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The short note was written in a heavy, severe hand.
My Lord Hyde,
I regret that I must request you inform the Earl of Spencer that he is needed at the house at once. His ward and one of our guests have gone missing. Your wife and Viscountess Petersham are currently still in the drawing room here.
With regrets for the intrusion,
William Manfred
The curses came fast and furious as all of the gentlemen swiftly downed the last of their drinks and set them aside. So much for thinking that his own wife had become a paragon of virtues. He didn't doubt for one moment that Irene knew where Grace and Cynthia had got to, if they'd disappeared.
And he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to convince her to part with the information.
******
The moment the men came storming through the door, Irene knew that they were caught. Not that it stopped either her or Eleanor from putting on their most innocent expressions. The gimlet look in her husband's eye as he strode towards her said he wasn't buying her act for a second. Nervous butterflies flocked to her stomach.
Defying Hugh wasn't something she was cut out for, but she would do her best. She completely avoided looking at Alex, not wanting to give anything away. Besides which, she was feeling more than displeased with her old friend at the moment. Although she hadn't liked Grace at the beginning of their marriage, that still didn't mean that he should have said the things he did to Grace's father. Now, having become friendlier with the other woman, she no longer blamed Grace for her behavior at all.
Irene knew full well that she herself was lucky that Hugh cared so deeply for her that he had fallen in love with her. But he'd also started out their marriage with the appropriate sentiments. She was appalled at Alex's attitude towards marriage. Why should Grace treat their relationship as something worthwhile when he didn't?
She didn't realize it, but her chin tilted up at a stubborn angle as she looked back at the men, feigning calm. Only her hands, clenched in her lap, gave away her nerves. That and the tiny tremors that shivered through her body. Beside her, Eleanor, much more practiced at being in trouble, raised a questioning eyebrow at her approaching husband.
While Wesley and Alex hung back, it was clear that they were even more agitated than Hugh or Edwin, who looked like avenging furies as they loomed over their wives.
"My Lords," Eleanor said smoothly, and Irene mentally blessed her. Her own throat was so tight with nerves that she could barely breathe, much less talk. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Edwin crossed his arms over his chest, the stern look on his face making Irene quail. She didn't know how Eleanor managed to remain so collected, looking up at him as if she didn't have a care in the world. Peeking at her own husband, Irene felt her tremors increase at his severe countenance. Every inch of her wanted to squirm under that authoritarian gaze.
"Where are Cynthia and Grace?" Edwin asked, his mild tone completely at odds with the stern look on his face. Deceptively mild, that was what it was, Irene thought. She didn't trust it any more than the men trusted her and Eleanor's wide-eyed innocence.
"Why the retiring room, of course," Eleanor s
aid with a little laugh, her eyes meeting each man in turn, with a look that said they were all being silly. More than ever, Irene admired her sister-in-law. The lie wouldn't hold up for more than a few minutes, but Eleanor looked completely serene, even facing off against the four large and very intimidating men in the room.
Even knowing that her and Irene's bottoms were going to pay for it.
Irene bit on her lower lip. She hated the look of disappointment on Hugh's face as she didn't speak up and avoided meeting his eyes, even when she peeked at him through her lashes. Eventually either she or Eleanor would break, and she was honest enough to know that it would probably be her, but she would delay the men for as long as possible. Give Grace and Cynthia the time to search, so that at least their punishments wouldn't be in vain.
"I think we both know that's not true." The growing menace in Edwin's voice made Irene shiver again. She actually shrank into herself as Hugh spoke up.
"Perhaps Irene and I should move to a different room to talk," he said. "Wesley, do you have a room we could use?"
Staring at her hands in her lap, Irene's bottom clenched. She instinctively knew why Hugh wanted privacy. It was what she had expected. Eleanor was protected by her condition, but going by the look on Edwin's face, he was already thinking about lighting into her bottom once it was safe to. Not that it quailed Eleanor in the slightest, unlike Irene.
She knew she was their weak spot. Unused to standing up to her mother. Unused to being spanked. Unused to doing anything other than what was expected of her.
"My study," Wesley said, his voice hard, not at all like the laughing, flirtatious rake that she was used to seeing him as. Quite suddenly, she realized that this was the side of him that Cynthia probably saw most often. Stern, imposing, and, as Cynthia would say, a "stuffed-shirt." Although, right now he certainly had reason to be. "The chair is in there."
Irene stifled a little moan as Hugh reached out and took her arm, lifting her to her feet.
"Wait," said Eleanor, reaching out to grab Irene's hand. The men all stilled, looking at the rebellious blonde as she tugged Irene back down beside her. Hugh allowed it, although he kept his hand on Irene's arm. His thumb caressed her skin, even as his fingers remained firmly gripping her. It was both reassuring and anxiety inducing. Irene knew that she was going to be spanked tonight, but she was relieved that it had been put off for at least a few minutes. Eleanor's cool sapphire gaze slid around the room again, not lingering on any single man. "They went for a walk."
"Where?" Wesley demanded through gritted teeth. He stepped forward from his place by the door, Alex only a pace behind him. Irene tried to lean back, away from them, even though they were nowhere near her, but Hugh's hand held her in place. "It's far too late in the evening for them to be out walking alone."
"Nell, where did they go?" Edwin asked, his voice foreboding as he loomed over his wife in a most intimidating manner. The little smirk she gave him said that she wasn't nearly as daunted as Irene was. Leaning over, he whispered in Eleanor's ear, softly enough that none of the other men could hear what he was saying, but Irene could just make out the threat. "I may not be able to spank you right now, but for every minute you wait to tell me, I will add on a day that you will not be allowed to climax."
Irene's cheeks paled along with Eleanor's.
