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Tallie glanced at the clock on the mantel and noted only about twelve minutes had gone by since they entered the room. Although this was an important call—since her future spouse was being introduced to her for the very first time—Tallie still expected, and hoped, this gathering would last no more than the customary half hour.
While sitting perfectly on the edge of the settee in order to maintain proper posture as expected of her, Tallie also worked to relax the muscles of her bottom, for despite her skepticism at Zander’s instructions, she had realized he was correct in advising her that keeping the muscles of her bottom relaxed helped to tamp down the sensation of the ginger in her bum.
“Tallie, did you not hear Lady Banyon’s question to you?” Zander asked, giving her a pointed look.
Tallie brought herself back to the present moment and glanced up at Lady Banyon. “My apologies, my lady, would you please repeat your question?”
Lady Banyon smiled at her warmly and said, “I was simply noting that you appeared to be somewhat flushed and I wondered if you were perhaps feeling unwell?”
Forcing herself not to slant her eyes in Zander’s direction, Tallie composed herself and addressed Lady Banyon. “Thank you for your concern, my lady, it is most kind of you. However I believe I am simply a bit anxious,” Tallie directed her gaze at Lord Banyon and gave a slight smile, “at meeting the man who may become my husband.”
“May?” Lady Banyon and her son both said at the same time, glancing back and forth between Zander and Tallie, confused looks upon their faces.
“I was under the impression,” Lord Banyon said with a firm tone and a dark flash to his gaze, “that the arrangements had been made, and the marriage was a certainty. My father and Lady Natalia’s father struck the deal before both of their untimely deaths. I intend to honor my father’s wishes.” He directed his gaze at Tallie, his anger barely concealed. “Failure to honor this agreement would bring shame to the men who made it, not to mention that you, Lady Natalia, would be known throughout society as a jilt. A jilt who has not a care for her late father’s reputation or wishes. Is that what you want?”
The atmosphere in the room had suddenly gotten chilly, though it had no effect on cooling Tallie’s bottom.
Tallie herself was taken aback. She turned to Zander. “I was under the impression there was still the opportunity for me to have some say in the matter.” Indignation coursed through her veins and she set her refreshments on the side table lest the shaking in her hands cause spillage.
* * *
“Now, I am sure if weall remain calm, we can resolve everyone’s questions and concerns.” Zander stood, taking charge of the situation in the room, doing his best to seem authoritative without setting off either Tallie’s temper or Lord Banyon’s pique.
It was becoming ever more clear to Zander that his skills as a guardian, or marriage broker, or frankly just as a man in general, were sorely lacking. He had fully intended earlier to take Tallie in hand and though he did succeed in placing the root in her arse, it had been nearly impossible for him to refrain from indulging in the pleasures of her body.
And now, what ought to have been a pleasant social call had turned into a confrontation.
Furthermore, the ginger had been in Tallie’s bottom for much longer than he had anticipated. He wished to make a point, but he had not intended for it to go on interminably. She had held out much better than he had expected, and he had to give her credit for that.
However it was incumbent upon him to resolve the dispute and get her out of the room as soon as possible.
To complicate matters, of course, he dared not risk the failure of the marriage agreement. Tallie had to marry Lord Banyon; that was all there was to it.
Lord Banyon, unwilling to be cowed by Zander’s authority, had stood as well. Lord Banyon had youth and impulsivity and Zander knew full well if he did not contain the situation, things could get ugly quickly.
Taking Tallie by the arm and assisting her to stand, Zander spoke to their guests. “Lady Natalia and I have matters to discuss. Please excuse us for a few moments.”
Lord Banyon took a step forward. “You may take all the time you need,” he said, a hard glint in his eye. “My mother and I shall return to our home and once we have heard from you that Lady Natalia is in full agreement with the arrangements we have made, please send word. And perhaps we can have another meeting and hopefully have a more pleasant and productive conversation.”
He gave a pointed look at Tallie. “I had hoped my offer of marriage would have been more enthusiastically received. You ought to give due consideration to the consequences to you, your reputation, and your father’s memory should you refuse to comply.”
Zander had to give the gentleman credit. At first he had taken him to be a bit of a mama’s boy, but Lord Banyon had stood his ground. Much as Zander would have in the same situation.
It was almost a race to the door to see who would leave the sitting room first. However the proper thing was to allow their guests to exit, which Zander and Tallie did. As soon as the Banyons were out the front door, however, Zander and Tallie hurried up the stairs, her arm firmly in his grasp.
* * *
Charging up the grandstaircase, the two of them rushed to Tallie’s bedchamber and as soon as they got inside, Zander closed and locked the door.
Tallie positioned herself over the footboard of her bed as she had been earlier, yanked the skirts of her dress up above her hips, and bounced on her tiptoes, squealing into the bedcovers, “Take it out, take it out.”
She had held her composure for as long as she could, and frankly had lasted much longer than she could’ve ever imagined. But now all she could think about was getting the blasted root of ginger out of her bottom. Oh! How it burned. She’d had no idea. At first when Zander had inserted the root into her backside, she had not thought it was such a dramatic punishment, though of course having anything foreign introduced into her most private opening was shocking. Not to mention the humiliating fact her guardian had been probing her back hole.
Initially, the pain had been negligible. When Zander had left so Grace could assist her in changing her gown, the heat had started to build and Tallie no longer doubted Zander’s word on the matter. She had rushed Grace through the styling of her hair in order to hurry things along, that much better to get to the point of removing the plug. Fortunately Grace was quite adept at hairstyling, and also accustomed to her mistress’s limited amount of patience, and had managed an attractive hairstyle in a short amount of time.
All that being said, Tallie now wanted nothing more than for the burn to stop. She did not even care that she was in a most degrading and subservient position, openly begging Zander to manipulate her arse once again.
She had no choice. Oh, she supposed she could reach around and remove it herself, but such action risked raising Zander’s ire, and as she had already had one thorough spanking that morning, she did not wish for any more. Besides, he was right there and he had moved to her, his fingers trailing down her flanks as he murmured soothing words. “Hush, Tallie, you did a good job. I did not mean for things to go on so long.”
