Spanked Page 5
SIX
The carriage was waiting for them when they walked out of the hotel to the darkness of early evening. Madeline's heart was racing. The grip on her arm was tight and there was an urgency about Robert as he helped her up to take a seat. He got in beside her and his leg pressed against hers. Nothing was said as the driver got the horse moving and there was no stopping the onset of nerves as they made their way home.
Madeline flinched as Robert's hand settled on her knee again. This time it didn't stay there and she shivered as it edged higher. She was all too aware of his fingers stroking on her inner thigh through the dress, but his hand moved no higher than that during the journey. He removed his touch as they approached the gate and composed himself as they approached the property. His hand was on her upper arm when they stepped down and he hurried to get her inside.
"Is there anything you need sir?" the butler asked.
Robert stopped to look at him then shook his head.
"No disturbances," he said.
Madeline's breath came out heavily as she was led up the stairs. She looked along towards the room she'd been staying in, but already knew it wasn't where she was going. She gasped as the grip on her arm tightened even more and she could do nothing but follow as she was taken along to Robert's bedroom. It was to be where she slept too from now on, but she knew it wasn't sleeping that was on her husband's mind.
They came to a stop as they got to the door and she was taken by surprise as the kiss pressed on her mouth. It rocked her back and Robert moved forward to pin her against the wall. His muscled torso crushed against her soft curves and the passion of the kiss came through. She was all too aware of the hardness that began to grow against her belly and there was no holding in the excitement that she was getting her husband turned on.
Madeline gasped as the kiss ended. Robert stroked his fingertips across her cheek and she kissed on them as they trailed across her soft mouth. Her chest heaved as the tip of his finger slid just between her lips and she could see the hunger in his eyes for her. It was more intoxicating than the alcohol she drank and a sense of apprehension and expectation welled up in her mind. She was on the verge of losing her virginity to her new husband and the very thought of it made her shudder.
"Are you going to be a good girl for me?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
He dropped his touch from her face and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to bring her hand to his crotch. Madeline closed her eyes as her palm was held against his manhood through the material of his pants and she could feel it growing and stiffening.
"I asked you a question," Robert said.
She opened her eyes to look at him.
"Yes," she answered. "I'm going to be a good girl for you."
His soft laugh unnerved her and she let out a quiet whimper as his lips gently nuzzled hers. The arousal was already taking hold in her body like never before and it was staring a fire that she was unable to contain.
"Stick out your tongue," Robert ordered.
Madeline did it immediately and liked the way he took it between his lips to suck on it. She glanced along the hallway nervously when he moved back.
"Someone might see," she said.
Robert laughed again.
"I made it clear there should be no disturbances," he said. "No one will come up here now unless we ring for them."
His lips found hers for another hungry kiss that pinned her head against the wall, but he reached for the door when it ended and they moved inside the room.
"Get me a whisky," he told her.
Madeline moved across to the large globe and opened it up. She picked up a glass then searched for the bottle she saw him drinking from the previous evening. When she found it, she poured a shot of whisky in the glass and turned. Robert's jacket and tie were lying on the bed and she liked the way the white shirt clung to the muscles of his chest. Her gaze remained on him as he crossed the room and sat in the seat beside the open globe.
She held out the glass to him, but squealed as he grabbed hold of her wrist to make her sit down on his lap. Even with her relative inexperience, Madeline could tell he was fully erect and she squirmed around. His arm came around her waist to stop her from getting up.
"Oh yeah," he let out. "Keep doing that."
Madeline gasped as she continued to wriggle around on Robert's lap and there was no doubt how much he was enjoying the touch of her rounded ass rubbing on his cock. She could hear his harsh breathing in her ear and the kisses that started playing on her neck made her shiver.
"Your whisky," she eventually said.
Robert relaxed back in the seat and she stopped wriggling around then turned slightly to hand him his drink. His arm remained around her waist to hold her in place on his lap and she could make out the occasional twitching of his erection as the hot blood pumped through it. He enjoyed a sip of the whisky and gave her back the glass.
"Try it," he said.
She looked at the dark liquid swirling around in the glass and wasn't sure she really wanted to take a drink. On the other hand she didn't want to refuse a request by her husband, so took a sip. The alcohol burned her throat on the way down to make her cough and screw up her face.
"Why do men drink this," she let out as she wiped her hand across her mouth.
Robert laughed and brought his mouth right to Madeline's ear.
"There are some things men really like," he said quietly. "Whisky is just one of them."
The tickle of his lips caressing on her ear made her shiver and she let out a long, slow breath.
"Pretty girls are another thing," he went on. "Like you. Can you feel how erect I am for you already?"
"Yes," Madeline let out in a hushed voice.
"Do you like it?" Robert whispered as he kissed on her ear and slid his lips to the sensitive skin of her neck.
"Yes," Madeline repeated.
She knew it was what he wanted to hear, but the truth was she did like the touch of his erection on her butt. Her growing arousal was a sign of that and she couldn't ignore it.
"Have you let a man touch you before?" he asked.
"No," Madeline confessed. "I always promised myself I wouldn't until I was married."
"Lucky me," Robert said and laughed.
His hand slid down from her midriff, but the ruffles at the front of her dress stopped him really getting his hand between her thighs.
"Are you going to strip for me, so I can see those pretty curves again?" he asked.
"I can't if you don't release your grip," Madeline replied.
She let out a soft gasp as Robert moved his hand to her lower back and helped her get to her feet. Her gaze dropped to the floor as she slowly turned around and she lifted it to the sight of her husband's lustful expression. Their eyes met.
"Don't be shy," he teased her with a smile. "I've been looking at the wedding dress all day and thinking about what's under it."
Madeline wrung her hands together. She was getting the same buzz as she did the night before when Robert made her strip, but this time knew she wouldn't just be picking up her clothes and walking away at the end of it. Reaching for the buttons at the back of her wedding dress, she loosened them and worked the material lower to start exposing more naked skin. She worked her arms out of the sleeves as she dragged the top of the dress down and it brought her silk bra in view.
"Keep going," Robert told her.
She glanced up to see him take a sip of the whisky. His gaze was on her breasts, but came lower as she wiggled her hips to slide the white material over them. The dress dropped down her legs to pool around her feet and she stepped out of it then bent down with the intention of picking it up.
"Leave it," Robert ordered her.
She straightened up and stood nervously in front of him.
"The petticoats too," was his next command.
Madeline loosened them and let them drop down to her feet too. She didn't bother trying to pick them up and just kicked them aside. Her breathing was becoming more rapid as sh
"I thought you said you would a good girl for me," he let out quietly.
Madeline inhaled deeply then held her breath as she spread her legs open for him and the air rushed back out as his fingertips slid onto the silk material of her panties. A shiver rippled down her spine as her body responded to the intimate touch. Heat blossomed between her thighs and she wriggled around as her husband's fingers stroked gently along the outline of her pussy lips. His cock throbbed against her ass and she let out a soft groan. There was no hiding that Robert's touch was turning her on as the damp patch began to show on her panties and she tilted her head to the side as kisses played on her neck. His mouth slid to her ear as he continued to tease touches on the wet material.
"You like that don't you," he whispered.
Madeline gulped and her voice was shaky as she replied.
"Yes."
The soft laugh in her ear made her shudder and she rocked her head back as more hot kisses played on her sensitive skin.
"Now show me everything," Robert demanded.
Madeline trembled as she was made to get to her feet again and she stood with her back to him. Her legs were weak as the flood of arousal swept through her and she unhooked the bra and let it fall to the floor before she turned around. When she did, she was holding an arm across her naked breasts and knew the order would come immediately.
"Take your arm away," Robert let out in a hoarse voice as he sat up in the chair and leaned forward.
She gave him what he wanted and dropped her arm down to hang by her side. It exposed here naked curves and she saw her husband stare at them. He licked his lips as his gaze slid lower.
"Move closer," he said.
Madeline took a step towards him. He put the glass he was holding down then reached out to stroke his fingertips on the naked skin just above the waistband of her panties. It brought out a gasp and her belly muscles fluttered as the soft touch slid back and forth. Robert looked up to catch her gaze as he then worked his fingers under the waistband and dragged the silk material lower. Her pulse raced as her panties were taken down and she stepped out of them when they got to her ankles. It left her as naked as she'd been the night before, but this time she wasn't about to be dismissed.
Robert made a gesture that she should turn around and she obeyed it immediately. His touch brushed across the smooth skin of her naked butt to make her shiver and he leaned back in his seat when she was facing him again. His silent scrutiny brought out her apprehension and it grew stronger as he got to his feet. She stepped back, but a tight grip on her wrist made her move forward again and when her hand was brought to his belt buckle she knew what he wanted.
"Undo it," Robert told her.
Madeline was all too aware of the way his erection was straining against the material of his pants as she loosened the buckle and pulled the belt free.
"Don't stop," he said.
The tension rose as she handed the belt to him then began to unbutton his pants. Nervous shivers made her tremble even more as her fingertips grazed over the hardness of his erection. When the buttons were undone, he placed his hands on her shoulders and there was no resisting the pressure as she was forced down to her knees in front of him. She grabbed his pants to ease them down his legs and helped him step out of them. When she lifted her gaze, she saw the way his cock twitched and throbbed against the thinner material of his underwear.
Her curiosity kicked in and she looked up as she pressed her palm on his cock. Robert reached out to take off the floral headdress she was still wearing and dropped it to the floor. He released her long blonde her and it spilled down over her shoulders. Her chest heaved as he combed his fingers through her hair.
"So pretty," he said.
His breathing became heavier as he enjoyed Madeline's touch, but the hunger for more filled his mind. He ran his fingertips to her soft mouth and stared in her eyes as he brushed touches on her lips.
"So much to teach you," he said. "So let's start with how you pleasure a man with your mouth. Take my underwear down."
Madeline's breath rasped out and his words made her feel such an innocent. In truth she was, but her excitement was growing and she wanted what was happening just as much as Robert. She dropped her gaze to his crotch as she hooked her fingers in his underwear. Her eyes opened wide as she eased the material down and got her first ever sight of an erect cock. Thick veins stood out on hot flesh and the large size shocked her. With no experience to talk off, she wasn't even sure how big a man should be, but the naked erection she was confronted with appeared enormous to her and her curiosity was suddenly tinged by a fear that it was too big.
She dragged the underwear all the way down to Robert's feet and dropped them on the floor when he stepped out of them. He ran his fingers in her hair when she straightened up and his grip tightened to bring her face close to his cock. The slick skin of the head glistened as pre-cum wet it and she watched a trickle seep from the little slit. Her breathing grew ever more rapid as she stared.
"Stroke it with your hand first," he ordered her.
Madeline glanced up quickly and saw the excitement showing on Robert's face. Her hand trembled as she lifted it and she gasped as she wrapped her fingers around his cock. It was thick enough that her petite fingers didn't quite encircle it to scare her even more. That only brought out her exhilaration and she stared open-eyed at what she was doing as she stroked her fingers up and down. She heard the groan and looked up again to see her husband rock his head back.
The hot rush of blood made his cock throb and he put his hand over Madeline's to make her grip tighter as she continued to work her fingers along his full length. It rolled the foreskin down and completely off the head and she kept her eyes fixed on it. When Robert stopped the movement of her hand, she slowly lifted her gaze.
"Now kiss it," he told her.
Her lips were dry and she licked her tongue around them before leaning forward. The warmth of her breath played on the slick head as she brought her mouth to it. Her first ever taste of a man made her shudder and squirm and she moved back straight away. Robert released his grip on her hand to run his fingers through her hair again. His grip tightened and she winced as he made her press her lips on his cock.
"So na?ve,' he said and laughed softly as he stared down at her. He shuddered as he held her gaze and his lust for his new bride grew. "You have so much to learn," he went on. "Lick as well as kiss."
Madeline was all too aware of the throbbing of Robert's cock as she nuzzled her lips on it and the twitching grew stronger as she flicked out her tongue and swept it across hot, slick skin. It brought her more of the taste and she sensed the trembling of her husband's legs as she licked around his swollen member. He used the grip on her hair to encourage her to slide her touch down right down to his balls and back up again. His body shook as the heat of his longing for her erupted and he urged her on to more.
"Take it in your mouth," he ordered.
Madeline was even more aware of how thickly Robert's cock was engorged as she parted her lips and let them slide over the tip. The sound of his heavy breathing turned her on and the desperation to please him welled up in her mind. Her mouth was stretched wide open and it brought out a slight panic as the grip on her hair eased her head lower to take more. She tried to back off, but wasn't allowed to at first before her husband relented.
"Don't just hold it in your mouth," he told her. "Slide your lips up and down. I want to have them caressing me."
Madeline inhaled before she kissed on the tip and worked her lips back over it. She was eager to do Robert's bidding and submit to what he wanted so bobbed her head slowly to run her lips up and down hot flesh. The surprise was her own hunger for the blowjob and she liked the sensation of her mouth being filled. She began trying to take cock deeper, but struggled to cope with the size as the tip almost nudged on the back of her throat. She came back up and gasped for air, but was given little respite as her husband demanded more.
When she gave it to him, his hands went to the back of her head and he began to thrust his hips. She gasped for air as his cock brutalized her mouth and his grip held her in place as he threw himself forward. Her hand went to his midriff to try and stem the onslaught, but it was knocked away as his craving for her mouth drove him on and she could do nothing but take what she was being given. Her head was rocked back by the frantic actions of a man lusting after her and it turned her on to be the object of his desire. She gasped for breath when he relented and hung her head to recover. The grip on her hair tightened to make her look up.
"Get on the bed," Robert told her.
Madeline got to her feet as he began to unbutton his shirt. She moved over to the bed to lie down on it and when she looked across the room saw her naked husband closing the distance between them. Her gaze went to his cock and it sparked her nerves. She was about to lose her virginity and closed her eyes to wait for Robert to get on top of her. Her squeal came out as her legs were roughly spread apart and she opened her eyes again to see him get on his knees between them. She held her breath as he reached out and a whimpering gasp came out as he gently stroked his fingers on her naked skin.
"Virgin pussy," he murmured and Madeline heard the excitement in his voice.
She clenched her buttocks as the touch between her thighs became more insistent and her back arched up as fingers slid between her pussy lips. The touch on her slick pink skin sent a violent shudder through her and she dropped back to the mattress and squirmed. Her heavy breathing became ever more rapid as Robert's fingers slid deeper and the pure elation of it grew in her body. She knew the thrill of her own touch, but found herself even more turned on by the intimate attention of a man. Her gasp was loud as his fingers were slowly withdrawn. She looked at him and saw the grin spread across his face.
"Show me how you play with yourself," Robert commanded.
"What?" she asked nervously.
"Don't pretend you haven't masturbated," he went on. "You heard what I said. Show me."
Madeline sensed the embarrassment taking hold, but there was a thrill to what she was being ordered to do. She couldn't watch though and closed her eyes as she slid a hand between her thighs. Raising her knees, she spread her legs wider and lifted her butt up as she circled her fingertips on her pussy lips. The surge of arousal hit her forcefully and she sank her teeth in her bottom lip to hold in the groan. Her breath came out in harsh gasps as her fingers found her clitoris and she brushed touches on the hot bud as she exposed it.
He back arched up from the bed as she played with herself and the dirty delight of having her new husband watch was embarrassing and exhilarating at the same time. That she was being made to be a naughty girl was something she occasionally fantasized about, but she was finding the reality of it was so much better. She worked her fingers to her wet opening and tensed as she prepared to fuck them inside. The touch of Robert's tongue on her clit made her squeal in shock. It was something she didn't expect and she couldn't stop herself looking.
Her husband's head was buried between her thighs and the hot touch of his tongue licking on her clit made her want to cry out. She plunged her fingers in her wet cunt and stroked them in and out. The hot flush of pleasure rippled through her body and she writhed around as she scaled the heights towards a climax. Robert's touch became rougher and she groaned when his mouth slid lower. He licked on her fingers as she continued to stroke them in and out of her pussy and it was the kinkiest of sensations.
The taste of pussy stoked Robert's desire and Madeline whimpered when he grabbed her wrist to drag her hand from between her thighs. His stiff tongue plunged inside her wet hole and she grabbed hold of the bedcovers and tightened her grip as she was carried ever closer to completely losing control. Her body was on fire as her husband's appetite for her wet slit came on stronger.
The arousal flooded her veins and her knuckles whitened almost painfully as she experienced the hot pleasure of being licked out for the first time in her life. Robert gasped for breath as he moved back, but he immediately brought his fingers to her sex and dipped them inside as he circled his lips around clit. He sucked on the erect bud as he stroked rough touches in and out wet cunt. It was too much for Madeline and the tension held her muscles taut for an instant as the finger fuck continued before she crashed down to the mattress and was engulfed by the heat of orgasm.
Robert plunged his fingers all the way inside and she squealed as the spasms of her slick pussy walls tightened her around the deep penetration. Her body was wracked by convulsions as she called out his name. It made her passion climb to a shattering peak that left her struggling for breath and the joy of the moment stretched out before some semblance of calm finally returned to her mind as she tried to recover.
Madeline released her tight grip on the bedcovers as Robert slowly drew his fingers out of her quivering pussy. She let out a loud sigh as the afterglow of the orgasm flooded her body and gasped for breath as her husband crawled up her body until he was looking down at her face. She tasted herself on his mouth as they kissed and tried to turn her head away. His soft laugh sounded out as he brought his sticky fingers to her lips.
"No," she exclaimed.
Her refusal came out instinctively, but she froze as the tension flared. She was all too aware of it and turned her head to look at Robert.
"I'm?, I'm sorry," she said.
"You need to learn," he told her ominously.
"But?," she let out.
"No buts," he snapped. "You need to learn."
He grabbed Madeline's wrist and made her move to the side of the bed, where he sat down. It was instinct again that made her struggle, but she was no match for the strength of her husband and was hauled face down across his lap. She was immediately aware of the way his erection throbbed against her belly and despite her misgivings about what was happening, a shiver of delight returned to her body.
"I told you that your duties include obeying me," Robert said,
"I will," Madeline shouted out in a loud voice.
"But you just defied me," he went on. "You need to understand that a show of dissent will bring you punishment."
Madeline's breath rasped out and she struggled to get free. Robert grabbed her wrists and easily held them behind her back with one hand while he raised the other. She was completely under his control and could do nothing but submit to him. There was no doubt what was coming and she tensed her muscles. It was no defense against the stinging spank when it cracked down on her buttocks and she bucked up as she was engulfed in the hot pain of the discipline.
"Stop?, please,' she begged, but her body bucked up time and again as the spanks rained down on her naked butt.
Her face screwed up and she clenched her teeth as the punishment was meted out. There was nothing she could do but wait for it to end and she gasped for air when it eventually did. Her shudders turned to trembling as the searing agony of her reddened skin dulled to an ache. The arousal came as a surprise to her, but there was no doubt she was feeling it and she groaned as fingers stroked gently on her butt.
"Don't defy me," Robert said in a low voice.
"Yes sir," she replied.
She closed her eyes as his fingers stroked along the crease of her ass and slid between her thighs. The mix of agony and ecstasy was turning her on like never before and she squirmed as her slick entrance was opened up by stiff, probing fingers. Her body bucked up again, but it was pleasure that brought on the convulsions this time. Robert stroked touches in and out of pussy to soak his fingers and Madeline knew what was coming when he eased them back out. She kept her head still as sticky fingers brushed against her lips and obediently opened her mouth.
"That's better," Robert said as she sucked his fingers clean.
Madeline could make out the strong throbbing of his swollen shaft against her midriff and there was an urgency to her husband's movements as he made her get to her feet then manhandled her to her back on the bed. He was on top of her in an instant and his kiss ravaged her lips. When it ended he used his knee to spread her legs wider apart and she whimpered as the slick head of his cock nudged her inner thigh.
"Are you going to give me everything?" he asked.
"Yes sir," she replied.
The burning heat was blossoming between her thighs again as an exhilarating panic held her in its grip. She squirmed around as Robert worked the tip of his cock to her pussy entrance to leave her poised on the verge of losing her virginity. He kissed her again as he eased his hips forward to spread her open. Madeline tensed as the thickness of his erection stretched her pussy wide and she tried to arch her back up as the slight pain of the penetration turned to a hot pleasure that flooded her veins.
Robert's weight pinned her to the mattress as he slowly buried his entire length in her tight softness. His excitement welled up at deflowering Madeline, but it was more than that. He wanted to fill his new bride's pussy with his seed to enjoy the pure bliss of impregnating her.
"You're going to give me a son and heir, aren't you?" he said as he looked down at her.
Madeline nodded her head and groaned as he circled his hips to grind his erection on her slick inner skin. She was in the midst of new experiences that were driving her wild, but the touch of his cock inside her was by far the best. It got better still as his lust came into full force, and he started to rock his hips back and forward, his hands gripping her tightly. The swell of pleasure took her breath and she pressed her head back against the mattress. She gripped the bedcovers again as he began to fuck his cock in her with rougher strokes.
Their naked skin slapped together as the rhythm of the sex built towards a frantic pace in a matter of seconds. The sweat dripped from Robert's forehead as he put every effort into making his wife orgasm for a second time. He pushed himself up on straightened arms and Madeline's body was shaken by the vigor of his frantic thrusts. Her body responded as the virginity was fucked from her and bit her lip as screams threatened to come out. She rolled her head from side to side as thick cock plunged deep in her wet cunt until she was overwhelmed by the sex.
Her body tensed as a second orgasm flared to life and suddenly she was wracked by shudders as her pussy tightened around a thrusting cock. Robert increased his efforts to take himself all the way and he let out a cry as he tipped himself over the edge. The sound of their gasping breaths and moans filled the room as they climbed the heights of their passion. Madeline was all too aware of the powerful streams of cum erupting inside her as they splashed on the rippling walls of her pussy.
Her body was pinned to the bed as the moment played out in all its glory and she let out a rush of breath as Robert collapsed down on top of her. She lay in an exhausted daze as she came back down from the high and shuddered at the gentle throbbing of his erect cock in her cum-filled pussy. She responded to the kiss on her lips and liked the way her husband held inside her until the power faded from his erection. He rolled to the side and she raised her head to see some of her seed tricking down her thighs. She then looked at his fading erection.
"You need to clean it,' he said.
She looked up to his face and saw him watching her. The thought of being spanked again reared in her mind and she obeyed his command. Shuffling down the bed, she grabbed his cock and brought her mouth to it. He let out a sigh as she rolled the foreskin back and licked the speckles of white from slick skin. His hand touched on her head to stroke her hair and she rested her chin on his muscular midriff when she finished cleaning his cock.
She finally moved back up the bed to lie beside him and liked the way he embraced her in his powerful arms. It felt a safe place to be and she closed her eyes and relaxed. She was all too aware of the rise and fall of his chest against her and her slow breathing matched his as the contented tiredness eventually washed over them to send them to sleep.
Seven
Madeline blinked her eyes open as the morning sun streamed through the open curtains onto her face. The fog of drowsiness slowly lifted and as it did the memories of the night before came in her mind. She looked around, but found that she was lying alone on the bed and wondered where Robert was. There was no clock in the room to tell her the time and she sat up.
"You need a shower," she told herself as she rubbed her eyes.
She glanced at the string pull on the wall beside the bed, but was nervous about who would come to the door of the bedroom if she rang down. Moving to the edge of the mattress, she swung her legs to the floor and was all too aware of her nakedness. The thought of putting her wedding dress back on didn't exactly appeal, but she wanted to go back along to the room she first used when she arrived at the mansion. She couldn't exactly walk along the hallway in the nude and got to her feet to walk to Robert's wardrobe. A quick search found her a robe. It was way too big for her, but she put it on and went to pick up her wedding dress and underwear.
Moving to the door, she cracked it open and looked outside. All seemed quiet, so she stepped out to the hallway and walked along it. When she got to the door of what had been her room for one night, she opened it and walked inside. She immediately moved to yank the string pull and was sure it would bring Gillian upstairs. Madeline saw she was right when a knock on the door was followed by the servant girl walking inside.
"Good morning Miss," she said.
"I need a shower," Madeline told her straight away. "Can you switch it on for me please?"
Gillian nodded her head and walked to the bathroom. The sound of the running water started and Madeline followed inside. She waited until she was alone before casting off the robe and getting in the shower. The warm jets of water washed away the stickiness from her body and she spent some time under them even when she was finished washing herself. She eventually got out and covered herself with a towel before returning to the bedroom.
"Have you seen Mr. Cortege this morning?" she asked.
"He left for work at around eight like he always does," Gillian replied.
"No honeymoon for me then," Madeline let out under her breath as she walked to the wardrobe to pick out some clothes and underwear.
She was still self conscious about being naked around another woman, but guessed that she might as well just get used to it and dropped the towel to get dressed.
"What time does he usually come back in the evening?" Madeline went on.
"Most days it is sometime between five and six o'clock," Gillian told her. "Oh?, and while I remember, a telegram came for you this morning."
She reached in a pocket at the front of her uniform and brought out a piece of paper.
"What is it?" Madeline asked and frowned.
"We're not allowed to look," Gillian replied. "And I wouldn't dream of doing so anyway. It's your private correspondence."
Madeline wondered if someone was sending her congratulations on her marriage as she stepped across the room and took the telegram. She opened it and the blood drained from her face as she read the brief message.
"Are you OK?" Gillian asked.
Madeline moved over to the bed and sat down as she stared at the words on the paper to keep reading them over and again. She only looked up when Gillian repeated her question.
"It's my mother," she said in a shaky voice. "She's been ill for a while, but apparently her condition has worsened in the last couple of days. I feel so guilty for leaving her."
She put her head in her hands and let out a sigh.
"What are you going to do?" Gillian asked.
Madeline remained bent forward with her head in her hands as she considered her options. She wanted to be the dutiful wife for her new husband and running home to her parents the day after their wedding didn't exactly fit in with that. The minor infraction of refusing to suck his fingers clean during sex got her a hard spanking and went some way to reveal Robert's dominant nature. That didn't bode well for her walking out on him, even if there was a good excuse for it, and she wondered what his reaction would be to her asking to go home.
On the other hand, she remembered standing on the platform of a train station only a couple of days before and promising her father that she would come back if he needed her. It already appeared as if he did. She didn't want to let him down and was also worried about her mother. That left her with a dilemma and she let out another sigh as she raised her head and looked at Gillian.
"I don't know," she answered the question the servant girl posed.
Whatever she was going to do, the one thing she was certain of was that she needed to talk to her husband. She didn't want her marriage to disintegrate the day after it started and she needed to just tell him the problem and hope he would understand her need to help take care of her mother.
"I need to see my husband," she said. "Can you take me to where he works?"
"Of course," Gillian said. "I'll just go and get my coat and let the head butler know what I'm doing."
Madeline nodded her head. She stood when she was alone and paced back and forth across the room before going to the wardrobe to get her shoes and a coat. She wondered if her leaving was the cause of the deterioration in her mother's condition and it brought out her guilt even more. Gillian returned in a matter of minutes to lead the way down the stairs and outside to the front of the property.
"Mr. Cortege keeps the carriage with him during the days," the servant girl said. "It means we'll need to walk to town."
"That's OK," Madeline replied.
Having a personal carriage was a new experience for her and she was more used to walking anyway. It was how she got around in her home town, so it didn't bother her that she needed to do it. She urged Gillian to hurry and they made their way down to the gate then out to the street beyond. Her mind remained on her sick mother as they made their way towards the gold depository building, but her nerves began to rise at the prospect of how Robert would react to what she was about to tell him. The streets became busier as they got closer to the center of town and it slowed their progress.
"Are we nearly there?" Madeline eventually asked.
"Yes," Gillian replied. "We just need to get to the end of this street and turn left."
Madeline saw the building as soon as they walked around the corner. The burly guards standing at the door were a clear indication of the security and she moved in front of Gillian to make her way towards them. She was stopped as she approached.
"I'm here to see my husband," she told the guards.
"Mr. Cortege?" one of the men asked.
It was obvious he knew of her and she nodded her head. The guards stood aside to let her walk through the door and she looked around a magnificent reception area. It was beautifully decorated with the obvious intention of impressing customers, but the heavy steel gates that guarded the way further into the building was another sign of the security of the place. She and Gillian walked up to the smiling woman at the reception desk.
"I need to see Mr. Cortege straight away," Madeline started.
"Is it in relation to your account with us?"
Madeline guessed the woman wasn't aware of who she was in the way the guard had been.
"No," she said. "I'm his wife and I need to talk to him."
"Oh?," the woman said and the surprise came through in her voice. "If you just hold on a second Mrs. Cortege, I'll take you through to his office."
Madeline watched as the woman stepped through a door behind the reception desk. It was the first time anyone called her by her new surname and it sounded a little strange to her ears. Mrs. Cortege was who she was now though and she liked that fact. She shrugged the thought aside though as the concerns returned to her mind. Robert may well refuse to let her go back to her parent's home and she didn't know what she would do if that situation arose.
"Just wait and see," she told herself under her breath, but her nerves grew as she waited.
The woman came back out of the room with a colleague, who took over the reception desk duties.
"Just follow me please Mrs. Cortege," she said.
Madeline told Gillian to wait and followed the woman over to the steel gates. The guard next to them unlocked and opened them and they walked through. The decor in the inner area of the depository was more basic and comprised bare white walls and polished wooden floors. They walked to the end of a long, straight hallway then turned right.
"This is it," the woman said as they got to a door.
Madeline saw her husband's name on it and clenched her hands in tight fists. She consciously tried to relax, but the tension rose as the woman knocked. The shout to enter came and when the door was opened for her, she walked straight in. She almost cursed at the sight of Victoria sitting opposite Robert at his desk. It was the last thing she needed and she almost stopped in her tracks. She turned to look as the sound of the door closing caught her attention.
"Is everything alright Madeline?" Robert asked.
She brought her gaze back in front to look at him. She didn't really want to say anything with Victoria there, but the manager of the gold depository showed no signs of getting to her feet or leaving the room.
"Madeline," Robert said as he got to his feet.
"Umm?, I have a problem I need to discuss," she said.
She hoped he would ask Victoria to leave, but he just stared across the room. It was obvious he was waiting for her to go on and there was nothing she could do but oblige.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you at work," she started, "but I received a telegram from my father this morning."
"Nothing serious I hope," Victoria said.
She turned to stare across the room so her back was to Robert and Madeline stared at the nasty smile that only she could see. Victoria kept her voice pleasant sounding when she spoke, but her expression revealed the insincerity of her words.
The hair stood up at the back of Madeline's neck as a mix of annoyance and hatred welled up, but she did her best to ignore Victoria and concentrate her attention on her husband.
"My mother has been ill for a few months now," she told him. "But the message from my father says that she has taken a turn for the worse."
She stepped across the room and handed the telegram to him. He read it and Madeline ploughed on when he looked up to get her request out before he could say anything.
"I feel kind of guilty about it," she said. "And I promised my father that I would help him if he needed it, so?"
"You want to go home," Robert finished her sentence.
Madeline screwed up her face as she spoke.
"Yes," she replied.
"Oh that's terrible news," Victoria said. "Robert, you must let her go and help her family in this time of need."
"Yes, of course," he said. "Victoria is right."
Madeline's mouth almost dropped open at his immediate agreement. It left her speechless and she glanced at Victoria to see an unpleasant, fake smile she was getting used to. There was no doubt in her mind that the depository manager didn't care about her or her family and was only interested in one thing. That was getting her out of the picture to leave Robert staying alone. Her mind went back to the insults that were thrown at her on her wedding day and her hatred for the woman she was looking at grew.
Something else that happened at the wedding flashed in her mind and she brought her gaze back to Robert. When she asked if there was anything more to his relationship with Victoria than business he brushed the question off without answering it. The sudden concern that maybe there was something he wasn't telling her lit up in her mind and try as she might, she couldn't shake it off.
"You really don't mind that I go?" she asked him.
"Of course not," he said. "I want you to be my wife, but that doesn't mean getting in the way of you and your family. I'll arrange for a train ticket so that you can travel home today."
Madeline's suspicions were raised further by how easily he was letting her go. She'd expected to be pleading with him to let her go home, but his agreement came without so much as a hint of a protest. He reached for a string pull just behind his desk and it was obvious that he was signaling for someone to come to his office. He walked across to the door and after opening it, stepped out to the hallway.
Victoria got to her feet and edged closer to Madeline.
"Don't you worry about Robert when you're gone now," she hissed in a low voice to make sure it was only the two of them that could hear. "I'll take care of him for you. I'll look after him real good."
The soft laugh that followed grated on Madeline's nerves.
"You just?" she started, but was cut off.
"Take all the time you want," Victoria went on. "In fact just do everyone a favor and don't bother coming back at all. People don't want you around here ruining Robert's life."
"That's not true," Madeline snapped back. "I am not?"
"Oh but it is," Victoria interrupted again. "Robert doesn't need a two bit whore like you around, when he has much better options. So like I say, I'll take real good care of him and give him everything you can't."
Madeline wanted to slap the smile from Victoria's face as her anger grew, but the sound of Robert's voice stopped her doing or saying anything.
"OK, I've arranged to get a first class ticket for you on the next train out of town," he said. "It leaves in thirty minutes, so you can take the carriage to get to the station."
"I didn't bring any clothes or other belongings to town," she replied. "All I have is what I'm standing in."
"I've sent my receptionist to the bank," he went on. "She'll get some money for you and also buy the ticket. Just meet her at the station and she'll give them to you."
The worry grew in Madeline's mind that everything was happening too easily and that she was walking out on a marriage that might not be there when she came back. She debated what to do, but in the end knew there was really no choice. She needed to go and see if she could help her mother get better.
"Hurry now dear," Victoria said. "You don't want to miss your train."
"Victoria is right," Robert said. "If you miss this one there isn't another until tomorrow."
Madeline was all too aware of the smug smile on Victoria's face and the urge came back to slap it away. Robert's hand on her back led her to the door before she could do it and in truth she didn't think she would have anyway. For now she needed to concern herself with her sick mother, but she stopped at the door and turned back.
"I'll miss you," she said and threw her arms around his neck.
"Send me a telegram to let me know what's happening," he told her.
"I will," she agreed. "I'll get back as soon as I can."
She sank into the kiss that pressed on her lips and tears pricked at the corner of her eyes when she finally moved away. She glanced back before turning the corner of the hallway. Her last sight of her husband was of him in conversation with Victoria and she let out a quiet curse at the way the gold depository manager's hand was on his shoulder.
"Is there something between them?" she questioned under her breath.
Robert's reluctance to talk about it was a worry that maybe there was something more than business between them, but there was nothing she could do about it. She told Gillian what was happening when she got back to the reception area then went to find the carriage. It took her to the train station, where she met the receptionist.
Thirty minutes after leaving Robert's office, she was sitting in the first class carriage of a train heading home and wondering if it spelled the end of her marriage. That thought remained on her mind for the entire journey and when she got off at her destination she walked the short distance to her home.
"Hi," she said as she walked in the door and saw the shocked expression on her father's face. "How is she?"
"I can't believe you're here," he said as he embraced her. "Your mother will be so glad to see you."
"How is she?" Madeline repeated and saw the look on her father's face.
It brought out her apprehension, but she set her mind to helping getting her mother better and put the concerns about her marriage out of her head.
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