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"I know sweetheart," Hugh said, kissing the top of her head. While he might not understand why she'd put herself in such a compromising position with Lord Brooke, he truly believed that she regretted her actions even before her punishment. The 'why' of the incident still bothered him, but he was enjoying their current closeness - especially after her coldness since her last spanking - too much to bring it up.
Perhaps that coldness partially explained her desire to find some affection with a trusted childhood friend. The theory helped to quell Hugh's jealousy somewhat, especially since Irene was currently curled up in his lap and seeking comfort from him.
Once her crying had subsided Hugh sent her up to their room. "I'll join you there shortly," he said, giving her another kiss on her forehead before gently pushing her out into the hall.
Lord Brooke stood there, obviously intrigued by the obvious closeness that was being exhibited between Irene and Hugh despite the fact that she was obviously walking gingerly due to her burning backside. "Good night, Irene."
"Good night, Alex," said a much subdued Irene, not looking at him as she passed by. There was a slight coolness to her manner, as if to save her pride or possibly due to Alex's lack of support for her. His usual stony expression covered any reaction he might have had to her diffidence.
Both he and Hugh watched as she slowly walked away and disappeared around the corner. Although Hugh desperately wanted to join her immediately in their bedroom, he also recognized that he needed to see Lord Brooke on his way.
"Is she going to be alright?" Alex asked, his frowning features showing his concern as he peered after the subdued redhead.
"Very," said Hugh. A small smile quirked his lips. "I was adamant that Edwin not go into too much detail about his relationship with my sister, but both he and Wesley assured me that spanking a wife is a very different matter than spanking my sister and I've found that to be true. It incites an entirely different kind of reaction and I can guarantee that before she goes to sleep tonight Irene will be very well."
"I believe they hinted something similar to me," murmured Alex with a faint smile, looking reassured. "I appreciate your discretion."
"As I do yours." Hugh hesitated but he had to ask. "Do you
know what happened tonight?"
For a moment Alex seemed to struggle with himself, emotions flickering across his face. It was an unprecedented display as far as Hugh could tell.
"Much as I hate to admit it, I think my wife might have been right about something."
"Lady Grace?"
"Ah. Of course you're acquainted with her, being Eleanor's brother." Alex leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment as if gathering himself. The resignation that settled upon his hard features made Hugh feel rather sorry for him. While Hugh had never particularly liked Grace, he hadn't disliked her either. He'd never really had an opinion on her marriage, although he'd always been surprised at the fact that her affairs didn't incite stronger condemnation from Society at large. "Grace once told me that Irene idolized me. She seemed rather jealous and spiteful at the time, I thought she was just making things up to be angry with me. She wanted me to be less friendly, which of course I was unwilling to do as I've always taken care of Irene the way an older brother would."
"Hm."
"Grace said Irene's feelings for me went beyond that kind of relationship." Alex shook his head, as if he trying to shake the new revelation from himself. He looked at Hugh, his eyes apologetic. "I certainly never thought Grace's accusations had any basis in reality, but tonight... Irene seemed determined to try and push past our usual interactions. But I could swear that she wasn't, isn't, attracted to me. We just don't have that kind of connection."
"But she does idolize you," Hugh said with a sigh. "I think that much is clear. She expected you to side with her and to save her from... well, me."
"I think inviting me to stay and learn from your methods was probably the best approach you could have taken," Alex said. The look they exchanged was full of male sympathy for each other's positions. "Although I appreciate how difficult it must have been for you."
"If it means she doesn't continue to look at you like you're her hero and I'm a villain, then it will have been worth it," said Hugh dryly. He was still feeling a bit affronted that he'd been cast in such a role, although logically he supposed that he could understand it.
"I'm quite sure she no longer sees me in such a light." The sad resignation on Alex's face was back and Hugh felt a pang of sympathy for him. Considering the low esteem his wife obviously held him in, Irene's adoration and friendship had probably meant quite a bit to him.
"She won't hold it against you forever," he said consolingly.
"I certainly hope not." Alex sighed as he stood up straight. "I already have one female in my life who is all too skilled at holding a grudge, I don't relish the idea of having another. I should be off, so that you can ah, conclude your evening."
Smiling, Hugh led him to the door before heading immediately upstairs towards the bedroom. He didn't want to leave his wife too long to her own devices.
******
Flora helped Irene to undress, exclaiming over the reddened area of Irene's bottom. It was obvious that this punishment had been much more prolonged than the one she'd received before.
"He didn't use anything other than his hand," Irene said, almost wonderingly as she looked over her shoulder in the mirror. Flora had put her in a nightgown, which she now had hiked up to her waist so that she could examine the damage. Her buttocks very closely resembled a heart in both shape and color, the skin felt tight and hot to the touch.
"Doesn't look like he needed to," Flora muttered under her breath as she bustled around, putting away Irene's evening gown and jewelry.
"Alex didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it." That was something that she was still having trouble assimilating. Did it mean that Alex wasn't the man she thought he was? Or did it mean that there was truly nothing shocking about Hugh spanking her?
Running her fingers over the fiery patch of skin, she hissed a little. It stung when she touched it and only ached a bit when she didn't. The sensation reminded her of when she'd once stood out in the sun for too long and her skin had burned red and hot to the touch, an effect that had lingered for days and left her more freckled than ever. Her mother had not been pleased.
