by Allison West
"Yes." That was exactly what Theo wanted to hear. He desired to release the throbbing of his cock and let her lips fall upon his erection. Would she know what to do upon seeing his member? Undoubtedly still pure, she might not even know how to please him. He would teach her what he liked, what he desired, and how she could make him happy. In return, he would capture her heart and her body, claiming her for himself. "Would it be possible to do so tonight, rather than my returning tomorrow?" he asked. "I could go in and assist Nanny Vivian in the playroom."
"I believe tomorrow will be better; after I have had a chance to speak with Nanny Vivian to discuss this further. I feel you should give your little more time to acclimate to the change from nanny to little. We have not had such a dramatic shift before. It is quite possible that there might be some temper tantrums to follow. We have seen the girls fight, and I admit that putting Gia in as a little with the same girls she was a nanny to, may prove troublesome. Nanny Vivian needs to ensure that proper discipline is maintained, and I do know that papas jumping in at times can prove unsettling. Besides, it would not be proper for you to correct a little who is not your own. Imagine how you would feel if a papa took your little Gia over his knee. That is not to say that you cannot correct your little one, but I will not have you correcting a girl who is betrothed to another."
Did Mr. Hartley not trust his judgment to be fair and sound? Theo felt as though he had found himself receiving a lecture that he had no reason to sit in on. He understood the thin line of discipline, and how it would be improper to correct another girl who was not his own. The nannies were responsible for keeping their charges in line. He would have to trust their judgment and make sure that if anything happened, they were privy to it. Surely they had handled such unruly behavior before. Besides, there was no guarantee that little Gia would make trouble at all. She had already become acquainted with the other littles, would they accept her as one of their own?
Who was he fooling? If the situation was reversed, surely he would be giving hell to little Gia if he had previously been her charge. He would keep a close eye to ensure that his Gia was not treated harshly, be it due to the temper from another little, or if another girl raised a hand to her. He may not have been given permission to discipline the other littles, but he did have it in him to protect Gia. He would do whatever was necessary to ensure that no harm would come to her. He did not like the idea of leaving his Gia, but would not make issue of it.
"Very well. Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Hartley. I shall return tomorrow afternoon," Theo said and stood. He reached out, shaking the headmaster's hand before stepping from his office and shutting the door behind him. At least he had gained one thing he had desired from the meeting, permission to see his little one alone. Not that he needed permission. A part of him had already decided he would take what he wanted. After walking in on her nanny shaving the hair from her bottom, and seeing the soft, creamy skin of her quim, he ached to touch his little Gia.
As Theo headed into the hall the next afternoon, he found the corridor to be quiet, as the door to the playroom had been closed. Walking up to the window, he watched, noticing that his little Gia's eyes were red and her cheeks rosy. Had she been crying? The nannies were sitting at a table across the room, talking amongst themselves.
Gia appeared to be coloring alone, as two other girls had their backs to her while they played with the giant dollhouse. Had she wanted to play with them and been refused? She looked sad, but Theo could not tell if it was because she felt left out, or because perhaps they had said something impolite to unsettle her. Her bottom lip pouted as she focused on the paper in front of her.
He could no longer stand there without knowing what was going on. Watching her brought sadness to his heart, something he had not felt before for his little Gia. He did not want her to be upset or miserable as a little.
Knowing it was against what Mr. Hartley had recommended, that he merely observed, and let the nannies take care of any ill behavior, Theo decided he could not stand idly by and watch her break down into tears. The trembling lip and sadness she cast down onto the paper as she colored alone told him that something was definitely wrong.
The room grew silent as he stalked into the playroom and bent down to Gia's level. "Is everything all right?"
"I am fine." Her eyes narrowed, tightening, as if she were attempting to act hardened and unscathed.
However, he could see right through her pain, recognizing the act for what it was. "Come with me," he said, taking her hand and standing up.
"Where are you going?" Nanny Vivian asked.
"Out into the hall to talk. I will bring her back when we are finished." He was not going to have his little one be forced to share what had happened in front of the girls. Had her nanny paid Gia any attention while in the playroom?
Nanny Vivian nodded her approval and shifted in her seat to face her friends, ignoring the littles.
Theo opened the door and led little Gia into the hall and past the window, so the girls could not watch them talk. However, Nanny Vivian could still see him from her seat, if she happened to look in their direction.
"Something happened in the playroom." It was not a question. He needed to know how bad the situation had been for her. Could she move past it with the other girls, or did measures need to be taken to sort it all out?
"I do not wish to tattle," Gia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They will only hate me even more."
Theo did not dare say that would not be true. "Tell me what happened, and I shall decide how it will be rectified." He was not going to leave the decision in Gia's hands, not with her obvious intent to hide it from everyone.
"Nanny Vivian insisted I play with Teresa and Gracie. They would not let me near the dollhouse and snatched up all the dolls. I decided I did not wish to play with them if they were going to be mean, so I colored. Then Teresa kept calling me names, whispering mean things from behind me. She wanted to make me cry." Gia shook her head, her eyes watering. "But I would not let her see my tears. Teresa is mean and deserves to have her bottom smacked!"
Theo sighed and wrapped his arms around Gia, pulling her into his arms for a hug. "She may deserve a good spanking, but it is not for you or me to correct her behavior. Did Nanny Vivian hear any of what was going on?" He could not believe that she had ignored her charges, especially when Gia was practically in tears! Was the woman oblivious, or too wrapped up in herself to notice?
"She did not behave as though she knew. She may have been ignoring it. Nannies do that sometimes. They want to teach the children to work it out between themselves."
"Are you talking from experience?" he asked. He could understand why some fusses should be ignored, but not this; the littles' behavior needed to be corrected before he allowed his little Gia back into the playroom.
Gia nodded her head. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Theo wiped away the droplets and rested his hands on her shoulders.
"I want you to wait right here. Will you do that for me?"
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I need to have a word with Nanny Vivian." He was not going to allow this behavior to continue any further. Theo let go of his little one and headed straight for the playroom. His eyes narrowed, glaring at Teresa and Gracie. Oh, how he desired to punish them for making his little Gia cry. They should have their bottoms spanked and bared for everyone at the chateau to see. It was not his place to discipline them and that infuriated him, especially right now, when there was not much he could do.
Nanny Vivian pushed her chair back, letting it squeak loudly over the floor. She stood and followed Theo out into the hall, shutting the door so no one could be privy to their conversation, except for Gia.
"What seems to be the problem?" Nanny Vivian asked.
"I do not like to see my little Gia in tears due to the way that the other girls are treating her. It is my understanding that the nannies are ignoring the insults and bullying. If you will not fix the problem, I will." He did not c
are whether it meant involving the headmaster, the other papas, or using his own palm to instill discipline.
"Mr. Elliott, I assure you that all little ones go through an adjustment period, a transition, when making new friends."
"Is shunning my Gia part of the tradition?"
"I can assure you that they were not ignoring your little one. Words were exchanged, and they might have been a little terse, but it is nothing that will persist. These girls are put in the same room together every day. Sooner or later, they will learn to be friends," Nanny Vivian said. She glanced back over her shoulder through the window, at the girls playing with their dollhouse. "I will have a word with Teresa and Gracie. Mollie should be here shortly, as well. Perhaps I will suggest that she sit with Gia and color."
"That would be appreciated," Theo said.
"Mollie?" Gia asked.
"Have you met her?" Theo hoped she had no qualms with her, as well. Surely in a school such as Ashby, Gia would have known all the littles.
"I may have stumbled into her on my first day on the job as a nanny," she said. "I am sure we will get along fine."
"Do not worry," Theo said, his hand falling to Gia's back, rubbing over the laces as he tried to calm her nerves.
Nanny Vivian retreated back into the playroom. Though Theo could not hear what words were being exchanged, it was clear that they were being firmly lashed out. Would that be enough?
"I will keep a watchful eye over you. Perhaps, if the girls are still giving you trouble, you could give me a signal from the window." He did not imagine he would be allowed to stay with the girls and play in there with Gia.
"What kind of signal?" she asked.
"I have never seen you twirl your hair. Perhaps if you do that, I will know to come to your rescue."
A faint smile found its way to her lips. The redness that had once looked like a rash from her crying had all but faded.
Theo leaned in, giving his little love a hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "Now go back in and try to have fun."
"All right." She retreated from his embrace and headed for the door.
He watched her walk into the playroom and his heart ached, hoping he would not have to ever see her cry again. Theo knew it was unlikely, and at least he had not been the cause of those tears, yet it still pained him to see her sad.
Gia quietly approached the table and took a seat, resuming her coloring.
From the window, Theo watched, making sure that she did not give him a sign that she was in trouble. Would she tell him if she was?
Chapter 12
Gia returned to the playroom deep in thought. She did not desire to spend her afternoon with girls who behaved so childishly. She had been aware that there would be some responsibilities of being little that she could handle, and playing quietly or even with friends was one of them, but these girls were not her friends. She had learned that quite early on, thanks to the callous taunting.
With no friends to play with, she retreated to the table at the back and sat down once again, resuming her coloring. When Mollie arrived, would she be any better, or would she treat her the same as Gracie and Teresa had? Did she even need friends at Ashby? After all, she had her papa, who obviously cared tremendously for her. Gia glanced up to the window and his eyes locked onto hers. He nodded toward her, and she relaxed as she began quietly to color.
"Did you really think tattling will win you friends?" Teresa asked. She sounded smug, and proud of her accomplishment of tearing Gia down. "Just wait until Mollie gets here to play. She is my best friend in the whole world!"
"I don't care," Gia said under her breath, loud enough for Teresa to hear but not for Nanny Vivian to know what was being said. It had not been harsh, but the annoying brat who had been her own charge just two days previously apparently could keep her insults quiet enough for no one but the littles to hear.
The door to the playroom squeaked open, and Gia glanced up to see Mollie talking to a dark-haired gentleman before walking into the room. His eyebrows were thick and bushy, growing out in nearly every direction. He could have been handsome, once. His eyes were filled with hope, but around them were wrinkles that appeared to have saturated his skin for many decades. He easily could have been her father's age, possibly even a few years older. It was not uncommon for women to wed an older man, one who was stable and had the means to take care of his wife, but this gentleman seemed of such an age that his caretaking abilities might soon be reversed, and he would require assistance himself.
"Who is he?" Teresa asked, seeming to forget about her nastiness for a brief second.
Mollie strolled inside, the door clicking shut behind her as she glanced Gia over without saying a word to her. It was almost as if she had been surprised to discover that the woman who had been a nanny, was now a little.
Teresa scooted over beside the dollhouse, making room for her best friend to sit down.
Mollie smoothed down her skirt before sitting on the floor, with her legs to the side, the sea green gown flowing out in front of her. "His name is William Upton. I realize it is a little less conventional," she said, glancing toward the window as he and papa Theo spoke. "He is to be my papa."
Teresa's hands balled into fists, and her nostrils flared as she breathed. "No."
"No?" Mollie repeated, a frown settling on her forehead. "What do you mean, no? I do not care about his age. Are you not happy for me?"
"You are not to marry papa William, because he is mine!"
Teresa's unruly shout drew the attention of Nanny Vivian.
"Teresa, do not make me come over there. If I have to get out of my chair a second time today because of your nastiness, I will paddle your bottom so hard you will not sit for a week."
"I am sorry, Nanny Vivian." Teresa cast her eyes down to the floor.
Was it an act, or did she feel genuine remorse and fear of being spanked? Gia always found it difficult to tell whether the young woman had been pretending to be sorry with fake tears, or whether they had been real cries of regret and sorrow.
"You are forgiven." Nanny Vivian turned her back, once again chatting animatedly to Nanny Beth. What the blazes were they talking about that warranted ignoring their charges?
Mollie pushed herself off the floor and stood up.
"Where are you going?" Teresa asked, her tone demanding of a response.
"Your nanny may have forgiven you, but I have not." Mollie turned and walked away from Teresa, coming to the table where Gia sat. "Can I color with you?"
Gia glanced up, surprised that Mollie had spoken to her. "Yes." Did the girl not remember that she had been the nanny she had stumbled into on her first day on the job?
Mollie reached for a blank sheet of paper and pastels, sitting across from Gia. "I do not know how you tolerated her as your charge," Mollie said.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Gia's lips. "Thank heavens those days are over." She did not dare glance over her shoulder to see the look on Teresa's face.
"I should be the one who is grateful," Teresa said, inviting herself back into the conversation as she stood up, doll in hand. "To have you as a nanny was dreadful. You did not even know how to inflict pain when you spanked me."
Gia's mouth clamped shut. It was not for her to tell everyone how Teresa had cried and begged for no further punishment.
"You failed as a nanny. That is why you were forced into becoming little, as punishment for doing such a terrible job with me." Teresa smirked proudly.
Gia did not wish to fight with Teresa. She twirled her dark curly strands, her fingers pulling at the locks, signaling for her papa to come in and help settle the situation down before something dire occurred.
The door did not open. No adults seemed to be paying the littles any attention.
She continued twirling her curls, and her eyes darted cautiously toward the window to find that her papa's back was turned as he leaned against the glass pane, speaking with the older distinguished gentleman who apparently desired Mollie as
his little.
Teresa continued provoking Gia, mocking her venomously. "Your papa could never love a street urchin like you!"
Gia's eyes widened. How had the girl discovered details of her life before she had become a nanny? Anger boiled in her blood and she pushed herself from the chair and stood, ripping the doll from Teresa's hands. She snapped the head off and then pushed the dollhouse over, knocking it into its side, whereupon the roof tumbled off and the contents spilled into the back of the wooden unit.
Gia chased after Teresa, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her skirt, tearing her bloomers down as she smacked the girl's bottom.
"Get off me, crazy loon!" Teresa screamed.
"Little Gia Hayes!" Nanny Vivian shouted as she stood, the squeak of her chair tearing through the room, causing a chill down Gia's spine. If no one else was going to take matters into their own hands by disciplining a very naughty Teresa, then Gia felt she had no choice but to do what was necessary.
"She called me a street urchin!" Why had her nanny and papa paid her no attention? Surely if they had been watching, she would not be the one to blame. "You are a bad girl!"
It took both Nanny Vivian and Nanny Beth to pull the two girls apart.
"You are the only bad girl I see," Nanny Vivian scolded Gia. "As a little, you are not to touch another girl, to punish or torment her. Is that understood?" Vivian did not even wait for an answer as she pulled Gia over her lap and sat down, pulling the girl's bloomers down to reveal her bare bottom. Nanny Vivian spanked the roundness of Gia's cheeks, searing them with each peppered swat.
Gia squirmed, fighting the punishment. "It is not fair!" she shrieked, her voice growing an octave higher as her arms flailed in time with her legs. "Teresa was being mean. Calling me names. Saying I am nothing more than a street urchin. She deserves to be punished."
