by Marie Hall
“Devin, what do you think of that?” Mia said pointing through the glass at a display of diamonds.
“It is lovely,” he said not really taking note of the necklace until she pointed it out.
“Do you think it better than the one Lady Mallory was wearing last night?”
His lust died instantly and he looked at the piece. “What does it matter, Mia?” He studied the piece a bit more. It was certainly a more ostentatious piece than the jewelry worn by the woman Devin was now going out of his way to avoid. Her advances towards him were becoming lewd and they weren’t going unnoticed by his colleagues or more importantly his wife. Perhaps the one poor result of his now famed prowess.
“I think perhaps I want it,” Mia said and tugged his hand as if to enter the shop.
“Mia, no. Come, let’s go home,” he said pulling her back.
“No, Devin. I should like to speak to the proprietor and see about its purchase.” She pulled on his hand again, dropping it when he wouldn’t follow her.
“Mia, no,” he told her and made sure his tone was understood.
“I’m not asking you to buy it, Devin,” Mia assured him.
“That’s good, because I wouldn’t and neither will you.” He took her hand and tried to pull her past the shop.
“I can spend my money how I want. You even told me I could,” she said, the rebellion already showing in her face and posture.
“I said you’re to spend your money on what will bring you pleasure. That isn’t even in your tastes.”
“I assure you when I see that woman’s expression it’ll give me great pleasure,” Mia almost snarled.
“Mia,” Devin snapped. “You’ll not start. I won’t have it. Helen Mallory is no one that you should waste your money only to tweak her nose.”
“Devin,” Mia almost shouted and he knew she almost stomped her foot at him, too.
“I said no,” he said, looking again at the piece she wanted. “It’s not even in good taste. I can see its only purpose at all is to tell everyone around who sees it just how wealthy the person wearing it is. That’s not something you need to do, Mia. People like you, love you, because you are a kind person. You have never bought friends and I won’t have you try now.” He saw the moment of shame wash up, but it was gone again and replaced with a storm of resentment for his denial she be allowed to use her money as she wanted. “Let’s go, we’ve spent enough time today in these streets. I think I need to stand a while by the surf.”
With those words he managed to get her to come away from the window, but it wasn’t without resistance. Resistance that didn’t fade even after a few days. And when he opened the door to their home and accepted the delivery, he knew he missed the storm that had been brewing for the last week. But he was about to spill out those winds.
Devin pushed open the bedroom door just as Mia set her foot on the chair to buckle her shoe. He marched past her to the table where she kept her things and slammed the case down.
“Didn’t I tell you you couldn’t have this?” he asked and turned to glare at her.
“You told me first I could buy what I liked with my own funds,” she retorted and refused to back down.
“And you like this?” he asked, opening the case and displaying the diamonds. “This, when all you’ve ever been drawn to before was…” he opened a drawer at the table and pulled a miniature chest from it. Setting it on the table next to the diamonds, he opened it and pulled out several strands of pearls, ivory brooches and the few pendants of a singular stone. She had a sapphire and a ruby as well as two opals. Simple, but of high quality and gentle beauty. “And look at all of this you have. Not any of it colorless. Even your pearls are not white.” He lifted a strand of yellow pearls to lay it down beside the diamonds. “What did you tell me about white pearls? Too plain. No color. But now you want this?” He waved his hand at the diamonds.
“Yes. I want those,” Mia said though he didn’t think she looked as sure as she’d have him believe. “I want them. I used my money. You have no say this time.”
It wasn’t quite a challenge because she was mostly correct. He promised he’d not protest how she used her money. But it wasn’t the use of money so much as the reason for its use. And he was going to show that to her now. “Very well, Mrs. Winthrop. Keep them. Wear them. Though I can’t imagine where you’ll find an event that’s appropriate enough.” He walked past her towards the door.
“I’ll wear them this Friday to the ball at the Admiral’s house,” Mia said and she sounded surprised he hadn’t thought of that.
Fact was he had and it was the rope he needed to pull to bring down her sails. “Well, have a nice time attending without me,” he said and reached for the door.
“What? No, Devin we both accepted the invitation,” Mia said stepping towards him.
“Yes, well, you can give my regrets or I’ll send them myself today. Perhaps the admiral will be in and I can tell him myself why I won’t be attending after all.” He waited because he knew Mia was trying to reason out what would make him change his mind so late.
“What reason do you have?” she finally asked, looking not only confused but hurt.
“I’ll not attend with you because I won’t be associated with a wife who is a spiteful braggart.” He heard the sharp intake of breath but plunged ahead. “You only bought that necklace to make sure Mallory knows you can. What do you hope, that the two of you can engage in a war over who might buy the most expensive jewels and silks? Will you only hope she’ll go bankrupt before you in this reach to outdo the other? Well, I won’t have it. I’ll not support you in such activities and I’d guess neither would the commodore or any of those in your employ who depend on you being wise with the money they work to earn you. What was it you told me? You only have so much because you don’t care to live so extravagantly?”
“Devin?” It was a harsh criticism and like most critical words, Mia didn’t take them well. Her eyes filled with tears and her chin trembled.
Devin crossed the room to stand in front of her. “Is this who you are, Mia? Are you this spiteful braggart?” She shook her head at him. Then dropped her eyes so he had to take hold of her chin and lift them back to his. “You’re not competing with her, Mia. She is no one. She is certainly no one compared to you.”
“She wants you,” Mia said and sniffed.
“And I want her to fall in a hole and disappear,” Devin said softly as he lifted his hand to brush at the tear sliding down her cheek. “She only wants me because I belong to you and she can’t have me. I don’t hold any affection for her. And if what I hear from others is true, few do. Loyalty to her is bought and we both know that is not loyalty.”
“Aye,” Mia conceded.
“I’ll not have my wife garner such following as she has. Do you understand?”
“Aye, Captain. I’ll return the necklace.”
“You will, and you’ll fetch me your hairbrush,” he said taking a seat on the chair Mia had used to buckle her shoe.
He saw Mia flinch. “Why?” she asked, her voice cracking. She very well knew why.
“I told you to buy things that make you happy. But I also told you not to buy that necklace because you wanted it for the wrong reasons. You chose to mutiny on the matter. Now bring me your hairbrush.” He sat back and brushed at his lap.
“Devin,” Mia whined and stomped her foot.
“Will I need to a fetch the belt afterwards, Mrs. Winthrop?” he asked and saw her pale as she realized what she’d just done.
“No,” it was more a plea then an answer.
“Then fetch your brush, I’m already going to be late leaving,” he said with little compassion now that she was continuing with the resistance.
“Captain, please,” she tried again as she crossed the room and lifted the heavy wooden object from her table. He didn’t miss her eyes going to the case sitting open still or the regret in her expression for having bought it after he’d said no. Facing him again and clutching the bru
sh to her breast with both hands she tried one more time. “Please.”
“Now, Mia,” Devin said as he pointed to the floor before him and then held out his hand. Mia took the three steps needed to reach him and set the brush, hesitantly, in his hand. He pointed again to the floor in front of him, this time splaying his knees so she could stand between them. She whimpered knowing he meant to be rather serious if he meant to keep her between his legs, but she stepped to and sank down enough Devin could ease her over.
“Devin please, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I wasn’t thinking about it that way,” Mia tried as he lifted her skirts and pulled the ribbon holding her drawers closed.
“Do we need to speak to truthfulness too, Mia? That is exactly how you thought of it,” he said as he moved his right leg enough to allow Mia’s drawers to slip to her knees, then past. “You saw that thing in the shop window and it was your only thought. Wasn’t it?”
Mia’s answer was a loud wail which he took as confession. Shifting her forward a little more so her ass was high and center over his thigh, he clamped his other leg against both of hers and lifted the brush. “I didn’t wed a woman who is spiteful. I didn’t wed a braggart. I won’t let the woman I wed, who has been perfect from the first moment, become the very kind of woman she despises herself.”
Like the stroke of the brush, his scolding hurt her and Mia’s keening wail grew like a wave. And like a wave it broke hard and loud when he brought the wood down on her flesh. Lifting, he waited for the color to raise up before he brought it down again. Mia yelled and arched her back. The third blow had her trying to push off his lap and she made to reach back with the fourth. Devin captured her hand and pinning it to her side, pulled her closer to his body.
The brush was rather wide and covered a good portion of each cheek with every stroke. That Devin was putting some force behind each swing was evident as the bloom of red didn’t fade. He landed the next and Mia’s struggles became more desperate. Clamping his legs together he held her in place through the next six and by wrapping his left arm more securely around her he kept her still for eight more. After that Mia went limp. Sobbing and gasping for breath between each following crack of the brush. By the time he reached a count of thirty, Mia was spent. Her ass was red and bruising from her hip to the top of her thighs. Reaching down with his left hand, he took hold of her neck and forced her forward a little more, putting her thighs in the target area.
“You will not stomp at me, Mia,” he said as he transferred the brush to his left hand and brought his right palm down on the back of her legs twelve times. Those were more for posterity. He’d not fetched a strap, but he’d not left her free of consequences, and she’d remember that.
Drawing his legs apart he pulled Mia back until she knelt between them. Her sobbing was intense and if he’d not held her up she’d have lain down on the floor to have them out. It was an unfortunate moment to hear Mr. Hong call out the coach was waiting. Devin might have left this go until tonight, but he’d felt it important not to send Mia any message she might take as approval. Standing, he stepped around her and pulled her to her feet then swung her up into his arms.
“Haul in your sheets, pirate,” he said as he set her on the bed and drew a blanket over her. “It is quite done now. Take back the necklace and we’ll be back on course in safe waters.” Kneeling beside the bed, he brushed back her hair, then used his thumb to wipe at the tears. This tide wouldn’t be as easy to stem. Mia was having a rather good cry. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew the handkerchief before she could think to start using the bedding. Dabbing at her cheek he made to wipe her nose only to have her turn into the pillow. “Mia?” Nothing but her continued sobbing. With a sigh he forced the handkerchief into her hand then stood. Bending, he placed a kiss on her head before heading for the door.
This would be the first time he’d left her on her own after any such discipline and it certainly didn’t feel right to do it, but as Hong called again, he gritted his teeth and made his way out. Perhaps he’d be able to finish by lunch and come back to her. But his distraction put him behind on several tasks. Enough that the commandant took notice and asked him about it. He was about to beg pardon and dismiss it as nothing but a small domestic matter when Mia appeared at the end of the hall on Lieutenant Coventon’s arm.
Already having charmed this man, the commandant gave him a knowing smile, a slap on the arm and shaking his head moved away. Coventon started them towards Devin, though Mia seemed a bit resistant. She didn’t usually come to the college, so perhaps that was the reason for her hesitancy.
“I found her pacing about in the quad, Captain,” Coventon announced. “I didn’t think it wise to leave her. Grim has glared at everyone who looked at her. It starting to create a panic. Nothing like a man who could be Polyphemus, son of Poseidon himself, glaring at you while you are about to enter life at sea.”
Devin chuckled even as Mia sniffed and looked up at Jonah in confusion. “Grim has two eyes sir,” she said, clearly not understanding how intimidating her man was. To her, Grim was a soft cushion of support and protection, not in the least frightening. And thinking on it, Devin had never seen Grim angry. Mr. Hong was the one to worry about as Coventon learned firsthand. The small man had tossed the lieutenant to the deck like a rag on their first encounter.
“He’s no Cyclops, but he’s very much a giant of a man and not one anyone would wish to anger,” Coventon told her with a soft smile. “I need to get back. I was to see to a group of lubbers trying to learn to row in time. I’m sure by now they are turning in circles and dizzy with all of it.” He tipped his head. “Good day Captain, Mrs. Captain,” he said causing Devin to groan. The address usually made Mia giggle. Not today.
“What brought you here?” he asked, to get to the point. She’d not so much as spoken to him and her countenance looked far too spiritless. When she only shook her head, he took her arm and pulled her closer. “Mia, tell me.”
She shrugged but whispered, “I sent the necklace back.”
“All right,” he hedged because he didn’t think Mia really wanted the damn thing, but something was making her melancholy. “Was there something else?” She sniffed and wiped her eyes on her shoulder. Devin pulled her a little closer.
“I’m sorry,” she said and sniffed then rubbed her face against his coat.
Devin barely refrained from growling at her smearing snot and tears over his uniform. “Mia, long ago forgiven.”
“Aye?”
“Aye,” he confirmed as she stepped back and wiped her eyes with her gloved fingertips. Devin dug in his pocket for a handkerchief only to find he didn’t have one. “Come.” Devin guided Mia towards the door of his office. The midshipman acting as his secretary stood as they entered. Devin waved him down, then said, “Porter, please see about some tea for Mrs. Winthrop. Then you are dismissed for the day.”
“Aye, sir.” The man beamed at the prospect of being sent home early, but Devin didn’t plan to stay. Mia needed him with her, so he’d leave anything unfinished for tomorrow. He ushered Mia through the second set of doors and towards the small sofa.
Before he could reach it, she veered away and headed towards the windows that lined the far wall of the office. “Mia, come sit here,” he called then saw the expression on her face when she looked back over her shoulder at him. “All right then, wait for the tea,” he said and moved to his desk. He opened a few drawers, finding a spare handkerchief in one of them. He took a step and held it out to her. This forced her to take a step to reach it. She did so but was hesitant. Sitting, he sorted some papers and wrote a few things he needed to do over the next few days. If he’d ever thought teaching sailing was less work than sailing, he knew better now. Then again, he also knew he was resistant to this. Mia was right, one didn’t learn how to master the ocean in a classroom.
He looked up at her again and caught her reaching back to rub her stern. The loud sniff was followed by a deep sigh as she lifted the handkerchief to her eyes. �
��Mia,” he called, and she dropped her hand away before turning to face him. “Come here.” Again she hesitated, and he began to wonder if he’d been so harsh this morning that she was now afraid of him. She stepped up right as a sharp knock sounded and his door opened without invitation.
“Ah, you’re here, very good,” Admiral Booker said as he stepped back and let his elegant wife step through ahead of him. Even with them both nearing sixty, they made a stunning couple. Devin knew Mia would age well though he had little hope for himself. Then again, he didn’t think to rise to the rank of admiral and need to still hold such bearing.
“Oh, and Mia Winthrop too, Admiral,” Mrs. Booker said coming through the door with a kind smile towards Mia who was trying to slide behind Devin and remain mostly unnoticed. She couldn’t be too afraid if she’d still use him as a shield. “Just the person I wanted to speak to anyway.”
“Mrs. Booker,” the admiral warned.
“Oh, you never mind yourself, sir. It’s always better to speak directly to the one who needs to know than to leave it for messages to be passed from lips to ears several times over.”
Devin, having come to his feet as soon as the door opened, stepped instinctively to shield Mia. She didn’t need even a hint of criticism following this morning, but again these were people she’d already charmed half to death. “Sir, how can I help you this afternoon?” Devin asked as Mia hid behind him and hastily tried to wipe her face clean of any evidence she’d been crying.
“Are we interrupting?” Admiral Booker asked. “Lunch perhaps?”
“No, sir,” Devin said and stepped again to keep Mia behind him as the man crossed the room towards the desk. “I have requested some tea, but,” damn he didn’t want to visit with people right now, “my wife only stopped by on her way home to—” He didn’t know why Mia stopped by. She’d not said. She didn’t need to tell him she’d sent the necklace back, nor did she need to apologize again. Both those things she should have known.
