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Lucas spoke even more softly, “Do you wish to remove your clothing, little one?”
Lucy gave a soft sob and shook her head. “Please, I-I…” she sobbed and then saw him finally move. It was a slight change in position as he leaned forward a bit and extended his hand to her.
“You are mine, kitten,” Lucas said softly.
Lucy immediately remembered his making the very same claim the evening before. She also remembered how her heart had felt when he kissed her after she had made her choice. Lucy hesitated for another moment, knowing that what happened in the next, defined every future moment. She closed her eyes briefly and gave a soft sob as she accepted both her decision and her need to submit to this man. His eyes remained on hers as she slowly walked across the room. She placed her hand in his, and he closed his fingers around hers.
Lucas surprised her again when he didn’t immediately pull her down and across his knees. He kept his eyes locked on hers as though they were the only two people in the room. He guided her to sit on his knee and put his free arm around her waist. Lucy sat ramrod straight, her senses on full alert as she attempted to understand what this man would require of her. She felt both extremely nervous and guilty for her behavior.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered and saw him nod his understanding. He released her hand only to raise it to stroke a fingertip down her cheek. The gesture softened her heart, her body relaxing and leaning against his chest.
“I know you are sorry, kitten,” Lucas said. His voice was calm and soothing, as he continued to stroke down her arm, slowing easing the tension in her muscles. “I also know that you are aware that being sorry is not enough to pay for such naughtiness.”
Lucy didn’t stiffen or protest, instead dipped her head in acknowledgement. She had been under Edward’s rule long enough to know exactly how tantrums and disrespect were treated. Lucy felt Lucas move and reached out to grab his forearm.
“Please, Lucas,” she said, “please, I won’t-won’t do it again.” Lucas lifted his hand and cupped her face in his palm. Lucy pressed her cheek against his warmth and again closed her eyes. Her voice was barely audible, as she tried to escape the inevitable. “Please don’t spank me.”
His answer was to bend and press his lips against her forehead and then guide her up and off his lap. Lucy felt her eyes well with tears as shame for her behavior flooded through her.
“I am not going to spank you,” Lucas said, and her eyes flew open.
“Oh—thank—”
He shook his head, cutting her off as he again stroked her cheek. “There is not enough time to properly discipline you, Lucille,” he said, and her eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears as her hope faded. “You will have the opportunity to give serious thought to why you felt you needed to test me, kitten. You will listen closely to the sermon today and let its lesson fill your heart. Upon our return home, you will make a proper confession.” He paused, as if waiting for his words to fill her mind. “For now, you will come with me so that I might demonstrate that just as attempting manipulation is not in your best interest, neither is spewing vulgarity.”
Lucy didn’t speak, as her head whirled. Somehow he had known what she had unconsciously done, and that fact frightened her. She hadn’t been able to imagine attending church dressed as she was, but now she couldn’t imagine being able to sit still throughout the long service while worrying about what would happen afterwards. She was terrified at what he could have meant when he said there wasn’t time to give her a spanking. Spankings were usually quickly done once the confession had been made. Tears began to slip down her cheeks as she realized exactly how childish she had been. Though her bottom was already clenching in anticipation of what she feared would be a painful lesson, she lifted her eyes once more.
“Please, please just spank me now,” she whispered. “I-I don’t want to wait.”
“Anticipation is also a lesson, Lucy. Come, let’s get this finished,” Lucas said, as he walked her out of the dining room and into the kitchen.
Her uneasiness grew as she saw the curious looks being exchanged among the kitchen staff, and it took her a moment to be aware of what was happening when she saw a cloth in Lucas’ hand and realized it was soapy.
“No, please,” she cried, attempting to pull away. Lucas quickly pinned her at the counter, his body blocking any escape, as he took her chin in one hand, the soapy cloth held in the other.
“Open your mouth, Lucille,” he instructed but Lucy clamped her lips closed and shook her head violently as she remembered the awful taste of soap sliding down her throat. Lucas smiled and lowered his voice. “Sweetheart, you must know that I am going to wash out your mouth, so know this as well. If you don’t immediately obey me, we will be even later for services for you shall also undergo your additional cleansing immediately. Perhaps you’d care to explain to Pastor Reed why we were late. I’m sure he would find it necessary to speak to you.”
Suddenly Lucy couldn’t open her mouth fast enough.
“That’s better,” he said with a nod. “Now stick out your tongue.”
She whimpered but obeyed, grimacing the moment the soap hit her taste buds. He began scrubbing every surface of her mouth with the soapy cloth. Lucy was soon sputtering, bubbles pouring from her mouth, as he made sure he made his point. He removed the cloth but kept her chin in his hand.
“Are you going to curse again?” he asked and her head shook as much as possible within his hold. She attempted to verbalize her answer but it was garbled, as he had not allowed her to spit out the soap. Lucas smiled and finally released her. “Spit,” he instructed as he turned her to the sink.
Grateful, she spat into the sink, not caring that servants were working in the kitchen, though no one approached the sink. She whimpered as he took her chin and repeated the entire process twice more. When she was allowed to spit for the third time, she understood she had cursed three times and received a cleansing for each one. She was handed a glass of water and she rinsed her mouth and spit repeatedly. Lucas wiped her face and bent to press his lips to hers. She lifted her arms and clung to him, desperately needing his comfort. Lucas held her close for a few minutes but then put her away from him.
“You know you are mine, and that I love you, kitten,” he said, and she nodded slowly. “I want you to be the best person you can be so that you are happy and fulfilled. You will learn that because I care I will never allow you to behave like a hellion, no matter how often you test me.”
Lucy heard his words and though spoken softly enough that she was the only one able to hear, she felt as if he were making a claim that every person in the world would have no reason to doubt. She swallowed and grimaced at the taste still filling her mouth.
“Yes, sir,” she said, just as softly. Lucas bent to give her a final, light kiss. By the time Lucas took her arm to guide her back into the dining room, she was not only embarrassed—she was exhausted. Her stomach was roiling, and not just from the small amount of soap she had inadvertently swallowed. It was churning with the uncertainty of what additional punishment this man would demand. Her buttocks clenched with the certainty that no matter what price he demanded, they would pay.
Edward stood and helped Louisa from her chair when he saw Lucas return. The four walked to the foyer, where the men accepted cloaks from Molly and draped them over the girls. The trip to the church was taken in silence which Lucy knew was directly due to her behavior. A brief glance across the small aisle between the couples allowed Lucy to see the compassion on her sister’s face which only served to make her even more nervous. She wished she could restart the day but knew that wishes weren’t being granted as the carriage pulled up in front of the church.
Once inside, they discovered the nave empty, the sounds of many voices lifted in praise, as the opening hymn was sung. Edward led the way down the long center aisle to their usual pew. He stepped into the pew, followed by Louisa and then Lucy. Lucas entered and drew the hymnal from its place on the back of the pew in front of them and opened it to the correct page. His voice soon joined in the chorus. Lucy attempted to sing, but her voice stopped in mid-note when she looked up to discover that Pastor Reed seemed to be staring directly into her soul.
Chapter 5
