With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle,
With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle, hi ho!
He lifted her high athi ho!and grinned for exertion. “Well, ’tis sung atourweddin’, darlin’. Our guests’ll expect I strike hot at yer forge!”
Elizabeth’s ears burned at her husband’s crass language, while the song’s verse, and tempo, grew bawdier still.
Six times did his iron by vigorous heating,
Grow soft in her forge in a minute or so,
And as often was hardened, still beating and beating,
But each time it softened, it hardened more slow.
With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle,
With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle, hi ho!
Again, she was lifted, and when brought down, tipped low. “And I’ll not apologize fer wantin’ to show off me new wife neither.” She gasped as her husband pulled her up fast, the audience roaring with hoots and hollers. “Shall we give ’em a taste o’ what’s t’ come, luv?”
Milton looked like the devil, his blue eyes bright gems, speech slipping into that of a wholly different person. She tried to protest, but he flipped her over his shoulder and cupped her arse with his palm. The room erupted in whistles and laughter as he spun her rump high overhead in his arms, the verse now altered so the Smith was named Jasper, his damsel named Lizzie. The tempo reached its peak as Milton landed her on her feet, then bent her back in a kiss that was … masterful.
Elizabeth’s head reeled.
When he finally let up, he bowed to his brethren, the room awash with fresh cheers. “To Jasper!” they shouted. “The bastard’s done wed! Huzzah to the Baron, our whoreson, our lad!”
Milton again threw Elizabeth over his shoulder, bidding the crowd good night. He carried her off, to complete the final act.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Strip,” he commanded.
Elizabeth stood in her husband’s bedroom, stunned.
“I am not your whore,” she snapped.
“No, you are my wife, and as such I will not pay you to strip before me, I shall order you to instead.”
Her thoughts scattered like mice.
“Lizzie, I have demonstrated before what happens when you do not obey me, and I want to be very clear how our marriage will work. You will obey me in the bedroom, and I shall reward you with great pleasure. If you choose not to obey me, you shall be punished instead, at mypleasure.”
She was again shocked, for this was not the man who’d granted her bliss just last night. This was the man who’d tied her to a bedpost and roundly thrashed her; he was likely capable of worse.
She recalled the Duchess of Allendale’s words to her but this very afternoon: that it was better to meet anger and rage with gentleness, though the concept felt far removed from present circumstance.Very,very far.
He was testing her like he had all week. And if she passed this last test then … Elizabeth’s mind opened. If she passed this newtest, then perhaps he’d not test her more. Perhaps he’d allow her some leeway, some freedom. If she acquiesced now, she might gain what she wished later, when it mattered more.
She dropped her gaze, training her eyes on his familiar shining hessians, and began to unhook her dress. She sensed him watching hungrily as her fingers continued their work.
Once her dress dropped, she began on her stays, fumbling at the lacing. When these dropped too, she paused.
“Pray do not stop, Elizabeth.” His voice simmered. “The view only improves.”
She steeled her nerves, for she’d never stripped naked before anyone but her sister and servants. Still, he was her husband; she would see this task through. When she stood before him in only her stockings, Milton let out a hiss of air.
“You are breathtaking, my dear.” He continued to look his fill. “Now on your knees before me; that is how a wife greets her husband before he takes her to bed.”
