A Stern Lord for My Lady Page 8

  Silence still loomed between them as they both readied for bed.

  “Do you mean to chastise me now?” Lady Alicia suddenly asked, looking at him levelly.

  She was now dressed in her night shift and Bertran suppressed his deep desire for her, knowing she was now very angry with him.

  She cast a pointed look in the switch’s direction. Bertran shook his head.

  “No. Not now…” he said rather awkwardly.

  It was hard to keep his arousal at bay, and he strived to focus on what she was saying.

  “Not now? Later then? When?” she asked him, and her voice sounded calm.

  “I do not know,” he answered truthfully.

  He did not know how to act around her. And she’d given him no true cause to punish her. Yet he was becoming so ensorcelled by her that he was beginning to fear what Lady Edith had said was true. She might be a cunning woman. Perhaps she did mean to deceive him. But would punishments be to any avail if she was indeed cunning and set on deceiving him? He glanced at her levelly. She did not strike him at all as a deceitful woman though, but as a truthful, plainspoken one.

  He cleared his throat.

  “Think upon it as a warning. Something that should prevent you from overstepping the boundaries. There’ll be no need of it if you’re a good wife and you stay within them.”

  “What are those boundaries?” she asked him levelly.

  “You should be respectful, faithful and honourable,” he told her just as levelly.

  He could not quite forget she looked down upon his birth. So, perhaps he needed to emphasise he would have her respect.

  She nodded, but there was ice in her voice as she spoke.

  “As my husband, you should also be respectful, faithful and honourable in return,” she told him.

  He looked at her with a frown. There was no doubt he meant to be respectful and honourable, and he would never break faith with his lady. But it was not for his wife to demand it of him. Wives were not supposed to make harsh demands, but ask graciously instead.

  “I’ve already pledged myself to you. I do not mean to break my oath,” he told her in vexation.

  “So did I. And I do not mean to break my oath either,” she countered, going to her trunk to fetch a comb. She sat herself in front of the mirror, unbraiding her long chestnut hair.

  Bertran looked at her, mesmerized. Her hair was wondrous, and he longed to bury his hands in it.

  He came to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders, as she was brushing her hair in front of the mirror. She paid him no mind, as if he was not there. He frowned. It was not the welcome he’d expected from his eager new bride. Yet he had only himself to blame – he’d become angered by mere gossip.

  “Where did you get the switch?” she asked him, deigning to speak to him at last.

  “I’ve cut it from the apple tree in the yard,” he answered truthfully.

  “I see,” she said levelly.

  He could not resist, he took the comb away from her, and began brushing her long hair with long, slow movements.

  “How many strokes?” he asked, having heard there were women who liked to give their hair one hundred strokes until they were satisfied it was untangled.

  She frowned into the mirror.

  “I thought you didn’t mean to use the switch tonight!” she told him.

  She’d mistaken his meaning, and Bertran opened his mouth to set her at ease, and mend this rift that had appeared between them because of the accursed switch. But the defiant glare on his wife’s face made him think better on it. Was she disputing his right to discipline her? A mischievous thought came into his head.

  “How many strokes will it take, do you reckon? How many strokes will it take to cure you of your defiance?” he asked softly, as he continued to comb her hair with one hand. His other hand was already caressing the side of her neck.

  Alicia breathed deep before she answered. She was now torn between anger and lust. Why would her husband want to use a switch on her now? Did he mean to treat her as his chattel, as a woman to be punished whenever she decided to speak her mind? And did he mean to whip her for nothing, just to assert his power over her? That part of her was angry. The other part of her was recalling the switching she’d witnessed yesterday. What had Master Reed’s wife said? That lovemaking was wondrous after a punishment… She recalled her wedding night and had to agree with Mistress Reed’s judgement. She suppressed a sigh, because in truth she was now truly angry with her husband. It seemed he thought himself her master, and it was not a thought that pleased her. She’d rather talk on how things stood in their marriage concerning his right to discipline, not be simply confronted with his decision. She thought upon his question with a frown. He’d asked how many strokes she thought would cure her of her defiance.

  “I do not know,” she answered his question truthfully. “I reckon I shall find out anyway, isn’t that so, lord husband?”

  When he didn’t answer, she went on:

  “How will you do it then? Will you use the switch every time I say things you do not agree with? Every time I try to speak my mind?” she went on defiantly.

  He’d already set his mind on spanking her, hadn’t he? So she might as well speak defiantly to him, since she had nothing further to lose by it.

  “Will you call witnesses to this punishment? Will you call others to witness my pain and humiliation?” she asked him bitterly, recalling how shamed she’d felt in front of the whole court on their wedding day.

  He placed the comb on the table, and then turned her to face him.

  “No, wife. Never. I shall not shame you again in front of others. There’ll only be you and me if I punish you. And rest assured, I would never dream of chastising you for speaking your mind.”

  His words were levelheaded and his voice earnest. And she thought upon how his hard hand upon her bottom had made her feel. She’d been painfully humiliated to be spanked in front of everyone, yet if the punishment took place when there were only the two of them, then there’d no longer be any humiliation. There would be only the spanking… And the spanking… Her heart began to beat frantically. She was torn between anger and lust. And the feeling was strangely stirring.

  “So, what are you waiting for, lord husband?” she asked, feeling brazen and defiant.

  She boldly hoisted her nightgown, showing him her bare buttocks. She already knew they no longer bore the marks of his spanking. They were pristine, but in a short while they would no longer be so, would they?

  “Aren’t you going to fetch the switch?” she dared him.

  Her husband muttered a short oath under his breath. He hoisted her on his shoulder, landing a stinging spank on her buttocks, which made her suppress a moan. He then carried her to the bed, seating himself on its edge, placing her face down across his knees.

  Alicia braced herself for the spanking that was to follow, recalling only too well how strong and merciless his hand could be. But, instead of his hand on her bottom, she felt his finger slide gently inside her sex. She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out in rapture.

  “You’re wet, my lady wife,” he told her softly.

  He spanked her with his free hand, while the finger of his other hand was still thrusting inside her. Alicia now moaned in earnest, while her sex filled with more delicious, honeyed liquid. There was just a faint sting in the spanks he was bestowing upon her and they felt more like a heated, brazen kiss than like a punishment. His hand upon her bottom was mischievous in its shameless caress, while the finger of his other hand was even more shameless. It slid in and out of her, in a rhythm that matched that of his spanking hand. When he paused, she gritted her teeth, knowing that soon she might utterly embarrass herself by climaxing in this undignified position. Why had he stopped spanking her?”

  “This is no punishment for you, is it?” he asked, withdrawing his finger, which was now slick with moisture, and letting her off his lap.

  Alicia stood up, in utter shame,
with her cheeks flaming.

  “I don’t know,” she muttered, not wanting to lie to him.

  He said nothing, just perusing her with his gold-flecked eyes. Instead, he rose and cupped her face. He looked at her intently, then spoke against her lips, sending pleasurable tingles throughout her whole body.

  “There is no punishment I have in store for you tonight. Only pleasure. And if it gives you pleasure to feel my hand spanking your bare bottom, then I shall strive to give you pleasure. But you need to ask for it.”

  He paused, then calmly sat himself on the bed.

  “So ask for it, lady wife. Ask me to spank you.”

  She widened her eyes at him. She could not do it. A spanking was a punishment. What lady in her right mind asked to be chastised by her husband? Yet her sex was already painfully throbbing, and it seemed her bottom already ached for the punishing touch of his large hand.

  “I… Husband, will you spank me?” she muttered, blushing even more fiercely than before.

  The fiend grinned broadly.

  “I couldn’t quite hear you, wife. What was it that you just asked of me?”

  Alicia glared at him.

  “You know too well, you’re not hard of hearing!” she countered in deep irritation.

  He laughed.

  “Defiant words from a wife to her lord,” he said, still grinning. “Come here, over my lap, then. Methinks a few good spanks will cure you of your defiance.”

  Alicia found herself hesitating.

  “Do you mean to spank me hard?” she asked, her heart beginning to thump in strange anticipation.

  “Just come here, wife,” he told her, and she found herself obeying.

  He hoisted her nightgown, rubbing her bottom, which must still bear the faint imprint of his first spanks. He then delivered a light spank on the crown of her buttocks. He continued to spank her lightly, slowly spreading a pleasant warmth in her bottom, and molten delight throughout her whole body.

  Alicia noted he was counting as he spanked, in a warm, husky voice.

  “…five… six… seven…”

  She nearly swooned with pleasure when he reached number eight. It was then that he spanked harder, landing two rapid, stinging spanks right on her sit spot. He then stopped abruptly.

  Alicia keenly felt his engorged cock pressing against her body.

  “Enough,” he growled. “Just get on your hands and knees on the floor, like a good, dutiful wife should.”

  Alicia found herself instantly obeying him, setting herself on her elbows and knees, and thrusting her spanked bottom towards him. He knelt behind her, positioning her to his liking. She moaned deeply when he entered her from behind, filling her to the hilt. Her bottom smarted somewhat from the spanks he’d delivered, and she just loved the way his front was making contact with her tender buttocks. Soon, she lost all coherent thought, as he hammered in and out of her, fierce and deep.

  As they both climbed into bed after the lovemaking was done, Alicia found her face flaming again. Her husband lay down, embracing her and settling her head on his chest.

  “Are you in pain, wife?” he asked, and there seemed to be some concern in his voice.

  “From the spanking? No, husband, you spanked me lightly,” she told him in earnest.

  “I wasn’t talking of the spanking. I loved you to the hilt, and hard. Do you feel pain now?”

  She shook her head.

  “A bit sore maybe, but in no true pain.”

  He heaved a deep sigh.

  “I’ll be more careful in the future…You have a sweet cunt, my lady, it’s easy to forget myself around you.”

  She blushed, torn between pleasure and embarrassment, and she recalled how wantonly she’d moaned when she’d been lying across his lap and he was warming her bottom. She felt ashamed of herself.

  “Husband… do you think ‘tis sinful?” she asked softly, her heart suddenly seized with anguish.

  He held her tighter against him.

  “Nay, I do not think lusty coupling is sinful.”

  Still, her heart kept beating in anguish.

  “Not coupling… not that… The spanking… I…” she paused, in utter shame.

  Was she a wicked, unnatural woman for enjoying him spanking her? In the Hall, when everyone had been watching, she’d been ashamed and frightened. She had not enjoyed the punishment in itself, yet she had enjoyed the feeling of his hand spanking her. It was strange. And tonight, she’d been able to enjoy herself fully. There’d been no humiliation about the way he’d spanked her bare bottom. Only a delicious naughtiness. And only the two of them. A bond that seemed to have forged between two lovers, the one Mistress Reed had spoken about.

  “I enjoyed it as well,” Bertran told her. “My hand chastising your luscious bottom. So I guess we’re both sinners, if this is a sin,” he added calmly.

  “You seem unconcerned by it! But what if what we did is wrong?” she asked in anguish. “You were married before! Is this usual love play between spouses?”

  He answered after a long pause.

  “I’ve never spanked a woman before you, my lady. I had no cause to.”

  She’d heard of his first wife. Everyone had called her a paragon of virtue. Alicia suddenly felt jealous, although she knew it was petty of her to think so of a woman who was no longer among the living.

  “She must have been a good woman,” she muttered, in utter shame.

  “She was,” he replied.

  The anguish didn’t leave her.

  “Do you think me wicked? Wicked for enjoying this?” she asked in earnest.

  He sat up, making her sit up with him.

  “Peace, wife,” he said gently. “I do not think you are wicked. My first wife was a good woman, but that doesn’t make my second bad. You’re different from her, is all.”

  He buried a hand in her hair, bestowing upon her his comely smile.

  “You like heated caresses, as do I. And I suppose that’s why you like me spanking you. There’s great heat in it and closeness between us that this brings. I see no shame or sin in it, and I doubt God Himself would call that sinful. God is wise.”

  He kissed her gently, then lowered her on the bed, covering her with his strong body.

  “My confessor is surely going to give me hard penance for my wanton behaviour. I think I’ll have to spend most of my days on my knees in prayer,” Alicia muttered between kisses.

  He laughed.

  “Amee, tell him you’ve been a dutiful wife and your husband’s strong hand will always make sure you remain so. He’ll be satisfied.”

  She rolled her eyes at his carelessness for her immortal soul, but was soon lost in his kisses. She hazily realized he’d called her amee – his beloved. It was just an endearment, but it made her heart beat faster to think upon the word. He loved her very gently, moving in slow circles inside her and making her melt at the sweetness of it all. It was strange, wasn’t it? He could be both hard and gentle. Alicia sighed contentedly after they’d both found their release, and she closed her eyes, telling herself he may not be wrong. There was a rightness between them when they coupled which couldn’t persuade her that what they did was sinful. They were a good match. She frowned a little, recalling the switch only too well, and his warning he would use it if necessary. From his words, she’d understood he hadn’t chastised his first wife thus. Alicia knew too well the punishment he would deliver if she crossed him would not be love play, like the one he’d bestowed on her today. She had no doubt he would make sure it would be a harsh punishment and not pleasure. She fell asleep, vexed with herself. She didn’t feel angry with him anymore – not even at the prospect of a hard, merciless punishment. It was strange. It felt like she trusted he would never truly harm her.

  Chapter 9

  Bertran woke up to find his lady wife still sleeping in his arms. He smiled in relief, recalling that today he would not have to go to Court. It was time to join his men on the practice field, since his courtly business had lately taken
him away from such duties. He got ready, having a care not to wake his sleeping wife, and covering her naked body with the blanket.

  He looked upon his lady, feeling both lust and tenderness. Her long hair had become tangled in her sleep, as he’d not given her the opportunity to braid it last night. He had no doubt she would spend quite a while combing it and setting it to rights, and he savoured that lovely image in his mind. He told himself he had been wrong in his jealousy. No woman who was pining for another lover would respond to his lovemaking as she did.

  As he prepared to go out, his eyes fell unwittingly on the switch he’d placed by the door, and he grinned. He would have occasion to use it, but not for punishment. He already understood chastising his lady over his knee brought her more pleasure than pain. It would be useless to try to use such discipline when she misbehaved, so he would have to think of other ways of keeping her within boundaries. But perhaps this would not prove a great hardship and no such boundaries would ever be needed. So far, Lady Alicia seemed a levelheaded woman.

  He felt light-hearted today, and thought again of his fears last night as unfounded. Lady Alicia burned for his touch. She’d met him thrust for thrust while he’d had her from behind. And she’d glanced passionately into his eyes when he’d been inside her later, loving her gently. No shadow of Sir Erec de Jarnac had loomed between them. So his fears were unfounded. The match seemed as pleasing to her as it was to him.

  After he hurriedly broke his fast, he joined his men on the practice field, feeling the liberation of strong exertion. But, as he parried and attacked, he couldn’t help but notice the hustle and bustle in the courtyard. People he did not know seemed to be coming about, with their tools. Soon he came to see that some of them were carpenter’s apprentices. He frowned. To his knowledge, he’d hired no carpenters to do work on his house. The mystery was soon unveiled when he conferred with the people in question, who cheerfully informed him that it was his lady wife who’d hired them. The lady Alicia had also employed a smith’s services, he found out from his servants, as well as made several purchases, to replace some of the linens and furnishings. He listened to all this with widening eyes. The lady had been his wife but for a few days, and she was already behaving as if she’d been mistress of it forever. And, he noted with a frown, she’d not even spoken to him of the changes she envisaged making. He went back to his practice, venting his newly acquired frustration on his practice opponents, who had to defend themselves fiercely against him.