by Zoe Blake
He carefully rose and carried her over to the turned down bed. Penelope felt like she was sinking into a fluffy cloud as he placed her into the center of the mattress.
“I will be right back, Kitten. I need to get a few things from the next room,” said Alex in a hushed whisper. She was so lost in a cocoon of warmth and downy softness that what he said barely registered to her tired mind. She was so very exhausted, and could not remember the last time she had slept in any bed let alone one this fine.
Alex returned with the supplies he needed. He tugged on the ends of the blanket to unwrap her swaddling. As the blanket spread open, it revealed pale skin with a soft pink flush. His eyes skimmed over her full breasts and slim hips.
As if awakening from a trance, Penelope bolted upright. She wrapped her arms across her breasts and tried to shield her cunny by crossing her legs.
“Please don’t…don’t…” She could not form the words.
“Hush, little one. You are safe from me this eve. For now I just want to tend to you,” Alex said in a coaxing tone as he took hold of her shoulders and pushed her back down into the soft bedding. Penelope whimpered in fright but obeyed, cowed by his superior strength as he loomed over her.
He turned his attention to a glass jar on the bedside table. When he released the cork, there was an astringent herbal scent. “This is an arnica ointment,” he said by way of explanation. “It will help heal the bruise.”
Penelope was touched by his show of kindness. Dipping two fingers into the ointment, Alex moved his hand to the underside of her left breast. As lightly as possible, he rubbed the ointment into the nasty bruise. She gritted her teeth against the pain, but the discomfort quickly receded and she was aware then of only his touch, the feel of his warm fingertips gently caressing her skin. When her nipples puckered in arousal, she flushed with embarrassment and raised her left arm to cover herself.
Alex quickly grasped her wrist and raised her arm above her head. The movement caused her back to arch, slightly pushing her breasts out. Penelope felt a frisson of fear and excitement as his powerful body held her down.
Alex kept his eyes locked on hers as he slowly lowered his head. She watched in fascination as he licked his lips before pulling her nipple into his mouth. Penelope could feel the delicate pressure as he gently bit down through his lips. She gave into the urge and delved her fingers into his soft, wavy hair with her free hand pushing his head down against her exposed breast.
Alex reveled in her response, and wanted to test it further. Running his hand over her flat stomach, he cupped her right breast as he continued to bite and suckled the left. He rolled the erect nipple between his thumb and forefinger before pinching it. Her mouth opened on a gasp as her eyes glazed over with passion, the sharp bite of pain increasing her awareness of him.
Alex knew she could feel his cock straining against his trousers as it pressed against her naked thigh. Reluctantly he opened his mouth to release the little pink nub as he leaned back. Her hand released its hold on his hair, grazing his shoulder before falling back onto the bed covers by her side. He gave her nipple another pinch, this time harder, feeling her whole body tremble as her beautiful eyes opened wide with newfound arousal.
It took all his willpower not to sink his cock into her welcoming tight heat. He needed to be inside of her like he needed to breathe. He could not recall ever wanting to possess a woman with such intensity. But just as the men in his family had believed for generations that a woman’s innocent nature should be protected and preserved through the submission that came from treating them like little girls, they also believed in the sanctity of marriage. The moment he took her virginity would be the moment she became his, in front of God and man, on their wedding night.
“Soon, my sweet, little Kitten.” His eyes promised even more than his words. He resumed rubbing the ointment onto her bruise.
Penelope’s mind raced with a riot of emotions. What was she doing? She knew this man was dangerous from the moment she laid eyes on him. She just didn’t know how dangerous. She couldn’t believe she was lying naked in his bed, allowing him to touch her with such familiarity. And she was confused. He had every opportunity to take full advantage of her, and yet he was restraining himself from doing so. Penelope had grown up with very little kindness or care in her life, even when her mother was alive. She needed to get away from him before she fell any further under his spell. She didn’t trust kindness. Kindness was an illusion.
When the ointment was rubbed into her skin to his satisfaction, he instructed her to turn over onto her stomach.
Given the confused nature of her thoughts, Penelope resisted. “Why?” she asked, sitting up and grabbing a corner of the blanket for cover.
Alex sighed, not wanting to fight her. “You are going to need to learn to obey me without question, Penelope,” he warned.
At that moment, Penelope didn’t think she had to obey him in anything, so she used the only defense really open to her…her mouth.
“You’ve been a right nice toff, and I don’t think you hold a candle to the devil no more but just cause you gave me some hot stew to eat don’t make a difference. I’m no dollymop!”
Alex ran his hand down his face in frustration. The more she disobeyed him the stronger he felt the impulse to bend her to his demands, and he knew where that would lead.
“I am going to ask you one more time to roll onto your stomach like a good girl.”
“Sod off.”
Penelope had a moment of triumph when Alex rose and stomped off into the bathing chamber. But it was was short lived when he returned seconds later with a large wooden hairbrush in his hand. She had no doubts what he planned to do with it. Screeching, she dove for the other side of the bed, but he easily grabbed hold of her ankle. Despite her kicks and struggles, he placed her resisting naked form over his lap. Taking a fistful of her short, curly locks in his hand, he forced her upper body to stop moving.
“Be still!” he yelled over her protestations. “If I have to blister your bottom every hour on the hour till you obey me, so help me I will. You will learn discipline,” he added, giving her locks another pull, forcing her back to arch and her bottom to push out.
Penelope started when she felt the cool, polished surface of the hairbrush against her raised bottom cheeks. Alex knew the cold sensation would help her focus on that part of her anatomy right before he warmed it up.
He raised his arm high, before bringing it firmly down with a smack on her right bottom cheek. Penelope howled in pain and surprise. She had been bracing for the same pain as the brief spanking with his hand earlier, but this was far worse. As he continued to alternate smacks on each vulnerable cheek, the painful warmth spread.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please, please don’t spank me anymore!” she wretchedly sobbed.
Ignoring her pleas, he watched as her cute bottom jiggled each time the hard wooden surface of the brush made contact. He didn’t stop until her pert cheeks glowed.
Setting her on her feet, between his knees and facing away from him, he calmly asked her the same question he’d asked after her first spanking. “What am I looking at Penelope?”
She knew what answer he wanted but she could not form the words.
“I will give you a hint.” Alex reached out and pinched one red cheek. Penelope jumped and grabbed her abused cheek, trying to rub away the fresh pain the pinch had brought.
“What am I looking at Penelope?” he repeated, fast losing patience.
“My…my…bottom,” she responded through her sniffles and tears.
“What kind of bottom?” Alex continued to push her. It was important she acknowledged her punishment.
“My punished bottom,” she whispered. It was hard to concentrate on his words as waves of stinging heat radiated from her spanked bottom.
“Why were you punished?”
“Because…because I talked back and…and,” she stuttered to a stop.
“And disobeyed me,” finished Ale
x. “Say it,” he commanded after she remained silent.
“And disobeyed you,” she said through fresh tears.
He turned her around to face him. “That’s my good girl.” Cupping her face, he brushed away the tears from her flushed cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “Now, I want you to go over to the bed, lay down on your tummy and spread open your bottom cheeks.”
He could see the fear and wariness leap into the green depths of her eyes. He held his breath, waiting to see if she would obey him. Alex could see her struggling with his command.
Slowly Penelope turned toward the bed. With a mournful glance at him over her shoulder, she reluctantly climbed up.
“On your tummy.”
Penelope obeyed, stretching out and placing her face against the bed covers. Alex rose to stand over her. “Now pull open your bottom cheeks with your hands.”
“Please, I…I…” Penelope started to cry.
“Hush, little one.” Alex caressed her back in comforting circles. “I only wish to take your temperature. I need to assure myself that you have not taken ill from your lack of proper diet and exposure to the elements. I would not want you to develop a high fever while under my care. Now do as you are told.”
Penelope reached back and grabbed a cheek in each small hand. The freshly spanked skin felt hot to the touch as she gingerly pulled on each buttock.
“Wider, little one.”
Penelope tearfully obeyed, pulling till Alex could clearly see her small pink rosebud peeking out at him. He could also see a faint glisten on her pussy lips. He placed two fingers between her legs and gently ran them along the seam. His little Kitten was aroused. He instinctively knew it was not just from his sucking on her nipples. She may not be a natural submissive, but it was obvious to him that her body responded to a little bit of pain mixed with pleasure.
Penelope nervously shifted on the bed as she felt his fingers explore her secret place.
“Settle down. I am going to use some of your own cream to help me take your temperature.” Alex rubbed his thumb between her pussy lips, pressing against her clit. Penelope let out a strangled gasp as she tried desperately to keep still, not wanting to earn another spanking.
Once his thumb was coated with her cream, he shifted positions. Pressing his other hand onto her lower back to keep her still, he then rubbed his thumb across the puckered surface of her back passage while keeping the side of his forefinger along the seam of her cunny. Penelope gave a yelp and tried to sit up, letting go of her bottom. Her warm cheeks closed over his hand, trapping it against her clit.
“Grab those cheeks and spread them open for me little girl before you get another spanking,” he said sternly.
Penelope once more laid her cheek against the bed covers and reached back to pull open her bottom. Once she complied, Alex swirled the pad of his thumb over her rosebud, watching as it twitched and clenched. Once it gleamed with her own cream, he relented. Leaning over, he grabbed the long glass thermometer from the side table.
“You are going to feel some pressure as I push the tip of the thermometer into your bottom,” he warned her. “Try to relax.”
Once more pressing down onto her lower back, he placed the cold tip against her tight opening. Penelope whimpered. Regardless of his warning, her body still naturally tried to prevent the object from pushing inside of her. It lost the battle as she felt the tight band of muscle give way to the unrelenting push of the thermometer.
The sensation of having the long, cold object force itself deep inside her body was too much to bear. She began to beg. “Please take it out. Please! I promise I’ll be good. I won’t talk back. I promise.”
“Hush. This is not a punishment, little one. This is for your own health.”
“But I hate it. It feels strange. I hate it,” she cried.
Alex knew that before long she would be taking much larger objects up her bottom but did not think this was the time to mention that to her.
He continued to stroke her back as he allowed her to release her bottom cheeks. “It is almost over. We just need to leave it there for a few minutes to get an accurate reading,” he said as he gave the thermometer a quick twist to make sure it was securely up her bottom.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally removed the thermometer. Penelope gave a sigh of relief.
“Just as I suspected. You have a slight fever, but nothing a good night’s rest and a few hot meals should not correct.” He gave her sore bottom a soft pat. “You can roll back over now.”
When she was on her back, he tucked the covers up high under her chin. Giving her a kiss on the forehead, he said “I want you to sleep now. If you need anything I will be right over there.” He gestured to the sofa by the fire.
“Why are you being so nice to me, a thief?” she asked with suspicion, her voice husky with sleep.
He stroked her hair. “It will all become clear tomorrow. Now sleep.”
He laid out on the sofa where he had a clear view of Penelope. He watched as she struggled to keep her eyes open, still not trusting him. Eventually her eyelids became too heavy and she drifted off.
As he watched her sleep, Alex decided that destiny was such a strange and wonderful thing. After years of searching for a perfect woman to become his little one, that he should find her in a pickpocket! Her lack of social standing did not matter a wit to him. He cared more about her passion, the fighting spirit that shone through her eyes. She would require quite a bit of discipline training to curb her wild side. He didn’t mind her spirit but her willful disobedience was dangerous and could lead her to harm. He also needed to do something about that mouth of hers. Alex knew she used the harsh, guttural language as a weapon to keep him at bay but it needed to stop. He was just going to have to train her how to put her mouth to better use.
##
Penelope carefully closed the door, cringing when she heard the loud click break the silence. She held her breath, waiting. Sensing no movement, she continued down the hallway to the back stairs.
Making her way across the kitchen she paused to slip on her worn boots before opening the door to the outside. She sucked in a breath as the icy cold hit her now warm body. Making her way through the darkened yard, she paused before the gate that led to the alleyway, glancing back at the house. There was a soft warm glow from an upstairs window, his bedroom. She watched as a dark form crossed in front of the windows. Penelope knew it was Alex, checking on her in bed, but he wouldn’t find her there. She fingered the small jar of arnica ointment tucked safely into her coat pocket. It was the only thing she stole. She told herself it was to help the bruise, but deep down she knew she was lying. It was a memento of his touch, his kindness, of him.
The same dark form raced to the window and looked out searching the darkness. Penelope hugged the shadows and slipped through the gate, escaping back onto the quiet London streets.
CHAPTER SIX
Little Girl Lost
Smither entered the study to find Alex furiously pacing. It was barely dawn but the entire household had been up since Penelope had been discovered missing several hours earlier.
“Good god man, where have you been?” demanded an agitated Alex. Smither had never seen him look so disheveled. Despite refusing what he referred to as the fussy pretension of a valet, Lord Evers was always impeccably attired. At this very moment, in wrinkled shirtsleeves and unshaven with clear worry etching his face, he looked rumpled and miserable.
“Forgive me, my lord. I went in search of someone who could help,” offered Smither. “With your permission, they are waiting in the hall.”
“Yes, yes, bring them in,” said Alex impatiently.
With a slight bow, Smither moved to the doorway and motioned for someone to enter. In walked a bedraggled man with soot stained clothes. He stood shuffling from foot to foot, obviously uncomfortable with his lush surroundings. Alex moved to greet him.
The man bent entirely to the waist in an exaggerated bow. “Good morning your lord
highnessness.”
Alex exchanged a look with Smither. “Lord Evers will do.”
Clearing his throat, Smither made the introductions. “My lord, this is Dorrit. He is a fixture as it were in the East End.”
“Good morning, Mr. Dorrit,” said Alex, extending his hand in greeting. “I appreciate you coming out at this early hour.”
“It’s just Dorrit, Lord Evers. I ain’t one to be taken on airs with no mister title. It’s right gentlemanly of you offerin’ to shake me hand and all, but these mugs are too dirty for the likes of you.”
Smither stepped in at that moment. “My lord, with your leave?”
Alex leaned back against his desk with his arms crossed. He was not sure how this man could help, but he trusted Smither implicitly. He would let the butler take the lead.
“Dorrit,” started Smither, attempting to wrestle the man’s gob-smacked attention away from the extravagant surroundings. “We are looking for a dipper lad who goes by the name Pip. We understand he also works as a back slang it on the odd housebreaking job.”
Smither did not need to be told by Alex to keep Penelope’s gender a guarded secret. Besides, she was known as a pickpocket lad by the name Pip, to ask about a female named Penelope would be fruitless.
Dorrit rubbed his hand across his face in annoyance. “Come on, Smitty. I ain’t no church-bell and I ain’t know no Pip.”
Alex raised an eyebrow at the familiar supposedly hated nickname. Smither deliberately kept his face averted and refused to acknowledge the look he knew Alex was sending his way.
“Don’t sell me a dog, Dorrit,” responded Smither, clearly not believing him. “I’m a gal-sneaker no mutton shunter. We know Pip’s a dipper and works for the odd cracksman. We don’t mean the lad any harm. His lordship is feeling charitable and wants to help him.”