“There had to be a reason! What did Edward do to provoke her?”
“I did nothing,” Edward said defensively. “Like Harrison said, she had too much wine, and I took her glass from her.”
“That’s not a reason for her to tell you to fuck yourself. There had to do something more,” Vanessa argued.
“There was nothing more. And you are correct; that was no reason to make such an insolent comment. Edward, please continue this chastisement. Perhaps our little Vanessa will learn a lesson as well.”
Vanessa watched with fascinated horror as the bundle whipped across Marie’s backside again, leaving behind a trail of tiny red lines in its wake. The girl’s wail echoed through the room as she danced up and down on her toes and wagged her striped bottom back and forth in a useless attempt to shake off the pain. To her vexation, Vanessa felt her body responding to the scene. With each lash, she tightened her cheeks, imagining that it was her very flesh being reddened. How would it feel? Would she be as verbal as the young maid or would she be able to maintain the traditional British stoicism that her countrymen were famous for achieving? The growing wetness between her legs also revealed her arousal, but was it due to the watching of the scene or was it related to the fantasy of her receiving the same? She held her breath, wondering how long she would be entertained by looking at the delightful act.
“I cannot continue any longer, Harrison,” Edward said firmly. “I will not break her skin, nor was her offense worthy of missing several days of work or training.”
“Are you electing to release her as paid in full?”
“I am.”
“Excellent. You did a remarkable job in your words, technique and reason for cessation. For the record, I probably would have lessened my strokes by half while using the birch and made her stitch you up a new pair of breeches.”
“I’d rather die,” Marie moaned dramatically through her tears. “I loathe sewing.”
“Which is why I would have assigned such a task. Discipline does not always have to be about corporal punishment.”
“I understand,” Edward said seriously. “Would corner time be considered excessive at this juncture?”
“I happen to support corner time as a means to allow the lesson to sink in. I also forbid rubbing,” Harrison stated as he stood. He held his hand out for Vanessa. “If you will please excuse us for a moment. Vanessa?” The young woman slowly rose, accepted his hand and followed him into the hallway. “You were supposed to remain in your room. This disobedience could nullify our agreement.”
“I needed to talk with you about last night. That powder did unspeakable things to me.”
“That vial contained rosehips, dried honey, and a touch of a plant called valerian root. It would numb the mouth and caused drowsiness, but nothing more.”
“Whatever it was, it enticed me to behave in a brazen manner. I wanted to apologize to you.”
“There is no reason to apologize. I happen to like brazen manners,” Harrison said, walking her back to her room. “It was the most natural way that I have seen you behave since you arrived. That is, other than your sassiness.”
“Sexual enticement and abrupt behavior are not appropriate traits belonging to a well-bred lady. Even I know better than that.”
“Nor is rape the behavior of a well-bred gentleman. Please don’t look so surprised. It did not take a genius to put together your words. Tell me what happened.”
“I cannot. It is shameful.”
“Nessa, honey, look at me.” He waited for her to oblige. “I want to know all of you, the good and the wicked. Even if you had seduced this man into your bed won’t change how I view you. Your past is done and only assists me in knowing how to care for you.”
“A lady doesn’t speak of her lovers. It’s inappropriate.”
“From what I gathered, there was no love interest with this man of any sort. Stop procrastinating,” he ordered firmly. “I think I have proven myself as trustworthy, haven’t I? I did not even kiss you when you offered.”
“I was in a sorry state and –”
His mouth pressed hard to hers, silencing her midsentence. Heat, passion, desire, lust – all that she dreamed of was contained in that kiss.
“Oh my,” she whispered when he broke from her. She raised her fingertips to her mouth. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to. I won’t hesitate to take what I want, but I will not do so at your expense.”
Vanessa lowered her eyes to the floor. “Did you want to kiss me last night?”
“I wanted to make love to you last night. How could I not? I had a beautiful, naked woman standing before my eyes and crying in my arms. But I made a promise to you. I will never touch you sensually when you are in an innocent state of mind- or inebriated. It would be irresponsible.”
A moment of silence passed before Vanessa rose from the couch and walked to her dresser. She picked up the brush, took in a deep breath and turned to hand it to him. “Here, Poppa,” she whispered.
“Do you wish me to brush your hair?”
She squirmed under his gaze. The image of Marie’s crimson, swollen bottom in her mind made the juncture between her legs throb and pulse with want. It was now or never – she had to see if it was truly either need or just a fantasy.
“No. I am asking you to spank me and release me from my confinement. I want to go to that party. I also finished my lines as you told me.” She took a deep breath. “I want to be part of this household and participate in the things that happen here. I want to be free of my guilt. I am so sorry for my behavior.”
If Harrison was surprised, he hid it well. “Are you going to tell me what happened to you?”
“I rather not.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Very well, then. Place yourself across my lap,” he ordered, patting his thigh.
Humiliated, head bowed, she leaned slowly across the rough material that housed his legs. Holding her breath, she felt him lift her robe slowly past her thighs and over her shaking mounds until the soft material was bunched at her waist. He ran his hand over her bottom, grazing his fingers across her skin and tracing the path down the backs of her legs to her knees and then back up over the ivory globes.
Raising his hand, he let loose with a loud, exact smack over the right buttock, making her wince. The fall of his hand repeated on the other side, harder than before, and Vanessa squealed in protest. Again and again, he played a hard, rhythmic tempo against her tender cheeks, and her backside shimmied as she involuntarily flexed her muscles in an attempt to relieve the growing burn upon the upturned curve of her flesh. She struggled against her instincts to cry out and clenched her teeth for the duration of the hand spanking.
“Are you done?” she panted, wiping a glistening layer of perspiration from her forehead with the back of her hand when he finally paused.
“Hardly.” He lifted the brush and laid it across her stinging skin. “I’ve only just begun.”
Pinned under his strong arm, she was unable to move as the slap of the broad, dense wood blazed into her skin. “Dear Father in Heaven,” Vanessa elicited a plaintive yowl. “That hurts!”
“It’s a spanking, young lady.” The brush fell three more times in succession, “It’s supposed to hurt.”
“Not this much!” She began to kick her feet.
The spanking continued. “The more you fight me, the longer this goes on. Surrender, Nessa.”
“I can’t surrender.” The tears threaten to fall. She gripped his trouser leg and tried to roll forward to get away. Unfortunately, that move brought the peak of her bottom to a more exact target.
“Thank you. I prefer the backside being at a high point.”
“Yeow! Poppa, please stop. Please! Poppa!”
“I will stop when I am convinced that this is a deterrent and not something you desire.”
“No more. I beg of you.”
“You can beg all you like, but I remind you that this is your choice. It will always
be about choices, darling. Good and bad ones.”
Exhausted from her attempts to escape the stinging bite of the brush, Vanessa finally released a mournful sob. “I’m sorry,” she bawled, her voice muffled against her arm. “Please forgive me. I need you to forgive me. Please.”
The hair-brushing ended with a quick stroke, and the cold, unyielding wood was replaced by a warm, gentle hand. Harrison stroked her back and thighs, avoiding soothing her inflamed bottom as she remained over his lap. Moments passed as the initial shock wore down and the pain turned into a hot, pulsating ache that traveled to her womanhood. The familiar way in which he held and caressed her body left the desire to feel more. Did she dare ask him to touch her intimately? No! She would never shame herself again.
Her self-denial brought about another onslaught of uncontrolled weeping, and he sat her up on the hardened perch of his thigh and pressed his lips to her temple.
“Cry, baby girl. Let it out. That’s my girl. It’s been a long time in coming, hasn’t it?”
“I’m so sorry, Poppa. So very sorry. I don’t mean to be so awful,” she blubbered, feeling a greater pain in the center of her breast than to her newly spanked bottom – a deep, crushing pain that grew as he rocked her against his chest. “Please forgive me. Don’t give up on me. Please. I don’t want to be alone again.”
“Oh, sweet love, I don’t easily give up on people. It takes more than making some mischief to get me to walk away. A spanking is probably the worse thing you might encounter, and it will always be accompanied with love.” He fussed over her, tightening his embrace and stroking her hair. “I can hear so much pain in your words. Don’t be afraid. I will never do to you what others have. I give you my word.”
“I don’t even know what love is. It’s something that has been withheld from me my entire life, and something I’ve never felt.”
Kissing her hair, Harrison whispered, “Love is when another person’s happiness is more important than your own. It’s when you feel like you can’t breathe when the other person is gone; as though they hold the very air you need to survive.”
“My world doesn’t operate like that. I’ve never been in love or had anyone feel that way for me.”
“We need to be willing to allow our world view to change so that we can grow. Part of that requires that we permit ourselves to be vulnerable. It frightens me to allow another person to have so much power over my emotions,” he said honestly. “But I know that the right woman will cherish and protect my heart as much as I cherish and protect hers.”
“I can’t hope for that. To know that it exists and that I will never taste it is too painful.”
“My wish is that you and I develop that kind of love in time, but neither of us can force something like that to happen.” He sounded slightly uncomfortable as though the subject brought him distress. “I want you to stand in the corner until Marie comes to help you dress. You may then join me for the morning meal.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“I know that you’re embarrassed, but there is nothing that has happened to you that has not been done to the rest of them. And you will eat. After you are finished, I will walk you to school, and you can start this wonderful new life with me by your side.”
“Harrison, why did you pick me? The only thing you know about me is based on the problems that I had back in London. I still don’t understand why I drew your interests.”
He wiped a stray tear from her face with his thumb. “May I be completely honest with you?”
“Of course. What’s wrong?”
“There is nothing wrong. I just want to be direct. I am the type of man who enjoys a challenge, especially a positive challenge. The women here on Man are raised to have impeccable manners and behavior, much like our British relatives, except that these manners stem from respect and love, not fear of society’s opinion. Rarely do any of our children grow to live a life that includes the practice of significant trouble or rebellion.”
“I should think not, given the consequences. Although there are three that I know of who defied these social standards- your brother, Lady Bess and Marie.”
“Marie makes innocent mischief, not trouble. As for my brother and Bess, their situation was one of personal need. They never harmed anyone and their crime was the breaking of moral laws. Had they been together in the beginning, the situation would never have occurred.”
“Why weren’t they?”
“Bess is eleven years Jonathon’s senior and it would not have been permitted. Yes, I know that is something else that we need to consider as we evolve as a nation,” he said before she piped up with a comment. “She is also his third cousin and we discourage the old practice of nobility marrying relatives of any sort.”
“Third cousin? That isn’t even considered to be a relation except to the Crown.”
“Regardless, that practice is discouraged. Back to the issue of consequences, we have seen that the majority of girls seem to choose the direction of proper behavior. It is almost as though they equate their willingness to submit to their salvation. Being dominant, I don’t understand the mindset of a submissive, only how to care and nurture it.”
“Isn’t the importance of submission the thing that you teach them so that they will be perceived as worthy? It’s like religion and the belief in heaven and hell. People will often believe what they are told by those in authority, whether or not it’s true.”
“Yes, unfortunately. But for some of us, this demonstration of behavior is very confining and rather dull. If I wanted pure obedience, undying loyalty, and constant companionship, I’d settle for a hound and wouldn’t need a wife.”
Vanessa looked at him suspiciously. “You have your own rebellious nature that you struggle with, don’t you? Like your brother. You wish for a challenge.”
“I confess that this is true. Jonathon and I are alike in many ways. The difference is that I entertained my needs outside the borders of Man, and he did not. I also avoided any involvement with a married woman.”
“Why are you telling me this? It feels as though you are encouraging me to cross you.”
“I enjoy the antics of a mischievous woman. Sir Landers says that men like us are drawn to the impish nature of the faerie and that we will never be satisfied with a mere mortal. Whether that is true or not, I simply don’t wish to grow old and die of boredom. I want a life filled with noise, rambunctious laughter, and adventure.”
“Spanking me when I create trouble does not produce laughter.”
“Perhaps not for you,” he said with a roguish grin. “I happen to find it very amusing. I’ve never seen anyone squirm quite the way you do. I find it adorable.”
“Well, my bottom is not finding anything you have done either amusing or adorable,” she pouted.
“You will be surprised to know that your bottom can learn to enjoy it.” Harrison hesitated and then placed his hand on her thigh. “I don’t typically offer this following correction, but would you have me soothe you?”
“What do you intend?”
“Pleasure, my dear. Much pleasure.”
“What type of pleasure?”
He removed the vial that he wore around his neck and twirled his finger. “Bend over the bed. I promise that this is for your comfort alone. Mind me.”
Vanessa groaned as his large, strong hands began to massage the contents of the vial into her flesh. The liquid both warmed and chilled her, and the pressure upon her bottom brought both relief and discomfort. It was a mixture of pleasure and pain which succeeded in doing two things: one, easing the incredible burn left behind by the brush and two, reawakening her need to take him into her body.
“Lord Ansley?” Marie’s voice was heard from the doorway. “Please pardon me for interrupting, but the Head of State is calling for you.”
“Damn. I’m sorry, but duty summons me, little one,” Harrison whispered into her ear. “We will resume this later. You also were spared corner time, so consider yourself fortunate. Marie, if
you would kindly ready Vanessa for school and then see her downstairs to my study. Let the cook know after you have taken her to me so that our breakfast may be prepared. Also, have Edward wait outside the study door so that he may escort my father out when we are done.”
“Yes, sir.” The maid waited until he had left the room before grabbing Vanessa’s hands with excitement. “You submitted! How was it?”
Feeling her face infusing with heat, the other girl responded. “Painful, humiliating and not at all pleasant.”
“Not even the aftercare?” Marie elbowed her. “Lord Harrison never soothes a sore bottom after he disciplines. It must mean that he truly cares for you.”
“He truly cares for everyone,” Vanessa admitted. “But his comfort was ignited by his own passion, not by my need.”
“How little you know of that man,’ Marie clucked, lifting an ivory frock over Vanessa’s head. “You will see his true colors soon and will fall helplessly in love with him like everyone else does.”
“I’m not certain that I am comfortable with the knowledge that every woman upon this island is in love with the man that I am supposed to marry.”
“The women cannot be trusted, however; he can be. Stay still! I’m trying to fix your hair.” Marie reprimanded as Vanessa squirmed uncomfortably in this chair.
“I don’t know how you cannot be in pain after that birching you received this morning,” Vanessa complained.
Marie grinned, plaiting the long, auburn hair into two braids tied with little white ribbons. "Edward soothed me afterward, so I quickly forgot about the pain. He has the mouth of an artist.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’ve never heard of a lover’s kiss? Oh, my! I tend to forget how young and innocent you are. Your mannerisms are of a woman with many more years behind her.”
“I had no education in romance and was raised around boys.”
“Can you shoot a slingshot?”
“Much better than I can sew. My aim is fairly accurate.”
“I hate sewing,” Marie shuddered.
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