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Lucy blushed as she remembered the hand that had connected again and again to her bottom. She couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes as she hurried to the library. She knew both men had heard the housekeeper’s words and she was scared that the woman just might decide to make sure they understood that Lucy was not an important guest in the house. Despite the fact that she was the ward of Lord Wintercrest, in this house, she was nothing more than a little girl who should remember just how quickly she could be turned bottom-up over someone’s knee.
Seeing that the annoying man at least knew what a sewing basket looked like, she picked up her dress and dropped onto the settee. Choosing a spool of thread, she threaded a needle and began to work tiny stitches in the fabric to repair the ripped seam. As she stabbed the needle through the material, she imagined it was that Edward’s friend’s skin, instead. She shouldn’t be sitting here mending a dress he had torn. She shouldn’t be sitting here at all. It was his fault that, instead of walking out with a wonderful man who obviously still wished to court her, she was made to do something she was quickly learning to absolutely despise. As she felt the needle stab into the pad of her finger, she moaned and put her finger into her mouth.
“Bloody hell,” she mumbled, sucking on the injury.
“Lucille!” she heard and instantly knew she was in deep trouble. She found herself being yanked up from the settee, her mending falling to the floor. She saw Lord Huntington standing behind the housekeeper and dropped her gaze.
“Vulgar words are never to come from your mouth,” Anna scolded, dragging the girl toward a nearby chair.
Lucille instantly understood her intention. “Please, don’t,” she begged. “I… I didn’t mean to curse… I… I stabbed myself,” she attempted to explain, holding her finger out, a small bead of blood providing evidence of her injury. It became clear that the housekeeper had no care what caused the misbehavior; she only cared to correct it. With Lucy’s arm held firmly in her hand, she was about to sit when Lucas stepped forward.
“Mrs. Bremmer, there is no need for this,” he said. His voice was no longer light or teasing. Lucy felt herself shiver at the absolute tone of authority in his voice. She felt Mrs. Bremmer straighten beside her.
“Sir, it is my duty to correct this little one when she is naughty,” Anna said firmly, her pose stiffening at his objection.
“I’m not questioning your authority nor am I attempting to undermine you, Miss Anna,” he said using a softer tone. “I agree vulgarity is not something any young girl should be allowed.”
“I should hope so,” Anna huffed, nodding in total agreement.
“However,” Lucas continued, “as I’ve taken responsibility for the dress, I find I can’t allow Lucille to be punished for my crime. My actions have already cost her an outing with the professor as well as an injured finger. They shall not cost her a hot bottom as well.”
Lucy’s heart stuttered in her chest realizing he was not going to allow Mrs. Bremmer to give her a spanking, but felt embarrassed at the directness of both his gaze and his words.
“Than… thank you, sir,” Lucy said softly, her bottom relaxing from the clench that had begun the moment she was jerked to her feet.
Lucas turned his gaze to hers. “Don’t thank me yet, kitten,” he said, his eyes locked on hers as she felt her face flush hotly. “You do not deserve to have your bottom roasted, but, young lady, you do deserve to have your mouth washed out.”
Lucy’s mouth dropped open for an instant and then clamped tightly shut not wanting to think for a single instant that she agreed with him. However, it appeared that Mrs. Bremmer couldn’t agree more.
“An excellent suggestion. I shall tend to it immediately, sir,” Anna said, and tightening her grip on Lucy’s arm, began to pull her out of the library.
* * *
Lucas watchedthem go and shook his head. He had returned to the library to retrieve a package meant for Edward. He picked it up from the table and then bent and retrieved the dress that had fallen to the floor. He set it once more on top of the sewing basket. He knew Lucy would be returned to finish her task and would be doing so with a squeaky clean mouth. He grimaced remembering the housekeeper’s soapy cloth in his own mouth when he was a young boy. He might have saved Lucy from a spanking that he knew she truly deserved, but feared any appreciation she might have had would disappear as her mouth was expertly cleansed by Anna. He was still thinking about the taste of soap bubbles when he returned to the front parlor to rejoin the others. Louisa, who was sitting very quietly next to her husband, looked at him closely. Though he gave the package to Edward and was thanked for the gift of fine cigars, he had the distinct feeling that Edward’s wife knew his mind was elsewhere. Her head tilted to the side as if she knew something had transpired in his absence and when her smile slid from her lips, he knew she understood that it hadn’t been pleasant.
* * *
While the othersconversed in the parlor, Lucy was returned to the solitude of the library and pressed back down onto the settee and the dress placed back into her hands. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the sheen of tears from her eyes. Her bottom might have been spared, but her mouth and tongue were burning. Mrs. Bremmer had dragged her into the kitchen and scolded the entire time she scrubbed out Lucy’s naughty mouth. Lucy was soon gagging and spitting as bubbles frothed from her lips like some sort of rabid animal. Mrs. Bremmer washed her mouth two additional times before releasing her, obviously not caring that several kitchen staff witnessed the cleansing.
“You might think you were saved, young lady,” Anna said, as she escorted Lucy back to the library. “However, tomorrow you will apologize to Lord Huntington and your guardian. I will not have any guests in this house think we allow little girls to speak as if they were raised in a gutter. Do not make me remind you to do as I say,” she warned. “If I have to do so, I promise you, your mouth will not be the next part of your anatomy that is filled with soap!”
Though Lucille wasn’t clear on what the housekeeper meant by that statement, she simply nodded her head. “Yes, ma’am, I’m so sorry. I honestly didn’t mean to curse,” Lucy apologized.
Anna nodded and waited until Lucy was busy working on her mending before saying, “Have that done quickly, Lucille; your bedtime is only a short while away.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lucy said, blinking rapidly to hold tears at bay, and moving her fingers as fast as possible, she worked the needle in and out of the fabric. Lucy grimaced each time she swallowed, swearing she could still taste the horrid soap coating her tongue and throat. When Molly entered to tell her it was time for bed, Lucy had just finished snipping the thread. Standing, she carefully folded the dress neatly before putting in on the settee, knowing that Mrs. Bremmer would inspect the dress and decide if her work met her high standards. She followed Molly up the stairs, vaguely aware of voices coming from the front parlor, praying that no one saw her. She was embarrassed and so tired that all she wanted was to crawl into her bed. Within minutes of slipping between her cool sheets, Lucy had her doll clutched to her chest as she fell into sleep.
Chapter 9
Edward kissed his little one good night when Mrs. Bremmer entered the parlor. Once Louisa had left them, the men accepted glasses of brandy from Eleanor and lit their cigars. Charles was a bit concerned that the conversation obviously was going to include Edward’s houseguest. He forced himself to straighten in his chair. If he was suitable material for the position of headmaster, he could certainly converse about what was necessary. He would simply pretend that Lord Huntington was the patron of one of his future students.
“Tell me, Charles,” Edward said making himself comfortable in his chair. “How have you enjoyed your schooling?” Charles could not stop a smile from crossing his lips.
“It has been very educational, Edward,” Charles said. “I can’t thank you or Eleanor enough for the opportunity.”
Eleanor smiled and reached out to pat his arm. “Edward, Charles is a wonderful student. He has already captured the heart of many of my little ones. He is a very quick learner as well,” Eleanor said with a smile.
“Since when have you accepted men… especially grown men as students in your school, Eleanor?” Lucas asked.
