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Wondering if his future wife had been soundly spanked this afternoon made Edwin’s breeches feel rather tight, but he tried to push such enticing thoughts out of his head for a more appropriate time. After exchanging the usual courtesies and a few comments about the weather, Lady Harrington excused herself, claiming a need to find her maid, ostensibly to give Edwin and Eleanor a few minutes alone so that he might propose.
For herself, Eleanor was so wrapped up in herself that she hadn’t even noticed her mother’s discomfort or red eyes, even when she and her mother had been having a discussion about Lord Hyde’s attributes and her mother’s joy over her daughter’s ‘happy match.’ It was all enough to make Eleanor want to slap Lord Hyde across his smug, handsome face. Yet nothing stopped the tremor that went through her body as he moved to seat himself next to her on the couch, far too close to her for comfort.
Oh, what was her father thinking?! The hastiness of this match would cause more gossip than anything Eleanor had done. Although since she and Edwin had known each other for so long, perhaps the gossip wouldn’t be quite as bad, it wasn’t as if they were strangers after all. He was one of her brother’s closest friends. Looking into his dark, brooding eyes, she couldn’t stop the flush that came to her cheeks. Unconsciously she shifted away from him, wincing as the weight on her sore bottom changed. Unfortunately the cushions on the sofa weren’t soft enough to comfort a thoroughly chastised bottom like hers.
“Lady Eleanor,” Edwin murmured, bringing her gaze back up to meet his. Her crystal blue eyes were filled with anxiety and excitement, the little catch in her breath as he leaned closer to her telling him that she was not unaffected by his presence.
“Lord Hyde,” she said, her voice formal, stilted. Yet the look she was giving him was that of an innocent, awaiting a stolen kiss, with her head and lips tilted just so. It was an instinctive response and not one that she would have made knowingly.
Sliding down onto one knee in front of her, Edwin impertinently put his hand on her thigh. Eleanor drew in her breath quickly as his hand seemed to sear her skin through the fabric of her gown. No man had ever touched her in such an inappropriate spot before! If only he wasn’t so handsome, so big, so exciting… her reaction to his touch was more than a little disturbing to her.
“Eleanor,” he said, his voice becoming more warmly intimate as he used her Christian name. Her cheeks flushed becomingly. “We’ve known each other for years now and last night at your ball I realized I’d never seen another woman I wanted to make my wife, not until I really looked at you and saw the young woman you’ve become and not the little girl I’d known all my life.” His hand reached up and brushed her cheek, Eleanor jerked back. The touch of skin on skin was too fiery to be born, although it didn’t help when his hand settled back onto her thigh. The ring of truth in his voice disconcerted her, he actually sounded as if he was saying nothing but the honest truth! Was it possible he truly had a hidden tendre for her? That he truly wanted to marry her for something other than her father’s money or request? The idea appealed more than she wanted to admit. “I know this is quite sudden, but I want you to understand that this is what I truly want. Please, do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
There was no mention of love or adoration in his little speech, but she didn’t doubt his words. Edwin had never been a liar and there was sincerity in everything he said, although she couldn’t account for why he was sudden speaking of these feelings now. Perhaps he would be easier to influence than she thought. Surprisingly flustered, Eleanor cleared her throat to try and find her voice, it came out in a husky whisper.
“I had no idea…” she cleared her throat again. While she still wasn’t sure that marriage to Lord Hyde was what she wanted, at the very least it would get her out of her father’s house. And then she could find a way to annul the marriage and flee to her mother in Brighton, surely one of her swains would be willing to meet her there and elope to Gretna Green. Kilcairn or Cawdor would probably consider it the height of heroic romance. That was probably for the best, her strange attraction to Edwin was dangerous and not to be indulged. But for now she must play the part that she had been assigned. “I accept.”
He gave her a wry grin, as if acknowledging her rather lackluster response. Then, to her shock, he stood, pulling her to her feet and into his arms in one swift movement.
“What are you-?” she started to say before he cut her off.
“Let us seal it with a kiss.”
And then his lips were on hers. They were soft, warm, and insistent. Eleanor shuddered at the sensation of his strong arms wrapped around her, easily holding her against him. The muscles of his broad chest flexed under her hands as she pushed at him. Then one of his hands slid down her back and squeezed her bottom, eliciting a small gasp of pain as his fingers dug into her abused rear. Edwin took advantage of her open lips to slide his tongue into her mouth. He tasted of spice and mint, his tongue both shocking and exciting her, as did this entire encounter. Somehow the heat in her bottom seemed to change under Edwin’s hand, from merely painful to rather arousing. Making a small mewling noise Eleanor squirmed against him, although she was no longer entirely sure that she wanted him to let her go. Something new and fantastic had flared to life inside of her, making her sore bottom feel almost good as his hand squeezed it, and she could feel herself yearning for… something…
With a show of willpower that Edwin considered nothing less than heroic, he released Eleanor’s soft, curvy body, reluctantly letting go of her luscious bottom. While it was possible she had gasped because she was shocked at the liberties he’d taken by touching her so intimately, Edwin was sure he’d heard some pain in her voice, meaning th
at she certainly had at least been spanked before he came over. The idea inflamed him. Spanked the day before being wedded to him and soon he’d have the right to put his hands all over her lovely body. To administer that discipline.
For her part, Eleanor stared at him, very much like an awed child as her body trembled now that he was no longer holding her up. What on earth had just happened? Why had she responded to him like that?
The man was more dangerous than she’d realized. While she’d heard about the effect a rake could have on an innocent young woman, she had never experienced it for herself and had no idea that it was so overwhelming! A man like this wouldn’t be controlled by her. There was no way she could marry him.
“Ah, is everything alright in here?” her mother said, appearing in the doorway to see them standing and staring at each other.
“Quite,” said Lord Edwin with a smile as he turned to face her, taking Eleanor’s hand in his. “I have asked the Lady Eleanor to be my wife and she has accepted my proposal.”
“Oh how wonderful!” exclaimed Lady Harrington, as if the news was unexpected. “I am thrilled to be the first to wish you happy.”
Eleanor gave her mother a sickly smile, the best she could do under the circumstances. Oh… how was she going to get out of this?
*********
Married. The slim gold band around her finger seemed more like a shackle, chaining her to the charming, handsome man at her side who was smiling as if he’d just won a fortune at White’s. Somehow, despite the short notice, her parents had managed to round up a small assembly of guests, including one young lady that she suspected was included for her brother’s benefit. Miss Irene Chandler was the daughter of Baron Standish. It was well known that Miss Chandler's family wasn't very flush and her dowry didn't have any money, but was a bit of land that abutted directly next to some of Lord Harrington's. If Hugh and Miss Chandler were to marry then that land would become part of the Harrington estate, something that Eleanor knew her father wanted.
Miss Chandler was quite beautiful, with strawberry-blonde hair and shining emerald eyes. In her third Season she had a number of suitors, but none so far who were quite willing to propose marriage, knowing that doing so would mean taking on the financial burdens of her family. It was a well-known fact that she would need a wealthy husband and that none of her suitors came close to the wealth or status that Hugh did. Despite the fact that it would be an arranged marriage, Hugh showed every sign of being a bit smitten with the young lady, dancing his attendance on her all through Eleanor and Edwin's wedding breakfast. He’d always had a much more romantic nature than his sister.
The wedding breakfast was coming to a close and soon Eleanor would be off to her new husband’s town home. Anxiety roiled in her stomach. So many changes!
“Eleanor are you alright?” The concern in her father’s voice sparked tears in her eyes.
“Yes Father… I just….” She paused, not wanting to insult her new husband. Not in front of him at least. “Everything’s changing.”
“Ah,” her father said smiling before turning to her new husband. “Edwin, might I have a moment with my daughter?”
“Of course, sir,” Edwin said, giving her hand a squeeze before he walked across the room to speak to Hugh, pausing a few times to receive the well wishes of the other guests. Eleanor watched him, her heart in her throat. Every little touch that he gave her seemed to have that effect on her but she knew that she must keep him out of her bed. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to annul the marriage.
Her father put his hand on her upper arm, drawing her attention back to him. The expression on his face was gentle.
