“Who decides if there is a need, Cecily?”
His husky voice was authoritative and even though I knew I was in danger of being chastised, I couldn’t help but feel weak in the knees at the sound of it. “You do, sir.”
“That’s right, my dove. And I’m afraid you’ve earned yourself a spanking.”
“Please, Antony—”
“Save the rest of your apologies for when the punishment is over. I’m going to help you remove your gown.”
I was biting down on my lower lip as Antony approached me. He stopped right in front of me, crossed his arms against his chest, and waited, his eyes pinning me where I stood.
My heart was beating hard in my chest. I hated knowing that he was angry with me, and hated even more that I deserved his wrath. “Forgive me,” I tried again. “I never should have spoken to you so, especially in front of your son.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” he agreed. When he said nothing further, I knew that he was still waiting for me.
Realizing that no matter what I said or did there would be no respite, I turned around and waited. In moments his hands were at the back of my gown, his fingers nimbly undoing each of the buttons. When the last one had been undone, the gown fell to the floor and was quickly followed by my shift.Antony offered me a hand to help me step out of the puddle of fabric.
“Bend over the bed, please.”
The words sent a shiver of nervousness traveling down my spine, but I knew better than to disobey. With tentative steps, I moved toward the bed, spreading my fingers wide as I placed them on the mattress and bent over. I could feel Antony behind me and I tensed, waiting for the first crack of the leather against my arse, but he seemed happy to make me wait. I could hear his breathing and I longed to look over my shoulder at him, but instead I stayed in position as he’d ordered. The longer he waited, the more anxious I became until I was practically a bundle of nerves.
When the leather strap came whistling down on my bare flesh for the first time, it was almost a relief. That relief lasted for half a second before the searing pain set in.
“It is one thing to disagree with me, Cecily,” he said, ignoring my whimper. “It is quite another to voice it in such a disrespectful manner.” Down came the strap again, so hard and fast and imparting pain I would not have believed possible considering the pleasure it had brought me the night before. “I will never speak that way to you in front of John, or the child you carry. All I ask is for the same courtesy. Is that understood?”
“Y-yes, sir,” I whined, knowing very well what came next.
Antony did not disappoint. His aim was swift and true, the strap smacking down on my quivering cheeks again and again until the tears flowed freely down my cheeks and my feet were hopping in time to the strokes. As soon as he’d finished—I assumed that it had only been a dozen, though I hadn’t been able to concentrate on counting—he dropped the strap to the floor and caught me up in his arms, kissing and murmuring reassurances as he wiped my tears away. “Shh, it’s over now. There’s no need to cry.”
“I really a-am so-rry,” I said, sniffling through my tears.
“I know, my dove. And I just want to ensure that you will think before you speak next time. I wouldn’t ask you to do anything that would harm you, and I think meeting a neighbor might be good for you. You never know, you may take to each other.”
I strongly doubted it, but rather than saying so, I offered him a weak smile and let him wipe away my tears. When I’d calmed down, he gave me a quick kiss on the lips before setting me on my feet again.
“Come, let’s get you dressed.”
In moments I was in a fresh chemise and the burgundy gown I’d admired. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I noted how it brought out the blue in my eyes and highlighted my fair complexion. I was well pleased with it, but I couldn’t begin to think what Antony must think when he looked at me.
“You look lovely,” he said as he drank me in. He said it with the warmth and sincerity I’d come to expect from him, and to look at him, you’d never know that he was thinking of another woman as he looked at me.
I quickly decided to leave it at that and thanked him for the compliment.
“Wash your face and then come back into the kitchen. I’ll slice up the bread for you.”
I nodded my assent and did just as he’d asked. When I reached the kitchen, Antony had a tin plate in his hand which he’d covered with a cloth. John was back to sitting in the stool, waiting, it seemed, for my arrival. When he saw me, he smiled bashfully.
“You look very pretty, m’lady.”
“Thank you, John,” I replied, surprised by his generosity.
“I can take you to the Gerald’s farm, if you like.”
“Make sure you wash your hands and face first,” Antony answered for me.
“You… you’re not coming?”
“I’m afraid I have things to tend to here. As big a help as John is, he’s only a boy. I need to see how the farm held up in my absence.”
