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“Oh, Lucy, don’t.”
Lucy heard her sister’s words and she knew they had come too late. She saw Edward give his wife a quick warning glance to remain silent. Louisa flushed and pressed her lips together, but Lucy understood that she was about to encounter a thorn. Lucas didn’t speak for several moments. The only sound in the room was the soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall. When he did move to take a step toward her, Lucy immediately stepped back. Her hands moved behind her to hover over her bottom, her blood pounding as she watched Lucas continue to approach her. He stopped a foot from her and looked down from his considerable height into her upturned face. Lucy felt trapped and unable to move, though Lucas was not touching her in any way. His words seemed to fill the entire room though he spoke quietly and without anger.
“I am not a man you can manipulate into playing games, Lucille,” Lucas said. “I do not care what Charles would or would not do or expect from you. All I’m concerned about is what I expect from you.” He paused and then said in a tone she would learn never to ignore, “What you can be sure of, young lady, is that I will always expect absolute and complete obedience.”
She was trembling and having trouble catching her breath, not able to tear her eyes from his. His next words completely shocked her.
“If you do not wish to wear the clothing you were given, kitten, then I shall not require you to do so,” Lucas said with a soft smile.
Lucy didn’t return the smile but finally managed to tear her eyes from his. She looked around thinking perhaps she’d misheard him. Mrs. Bremmer stood a few feet away, her face a mask of disapproval that was reflected in Edward’s expression as well. Only Louisa was staring at her, violet eyes wide but her crinkled nose showed her confusion in what she’d heard.
Turning back to where Lucas remained a mere arm’s length away from her, Lucy asked, “So you aren’t going to make me wear childish dresses?”
“I am telling you that the matter of your clothing is your choice, my dear,” Lucas said. “I believe you are beautifully dressed, but as I have said, the choice to submit to wear what has been provided is yours.” Lucas held her gaze for a moment and then shrugged his massive shoulders.
Lucy watched as he turned from her and walked back to the table where he pulled his chair out and turned it to face Lucy. Everyone watched as he calmly sat down. Lucy felt everyone’s attention return to her, and she flushed. She turned his words over in her mind, wondering why his last statement was making her feel uneasy. As he continued to sit and just look at her, she finally began to turn with the intention of leaving the room to change back into her regular, though still childish, clothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward begin to rise, but when he saw Lucas give a quick shake of his head, Edward lowered himself back down in his chair.
Sitting at the table, Louisa was frozen in her own chair, and Lucy couldn’t help but feel as if her sister was attempting to communicate something to her. She saw her twin look from her husband to a corner of the room and then back to Lucy and a picture of her twin standing with her nose against the wall, her dress lifted to display her red bottom bloomed in Lucy’s mind. Lucy knew her sister was trying to tell her that she feared Lucy was about to find herself facing that same fate. But Lucas wasn’t Edward. Lucas had just stated it was her choice what she would wear. Giving her sister a shaky smile, Lucy shook off her unease and took another few steps.
“Lucille, where are you going?”
Lucas’ question had Lucy halting and turning to face him. “To my room?” She said softy as if unsure of her destination. She cleared her throat and spoke a bit louder. “I'm going to change, Lucas. I promise, I’ll hurry so we can—”
“I’m afraid you misunderstood,” Lucas said firmly, his tone causing her tentative smile to disappear from her face. “Lucille, if you do not wish to accept with gratitude what is provided for you in this household, then you may simply remove your clothing and wear only what the good Lord provided you.”
“Wh… what?” she said, her voice squeaking. Lucy was positive she hadn’t heard him correctly, but the sight of Edward’s nod of approval and the sound of Louisa’s soft gasp, told Lucy that the trap she’d feared had just been sprung. Her face flamed scarlet as her eyes finally landed on the man she had chosen to be her life-mate.
Lucas shook his head. “You heard me, Lucille. Either come to me in the pretty dress you are wearing, or remove it and everything under it, and then come to me.”
“I-I can’t do that,” Lucy said, her voice trembling. “Lucas, I… I’d be… I’d be naked!”
Lucas nodded as if her statement was unnecessary. “Yes, I suppose so if that is the choice you make, but, little one, your bottom shall be naked either way when you come to me and ask me to spank it for your unacceptable behavior.”
Lucy felt as if her heart was about to explode from her chest. She could not believe what she was hearing. She had never expected this, though, in truth, she had known she’d be punished the moment she had begun her tantrum. The fact that Lucas had not immediately forced her over his knees was what confused her. He said he was not a man to play games and yet she felt that he was now the cat, and she was the mouse he was toying with.
“You said… you said I wouldn’t be spanked for not wanting to wear this dress,” Lucy said, her voice shaking.
Lucas shook his head. “No, Lucille, I did not. Every person in this room knows you earned a spanking the moment you opened your mouth. Your tantrum and your vulgarity are what will cause your bottom to be heated, not your clothing. I will give you that choice, however, young lady, the choice in disciplining you will always remain completely in my hands.”
He paused as she tried to assimilate all he had said. Lucy looked at Edward as if seeking his help. He met her eyes but gave her no indication of his thoughts. She looked back at Lucas and saw him watching her, patiently waiting for her to make her decision. She whimpered and looked back at her guardian.
“Sir,” she said, her voice shaking. “I… we… we aren’t yet wed. It wouldn’t be proper for Lucas to see me bare.”
Edward gave her a small shake of his head. “You know that Lucas is now responsible for you, Lucille,” he said firmly. “You made your choice and accepted his authority.”
Lucy was shaking her head as she spoke. “I-I do accept that, sir,” she attempted, desperate to make him understand. “I just… I mean if he feels he must span… spank me, can’t he do so over my clothing? I don’t want him to bare my…” She couldn’t finish her statement.
“Nonsense, young lady,” Edward said immediately. “You are well aware that all spankings are given on the bare.”
“But…” she began but stopped instantly as Edward’s sharp look reminded her that interrupting was also something she was aware wasn’t allowed. “I’m sorry.”
Edward gave a single nod and continued, “I trust Lucas to allow you to retain as much modesty as possible. Regardless, your professor has seen more of you than I believe your future husband will today, unless, of course, you decide you prefer your birthday suit after all.”
Lucy gasped, remembering the day Charles had witnessed her—not only baring her own bottom as she bent over the arm of a chair in Edward's study—but had watched as she spread her legs, rose onto her toes and lifted her bottom as she asked for the strapping she had earned. She found she could not speak, her face burning as the eyes of the man she loved with all her soul bored into her, his eyebrow quirking in question. She was very grateful Edward obviously hadn’t shared the information… until now.
“Make your decision, Lucille, as we are most likely going to be late for the very services where our banns will be announced,” Lucas said, his voice never wavering, his expression stoic.
Lucy desperately wished she could find some way to extricate herself from the situation. She wished she’d never placed herself in it to begin with but had absolutely no idea what to do. She didn’t move so much as a muscle as several minutes passed.
