by Golden Angel
Gabrielle opened her mouth, as if to protest, but one hard look from Philip and she turned and walked up the stairs. Stomped up the stairs, really, as much as she could in her frothy skirts.
Although Philip's expression was blank, something about it made Cordelia quake inside as she went to him. He offered up his arm, which she took, and he led her from the foyer towards his study.
******
Even though Philip was not exactly surprised by the day's events - not the quick report Bonnie had given him nor the scene in the foyer - he wasn't best pleased either. While Cordelia's confidence had grown over the past few days, she still deferred to Gabrielle regularly. He knew Gabrielle's improved behavior was in large part due to his presence, but he wanted that respect to cover his wife as well. It was obvious from how Gabrielle spoke to Cordelia in the foyer that, so far, not much had changed there, even if Bonnie's observations hadn't already confirmed that.
Closing the door to the study behind them, Philip led Cordelia to one of the chairs in front of his desk before sitting in the other. The seat behind his desk remained empty; after all, he had no desire to intimidate Cordelia more than she already was. There had been a fine tremor in the hand she'd placed on his arm. As submissive as she was, he knew she was already berating herself for disappointing him, even if she didn't completely understand why he would feel that way.
The first words out of her mouth confirmed his supposition.
"I'm so sorry, my lord," she said earnestly, her hazel eyes looking watery. "I'll return something to the shops, we won't go over our limit again."
Philip sighed, reaching out and taking Cordelia's hand in his. She was certainly going to be disciplined today, to drive home the lesson that he wanted to teach her, but she needed to be coddled and reassured as well. Her hand felt a bit chilled in his and he rubbed his thumb across her skin as if to warm it.
"Cordelia, sweetheart, look at me," he said, when her glance fell to her lap as if she was ashamed. "Am I to understand that you and Gabrielle exceeded the limit I set for you?" He asked the question, even though he knew the answer, because he wanted the admission to come from Cordelia herself.
"Yes, but I can fix it before Fotherby's sends the bill," Cordelia said in a rush, eyeing him almost fearfully. Tamping down his temper, so as not to cause her any further anxiety, he silently cursed the Baron, who must have been the one to cause the wariness in her eyes. He doubted that whatever was in the one additional package would bankrupt him, but Cordelia was acting as if some major outrage had been committed.
"There is no need," he said firmly. "It will be deducted from Gabrielle's limit on your next trip, and next time you and Gabrielle will each have your own budget. I will expect you to keep control over her spending so that she does not exceed it again."
The relief that rushed to her expression, followed by a touch of awe as she looked at him, made him want to punch something. Damnation, she shouldn't be so amazed at such a simple thing. She had the look of a puppy that had been kicked one too many times and now couldn't believe that it was being petted instead.
"Eventually, I would hope that such a division would not be necessary," he said, continuing to stroke her hand with his thumb, hoping to take some of the sting out of his words. This was all part of what she needed in order to become the woman he knew she could be; both the lecture and the support. "Bonnie informed me that you went without quite a few times today, in order to indulge Gabrielle."
"Oh, but with her coming out-"
"Your appearance as my Marchioness is just as important as Gabrielle's as a debutante," he continued, cutting her off. "Gabrielle has been spoiled enough, and she must learn some circumspection in her purchases. I'm going to have a maid retrieve her here, at which point I will inform her that such profligate spending will no longer be tolerated, nor will scenes in the foyer or disrespect in her attitude towards you, and then, to make sure the lesson sinks home, I will spank her. During that time you will sit in my chair and stay as witness to her punishment and to establish your agreement with my rules. After her spanking, I will have the maid return Gabrielle to her room, where she will be confined until tomorrow, at which point, you will receive your spanking."
"My spanking?" Cordelia's eyes, which had grown wider and wider as he'd spoken, now looked as big as saucers. It was obvious that she understood this spanking would not be the enjoyable bedroom play she'd experienced thus far.
"Your spanking. I am displeased you would allow your own consequence to be usurped by your stepdaughter, and that you would limit your own purchases for her unnecessary extravagance." Cordelia's mouth made a little round ‘o,’ in surprise. Standing, Philip rang for the maid and sent her to get Gabrielle, before helping Cordelia up from her seat so she could take her place in the chair behind his desk.
The placement was quite deliberate on his part, as he stood next to the chair, making it clear they were a united front, when Gabrielle entered the room.
******
Disciplined for not putting herself first? Cordelia could scarcely believe it. It was as if her entire world had turned upon its head with her marriage to Philip. Which wasn't a bad thing, but it left her feeling both adrift and more secure than ever. She wasn't accustomed to putting herself first, it hadn't even occurred to her that he might be upset over Gabrielle's superior purchases - in both quality and quantity. The idea that he was going to discipline her for putting Gabrielle first... it made her head spin.
The confusion inside of her contributed to a very blank expression when the maid returned with Gabrielle.
Haughty as ever, although, because Cordelia knew her so well, she could see the anxiousness in Gabrielle's stance, the young woman lifted her chin high as she sailed through the door into the study. She faltered only for a moment when she saw Cordelia seated in a position of power, with Philip at her side.
"Thank you, Molly," Philip said gravely. "Please wait out in the hall for Lady Gabrielle. I'll call you back in when she's ready to return to her room."
Bobbing a curtsy, Molly took herself back outside, closing the door behind her. Cordelia wondered if Gabrielle also heard the strange finality of the sound. The very air in the room seemed to change, a strange tension filling it, as if everything was about to change. Cordelia was not looking forward to seeing Philip spank Gabrielle, but some part of her felt relieved that, finally, someone was going to stand with her against her stepdaughter. Gabrielle wasn't a bad person, not deep down, even if she treated Cordelia terribly on occasion; Cordelia was sure that Gabrielle could be molded into a lovely young woman, but she'd never had the tools, confidence, or support to do the molding.
Now, it was obvious that Philip was going to help provide her with all three, even if his methods were harsher - and also more intimate - than Cordelia might have wished.
"Sit down, Gabrielle," Philip said, nodding to the chairs in front of the desk.
Keeping her chin high, Gabrielle came forward in a stately manner, but Cordelia could see the younger woman's hands clutching her skirts. Her green eyes were flashing with temper, but also with a touch of fear. After all, Cordelia had warned her of the consequences, even if she was mostly unbelieving that her new stepfather would actually follow through on the threat.
"What do you have to say for yourself, about your behavior today?" he asked.
Recognizing she was being given a chance to defend herself, Gabrielle straightened even more in her seat, folding her hands in her lap over her cerulean skirt. Her eyes widened, making her look extremely innocent and a little bit younger, a tactic that had often served her well with her father, as she tilted her head to the side.
"I know I shouldn't have spoken to Cordelia so, in front of the servants," Gabrielle said, her tone falsely apologetic. "I was just so upset by her public accusations... I didn't mean to go behind her back at Fotherby's, I thought she realized that I had added to our purchases. If I'd known she wasn't paying proper attention to me, of course I would have informed her
straightaway."
Cordelia tensed as Gabrielle turned the blame, something her stepdaughter was quite skilled at. The worst part was, her words had a touch of truth to them. If Cordelia had been entirely focused on Gabrielle, instead of speaking with an acquaintance, the situation would have never arisen.
"You're saying Cordelia didn't inform you that the limit of your funds had been reached?" Philip asked, his voice amiable.
To her credit, Gabrielle never told outright lies. She just turned the truth. So when Philip asked such a direct question, unexpectedly, she hesitated to answer as her brain groped for the most glib explanation.
"Well, I just thought she'd put aside some of her items," Gabrielle said, fluttering her eyelashes at Philip. Which made Cordelia tense all over again, even though she didn't think Philip was fool enough to fall for such an obvious ploy. She'd been wrong in the past, about other men. "After all, with my debut imminent, there are certain necessities to success. I know Cordelia agrees with me that I must appear to my best advantage. She was so generous today with providing me everything I needed, I didn't expect her to quibble over such a small matter. After all, even if we did exceed our allowance, it wasn't by very much."
From turning on Cordelia to attempting to turn things on Philip, making it seem like he was unreasonable if he were to chastise her over such a small amount. Cordelia looked up at her new husband, wanting to see how he was taking Gabrielle's explanations, but his face was stony and gave nothing away.
His response, however, was quite clear.
"From now on, you and Lady Dunbury will have separate allowances," his slight emphasis on her title made it clear that he didn't approve of Gabrielle's use of her name. Truthfully, Cordelia had never minded that, after all, the two of them were fairly close in age, and she'd never expected Gabrielle to see her as an actual mother figure. "Your extra purchases today will be deducted from that allowance, and if you continue to exceed your limit, eventually you will reach a month when you have no allowance at all. You will also be disciplined every time you exceed your limit, to teach you some constraint. Please stand and bend over the arm of your chair, lift your skirts and present yourself for your punishment."
"What?!" All the color had drained from Gabrielle's face as Philip had spoken, until it flushed again at his final order.
Gripping the armrests of the chair she was sitting in, Cordelia told herself that she wasn't going to interfere. Although, she wasn't sure if it was for Gabrielle's sake or her own that she desired to.
Philip's gaze on Gabrielle was implacable. "Position yourself for a spanking. I'm aware that your stepmother informed you of the disciplinary consequences that I intend to uphold in this household. Today you were disobedient of your stepmother, both selfish and extravagant in your purchases, and disrespectful upon your return home. So you will be spanked, and hopefully there will not be a repeat of today."
Practically sputtering, for the first time in her life, Gabrielle looked to her stepmother for support. Cordelia held herself still, feeling as if she was made of stone. As much as she didn't want Philip to spank Gabrielle - and yes, she was willing to admit it was purely out of jealousy - part of her was also thrilled that Philip was holding Gabrielle accountable. At least she was here to witness the punishment; her imagination would have run quite wild if Philip were to discipline Gabrielle alone.
"Cordelia! You can't let him - you shouldn't - I..." Gabrielle's voice trailed off as Cordelia's jaw locked into place, and she realized that her stepmother wasn't going to stop any of this. Furious, frightened eyes turned back on Philip. "I'm not a child!"
"Then you should not have acted as one. Your spanking is currently at a count of twenty. If you do not get up and put yourself in position, I shall begin adding five swats for each minute that you delay." The ruthless authority in Philip's voice made it clear that this was no idle threat. Tears began to spill from Gabrielle's big, green eyes, real tears that had her cheeks and nose turning red, as she looked between her two guardians and seemed to realize that no relief would be forthcoming.
As she stood, on shaking legs, Cordelia saw Gabrielle glance towards the door. The escape route was dismissed after a moment. After all, despite her closer distance to the door, Philip would still be much faster. Not to mention, if Gabrielle somehow did manage to escape the room, and then the house, where would she go? Any friends were more than a day's journey away, near the Baron's estate, and the new Baron certainly wouldn't welcome her.
Still, Cordelia was a bit surprised when Gabrielle moved around to the side of the chair, staring down at it as if it might leap up and bite her, but without another protest. Unfortunately, leaning over for her spanking seemed to be beyond her.
"Twenty-five."
With a squeak, Gabrielle practically threw herself forward, her stomach landing on the armrest, pushing her bottom into the air.
"I hate you," she spat, a sob in her voice as she reached back to lift up her skirts. "I hate you both."
Her drawers were a pretty pale blue, and trimmed with lace. Cordelia was relieved to see that Philip seemed utterly unmoved by the sight of Gabrielle with her skirts around her hips, and her bottom turned up, covered by the thin fabric. Opening one of the drawers on his desk, he pulled out a black leather paddle, about six inches wide and a foot long, with a handle that added an extra half foot of length.
Striding around the desk, he positioned himself so he was facing Cordelia. She would be able to watch his expression as he disciplined Gabrielle, she realized, and her stomach churned, unsure of whether that was a positive or a negative.
******
Deliberately placing himself so that he could watch Cordelia's reactions, and she could see his, Philip looked down at the recalcitrant young woman who was already crying into the seat of the armchair she was bent over. Gabrielle had actually surprised him with how quickly she'd ended up following his orders; he'd expected a much more hotly contested battle of wills. After all, from all he'd observed, she was extremely willful. But she'd crumbled quickly under authority.
It occurred to him that, despite her awful behavior, there might be a submissive streak running through Gabrielle.
"Do not attempt to cover yourself," he said firmly. "I do not wish to injure your hands by accident. If you reach back to cover yourself, I'll tie your hands in place to ensure that you hold your position. You will be given twenty swats for your disobedience, selfishness, and disrespect and then another five for dawdling. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I hate you!"
SMACK!
Philip brought the paddle down hard. He'd chosen the leather paddle specifically for its dimensions as well as its sting. It had a bit of give, more than a wooden paddle would, but still made quite an impression, and its length was great enough to cross both cheeks with one blow. He’d commissioned several implements in the weeks before his marriage, a fact for which he was now grateful as it had given him a broad choice for disciplining. Gabrielle shrieked loudly, her hands instinctively starting to reach back towards her bottom before she abruptly stopped herself.
"That was not included in either count," he said calmly. "You and you alone earned this punishment, and I will not tolerate any disrespect, insults or invocations while you're being disciplined. Do you understand?"
Gabrielle nodded her head, burying her face in her hands.
"Very well. We'll begin. My lady," he said, looking up at Cordelia, "if you would please count the strokes."
Although his wife was looking a bit pale, she nodded. Her hazel eyes were incredibly wide as she looked back and forth from Gabrielle to him. With some amusement, Philip noted that she kept glancing at the front of his breeches. Despite Gabrielle's beauty, there was no danger of him becoming aroused while punishing her. Mouthy brats did not appeal to him, and he took no joy in disciplining her for being one; not to mention, he found her personality and the way she treated Cordelia to be singularly unattractive. Spanking her did not change that.
SMACK!
Gabrielle cried out.
"One." Cordelia's voice came out as a mere whisper. Giving her a look, Philip waited. She cleared her throat, so she could speak more firmly. "One."
He nodded in approval. Throughout her punishment, he wanted Gabrielle to hear Cordelia's firm voice. There would be no doubt of Cordelia's position in the household.
SMACK!
Another pathetic cry.
"Two."
Unlike with the pleasurable spankings he'd given Cordelia, Philip didn't pause much in between strokes. Only enough to let Gabrielle cry out and then get her breath back. By seven she was crying pitifully. By twelve she was sobbing. At fifteen she tried to cover her bottom and Philip quickly snapped out that, if she didn't remove her hands, he'd tie them down and they'd start the count over. She'd sobbed and then brought her hands back up her body, putting her arms beneath her chest as holding them there.
SMACK!
"Sixteen."
The chair was heavy enough that she could kick and squirm without doing more than wiggle it a bit. Across the desk, Cordelia's eyes were still huge in her pale face, but her expression was constantly changing. She looked reassured, anxious, relieved, frightened, and a little bit awed.
******
Goodness... was this what her spanking was going to be like? Cordelia couldn't decide if she was glad that she got to wait until after Gabrielle's, or if she wished that she could have gone first and gotten hers over with. Then again, she supposed she wouldn't have looked very confident if she'd been sitting in Philip's chair with a hot bottom and a tear-stained face.
Gabrielle had started out the spanking looking directly across the desk at Cordelia, glaring balefully as if she blamed her stepmother for not stepping in. Now, with her arms tucked under her chest, Gabrielle's face was pressed against the seat of the chair, all of her focus on herself rather than on what Cordelia was doing. The sound of the leather slapping against Gabrielle's bottom was quite awful, interspersed with her sobs and Cordelia's count. At the same time, Cordelia couldn't help but be a bit fascinated by it.