Penelope's Guardian (Promises Book 3)

by Laura Clarke

  Penelope glanced at the clock. The hands were at ten and two. Should she ring for the maid to come and get her ready for bed? Yes, that was the right thing to do. Perhaps Emmett wouldn’t punish her with someone they didn’t know in the room.

  For the first time since Chester had died she wished for a chaperone, one who would, hopefully, step in and keep Penelope’s bottom welt free.

  She waited, and waited. Another glance at the clock showed ten and six. Twenty minutes had passed. Why was he waiting so long? Furthermore, why hadn’t she rung for the maid? She did so immediately, and she waited, and waited. No one showed up.

  Something told her Emmett was toying with her. Why, she didn’t know. She went to the door and opened it. The lamps in the hallway were out, and it was dark as a starless night.

  “Emmett?” She said his name softly. “To the devil with him.” She went back to the room. She deposited her robe on the floor and had half a mind to sleep naked, since the maid still hadn’t shown up. She was at the wardrobe, searching for a nightdress when the door between the two rooms opened.

  Emmett stepped inside. He wore his trousers and a white shirt, that was open and revealed his muscular chest.

  “Good, you’re naked. That will make things much easier.” She ran to the door and tried to pull it open, but it was locked. He must have done it while she was searching in the wardrobe.

  “What are you planning?” she asked, her voice shaking. “Before you start anything please know that I’m sorry. I was angry with you. You’ve made plans without dealing with me. Please, don’t punish me.”

  “Oh, I’m going to punish you, but it’s not going to be what you expect.” He stepped closer to her. “But it is going to drive you insane, and you’ll probably cry. Quite a bit.”

  Her heart raced, and she took a step back. This was like a scene from one of the graphic novels she’d read.

  “Now, you have a choice, to go into my room and sit in the center of the bed, with your back against the headboard, or I will carry you in there. Which do you choose?”

  Hope sprang through her. If she was on the bed with her back to the headboard he couldn’t birch her.

  “I’ll go,” she said. “Let me get my robe.”

  “Oh no, dear, you’re going as naked as you were when you came into the dining hall. Otherwise this punishment won’t work. Now, do as I say.”

  Penelope obeyed, and when she was near his bed she saw the bed had been outfitted with ropes on all four of the bedposts.

  “Get on the bed, before I change my mind and pull out the birch rod.”

  There was no doubt in her mind that he would do what he said. The only problem was she wasn’t sure what he would do once she was bound to the bed. She had to decide which thought frightened her more.

  She made a split-second decision and climbed onto the bed, in the position he’d ordered.

  “At least you can follow a few orders,” he said. “Now, you naughty girl, spread your legs and let us begin.”

  Chapter 9

  Emmett bound her to the bed, using soft cords on her ankles and wrists. She wasn’t sure what sort of punishment he expected to mete out, with her sitting on her bum with her limbs tied to the bed.

  “How are you going to whip me?” she asked, almost sorry that she’d brought up the word.

  “Who said I was going to whip you?” he asked with a chuckle. He was taking off his clothes, very slowly. First his shirt and then his fingers went to the stays of his trousers.

  “Well you can’t take me in this position,” she said, and then she set up as far as the cords would allow her. “Or can you? Is this some sort of kinky thing? If it is, I’m not sure how it works.”

  “You’re a virgin, the only things you know is what Mary has taught you.” He shucked his trousers and turned to her, his cock flaccid between his legs.

  Penelope fastened her gaze on his prick, wishing she wasn’t bound. If she wasn’t she would launch herself at him and take him in her hands.

  “Isn’t it supposed to be hard?” she asked. “Or is it?”

  “Are you questioning my manhood?” he asked.

  “What?” She wasn’t sure what he meant by that.

  “Never mind,” he said with a laugh. He sat at the end of the bed, propped up by the footboard.

  “You look lovely like that,” he said.

  That wasn’t what she expected. “Thank you.”

  He stroked his fingers up and down his cock, and Penelope’s mouth went dry. She pulled on her bonds and he did it once more. His prick started to length, to grow harder and larger.

  “So that’s what happens,” she said softly.

  “Yes, it is,” he said.

  “You’re going to be a wonderful wife,” he said. “I’ve looked for someone like you, a woman who wouldn’t turn up her nose at sex, who wouldn’t be a wilting flower. Your reaction to learning Andrew gave it to Clara up the rear. You didn’t scream in fear or disgust. You simply said, is that possible? It made me think you wanted to try it, wanted to know what it felt like.”

  “I did,” she said. “I mean, I do.”

  “I knew then we would be perfect together, but I’m not used to asking permission for things, so I have to admit I’ve gone about this badly, and I apologize.”

  “So, you really do want to marry me?”

  “I do, and I will,” he said. “It is true that I have already posted the banns. I think we will be perfect together, but we need to find the books first, or all will be lost.”

  He had a point. If they went to prison there would be no marriage, and she would be left wondering what it felt like when he, as he put it, gave it to her up the rear.

  “You could do it now,” she said.

  “On that part I’m afraid you’re mistaken,” he said. “Tonight, the pleasure is for me. You get to watch, and listen, and then go to bed without any supper, so to speak.”

  Surely, he was joking. If not, how did that work?

  “But I’ve already eaten,” she said softly, staring at his hand as it worked up and down his prick.

  “You’ll not get what you really want, and that is what I’m stroking right now.” He gave himself a few hard tugs and then stopped. When he spoke again his breath was labored. “You know what I’m thinking about right now?”

  “Torturing me?” she asked.

  “That is rather a fun thing to do,” he said. “But I’m thinking about the pleasure I would get from thrusting my prick in and out of your cunny. In and out, in and out. Did Mary tell you about the sweet spot inside your soft flesh that brings pleasure to a woman? Of course, your clit will make you come the hardest, but you can make a woman come from fucking her if you hit just the right area.”

  “Show me, don’t tell me,” she said as she pulled on her bonds. Her nipples were hardening, her quim felt wet.

  “As I said, not tonight.” He quickened his pace, stroking himself harder and harder. And then he stopped abruptly. “Making someone want something, and not giving it to them, can be a form of torture.”

  “Please, Emmett,” she said as she squirmed. He’d started stroking himself again and her mouth watered at the sight. “I’ll be good, I promise. Please, please don’t do this to me.”

  Maybe if she pulled hard enough the knots would come loose and she’d be able to touch him. Or maybe if she begged.

  “Please, Emmett, I was bad, but I swear I will do better.” She groaned softly because she knew he liked that noise. “Please, take my maidenhead tonight.”

  “I like tying women up,” he said as he continued to stroke himself. “You’ll learn to like it. You’ll like all the nasty things we do together. Would you like to hear about them?”

  “You’re driving me insane,” she replied.

  “I hope so.” He put his second hand beneath his cock and stroked what she knew was his sac that contained his seed. “Think about my mouth on your tits, my teeth on your nipples.”

  “You are a bastard!” she sai
d as she bounced on the bed.

  “I can’t wait to feel your lips on my cock.”

  “Then give it to me now!” she screamed.

  “You’ll learn to lick my balls, to get on all fours and let me take you from behind.”

  “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”

  “And, because of your reaction, I look forward to putting my prick in your bum.”

  “Stop it!” She screamed, louder than before.

  Instead of making him quit it seemed to bolster him and his hand moved faster. “Fuck your mouth, fuck your cunny, fuck your ass.”

  “Aarrrrgggg!” she yelled as she pulled on her bonds and bounced. “Please stop.”

  “Spank your ass, spank your tits, spank your quim.”

  Tears streamed down her face and she couldn’t help but fasten her gaze, once again, to where he worked his prick. Seconds later, streams of white shot out of the end and Emmett groaned and bucked his hips.

  “Well, that was entertaining,” he said with a satisfied sigh. “I do love punishing you.”

  “You’re an ass,” she said. “I’d take a birching over this.”

  “Thanks for the information,” he said as he bounded off the bed. “I’ll remember that when you’ve been bad after we’ve married.”

  Emmett went to the washstand where he cleaned himself up.

  “When are you going to take me?” she asked. “Are you going to make me wait until we’re married?”

  “No,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes. Maybe tomorrow night. Depends on how you behave at the party.”

  “What is it you hope to accomplish tomorrow night?” she asked.

  “I have it on good authority that Mary is planning on selling the books to someone before the auction, and she’d be meeting them tomorrow night at the Cutler party. If we get upstairs, I hope to find them before she has her way.”

  “How do we do that?”

  “Simply by causing a scene at the party as we did at the Avondale fete.” He laughed. “By being a bad girl. Do you think you can manage that?”

  Penelope smiled. “Yes, I do believe I can.”

  Eileen brought the dress by the next afternoon, but that was all she brought. As much as she tried, she couldn’t find the books. Truthfully, though, Penelope didn’t care about the books. When she eyed the dress, her heart fluttered.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said as she fingered the soft, midnight blue material.

  “I think it’s going to look beautiful on you,” Eileen said. “Where is Emmett?”

  “Out doing something, but I’m not sure what,” Penelope said. “He left after the noon meal and said he’d be home in time for dinner. I imagine he’s sleuthing, trying to find out the name of the man Mary is supposed to meet tonight so he can snag the books before she sells them.”

  “Do you think he’ll find them? This could be a dangerous situation, but then again Emmett has always fancied the dangerous things.” Eileen patted the dress. “Let’s try this on you to make sure it fits.”

  As Eileen worked to get her clothes off, and then on again, they remained silent until the seamstress finally said, “He’s quite taken with you. I’ve known him for some years and I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you.”

  Penelope laughed. “I’m afraid he’s just marrying me because he couldn’t find another man to take me.”

  “He didn’t even try,” Eileen said as she smoothed down the skirts. “He told Brent he knew from the moment he faked a birching that he wanted you to be his wife. I just wanted to say that I’m happy for you both. I’m making something for you, something nice and naughty for the night of your wedding. You’ll both love it.”

  “That’s very generous of you,” Penelope said. She looked at herself in the glass and then turned to Eileen. “You’re very talented. This dress is beautiful. It’s a shame it might be damaged tonight.

  “Don’t you worry, Penelope, whatever happens to it I can fix. I hear there’s going to be fire tonight. I believe I’m going to enjoy the show. From what I hear your last one was quite the event.”

  Penelope laughed. “Things have taken a turn in my life, and I’m not so sure about us being married. After all, he’s to be a duke, and I’m a tutor’s daughter. I think he’ll change his mind once he realizes that.”

  “Oh no he won’t,” Eileen said. “Trust me on this one. Now, I’m sending over a special maid to dress you and do your hair for this evening. You’ll be stunning.”

  Penelope looked back into the mirror. “I’ve never had a dress like this before.” She had worn some beautiful things before, but nothing like this, with the brilliant color decorated with beautiful seed pearls. She hoped it made Mary jealous. Because that would start off what needed to be done tonight, which, hopefully, would be the end of this whole affair.

  “You’re clear on what needs to happen tonight?” Emmett asked as their carriage inched up in the line to get to the Cutler party.

  She would rather that he’d said something about the beautiful dress she wore, but he hadn’t said a word about it since she’d come down the stairs. Instead he’d just said it was time to be off, and he’d helped her into the carriage.

  “I’m to keep Mary busy, make a fuss so that people’s attentions are focused on us. I understand. Do you really think she’d be stupid enough to bring the books with her tonight?”

  “She and Barbara Cutler are great friends,” Emmett said. “I believe she probably brought them by earlier in the day. She went into the house around one and left an hour later. I believe she had them with her.”

  “It would be quite rude to show up at a person’s house while they are getting ready for a party,” Penelope said.

  “Exactly.” They inched forward again. “By the way, Eileen did a wonderful job. The dress is beautiful.”

  For some reason that bothered her. He didn’t say that she looked pretty, he said the dress was beautiful. She wanted to ask if he thought she looked good, but then she decided that would be begging for a compliment, and she wouldn’t do that.

  “After Mary arrives, wait an hour and then cause the scene.”

  “As you wish,” she said, somewhat testily. She adjusted the clasp on her cloak as the carriage stopped at the entrance.

  She watched as the footman reached for the door. As it opened Emmett said, “By the way, the dress is beautiful because it makes you look so lovely.”

  “Your smile is lighting up your entire face,” he said. “I don’t think I realize how exquisite you really are.”

  “You’re laying it on very thick,” she said.

  “Count how many men tell you how pretty you are tonight, and you’ll see that I’m right.” He took her hand and squeezed it gently. When they were on the sideway he said, “But don’t forget that you’re going home with me.”

  “How could I ever?” she said with a laugh. They went inside, and a maid collected her cloak. As they passed party guests she caught snippets of words, including no chaperone and disgraceful.

  But she didn’t care. She remembered that Emmett had just told her how lovely she was, and that was all that mattered.

  They greeted guests, and by the time they were near the punch she’d counted four men who told her how pretty she looked that evening.

  Emmett offered her a glass of punch and she took it. They chatted with partygoers as she looked around for Mary. It was more than an hour later before Chester’s widow showed. She wore a peach dress that highlighted her breasts, something that she’d always told Penelope to do, something to attract men of the opposite sex, especially Bixley. It suddenly hit her that she hadn’t thought about Bixley since they’d arrived in Bath. Neither had she really thought about Clara, who as far as she knew was still locked up in the upstairs rooms.

  “I’m going on the hunt,” he said. “Remember, give me an hour.”

  “I will,” she said. She was somewhat taken aback when he leaned over and kissed her, directly on the mouth. Some of the ladies ar
ound them gasped. She blushed and when she looked up several of the older ladies were glaring at her as if she had the plague. She didn’t care. That would help her when the time came.

  After he’d gone she looked around. She was still receiving stares, and when Eileen came up to her, Penelope whispered, “You’d better be careful. I’ll ruin your business.”

  “Bugger them all,” Eileen said. “I have a great following in London, including a few distant members of the royal family, for my naughty underclothes.”

  Penelope laughed, and as she did she could feel someone’s gaze on her. She looked around, and then locked eyes with Mary. Her former friend did not look happy to see her. Penelope glanced at the clock. It was much too early to start the scene. Emmett had told her to wait for an hour. There was still almost twenty minutes left.

  But Mary didn’t seem to know the time frame, because she laughed and giggled with the group around her, and then started across the room, heading right for Penelope and Eileen.

  “Eileen, darling, I suppose this is one of your creations,” Mary said. “It is very nice.”

  “It’s more than nice,” Penelope said. She realized that Mary hadn’t greeted her, or even looked in her direction.

  “Well, it would be quite stunning if someone different were wearing it,” Mary said. “You should realize that women, such as yourself, will never make a dress look grand. Perhaps you should have sold it to me, Eileen. You should realize that Penelope is not the sort of person to wear something like this. My late husband did a horrible job bringing her up. Perhaps if he had done a better job she would not be causing scenes around all of England.”

  The not so subtle dig at her station, and at her behavior at the Avondale party made Penelope furious. She wanted to slap the woman. Instead, she remembered Emmett’s instructions, and took another sip from her glass.

  Mary seemed a bit put out that Penelope wasn’t rising to the bait. A few of her friends had joined the circle, and Penelope knew nothing good could come of it. She needed to get away from this group before she set things in motion too early. She started to excuse herself, stopping when Mary called her name.