasn’t here for you.”

  “You’re here now,” Charli whispered in his ear. Ben could hear the surrender in her voice. She was finally admitting to herself how much she needed him and it filled his heart to overflowing.

  “And I’m not going anywhere,” he promised her.

  <<<<>>>>

  Ben thought it was hardly possible to fall even more in love with his new wife but as he watched her climb onto the wagon seat wearing the blue dress she’d worn the day they married, he found his heart falling that little bit further. Her hair was worn in a simple braid that hung down her back but that didn’t detract any from her natural beauty. His chest puffed up a little with pride as he thought of riding through the main street of town with such a treasure by his side.

  Once Charli was settled, Ben gave a soft click and the slightest flick of the reigns and his horse moved forward, pulling the small wagon effortlessly. The great advantage to being only a short way out of town was the lack of necessity for an oversized wagon. They were able to stock up on supplies frequently rather than having to pick up bulk amounts like some farmers needed to.

  The sun filtered through the large trees guarding either side of the track that led to town and brought with it enough warmth to be pleasant without being unbearably hot.

  “Henry and Martha are expecting us for lunch,” Ben told her as they made their way along the path. “I’ve got a couple of places I need to stop first and then we’ll visit them and do the rest of our shopping,” he explained.

  Charli wasn’t used to having someone dictate her business in town but she had to admit, it was kind of nice not having to worry about everything on her own so she simply nodded her agreement and pulled a little at the skirt of her dress. She’d gotten so used to wearing pants everywhere that the dress made her feel more exposed somehow. It was a little disconcerting.

  “What’s wrong?” Ben asked her as he watched her twisting the fabric of the dress in her hands anxiously.

  “I feel so vulnerable,” Charli admitted. “You have to admit, a dress is not the most practical of garments.”

  “I’ve never worn one so I wouldn’t know,” Ben said with a chuckle.

  Charli scowled at him. “Maybe if you did, you wouldn’t insist on me wearing one,” she grumped at him.

  He put a comforting arm around her shoulder. “It wouldn’t make a scrap of difference,” he said to her. “Sometimes we just have to bow to societal norms. Besides, you look even more beautiful to me dressed like that.”

  Charli’s scowl deepened. “It shouldn’t be about what I’m wearing,” she growled at him.

  Ben couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “When we get home perhaps we’ll try you wearing nothing. I’m sure that will enhance your beauty no end.” His words only made Charlotte angrier and she punched him hard on the leg. “Hey, don’t start something you might not like the conclusion to,” he warned her.

  “What? You gonna start a fight with me?” she grumbled, her ire with her husband still on the increase.

  “I believe the person who throws the first punch is considered to have started the fight,” Ben pointed out. “Believe me, it won’t finish with me punching you,” he warned her. “It will finish with you finding i
t uncomfortable to sit on that wagon seat.”

  Charli made a “humph” sound as she crossed her arms across her chest and shifted slightly in the seat so she was facing away from him. Ben chuckled again and reached out and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tighter up against him.

  “What are we doing here?” Charlotte asked in alarm as Ben pulled the wagon up outside a home on the main street. They were outside the home of Wilhelmina Jackson, one of Charlotte’s worst adversary’s.

  “You need some new dresses Charlotte and unless you’re going to take some time away from farming to make them yourself, I thought it would be good to arrange for the local seamstress to make them on your behalf,” Ben told her as he jumped down from the wagon and began to secure the horses.

  Charli remained seated firmly on the wagon and crossed her arms across her chest. “I’m not going in there Ben,” she said with a shake of her head. “The woman hates me. You cannot subject me to this ridicule.”

  Ben reached up and lifted her into his arms, holding her in a cradle position with one arm under her back and one under her knees. “Why do you say that?” he asked, concerned.

  “She’s always making snide comments about my clothing,” Charli said as she buried her face in his shoulder.

  “Because you wear pants rather than dresses?” Ben asked her. Charli nodded. “Then us ordering you some new dresses should make her happy, right?” he pointed out.

  “I don’t want to make her happy,” Charli whined.

  Ben set her down on her feet just as Wilhelmina opened her front door. “It’s about time you paid me a visit Charlotte,” she said smugly.

  “It’ll be a cold day in hell before you make me any dresses,” Charli snapped at her as she took off down the street at a rapid pace. Impeded by her dress, she didn’t make it more than a few steps before Ben caught up to her. He reached out and grabbed her by the arm to halt her movement, causing Charli to stumble. If he hadn’t been holding her arm, she’d have face planted the sidewalk. “I’m not going in there!” she snapped at her husband as she tried hard to wrench her arm out of his grip.

  Ben pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her, ignoring her struggles to free herself. “You really want to make a scene out here in the street Charli Rae,” he said sternly into her ear. Charli instantly stopped her struggles.

  “I can’t believe you’d just spring this on me like this!” she hissed at him. “Besides, I can’t afford new dresses.”

  “I’m your husband Charli Rae,” Ben reminded her, his voice low and firm. “You don’t have to be able to afford it. That’s my responsibility.”

  “But you expect me to give our business to that horrible woman?” Charli challenged him.

  “I asked for a seamstress and that’s who people recommended!” Ben said in his defence. “How was I to know you’d somehow made an enemy out of her?”

  “ME?” Charli objected. “I didn’t DO anything! She’s the one who’s been horrible to ME!”

  “All right, calm down Charlotte,” Ben scolded her mildly. They were beginning to attract more attention than he cared for. “I’ll just let Mrs Jackson know we can’t meet with her now and then we’ll go somewhere that we can talk about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about!” Charli snapped at him.

  Ben’s eyes narrowed and he fixed her with a stern glare. “You’re going to find yourself over my knee if you don’t reign in your attitude right now,” he told her. Charli opened her mouth to retort and then closed it again as she recalled the last time he’d put her over his knee. She glanced around to see who might have overheard his threat. “Yes, I’ll do it right here in the street if I have to,” Ben growled, causing Charli’s face to blush. “You stand right here while I go and sort things out with Mrs Jackson and then we’ll find somewhere we can talk. Move an inch and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

  It took all of Charli’s willpower to remain where she was as she watched her husband walk back and speak to Mrs Jackson. Her hands were clenched angrily at her sides and she’d have loved nothing better than to run as far away as she could. That was the problem with wearing stupid dresses. If she tried to run, she’d end up flat on her face. Even if she didn’t, she knew Ben would catch her within seconds and she didn’t doubt he’d spank her in the street if she gave him reason to. That would be the end of everything. She’d have to sell the farm and move away if that happened. There’d be no way she could show her face in town again.

  “Oh Charlotte, fancy seeing you here,” a sugar-sweet voice gushed from nearby. Charli wasn’t sure if she wanted to be sick or punch somebody as she glanced up to see Matilda approaching her. “Are you planning a new wardrobe?” Matilda asked as she spotted Charlotte’s husband in a discussion with the town seamstress.

  “It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let that woman sew anything for me!” Charli growled at her.

  “Wonderful!” Matilda gushed. “I guess that means she’ll have time to make me a new dress for the town ball then,” she added. Charli couldn’t help but groan. The town held an annual dance. For most people, it was the highlight of the year. Not so much for Charli. Everyone was expected to attend and her papa had never let her stay home, no matter how much she begged off. No doubt Ben would be the same when he heard about it.

  “What’s this about a town ball?” Ben asked as she drew closer to the women.

  “You know the annual town ball Ben,” Matilda said, batting her eyelashes at him. She thought him more than a little handsome and considered it a great travesty that Charlotte has somehow managed to snag him before Matilda had even had a chance. She was convinced she’d make a much better wife and was considering voicing her opinions to her own Papa. If she did, she was sure he’d find a way to secure Ben for her. He always gave her what she wanted.

  “I’d forgotten all about that,” Ben admitted. “When is it?”

  “Oh, not for two months yet,” Matilda said. “Papa said I can have a new dress so I’m off to see Mrs Jackson to have her make me something extra special,” she added, giving him her most seductive look. “Something that will make me irresistible to all the men.”

  Charli couldn’t help but snort. “You’d need a miracle, not just a new dress,” she said derisively.

  “CHARLOTTE!” Ben scolded her. “There’s no need to be so rude. Apologize at once!”

  Charli’s face reddened under his scolding but her stubbornness came to the fore. “As if I’m going to apologize for stating the truth!” she bit back and then turned and flounced off.

  “I apologize for my wife’s behavior,” Ben said to Matilda before heading off after Charli. It didn’t take him long to catch up to her and when he did, he pulled her into the sheriff’s office. “Hey sheriff, I don’t suppose you have somewhere private I could use to have a word with my WIFE,” Ben said as he pulled her into the small building.

  “As a matter of fact, I was just heading out,” Sheriff Johnson said as he grabbed his hat from his desk and dropped it on his head. “I’ll probably be a half hour or more. Feel free to bolt the door behind me.” It was clear from the look on Ben’s face that he was planning on doing more than simply talking to his wife.

  Charli flopped into a nearby chair when her husband released her arm to walk the sheriff to the door, locking the door behind him. She swallowed nervously when he turned his stern countenance toward her.

  Ben remained silent as he crossed the room back to where his wife was sitting. Without a word, he reached down and yanked her up out of the seat then sat down and upended her over his lap.

  “BEN!” Charli screeched. “LET ME UP!” The only response she received from her husband was a sharp smack on the rump before he began to gather up her skirt and lay it over her back, revealing her drawers to his sight. “What are you doing?” she cried out as she wriggled in an attempt to free herself from the iron-clad grip he had around her waist. “You can’t do this here!” she wailed when his hand cam
e down again, leaving behind a definite sting.

  “Well the sheriff sure isn’t going to stop me,” Ben informed her, his voice low and gruff. He brought his hand down smartly on her upturned behind a dozen times, bringing a wail of complaint from his wife. His palm left a burning fire in it’s wake and Charlotte didn’t like it one bit. “You complain about the way people treat you Charli Rae,” Ben scolded her as he soothed the sting by rubbing his hand over her bottom. “But you’re not any better yourself.”

  “Matilda is horrible. She deserves it,” Charli grumbled at him. Ben’s hand rose and he spanked her another dozen times. “Ow, that hurts,” she whined.

  “How YOU treat people is a reflection on YOU Charlotte,” Ben lectured her. “If you’re horrible to Matilda because that’s how she treats you, are you really any better?”

  “Are you calling me horrible?” Charli wailed.

 

‹ Prev