Lord Edward's Law (Women of Wintercrest) (6 page)

Smiling with that thought, she respectfully answered,
“Certainly, Sir.”  Edward adjusted his load a bit, and then headed down the long hall to his study.  He pushed open the door and unceremoniously dumped his cargo onto the settee.  Lucy was still crying, her hair tangled and loose about her.  She jumped to her feet and was prepared to flee again but stopped when she heard,

“Run from me again
, Lucille, and I shall call the entire household together to witness your punishment.”  The threat froze her.  She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would not only do as he threatened, but that he would actually enjoy it.  Her posture shrank as she accepted his threat. 

“That’s better.  I allowed you to ask questions but will not tolerate your attitude
, or allow you to hurt your sister with your words.  You need to learn to care more about the feelings of others than about yourself.  You are an extremely stubborn little girl, but I have ways of dealing with such naughtiness.”  She was extremely afraid of that.  She saw him walk to the cabinet that she knew held nothing but terrible things, and watched as he opened it.  He took several minutes before selecting his implement.  He shut the door, and she saw he had a thick wide leather strap in his hand.  Her hands flew back to her bottom, and she backed away from him.  She couldn’t tear her eyes off that horrid strap of leather.

“Ple…please
, no….please, don’t.” 

Edward shook his head and said very quietly,
“You know better, Lucille.  You know you deserve a good thrashing.  You know your own father would never have allowed you to act like such a hellion.  You know he would have your bottom bared and welted minutes after you dared to be so disobedient.  Well, your father is no longer with us but, little one, I am your guardian and will never hesitate to step in to teach you.  Now, you are to lift your skirts, remove your drawers and place yourself across the arm of the chair.  I want your legs well apart and your bottom lifted.  I want you to apologize for your ridiculous behavior and ask me to give you a good hard strapping.  If you decide to try to flee from me again, I shall simply call for Henri who will hold you down while Mrs. Bremmer collects the rest of the household and you will still receive your strapping.  The choice is yours, Lucille, but I shan’t wait long for you to make that choice.”  Lucy clenched her eyes shut, his words ringing in her ears, her fear of taking yet another spanking pulsing through her body.  With a loud sob, she found herself reaching under her dress and untying her drawers.  She felt them puddle at her feet, and she stepped out of them.  Sobbing, knowing she was about to be thrashed within an inch of her life, she stumbled to the chair and threw herself across the thickly padded arm.  She reached back and pulled her clothing up and off her bottom until it lay in a mass at her waist.  She knew she looked exactly like a naughty child, baring her bottom to her betters, accepting her need for discipline.  However, even as she forced herself to open her legs and lift her bottom, she realized that naughty little girls were not strapped or punished in this manner.  Her father had never asked her to present her bottom high in the air, her legs apart so that her womanhood was evident.  She realized that she was being put in a position of an adult woman and suddenly did remember hearing cries from behind her parent’s bedchamber door.  With a soft sob, understanding that her mother had presented herself to her father’s discipline flooded through her consciousness. 

Sobbing
with all that was happening, she gasped, “I’m sorry, Sir.  I’m so, so sorry.  Please…please, thra…thrash me.”  It wasn’t exactly correct but hearing her request a thrashing instead of a strapping pleased Edward.  Her subconscious was dictating her submissive need to pay for her sins.  Her choice of the word told him that she expected to be strapped quite soundly, and he intended to live up to her expectations.

“That’s a good girl.  I know you will learn from this
, little one.  Now, lift your bottom high and do not reach back or close your legs.  If you do, I shall have to tie you down and thrash you anew.” 

Lucy felt him step close
and said,  “Ye…yes, Sir.”  She gripped the opposite arm of the chair and laid her head down on the soft cushion.  Her feet were flat on the floor but, with his quiet order to ‘present’, she pushed up onto her tiptoes, her bottom presented to her guardian.  Edward smiled at her quick obedience and then began. 

Louisa flinched and spilled a spoonful of her soup when
Lucy’s first scream rent the air.  Her hand trembled, and her eyes closed as another echoed in the room.  She knew that her sister would be in a great deal of pain by the time Edward was done with her.  She had been shocked when Lucy had fled the house, but also knew the price that act would require.  She, too, had once attempted to flee, but had just as easily been caught.  She hadn’t been able to sit without wincing for several days.  As cry after cry filled the house, Louisa felt a tear slide down her cheek and her face flush with shame as she felt her stomach tingle.  She was horrified to discover her pussey clench in her nappy with arousal.  How could she feel aroused at the sound of her sister’s pain?  She put her spoon down and clapped her hands over her ears in an effort to drown out the sounds.  She felt another’s hand on hers, and saw Mrs. Bremmer pulling her hands down, placing them back on the table.

“Don’t
you be naughty, Louisa.  If someone else chooses to be naughty, you know what happens to their little bottoms.  Your sister needs to learn that lesson, and you shall do well to bear witness.  Your Papa wants you to eat your dinner, so I suggest you do so.  I’d hate for you to have a turn in the study as well.”  Louisa’s hand shook as she picked up her spoon, dipping it into her bowl.  Though most of it spilled back into the bowl, she managed to put the spoon into her mouth.  Mrs. Bremmer nodded and then her voice softened.

“I know it is hard
, honey but your Papa is a good man.  You just eat your supper, and if you need your nappy changed, you let me know.”  Louisa nodded, her desire no longer coursing through her body, as the woman reminded her of her own shameful attire.  She continued to take small bites of soup as the thrashing went on and on in the back of the house.

Lucy felt as if she would soon die.  Her entire backside hurt.  The strap bit into her bottom again and again
, and then moved down to lick at the backs of her legs.  She screamed and begged and promised to be the best girl ever, but the strap continued to fall.  Never before in her life had she been so punished.  This was truly the thrashing of her life, and she prayed she would not only survive it, but never ever be subjected to such pain again.  Edward stopped only long enough to remind her to open her legs and lift her bottom.  Every time he did, she automatically obeyed, and he smiled.  She had released the chair’s arms and had pushed her hands under the cushion as if to both gather comfort from hugging it, as well as keep her hands away from where they wanted to go.  She was learning, and learning quickly.  He laid another dose of the strap over her bottom and again down her legs.  She tried to maintain position, but would occasionally kick up a foot, only to immediately lower it again.  She took thirty full strokes of the leather strap before he considered her well-thrashed.  She was so deep in her submission to his authority that she wasn’t even aware of the fact that her strapping was over.  She lay over the chair, her tears soaking the cushion, her bottom and thighs welted and so very red and swollen. 

Edward gave her a few minutes
to compose herself, and then said, “Stand up.”  She forced herself to do so, her legs wobbling, her hands going behind her back to clench her bottom.  Edward thought it adorable and allowed her a few quick rubs before he said, “Hands at your sides, little one.  You need to let that bottom burn.  Now, thank me properly and we shall go have our dinner.” 

She couldn’t imagine eating but heard herself saying,
“Th…thank you for…for strapping me, Sir.  I won’t…won’t run away again.”  Edward nodded, and stepped forward to cup his palm against her cheek.

“It doesn’t have to be this hard
, Lucy.  Learn to obey and your life shall be easier.”  She shuddered at his touch, even as she wished she could cuddle into him.  Her heart ached almost as much as her bottom.  How could he be so kind, when only a moment ago he was stripping the skin off her bottom yet again?  He dropped his hand and moved to put the strap away. 

When he turned back, she was calmer
, and softly said,  “Thank you…thank you, Sir.”

“You are welcome
, Lucy.  You’ve done well.”  She flushed as he bent to pick up her discarded drawers and handed them to her.

“I doubt these will feel good on your bottom
, but you need to dress for dinner, my dear.  It wouldn’t be proper to be naked beneath your clothing when seated at our table.”  He saw her look of shock and hid his smile.  “Unless, of course, if you were required to do so as an additional form of punishment.”  She was shocked at his words, the shame of possibly sitting with a naked, spanked bottom under her clothing appalling.  She slowly pulled the drawers on and over her bottom, hissing as the fabric raked across her skin.  She tied the bow with shaking fingers, not knowing how she’d be able to sit on her chair.  She dared to ask.

“May…may I skip dinner
, Sir.  I’m…I’m not hungry.” 

“No Lucy.  Little girls need a good supper before bed.  You will eat a proper meal
, and only after will you be allowed to find your bed.  Now, come along.  There is no need to feel ashamed of getting your bottom thrashed.  Naughty girls get strapped and then forgiven.  It is over, and need not be discussed, unless you choose to be naughty again.”  He bent towards her and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

“You took your thrashing very well
, little one.  I am very proud of you, Lucy.”  Trying to process all that had happened in one short day, Lucy found herself allowing him to take her hand and lead her to the table.  She grimaced as she took her seat and allowed him to push her up to the table.  She thanked Mrs. Bremmer when a bowl of soup was placed in front of her.  She couldn’t look at her sister, her mind and heart churning in confusion. Her bottom burned and clenched as it tried to adjust to her body weight.  The meal was quiet, Edward preferring to eat in silence as his two little girls attempted to be good and avoid another trip to the study.  Smiling, he enjoyed his meal immensely and was pleased his household would soon be running exactly as he desired. 

When the meal was over, Lucy meekly asked,
“May I be excused, Sir?”  Edward looked at her and was pleased.

“
Yes, my dear.  You may retire to your room and seek your bed.  I want you to get a good night’s sleep before you begin your studies again tomorrow.  Come kiss me goodnight and have sweet dreams.”  Louisa watched in amazement as her stubborn sister walked to Edward, placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you, Sir.”  Without looking at her sister, Lucy said, “Good night, Louisa; I hope you sleep well.”  Louisa felt her eyes fill at the loss of her sister’s gaze, but managed to wish her a good night.  She watched as Lucy walked very slowly from the room and knew her entire body was aching.  Lucy wasn’t surprised to see Molly in her room, obviously having been sent there by Mrs. Bremmer.  The girls didn’t speak as Molly undressed her charge.  She had thought her bottom horrid the day before, but its condition this evening caused her to suck in her breath.  She helped Lucy into her nightgown and neither spoke of the fact that no bloomers had been slipped on beneath the gown.  Molly turned back the spread and sheets of the bed and heard Lucy moan as she crawled up onto it.  She immediately turned onto her stomach, her bottom throbbing.  Molly gently drew the covers up
, but when Lucy moaned, she removed all but the thinnest sheet.

“Sleep well, Miss Lucy.”  Lucy didn’t answer, she just began to cry softly as her maid blew out the lamp and left the room after hanging the discarded clothing in the wardrobe.  Molly’s heart ached for the poor girl.  She, herself, had been strapped quite often but, his Lord obviously intended his ward to be strapped within an inch of stripping the skin off her bottom.  She shuddered as she walked down the hall and was startled to see Mrs. Bremmer coming towards her.  She curtsied at the older woman and didn’t speak.  Mrs. Bremmer nodded and then continued down the hall and opened Lucy’s door.  Molly shuddered again hoping the poor girl would be spared more pain, but knew that anything was possible where the housekeeper was concerned.

Lucy heard her door open, but didn’t move.  She was exhausted and just wanted to fall into oblivion.  She had so much to think about, so much to consider, so many questions she wondered if she would ever be able to answer.  She heard someone come towards the bed and she felt the sheet being drawn back.  She finally turned her head and saw Mrs. Bremmer’s outline in the faint light from the lamp in the hall.  She whimpered as she felt her gown being drawn up to expose her bottom.

“Shhhh,
little one.  Just be still;  I’m going to put some salve on your poor bottom to help the swelling.”  Lucy’s face burned and her eyes clenched shut as she felt a glob of something being applied to her bottom.  She clenched her bottom tight, expecting pain, but was soon moaning as immediate relief flooded through her.  The salve was wonderfully cooling and she was soon limp under Mrs. Bremmer’s expert hands.  Anna smiled, her fingers slowly and carefully working the salve into every welt and bruise on the small bottom underneath her hands.  The poor child’s skin was hot and swollen, and though it was being soothed now, Anna knew it would be bruised and very sore for several days.  She continued to apply the salve down the backs of Lucy’s thighs, and when she softly ordered the girl to open her legs, she smiled when Lucy immediately obeyed.  Anna’s fingers slipped between her legs going from one welt to another on her legs, the salve sliding against the hot skin.  Lucy felt something change when Mrs. Bremmer’s fingers paused at the junction of her thighs.