With a thrust, he drove into her yielding channel and she lifted her hips, bucking, meeting thrust for thrust, needing him.
“Now,” he whispered hoarsely, “now… you see, you are mine.”
He snapped his flanks and plunged deep inside her wetness, his strokes carrying them both to heights of ecstasy. She writhed beneath his pounding body, clinging to him—her anchor in a sea of turbulent passion. Her very consciousness fragmented; she moaned his name as she hovered deliciously on the crest of indescribable joy, his voice joined with hers as he soared, suspended in the molten heat of his climax.
Afterwards, raising himself up on his elbows, he placed his hands on either side of her face and pushed the damp hair back from her flushed cheeks. Studying her, he was delighted to have found that she possessed such a great capacity for loving. “Your eyes have changed colour, they are a smoky green… like the depths of the ocean. Do you know, sweet… you were made for love?”
She nuzzled his neck. “Is it… always so between a man and woman?” she asked.
“No, not always.” he replied. “I knew it would be this way for us the first time—”
“I remember,” she interrupted, pulling a face as she thought of the previous night.
“No, not last night. I was about to say, when I first kissed you on that balcony.”
She was nonplussed. “But I kicked and punched you after that kiss!” she insisted.
He grinned. “Yes, you were as surprised as I at your response to that kiss—which made me realise that you were not the wanton I took you to be. You were as attracted to me as much as I was attracted to you.”
Linnet nodded. “I was so confused because I disliked you so much… and actually, I think I was a little afraid of you too.”
John raised an eyebrow. “Afraid, hmm, was that before or after our disagreement in the coach?”
She flushed crimson. “Before—because I hated you afterward! However,” she added impudently, “I think perhaps I might have misjudged; you are a man, after all, and not the tyrant I took you to be.”
“What!” he exclaimed in mock surprise. “Can I believe what I am hearing? My wife does not believe me to be a tyrant? Oh, but I must prove her wrong!”
Linnet giggled and hit him playfully. “I admit,” she told him, “I may have misjudged you, but you did give me cause, treating me so abominably.”
John nodded sagely. “Ah, yes, the spanking, the one you so richly deserved!”
“I most certainly did not!” she squealed.
“You most certainly did, ma’am, and I admit I enjoyed the exercise immensely, so much so that I thought it most kind of you to give me an excuse to indulge in spanking you once again. I propose to repeat the process. Come, lie over my lap and let’s get this lesson over with.”
Linnet’s face flushed even redder than her hair. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and began to move surreptitiously away from him towards the edge of the bed. Guiltily she remembered his damaged shirts, hidden in the chest. What on earth had she been thinking when she’d destroyed them—and, more importantly, what should she do now? Before she could even formulate a plan, John’s hand shot out and gripped her wrist firmly.
“Did you think for one moment that I would let that nasty, spiteful prank go unpunished, my dear?” he asked, one eyebrow cocked. When there was no reply, he shook her wrist. “When you threw water over me today, I let your behaviour go without dealing with your bad behaviour because of the shock you’d so recently experienced, leaving behind your father and your home. I realise now that was the wrong thing to do. You thought me weak instead of kind, didn’t you? If I had dealt with you as you deserved this afternoon, you wouldn’t have dared to ruin my shirts. I also have to reprimand your unladylike behaviour at the dinner table tonight.”
Her gaze met his, confused.
He enlightened her. “Your comments about Lord North were unacceptable—I will not have my wife repeating common gossip. You embarrassed the captain and his officers, Linnet, and I will not tolerate such bad manners. What have you to say for yourself?” His voice was as steely as his arctic grey eyes.
She licked her lips, her mouth dry. She could barely utter an audible reply; it was difficult to speak. Her stomach clenched, she was nervous. Where was the gentle lover of only moments before?
Without warning, he tipped her across his knee.
“Linnet, you are my wife and you will learn to comport yourself as such with respect and obedience. I shall be happy to teach you how to behave. Every time you disobey me, I shall be forced to take you in hand and you will end up across my knee, and believe me, you will soon learn how to conduct yourself.”
He shifted her high over his lap so that she was forced to place both palms on the floor of the cabin to support herself. “Please don’t do this, John, not now, after we made love!”
“I deliberately decided to punish you afterward because I wanted to show you that I love you before I spanked you, so that while I am lighting a fire in your butt, you will recall me lighting a fire in your heart. I will never harm you, Linnet, but I will school you with spankings.”
She shuddered. Her backside clenched but her heart melted at his words. “I am so, so sorry about damaging your shirts, I am, truly! Perhaps you don’t understand how I felt today—” She sputtered to a halt as the air left her lungs in surprise when John’s hand met her bottom with a forceful smack.
At first, she expected it would be over quickly, but she soon realised her mistake. This hurt so much more than the spanking he had given her in the coach. This was a spanking she could not have imagined. As his palm fell with searing accuracy, she thought it could not become any more painful but, as spank followed spank, her burning behind became unbearable. She began to kick out in earnest, desperately trying to cover her bottom with her hand, but he smacked it keeping hold of her wrist, securing it at the small of her back, out of his way. Then he moved his leg and placed it over both of hers so that she was held fast. She bucked and churned, attempting escape.
“Oh no, my sweet, you don’t get away with that little trick!” he told her, swatting her bottom and thighs until she shrieked. He paused, admiring his handiwork, taking the opportunity to lecture her again before resuming the spanking he felt she so very much required.
When he had found his mutilated shirts earlier, he had wanted to throw his spiteful new bride over his knee and tan her backside then and there but, after reflection, he decided to use her nervousness about her wicked deed to put her on edge all evening, leaving her to wonder and worry. It served the naughty wench right after such a vindictive action. Remembering his shirts again made John decide to carry on with this punishment a bit longer, and he aimed some swats across the tender area above Linnet’s thighs. She let out a screech and struggled furiously until he slapped her harder than ever and she subsided, limply weeping. With a few more smacks to the tops of her legs, which elicited a howl from his young bride, John released her and rubbed her now flaming behind.
It took Linnet a minute to realise the spanking was over. She lay there trembling across John’s lap a while before dropping off his knee and onto the floor on her bottom, where she instantly leapt up with a yelp. John reached down and pulled her onto his lap, where she struggled until he told her firmly that he would continue the spanking if she didn’t settle down. Linnet wilted and buried her head into his chest and wept. She felt so humiliated and wanted to be alone with her embarrassment, but John was going nowhere.
In fact, he found the sight of his naked wife most enticing, and his erection surged. He was aroused once again. “There now, it is all over, sweet. Come, lift your face. Linnet, look at me now,” he commanded softly, but when she lowered her head, allowing her hair to fall and screen her flushed face, he swept back the errant locks and tilted her chin upwards. Linnet tried to avoid his eyes. “Look at me!” he demanded firmly.
Linnet lifted swimming green eyes to meet his steely glare. “Your punishment is ove
r, and it need never happen again if you are biddable and behave as my wife should. But if there is a next time, and I tell you to lie across my knee, you will do so willingly, submitting to me as your promise to obey demands of you, and I will go softer on you for your obedience, do you understand me?”
Linnet nodded and John pulled her into his embrace, murmuring endearments and kissing her passionately.
Linnet was amazed at her body’s traitorous reaction to the kiss and to her husband’s arousing, exploring hands. She was on fire, the heat of her bottom seeming to transfer to her sex, and she felt a wet rush of roiling desire. John rolled her onto her back and took her hard and fast he held her hands above her head and thrust deep, building a tempo that pounded her senses.
She exploded with a powerful climax, and John followed with shuddering release. Exhausted, he pulled her to him and curled his body around hers, kissing her on her temple and wishing her a good night. They both fell into a deep satiated sleep, not moving or waking until morning.
Shortly after dawn, John awoke and, slipping from the cabin, he went in search of breakfast for them both. Linnet woke and, stretching languidly, realised that she was alone in the cabin. She snuggled down and dozed contentedly until a sharp slap on her sore rump awoke her with a start.
“Come on, you lug-a-bed! I thought you would be up and dressed by now. I have brought breakfast.” John went over to the table where he had placed a large tray covered in a white linen cloth.
“It obviously escaped your notice, sir, that I had a very disturbed night!” Linnet chided him saucily.
John looked surprised and said, “Well, I thought riding always gave you such an enormous appetite. At least, that is what you told me before we left England!”
Linnet looked suitably outraged and launched a pillow at him.
After they had eaten a delicious breakfast of eggs and salt bacon, washed down with a strong aromatic coffee, Linnet began her toilette. She was behind the screen, washing, when she heard John muttering oaths from the other side of the cabin.
“Is something amiss?” she asked.
“My ruined shirts, there is not one left fit for wear. You have ruined them all!”
“I promise I will mend them. I am good with a needle. Fear not, I shall have a shirt ready for you to wear for dinner tonight.”
She jumped as John’s glowering face appeared over the screen, “Make sure all my shirts are repaired by the end of the week or you will find yourself across my knee again, ma’am!”
“John! I was going to repair every single one anyway—there is no need for threats!” she responded hastily.
“My darling, there is not a doubt in my mind that you will repair every single one! Now, come here.” He patted the bed beside him.
She hesitated. “Now, Linnet,” he grinned, “I promise not to bite.”
Uneasily, she did as he asked. He pulled her down beside him and, kissing the top of her head, he put his arm around her. “Are you nervous of me?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Heat suffused her face as she gave a brief nod.
“Be warned, fair wife, I won’t stand any nonsense from you!” he growled.
She was shocked by the arousing shivers that pulsed through her at his stern tone. Thrillingly, she knew that he meant every word; last night had proved that. He’d proved that he was not a man to be trifled with. She realised that she found this side of him rather exciting.
“I was so angry with you yesterday. It was dreadful having to leave Papa unexpectedly. I had not said goodbye to anyone at home, or to Pango. I blamed you; do you understand that I wanted to hurt you? I wished that I hadn’t damaged your wretched shirts… afterwards.”
He chuckled. “I am sure you are extremely sorry now, and I forgive you this time. However, you will have to sew all the sleeves back on, and quickly, because I do mean what I said.”
She nodded, relieved by his lighter tone. She was a little put out by how condescending he was toward her and she determined that he would never ever spank her again. Indeed, her behind was so tender this morning; she would have to start her sewing standing up!
“As soon as I am dressed, I shall go in search of sewing materials,” she told him cheerfully.
“I don’t think so, not just yet.” She noted his gaze fixed upon her cleavage. Pushing her back onto the bed, his hands grasped her wrists. Holding her arms above her head with one hand, his other roamed the swell of her breasts. She mewled softly as shivers of pleasure pulsed down her spine. Tentatively, her hand began explorations of its own, making him gasp in surprise as her fingers traced the rigid outline of his throbbing phallus through the straining cloth of his breeches. She gave a small sensuous chuckle as she deftly managed to extract his erect manhood from the confines of material and then ran her hand over the thick, smooth, velvety shaft. She was testing his self-control.
When he could no longer risk suffering her tormenting attentions, he pulled her hand away and pushed her back onto the bed. Thrusting her legs apart and then lowering himself between her parted thighs, he mounted her. He took her fiercely, bringing them both to a rapid, quivering release. She rolled away onto her stomach and stretched luxuriously.
“Hmm,” she mused, “perhaps I should chop off your coat sleeves next time around!”
She shrieked as a large hand descended with a resounding slap on her naked, vulnerable derriere.
Chapter 7
Later that day, they decided to take a stroll together up on deck, where it was a relief to get out into the bright daylight. Linnet gulped in lungful after lungful of the invigorating, salty air. Her hair was torn from its pins by the breeze and whipped around her face.
Linnet was fascinated by the sea; far around them, the green waves dipped and rolled, the occasional white foamy tip surfacing and breaking. She leaned over the ship’s rail, watching the creamy froth break at the side of the ship as they ploughed through the swelling sea.
“It’s wonderful!” she cried to John. “I never imagined the sea to be like this!”
John watched her indulgently. Every second he spent with her, he was falling more deeply in love with his captivating bride. With his arm around her waist, he pointed out the salient points of the ship. He told her that she must stay off the gun decks, and he pointed out the mizzen mast and the bulkhead. John explained to Linnet that the head was out of bounds to her, and once he had explained to her that the crew used it as a chamber pot, she readily agreed to avoid the area!
They looked up, shielding their eyes from the bright sun, to the crow’s nest. John explained that a man was up in the tiny eyrie and that the sailors took turns at shifts the whole time, looking out for danger. “What sort of danger?” Linnet wanted to know. John, not wishing to alarm her, forbade the mention of pirates. He told her of fog and the danger of collision with other ships.
After an hour in the bracing sea air, Linnet was starting to feel chilled, so they returned below. John wanted to search out the captain to discuss navigation routes, and Linnet had a shirt or two to sew. John kissed his wife and left her to her own devices. Linnet turned out the chest that contained her clothes and items for the voyage but nowhere could she find her sewing box. Fairly certain that the efficient Lottie would have packed it, she sat back on her heels and pondered for a moment on what she should do.
While she was thinking, there was a tapping at the door and, thinking it would be Mr. Snow, she called out, “Please come in.” The door opened and a scruffy individual, whose face was obscured by a large tray bearing tea things, entered.
“Oh!” Linnet was much surprised. “I thought you would be Mr. Snow.”
She felt rather foolish sprawled on the floor, and scrambled to her feet. The tray was placed on the table, the person turned around, and Linnet saw it was a young lad.
“I am Pat, missus,” he said. “I be the person what’ll serve you, run errands and the like. Mr. Snow’s right busy in the day so he’s asked me, like.”
“Wel
l yes, yes of course, Mr. Snow would be,” Linnet said. She was amused by the little ragamuffin. “Well, I am very pleased to meet you, Pat,” she said, and looked the lad up and down. He was a skinny boy, perhaps twelve, she guessed. His whiskers had not grown yet, so she knew him to be young. He was quite filthy; his nails, she noted, were black, and so were his clothes. He wore a striped, long-sleeved top and what had once been white, tattered breeches.
Under the grime, Linnet could see the boy had delicate features and blue eyes. He stood, waiting uncomfortably, first on one leg, then the other.
He jumped when Linnet spoke to him. “Pat, I need my sewing box; I believe it to be in one of my travelling trunks. Do you know where they would be stored?”
The boy nodded vigorously. “Ay, in the storage hold, shall I take ’ee there?”
Linnet thought quickly, deciding it would be nice to rummage through her things; she could fetch other bits and bobs that she would need at the same time. “Yes please. One moment, though, while I fetch my shawl.”
A second or two later they were ready to go.
“Right, lead on, Sir Galahad!” she commanded.
“What’s that, missus?” Pat looked bewildered.
“Oh, never mind, just a silly saying, is all,” she replied.
Pat led the way down dim passages and creaking stairways. She stumbled a few times because she was unused to the ship’s rolling movement. Pat, at least, had the foresight to bring a lantern because most of the narrow galley ways were unlit. Occasionally, they came across an unsavoury-looking sailor, who would stare at Linnet with lewd interest; however, they seemed a harmless enough bunch to her as she swept past them, eyes ahead, concentrating on her mission. One or two sailors who knew Pat by name made a playful gesture, cuffing his head in rough greeting.
After rather too many narrow stairways, which were awkward for Linnet in her full-skirted gown, they came to a low ceilinged, darkly open space.
Her Match, Her Mate, Her Master Page 9