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Lucy gasped, drawing Edward’s attention, though she completely ignored the lift of his brow that never failed to silence his wife.
“No!” she said forcefully but then quickly added, “I mean there’s no need to inconvenience Professor Lloyds. Edward. I don’t need a tutor. I can attend to my studies myself.”
Edward did not appreciate his ward’s interruption. It seemed it would take far more than a caning to teach her the proper place for a female in a man’s world. He tightened his grip on her upper arm and said sternly, “You will do well to remain silent, Lucille. Instead of spending your life selfishly thinking only of your needs or wants, it would serve you far better to listen to your elders. Have you forgotten our last conversation about your need to learn obedience? I would be more than happy to refresh your memory. Is that what you wish, Lucille? Do you need to go across my knees and have me administer a reminder to your impertinent bottom even now?” He could see Thorne having to control himself as if he truly wished to witness just such a physical reminder, but the headmaster’s wishes weren’t truly his concern. He was far more interested in hearing his wife’s gasp and seeing his ward’s face turning scarlet as the sisters evidently replayed the day Lucy attempted to assert her independence—and failed miserably.
* * *
“But I’m a grown woman!If I don’t wish to go to school, I won’t.”
“I believe we are all aware of your age, Lucille,” Edward said. “What you seem unaware of is that turning eighteen most certainly does not change a thing in this household. You’ll remain under my authority, subject to my rules until your husband assumes responsibility for you.”
Lucy stomped her foot and tossed her hair, flashing eyes rolling. “That’s ridiculous. I’ve reached my majority, and I’m perfectly capable of assuming responsibility for myself! I—”
“Lucille, I suggest you change your attitude immediately,” Edward said, cutting off her tantrum. “I will not tolerate such disrespectful behavior.”
Lucy took a deep breath, then another as she considered how to advance her cause in a way he wouldn’t consider disrespectful. Keeping her voice steady, she said, “I apologize. What I mean is that with the season beginning soon, I’ll be wed quickly…” She paused at the sound of Edward’s chuckle. “What’s so amusing?”
“That’s putting the cart so far ahead of the horse they are in different counties.”
She felt her cheeks heat and sniped, “I’m quite sure I have no idea what you mean.”
“Then let me clarify it for you, Lucille. I believe the announcement of your ‘engagement’ is grossly premature. Not a single gentleman has approached me asking permission to court you, and even if one had, he’d be turned away until you finish your schooling,” Edward said.
“You’re a hypocrite, Edward. You were so eager to wed my sister that you most certainly didn’t make her attend all these boring classes.”
“We aren’t discussing Louisa, and I will not warn you again, young lady, to watch your tongue,” Edward said, his tone dropping even lower.
Lucy looked from the infuriating man to her sister, but, inexplicably, Louisa did not jump in to take her side as Lucy had expected. Instead, her sister said that while, yes, she did not attend classes once she’d wed, Edward would not set the actual date for their wedding until she’d earned her certificate of education.
“Fine,” Lucy said with a shrug. “Why can’t I do the same?”
“Because as we’ve already discussed, you arenotengaged, Lucille,” Edward repeated.
Louisa was a bit more forthcoming. “The school offers a special exit exam to pupils upon special conditions. I studied very hard as I wished to”—blushing, she looked to her husband—“to become Edward’s wife as soon as possible.” She softly continued, reminding Lucy that Edward had been extremely generous in his guardianship, and she should show her appreciation by obeying Edward’s wishes.
Lucy continued to argue mostly from the hurt she was experiencing as, for the first time in their young lives, Louisa was parroting Edward’s wishes instead of supporting her twin’s. Lucy’s voice grew more strident, her gestures a bit wilder as her protests persisted.
Edward finally sighed and stood to his full height and began rolling up the sleeve of his right arm. Louisa gasped and implored Lucy to make her apologies before it was too late. Edward told his wife to remain silent, stepped close to Lucy and took her arm. It wasn’t until she felt herself being pulled down to lie across Edward’s knees that Lucy understood she had stepped across an invisible line. She began to fight and struggle but was no match for Edward’s strength.
“Edward, please. She didn’t mean it.” Turning her attention to her sister, she entreated, “Lucy, apologize. Tell him you’ll remain in school.”
Edward took Lucy’s flailing hands and pinned them at the small of her back. “I believe I warned you to remain silent, Louisa. You will take your sister’s place once I’ve given her the spanking she has earned. Perhaps having your own bottom blistered will remind you as well who, exactly, is in charge of this household.”
Lucy was shocked hearing the announcement, seeing Louisa lower her gaze and hearing her soft response.
“Yes, sir, I’m sorry.”
Edward allowed Lucy to squirm and struggle until she wore herself out. Only then did he lift her skirts and lay them up across her back. She sobbed at the shame of it all, and suddenly her desire for independence in making her own decisions paled in comparison to the decision her guardian had obviously made. She began promising better behavior when she felt her drawers being drawn apart until both halves of her bottom were bared. Edward lifted his hand and brought it down again and again on the swells of her bottom. Lucy hadn’t been spanked since she was a child, and was horrified at how awful the experience was. By the time Edward finally allowed her up, her bottom felt as if it had been branded and her throat ached with her begging for him to stop. Edward spoke only to order her to the corner and promised a second spanking if she didn’t keep her dress up and her punished bottom on display. Lucy had been mortified, but obeyed. She stood sobbing in the corner, even as she heard a similar spanking being given to her sister. Edward sent his wife to another corner and the girls stood, skirts lifted and bottoms exposed, until the redness of their spankings began to fade.
* * *
Edward wasn’tthe least bit surprised when his ward looked up. “No, sir. I-I don’t need a reminder.”
Edward nodded as if her answer had been expected.
Thorne seemed a bit disappointed, but offered, “Perhaps sitting on a well-striped bottom will help her concentrate more fully on her lessons.”
Edward imagined the headmaster was correct, the picture of his ward squirming on the hard seat of her desk chair playing in his head. But it was the opportunity to be alone with his wife that had him nod. “Yes, I believe it would serve her well. She will also spend the rest of the weekend with her head buried in her books. Thank you again for your generous offer.”
