AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you, Charles. Call at the manor later this week if you desire.”
“I will, Lord Wintercrest. Please… take care of Lucy.” Before Edward could correct the young man’s form of address toward his ward, Charles smiled and said, “You can be very proud, sir. She didn’t make a single mistake.”
Edward felt his heart swell and smiled, looking down at the still shaking young woman. He saw that she had also heard and watched as her face seemed to come back to life, her smile beginning on her lips but quickly spreading to her eyes.
His own smile grew as he turned to speak to the professor again. “I would be proud of her regardless, Charles, but we both owe you our thanks.” With that, he nodded again at Henri, who was also grinning from ear to ear. The carriage door closed and as it pulled away, Edward gave Lucille a hug and then helped her to take a seat opposite him.
Her smile disappeared as her face flushed and she met his gaze. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to say, “I-I didn’t do the thin… I-I never—”
“Hush, Lucy, I know you didn’t and I promise Thorne will be out of a job as soon as I can arrange it. I know you worked very hard, and I am very proud of you,” Edward reassured her, leaning forward to cup her cheek with his hand.
She closed her eyes and he saw her take a deep breath for the first time since they’d arrived at the school. Opening them, the fear was gone, the violet-blue seemed lit from within. “Really, sir? You’re really proud of me?” Lucy asked, her voice soft, the question coming out a bit shakily.
“Oh yes, little one. I am very, very proud. More importantly, you have honored yourself, little one, and I couldn’t be happier that you proved that disgusting turkey vulture wrong.”
She smiled brightly and then began to giggle. He watched as her hands clapped over her mouth as if to contain her mirth. He found himself laughing as well. Her eyes widened as the horrid tension of the past several days broke. She was soon bent forward, her laughter filling the carriage. It was a long time before she was able to begin to get herself under control.
“He… he does look like a vulture and looked so funny on the fl… floor… ohhh…”
Edward grinned glad to see her laugh instead of appearing as if she were about to faint. Bending forward, he took her hands in his. “I think he was most concerned about his silly cane.” The moment the word left his mouth he was sorry. She immediately stopped smiling and began to pull away from him. He tightened his grip and said, “Don’t, Lucy. You have nothing to be sad or scared about. You never need worry or even think about Thorne again. He was wrong in what he said. I know you studied and earned your degree. Don’t waste another moment thinking about him or that school. Instead, think about how happy Louisa will be when you tell her that you not only passed, but that you are the reason why no other students will ever have to be scared of Mr. Thorne.”
“Thank you, sir, I won’t think about him anymore, but… but I don’t have my diploma.”
Edward lifted her hand to his lips and gave her knuckles a quick kiss. “Don’t fret. I’ll make sure you get it, for you shall always get what you have earned.” Her face was just as expressive as her twin’s and he knew she understood the words addressed more than just a piece of paper.
Her cheeks flushed a very pretty pink, she tentatively returned his smile. “Yes, sir. Thank you,” she said very softly.
He nodded and they turned to their own thoughts as Henri took them home.
The front door opened the minute the carriage pulled up. Louisa stood on the top step, her tiny form framed by the open door. Edward climbed out of the carriage and helped Lucy down. They both turned to see Louisa flying down the steps.
She ran to her sister and said, “Please, Lucy, I just know you passed… please tell me you passed!”
Lucy’s smile returned at the pure happiness and expectation on her sister’s face. She nodded and the girls soon had their arms around each other, hugging and dancing in a circle, giggling as if they were small children. Edward watched, his heart full as he realized how lucky he was. He had originally been disappointed in learning that he would not be allowed to simply enjoy being a new husband but was duty-bound to take on the role of guardian as well. He’d known that the guardianship would interfere greatly with his plans for his bride. Today, however, seeing the girls so happy and hearing their excited chatter, he wouldn’t have changed a thing.
He gathered them both to his sides and said, “I believe a celebration is in order. How would you both like to go out for supper and celebrate our newest scholar?” Louisa squealed and clapped her hands. Lucy was also happy and smiled.
“I would love that, Edward.”
Edward quirked his eyebrow and shook his head. “Just because you graduated, young lady, doesn’t give you license to forget your manners.”
“Yes, sir, I’m sorry. I-I guess I thought once I actually graduated I would be treated as a… a grown up.”
Edward smiled and looked down at the small woman. “The world may consider you an adult, Lucille, but believe me, you are a true little girl now, just as you have always been. You need a good, firm hand to keep you in line as has been proven with your recent success. Can you tell me that you believe you could have done such a wonderful job without being forced to study and study hard?”
He knew her to be a stubborn young lady, but also an honest one and wasn’t surprised to see her shaking her head.
“No… no, sir. I… I wouldn’t have studied as hard.”
He nodded. “And, tell me the truth, Lucy, what helped motivate you to study as hard as you did.”
Her blush deepened to a rosy red, her hands fidgeting in her skirts as she seemed to consider the past few days. If he knew her as well as he believed he did, he could imagine her recalling images of herself kicking and crying, her bottom lifted as it was paddled, strapped and birched.
She moaned softly and had to finally admit he was the cause of her concentration in her studies. “You… you did, sir. You made me want to memorize all the equations and learn the formulas necessary to pass the mathematical section of the exam.”
Keeping his eyes on her, knowing she could see the intensity within his gaze, he asked, “And exactly how did I motivate you, Lucille?”
“You… you spanked me, sir.”
