Jacob stepped forward. "This looks heavy, Carol. When I say 'go', you get her out from under there as fast as you can."
"I will, Jacob," she promised. She watched as Jacob lifted the heavy rock, the muscles in his back straining with the effort. When he signaled her to move the girl, Caroline did as she was told, as quickly as possible. The Indian woman passed out.
Jacob picked her up in his arms and they carried her back to camp. Caroline made up a pallet, and they examined her foot and leg for injuries.
"I do not think she is badly injured, wife. My guess is that she fainted from a lack of food and blood rushing into her foot. You have had your foot go to sleep on you before, and suffered pins and needles, right? I am sure she has no more than a few scrapes, some bruising, and perhaps a sprain. We shall have to wait until she awakens to see if she has pain elsewhere."
"I am reheating the stew we had left from supper," Caroline told him. "If she was that thirsty she must be hungry, too."
"How did you know she was out there?" Jacob asked calmly.
"I could not sleep, and thought to take a little walk. I found her," Caroline replied.
"You left our wagon during the night and did not think you needed to mention the fact to me?"
"You were sleeping, Jacob."
"Caroline, how many times lately have I warned you that we are far away from civilization now? How many times have I warned you to be vigilant? How many times must I impress upon your pretty backside that you need to obey me and be cautious? I cannot believe you left our wagon without waking me! Do you realize how far away someone could carry you before I became aware that you were no longer here?"
"I was unable to sleep, Jacob, and that was your fault!" she accused. "Do not expect me to lie on a bed wide awake and listen to you snore all night! I did not go far from the wagon. You heard me call you, did you not?"
"Yes, but the point is, wife, you should not have been outside the wagon unless you woke me first. I cannot protect you if I am not aware you need protecting."
"I did not need protecting!" she declared as she tossed her head.
"What you need is a good spanking." The look in his dark eyes was serious as could be.
"You have already spanked me, and that is the reason I was out taking a walk!" Caroline was growing angry. "If you had joined with me as I wanted, I would not have been out taking a walk. So, this is all your fault, Jacob! If you were not so pigheaded and stubborn, there would have been no reason for me to leave the wagon. I would have been able to sleep!"
Jacob growled and took a step toward her, but the Indian woman moaned, and their attention was diverted. Caroline moved to her side. The woman reached for her knife, and her eyes went wide in fear when she realized her knife was not there. Jacob stepped forward and held out her knife, the hilt first. She took it, her eyes looking at him intently. He smiled, and then pointed to the food that Caroline was dishing onto a plate.
Caroline came to her, plate in hand. "Eat this." She got a cup and filled it with water, and brought it to her, too, then sat beside the girl while she ate and slowly drank the water. Once she was finished, she handed the dishes to Caroline, and then tried to stand up. Her foot gave out immediately, and she cried out in pain as she sat down again.
Caroline gently looked at her foot, and said, "See, Jacob? She is badly bruised," Caroline said as she pointed to the bruise on the inside of her right ankle."
"Probably a sprain, Caro. She will not be able to put any weight on it for a while."
"We shall take care of her," Caroline decided.
"If you think keeping her here is going to save your bottom, think again, wife. I am going to give you a spanking to remember the next time you think to go walking at night without waking me first."
"You just hush! This is all your fault, Jacob, and I shall not submit to punishment when you could easily have prevented this situation."
"You are asking for another switching, Caroline."
"No, I am not, Jacob! You created a need within me and refused to make me feel forgiven, loved, and cherished. You are responsible for my not being able to sleep, and you are not going to spank me when you sleep like the dead. Do you think this is the first time I have gone for a walk by myself?"
Jacob was too angry to speak. He just knew that Caroline had earned herself another switching, and after he had promised himself that he would never switch her again! If she did not learn to treat him with respect she would have a sore backside for the rest of their marriage. He was so deep in thought that he did not realize the Indians were there until they were surrounded. He decided later that it was probably a good thing. If he had seen them sooner he might have fired.
One of the men rushed to the woman's side and knelt beside her, while the others kept their weapons pointed at Jacob and Caroline. Caroline's green eyes were wide with fright, but she did her best not to show it. The woman was talking rapidly, and pointing first at her, then at Jacob.
The man rose and looked at Jacob. "My wife has explained that she fell and the rock trapped her foot. She was there many hours before she was found. She was afraid at first but has told me you treated her as you would one of your own people. Not all of your people are friends to my people, but you are. Thank you. I will take my wife now and go."
The Indian woman took Caroline's hand and smiled. She said something to her husband and he smiled and said, "Thank you." She looked at Caroline and repeated the words as best she could.
Caroline smiled at her and said, "You are welcome."
The Indian brave easily lifted his wife in his arms, and they quickly left Jacob and Caroline's camp. Caroline smiled when she saw how happy the Indian woman was to be reunited with her husband.
"You could take lessons from that man, Jacob Willis! Did you see how loving he was with his wife? Her eyes were shining with love as he carried her away."
"Caroline, I am loving with you," Jacob said solemnly.
"Not when you spank me for every little thing I do!" she proclaimed.
"I spank you because I love you, because I care what you do and what happens to you, Mrs. Willis. Your Father did you a disservice, honey, when he retreated in silent anger when you disobeyed or did inappropriate things. He should have scolded you, and then spanked you." He reached for her hand and pulled her down to sit on his lap. "Now the task falls to me, Caroline. I love you, but you seem to keep doing the same things over and over again. I do not believe you yet understand how dangerous it is for you to wander from our camp, or how important it is to wake me if you leave the wagon at night."
"I do now," she replied meekly.
"Very well. I shall give you the opportunity to prove to me that you now understand. I want you to stand before me and tell me why what you did was wrong, and then I want you to ask me to give you a loving spanking to help you remember this the next time you are tempted to walk away from camp at night by yourself, and without waking me."
"But, Jacob, you already spanked me tonight, and my bottom is very sore."
"Yes, it is, and yet you sneaked out of our wagon and went for a walk alone. You say you know now that you were wrong to do so. Prove it," he ordered. She was quiet and he could see she was pondering his words. Jacob decided to give her a few minutes to come to a decision. If she remained stubborn, he would make her cut a switch and he would give her another switching. If she did as he asked, he would give her a few swats and then put her to bed for a few hours of sleep before morning. The real punishment would be the dent he put in her pride.
Caroline felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment at the very suggestion she stand before him and admit she was wrong. And, to ask for a spanking...! How could she possibly do that? It would be so humiliating, but so would cutting a switch and wearing stripes across her bottom for several days. On top of the sore bottom she already had, a switch would be more than painful.
She looked at Jacob and he gave her an encouraging smile. He was her husband, and he had every right to insist on obed
ience from her. If he was giving her the opportunity to make her punishment lighter, then she should be grateful and do as he asked of her. Finally, she found her courage, although her knees were weak. She stood and looked Jacob in the eye. He was not mocking her, and it made it easier for her to speak.
"Jacob, it was wrong for me to leave the wagon without waking you and telling you."
"Why was it wrong, honey?" he asked in a persuasive tone of voice.
"Because someone could easily overpower me and you would be unaware that I was in trouble in time to help me."
"That's right, Caro, and I would be devastated if that happened," he told her. "Do you have something else to say?" he asked when she simply stood there looking at the ground.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He saw that her hands were clenched behind her back, and he knew she probably was not aware that she was already trying to protect her very sore backside from his hand. "Jacob, will you give me a spanking so I do not forget your wishes the next time I am tempted to leave our camp without your knowledge...?"
"You left out one word, honey. Do you recall what I said before?" Jacob asked. She looked at him in dismay. "I told you to ask for a loving spanking, Caro. Please repeat your request." Jacob could swear that her face was even redder than before, or else the moonlight was playing tricks on his eyes.
"Would you please give me a loving spanking so that I shan't forget my promise not to leave our camp without informing you first...?"
"Yes, Mrs. Willis, I shall spank you with love. Please pull up your skirts to bare your bottom, and lie across my lap. This spanking will not take long since you asked so prettily." He was trying to reassure her, but it was obvious that Carolyn was somewhat frightened. "I know you are sore, Caro. Do not lose your nerve now."
Carolyn vowed she had never been so nervous in her life, but she hoisted her nightdress and placed herself across Jacob's knees. He slid her forward so her weight was evenly balanced, and he wrapped his left arm around her waist for the second time that night. She wanted to wiggle free, and she wanted to beg him not to spank her again, but part of her knew that she deserved the correction. She had known he would not approve of her leaving the wagon, even as she stepped over him, and quietly climbed out of the wagon, and that knowledge forced her to remain silent and to lie still. Still, she closed her eyes in anticipation of his hard hand.
Jacob was touched by Caroline's trust. "This is a loving spanking, wife. I am not punishing you because I like to inflict pain. I am spanking you because I want you to learn that what you did tonight was very foolish." He gave her bottom a stinging spank and Caroline cried out in pain. He gave her another and again she cried out and one of her feet kicked up. Jacob gave her another and then another, and while she moaned with the pain, she did not beg him to release her. "Can your bottom take two more, wife?" he asked.
"Yes, Jacob," Caroline answered. The spanking hurt, but Jacob was not being harsh with her. He was showing her love, in a firm manner. She braced herself, and Jacob spanked her tender sit spots twice.
"Have you learned your lesson, wife?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, Jacob! I shall remember."
"Do you know what will happen if you forget again?" he demanded, holding her down in case it became necessary to give her a few more spanks.
"You will switch me, Jacob," she replied tearfully. "I do not wish for that to happen, husband. I shall be cautious."
"Very well," he said quietly. He gently lifted her from her lap and once her cotton gown fell past her knees he drew her down on his lap and held her close and gently rubbed her back. "Now, my dear, do you feel loved?"
"Yes," she whispered, and then added, "I would feel even more loved if we could go to the wagon and give each other pleasure...?"
Jacob laughed and picked her up in his arms and carried her to the wagon. Once she was inside, he laid her down and then said, "Go to sleep, pretty lady. I shall be sleeping under the wagon just to make sure none of those Indians return to take our scalps tonight." He chuckled when she gave him a muted scream and then turned over on her stomach and smacked her pillow with her fist. He patted her bottom and said, "It is just this attitude that almost earned you a switching, my lady. Recall your promise, and be a good wife and get some sleep." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I do love you, Caroline, and I shall show you how very much tomorrow... I promise."
Caroline felt him leave the wagon and smiled. She closed her eyes and went to sleep, looking forward to the next day.
Jacob did not get much rest, but he wanted to do everything in his power to make sure his lovely wife was safe. He knew the Indian woman's husband was grateful for the safe return of his wife, but that did not mean the others he was with felt the same way. He dozed lightly, at the ready, but when morning came he was truly relieved. He wanted to be on their way as soon as possible. He opened the flap of the wagon and was shocked to find that Caroline was not inside! He started looking for any sign of mischief, but he could not find one thing to indicate she had been taken. He felt his temper flare. If that stubborn redhead had sneaked off again, he was going to whale her daily for a week!
"Oh, what are you doing in here?" Caroline asked as she opened the flap of the wagon to climb inside. She was still wearing her nightdress and her hair was in a long braid instead of pinned up on her head.
"Where were you, Caroline?"
"In the bushes," she whispered. "I woke up and needed privacy immediately." When he glared at her, she said, "I waved at you, Jacob."
"I did not see you," he admitted.
"You were sitting there and I thought you were awake and saw me."
"It is all right, Caro. I am just relieved you are safe. I was going to wake you; we need to pull out as soon as possible. Do you have anything we can eat without lighting a fire?" he asked.
"Yes." She looked at him in dismay. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"I just have a feeling, honey. I want to leave this place now."
"I shall be ready to leave in less than ten minutes, Jacob," she replied, and then quickly started dressing. She did not know why Jacob was so disturbed, but she was not going to argue. Ten minutes later she was sitting on the seat of the wagon, a basket beside her containing food for them to eat as they rolled along.
Jacob began to shake the feeling the farther they went. The day went well, and when they finally stopped for the night, Jacob was in a very good mood. He had thought of little else but making love to his wife all day long, and thankfully, she had done nothing to earn a punishment. In fact, she had not complained all day, even though he knew she had to be tired. "Honey, you get supper on while I care for the stock, and then we will retire early." He gave her a light kiss, and then helped her down from the wagon. "Do you know how proud I am of you right now?" he asked, his voice soft and husky.
"Really?" she asked, a pleased smile on her pretty face.
"Really," he assured her. "I am hungry, wife," he stated, and then kissed her passionately. "And not just for our supper," he added. She blushed, suddenly shy. He laughed, and kissed the blush on her cheeks before walking away to take care of the team of oxen. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see the smile on his wife's pretty face as she put her hand on her cheek for a moment before hurrying to get supper started. He was positive that she would have their meal ready within an hour this night.
A while later he was saying, "This was wonderful, Caro. I ate like a starving man."
"Yes, you did. I am glad I threw in an extra potato," she said with a giggle.
"We did not have our normal breakfast today, and tomorrow I shall not rush you to get started. You are so special. You did not argue with me, nor did you complain. I know your tummy was hungry, too. I did not believe a woman could handle this trip, but you are surely proving me wrong." He kissed her and then said, "I shall help you clean up and then we shall retire. We did not get much rest last night."
Caroline was pleased when her husband helped her clean up the c
amp. Once all was done, he said, "Please go on and get ready for bed, wife. You shall not need a nightdress tonight... unless you find you are too tired for your husband to express his love...?"
"I am not too tired, Jacob," she whispered, and then hurried into the bushes to relieve herself before climbing inside the wagon and removing her clothing. It would not be the first time she had slept without a gown, and she knew that Jacob was doing his normal... scouting the area so that they were not surprised by unwelcome guests.
Jacob took the time to shave before he entered the wagon. He did not need a scratchy beard for what he intended this night. His shy little bride was about to experience a form of loving she probably did not know existed. When he entered the wagon, she had a candle burning to provide just enough light, and he saw she was indeed nude beneath the blanket. He kept his voice light as he said, "Wife, the only complaint I have is that you have not provided me with dessert."
"Dessert?" she repeated, confused.
"Yes, dessert. You must provide me with dessert," he said as he removed his shirt.
The amused look in Jacob's dark eyes assured her that he was playing. He pushed the blanket aside, and took suckle at her breasts, something she loved. When she was writhing and begging him to take her, he slowly kissed his way down her slender body. He kissed her legs, and she was shocked to realize how sensitive she was. His tongue slid up her thighs, and Caroline gasped in surprise and pleasure as his lips and tongue found her most private area... "Oh, Jacob!" she exclaimed as her body convulsed with pleasure. "Oh, Jacob!"
Chapter Eight
Caroline wondered if what her husband was doing was natural, or if it was frowned upon... But, she loved what he was doing. The pleasure was so intense, and her hands were wrapped in his hair, holding him to her most private areas, and enjoying his tongue as it pleasured her over and over. She screamed out her pleasure for the fourth time, and only then did Jacob move up and enter her with slow sweetness, filling her completely, and reminding her that she truly belonged to him. He moved within her, and Caroline matched his thrusts. She never dreamed that this side of marriage could be so wonderful, but it was, and she was happy. Caroline reached her release once again, and then received her husband's seed as he cried out her name. After a few seconds he carefully untangled himself from her and lie down beside her, curling her against him in spoon fashion. He pulled a blanket over them, and kissed the nape of Caroline's neck.
A Man of Dreams, a Woman of Passion Page 8