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Edward grinned and bent to take a huge bite of the frozen cream. Smacking his lips as she giggled, he shook his head. “Tasty but not anywhere near as good as the nibbles I take from my own sweet girl.”
“Papa,” she said, her face as pink as the strawberries she’d consumed. After they entered the house, Edward bent to wipe her mouth with his handkerchief.
“Go with Mrs. Bremmer, little lady,” he said. She smiled and ran her fingertips over his cheek.
“Thank you, Papa,” she whispered and went up onto her tiptoes to brush her lips across his. They were still chilled from the ice cream and Edward felt his cock twitch again. He knew his own little one would soon be suckling and enjoying more cream the moment he joined her in their bed. From the look of desire shining in her eyes, she realized it as well,
* * *
As Lordand Lady Wintercrest returned to the manor, Lucy and Charles settled on a park bench to enjoy their cones. Lucy was quiet now that her sister and guardian had left them. She found she had no idea what to say. Though she had grown comfortable in Charles’ presence, that had been when their roles were properly defined. Now that she had left Cressington Academy, she felt uneasy.
“Relax, Miss Furniss,” Charles said quietly as if sensing her growing distress. “There are no quizzes or exams for you to take. I simply wish to get to know you better as the young woman you are, not as my former student. I find I am very attracted to you.”
“You are?” she said, surprise evident in her tone as her face quickly flushed at the attention.
“Yes, and to that aim, I have sought permission to call upon you, Lucille, and simply ask if you can possibly see me as a suitor?”
Lucy’s heart pounded as his words sent them down a new path. She found herself remembering how Edward had told her she would most likely have suitors and understood that Charles was her first. She smiled and lifted her eyes to his. She saw the sincerity in his gaze and felt her stomach flutter. Suddenly the vision of him witnessing her punishment at the hands of her guardian played in her mind. Her ice cream was forgotten as the memory returned full-force. Attempting to push the thought away, she looked about the park, becoming aware that she was dressed far differently than other young women being allowed an evening’s outing. She glanced around, seeing several girls giggling and flirting with their escorts. Every single one of them was wearing a fashionable dress, their hair pinned up and faces colored with face-paint to enhance their features. Lucy dropped her eyes and saw her own dress. Today she was wearing one of a soft mauve, though it still had the white collar and band about her hips. She wore the simple slip-on shoes over her plain black stockings. Her hair had been brushed and plaited that morning by Mrs. Bremmer and the thick braid hung down her back. She suddenly felt foolish and wished she had never left the house. What sort of man could possibly find her the least bit attractive? She looked like some sort of overgrown child rather than a young woman of courting age. Darting a quick glance at her former professor and tutor, she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps his so called attraction had to do with seeing parts of her that should never have been revealed to any suitor.
“Lucille?” Charles said, his tone telling her she had failed in concealing her increasing distress. “Are you feeling well? Do you feel ill?” he asked, his concern apparent.
She wished she could lie, but she simply shook her head and tried to fight the threatening tears. It was only when she felt something cold on her hand that she remembered the ice cream that was no longer a treat.
Seeing it drip onto her fingers, Charles reached out to take it from her. “Please, Miss Furniss, have I said something to offend you? I assure you I have no desire to frighten you. Please tell me what can I do?”
Lucy knew her actions were causing him distress and hated herself for it. He had never ever been anything but incredibly kind to her. The only thing she could think to do was to be perfectly honest as secrets had lost their appeal when learning of the one her sister had tried to keep when she’d wed a man such as Edward Wintercrest.
“I don’t know why you’d want to court me, Professor,” she said, so quietly Charles had to bend closer to listen to her. “I… there are so many beautiful young women who don’t dress like this,” she said her fingers plucking at her skirt. “I’m not like them. You know that Ed… I mean, my guardian, disciplines me. You don’t want to waste time courting me. Not when there are so many others who would suit a man such as you far better.”
“Miss Furniss, I assure you that there is no one I could possibly imagine better suited to me than you. Heavens, I’ve thought of little else but you since I saw you last. I don’t care how you dress; you are a beautiful young woman. You are the very reason why I am trying to procure the position of Cressington’s headmaster,” he said.
Lucy’s eyes widened and flew to his. “Headmaster?” she said, her heart beating hard against her chest. “You… you are going to be headmaster of the academy?”
Charles heard the disbelief in her voice. “Well, I hope to be,” he said honestly. “I know it will take some additional training, but you, for one, should understand how studying can reap great benefits…”
Lucy immediately moved away from him. The only experiences she had ever had with any headmaster included having her bottom caned and her morals questioned. Obviously having seen her strapped, her professor now wished to cane her! She stood without thinking and turned to run away. Charles rose, dropping both their cones to the ground and grasping her arm before she managed to move more than a few feet.
“Lucy, stop, please,” he said.
“Let me go!” she cried vehemently, pulling against his hold. When he instantly released her arm, she began to run back the way they’d come. She knew her flight was drawing attention to her but didn’t care. All she wished to do was reach the manor and run to hide in the safety of her room. She gave a strangled laugh when she realized she was able to pick up speed only because her legs weren’t hindered by the long heavy skirts the other young ladies in the park were wearing. Her lungs could draw in great gulps of air because they weren’t restricted by a tightly laced corset. The reality of her new wardrobe was both a relief and a taunt as it reminded her of how horribly inadequate she felt. If this is what courting entailed, this shame at knowing how very different she was, she wanted nothing of it and would refuse any supposed suitors who came to call.
She could hear the sound of Charles’ footsteps pounding behind her as he attempted to catch up to her. Turning the corner that would lead to Wintercrest, she heard him calling out for her to stop. Looking behind her to see him gaining on her, she shook her head and she raced into the street.
“Lucille, stop this instant!” Charles bellowed, reaching out to grab her arm and pulling her back onto the sidewalk as the carriage that had almost run her over passed in a flurry of horses’ hooves and turning wheels. She stood, her chest heaving from her run, and felt him shaking her arm.
“What in the bloody hell are you thinking? You didn’t even look before running into the street!” Charles demanded, as his patience finally frayed. “You could have been seriously hurt or even killed! Why are you running from me like I was attempting to attack you? I demand you explain yourself, young lady!”
She attempted to pull away and was shocked when she felt his hand connect—hard—with her bottom. She gasped and looked up to see his eyes widen as well. Obviously understanding what he had just done, he instantly released her arm. Lucy stood still, her heart pounding, as she tried to assimilate what she was feeling. With no true answer, she simply burst into tears and threw herself into his chest. Charles staggered from the impact but regained his balance and closed his arms around her small form.
“Shh, Lucy, shh,” he said, as he attempted to quiet her. “It’s all right, Lucy. I don’t know why you are so frightened, but Lucy, shh, stop crying and talk to me,” Charles said. When she didn’t immediately answer, he simply held her closer and let her cry.
He bent to kiss the top of her head, something she had seen Edward do to his own wife. Lucy felt the pressure against her head, but didn’t know what to do… what to say. He was shorter than her guardian, the top of her head resting just under his chin where it didn’t reach much higher than Edward’s chest when he’d held her the same way. Feeling both ridiculous and rather confused as to why the man had smacked her and then kissed her, she finally pulled back, embarrassment suffusing her face.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Professor. I… I didn’t mean to be naughty,” she said as she stepped away. Charles dug in his pocket and handed her his handkerchief. Lucy wiped her eyes and offered it back, remembering that last time he had offered her such comfort. Charles evidently remembered as well.
“Keep it, Lucy,” he said softly. “Perhaps one day I won’t have need to dry your tears.” She flushed but offered him a small smile. Returning it, he continued, “I don’t believe you were being naughty, Lucy. I believe you were just frightened. Can you tell me what scared you so?”
She slowly nodded before realizing they were standing on the open sidewalk, in full public view, his arms wrapped around her. And while she might be dressed as a younger girl, she was an unmarried, unclaimed, un-chaperoned young woman. She looked around and then up at him. “People are staring at us.”
