Miss Summers' School (Lessons in Submission Book 1)

by Maggie Ryan

  Miss Summers’ School

  Lessons in Discipline, Book 1

  By

  Maggie Ryan

  ©2015 by Blushing Books® and Maggie Ryan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Blushing Books®,

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  Ryan, Maggie

  Miss Summers School

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-62750-736-3

  Cover Design by edhgraphics.blogspot.com

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  A Note To My Readers

  About Maggie Ryan

  Ebook Offer

  Blushing Books Newsletter

  About Blushing Books

  Chapter One

  It had only been a few weeks, and yet it felt like a lifetime. She hadn't slept well since that night when her life had changed yet again. Every evening had her tossing and turning in the bed she shared with another, her moans and murmurs disturbing her roommates, and her screams awakening the entire household. Nothing seemed to allow her to find the rest she so desperately needed. Not the whippings she'd received, nor the latest attempt of sipping warm milk reluctantly spiked with a generous dollop of the man's beloved spirits. Rubbing the cold cloth across her chilled skin, Alexandria hoped she wouldn't look as awful as she felt. This was the day she and the others had been waiting for. In a few hours, they would know what was to become of them.

  "Are you afraid?" The question came from a young girl of twelve years as she draped her own cloth over the bar on the washstand.

  "No, and you shouldn't be either."

  "But you cry out at night. Is it because you don't know what's going to happen? Where we are to go?"

  "Shhh, there's no need to worry so. You'll only make yourself ill. Put on your brightest smile; today is the day that you will begin a new life, a better life. Now, come, let me brush out your hair." Alexandria could feel the tension seep from the smaller girl with every stroke of the brush through her blonde locks. After the tangles had been tamed and her thick hair braided into two plaits, Alexandria pulled the blue ribbon from her own hair and used her teeth to cut the frayed length in two.

  "Oh, no," Ginny whispered, "that was your last—"

  "Shh, they look far prettier on your blonde braids than in my untamed mane." Alexandria smiled as she finished tying the second ribbon, giving the girl a hug.

  "Thank you. Oh, I hope we go together. I don't think I'd be so scared if I had you there with me."

  Alexandria's smile was soft at the statement, though in her heart she knew that the girl's wish was not going to come true. While Ginny was young enough to appeal to a couple to take as their daughter, she was sure that her own future would be quite different. "We'll find out soon enough. Now, run along. You don't want to be late for breakfast. You know how Mrs. Mueller feels about tardiness."

  Ginny nodded and gave her a nervous smile. "Aren't you coming? I don't want you to be in trouble."

  "Yes, I'll be in soon, I promise. Now, scoot… before all the toast and jam disappears." Alexandria stood and watched as the younger girl dashed away. She wondered if it was the fear of feeling the switch against her legs or the thought of missing the simple sweet treat that had Ginny flying out the door. Shaking her head, she prayed the girl's future would hold more pleasures than a swipe of jam across a piece of hard bread. The gentle girl deserved so much more. Ginny looked like an angel; well, she would if given the proper clothing and was fed on a regular basis. The fact that she also had the disposition of an angel was in itself a miracle after the life she had been forced to endure.

  Sighing, Alexandria finished her own ablutions, her curly red mane fighting every stroke of the brush. Giving up any attempt to keep it restrained, she braided it as quickly as she could, and tied a thread she pulled from the frayed hem of her shift around the end. With a final look around the room to make sure the beds were properly made and the basin emptied and dried, the cloths from the quick washing of sleep from faces all hanging properly, she left the room, straightening her shoulders. No matter what happened to her today, she prayed that Ginny and the others would find a safe place to begin their lives anew. Surely anywhere was better than this hellhole!

  *****

  "Are you sure, Max?" Peter Dodgers repeated the question he'd already asked half a dozen times. He stopped on the pavement, reluctant to take another step until the matter was settled. Though in his mid-sixties, his gray hair and slight stature making him appear about half the size of his companion, he was not the least bit intimidated. Tapping the end of his mahogany walking stick against the pavement, he again tried to make his point.

  "It would be a far simpler matter to offer the girl a position as a servant. She is the eldest of the survivors. I'm surprised she hasn't already been placed into service. There's no need for further support when she can earn a living at whatever task she learns."

  Maximilian Hollister tried not to show his impatience with the conversation. Peter had been his father's barrister since before he'd been born and had served the family well. Though Max greatly respected the man, this was one instance where his advice would not be taken. "I've been searching for the girl for over a year. It's time to finish this."

  "I agree, but I'm sure there's an easier solution."

  A tightening of his lips spoke of Max's resolve. "I have no need for ease; I have need to fulfill the oath I made."

  Folding both hands atop his walking stick, Peter sighed. "I've known you since you were but a lad, Maximilian. You've always been hard-headed and yet also willing to listen to reason. I understand you feel a sense of duty, and I respect that you are a man of honor. However, you are not listening! There is no need to go this far. Your promise was made under ungodly conditions. You do not know this lass. Despite your oath, there is no need to take her as your wife. The girl would never know—"

  "What she knows is irrelevant. I know, and that's all that matters."

  "Good Lord, son, think of your position! You're about to shackle yourself to some woman you don't know a thing about. Do you really believe your father would have approved? Do you think he'd wish you to spend the rest of your life in misery? Your promise was to make sure she and her mother were looked after and were comforta
ble, you can..."

  "And I failed in that promise," Max growled, his fist clenching as he thought about just how badly he had failed. "If only I'd found them sooner, perhaps the lass would not be an orphan."

  "Circumstances failed them, not you. No one could have foreseen the sequence of events. It is unfortunate that her mother has passed, but that is not your fault—nor do you need to spend the rest of your life in some sort of penance. Hell, offer the girl your continued support. Place her in one of those finishing schools if you think she'd benefit. Even if that doesn't appeal to you, there's no reason she can't learn a trade. I'm sure I could find someone to take her as an apprentice until she learns the skills to support herself. Son, you do not conduct your business in such a haphazard fashion—do not conduct your life as less important. There is far too much unknown about the girl."

  Forcing himself to relax, Max spoke more quietly. "I appreciate your concern, but I need know only that this girl is my responsibility. She was from the moment her father gave his life for mine. I wouldn't have a life if it hadn't been for Alexander Bannister. Wedding his daughter is really a rather small price to pay for that, wouldn't you agree?" Seeing Peter's shoulders drop, he continued. "Come, Peter, we both know marriages are made for reasons far beyond any sort of love."

  "I hear you, Max, but I also know you. I know you are an honorable man. Marriages of convenience may suit others. Hell, we both know men that have mistresses to provide the intimacies they won't even ask of their wives. You're a young man, Max. I understand your desires and your particular tastes when it comes to women. I am concerned that you will grow weary of pretending to be a man that you are not."

  Max stood beside the barrister, oblivious of the crowds moving around them as he considered Peter's statement. What kind of man was he? His life had been one of privilege. He was the only son of Lord Earnest Maximilian Hollister, and he had been groomed since childhood to be worthy of both the title and the name. Educated at the finest schools, he'd worked alongside his father as he was prepared to take over in the family's various enterprises. When war broke out again in Africa, his feet were, however, set upon an unforeseen path…

  *****

  His lineage had made him an officer and in command of men of different generations and stations. Though his family standing could have kept him safe from places of the deadliest conflicts, he was not a man to shirk any duty. If his country needed him to fight, fight he would. Max thought of the man who had become his dear friend despite the difference in their ages and the wide difference in their social circles. Meeting Alex Bannister had changed his life yet again.

  Alexander Bannister worked with his hands and his mind. He'd been involved in architecture since was a boy, and though not a man of high standing in society, he was a man of unwavering loyalty. Just as social graces didn't have a place on the fields of battle, neither did social standing. Titles didn't truly matter when bullets were flying and men, titled or not, were joined in the fight for Queen and country as well as their own survival. Though not a man to be free with his thoughts, Max spent many an evening playing chess, discussing philosophy and future plans with a man he respected—not because it was expected, but because he honestly enjoyed being in Alex's company. Max found a sense of freedom in discussing things he'd never shared with another. When his men staggered back into camp after a night of drinking and whoring, Bannister was never among them.

  "Do you not need to pretend you're home again, or wish to be in a woman's arms?" Max had asked one evening as the two set up the board, both aware of but ignoring the ribald comments and boasts of the other men as they prepared to find a bit of comfort after a particularly horrific battle.

  "That's rather an odd question coming from a man who is not wed. I'd have thought you'd be with the others… or do you have someone who has already captured your heart?"

  Max had chuckled, moving his pawn forward. "No, while I admit to a bit of dalliance in my youth, I've no longer the desire to spend hours in vacuous conversation. I have rather specific desires. I wish only for a woman who is intelligent enough to share in discussions, and one willing to admit she is as passionate in her wish for pleasure as I. Until I find her, frankly, I'd rather play chess."

  "You're far too young a man to be so jaded, Sir. As for myself, I find comfort in my memories," Alex said, as he made his first move of the game. "I made my vow to my sweet Madeline twenty five years ago, and have never had a desire for another since."

  Shaking his head and making his move, Max replied. "It's a rare thing to see. I'm not accustomed to men who are faithful; especially in such trying circumstances. She must be quite a woman."

  Pulling a chain out from where it had been covered by his shirt, Alex had opened a locket and looked down at the small photos inside. Closing it, he brushed his lips across the surface before tucking it back inside his clothing. "That she is. She has brought me joy far beyond what I deserve. We'd not thought we'd be so blessed but she gave me a beautiful daughter, and yet Maddie will always remain my special little girl no matter how old we grow. Trust your heart, Lord Hollister. It will tell you when the time is right. You'll know the moment you find the girl who is as sweet as an angel one moment and as spirited as the devil the next."

  All thoughts of the game between them had disappeared as Max thought of another game he'd far rather be playing. Hearing words that could be interpreted in a way that made his blood race, he looked across the table.

  "I've been to a hundred soirées, and attended a hundred balls where I was in danger of losing my mind," Max replied. "I've had maids of all ages, shapes and sizes thrust before me. I've been offered outrageous dowries to take a spoiled, spiteful daughter off a father's hands. What I have yet to find is a single woman who possesses anything but the desire for my name and my money. I'd give every gold sovereign I own to a woman who preferred to give herself fully to me; to obey my every desire, to be claimed in ways she has never imagined, and to find that true submission is priceless."

  Alexander's eyebrow arched as he moved his knight. "I'd not thought you a man who retreats so easily, Sir. Perhaps you've been looking in the wrong places. I promise you, such a treasure is within reach, but the price might be one even more than you are willing to give. All that remains is for you to understand that she would not be the only one living more than one role." Removing his hand from his chest piece, he lifted his head, a mysterious glint in his eyes. "Can you offer the guidance a devil needs, as well as the passion to reward an angel? Are you strong enough to take that same angel across your knees and blister her arse? Finally, are you a man whose heart is large enough to assure that devil that she never needs to fear you'll ever abandon her, no matter how much she fights her need to be so possessed?"

  The men continued to play but Alexander's words played in Max's mind. What were the odds that he'd found a man who shared his proclivities? Sure, he knew of others who also desired to find a woman whom he could coddle and care for as well as enjoy the passion a man had for a woman—but could he be sitting across from one even now? For the first time, he delved deep inside himself to answer the questions asked of him. Many conversations and deeper discussions were exchanged between the two men over the next several months.

  It had been during one of those evenings, after they'd lost several in their company, that Alexander accepted Max's promise. If the unthinkable happened, Max would make sure Alex's beloved wife and daughter would not only have a benefactor, but they'd also hear from his own commander what an outstanding man he had been.

  In turn, Max accepted the older man's promise to visit his estates and to speak with his father—to tell him that his son had led his men well, that he'd fought alongside them and that he had died with honor. They both prayed each of them would return home as hale and hearty as they had left, but had seen enough horror to understand that the odds were against them. A handshake sealed their promises.

  Max's desire that they both return home ended during a night when the skies
opened to flood the fields, lightning cracking across the sky as bullets whizzed overhead. His company fought bravely, Max at the front urging them forward. A bullet had spun him around as he stood. Knees buckling, he had called for his men to retreat. Instead, Alexander pushed through the men and moved to pull Max to safety. As he bent to lift his injured friend, a bullet tore through him to enter Max. Both men fell and remained lying in the mud until dawn when the skies cleared and the battle was won at an ungodly price.

  Pulling himself from his memories, Max's attention returned to the present.

  *****

  Placing his hand on Peter's shoulder, he spoke softly. "You fret too much, old friend. Alexander was a good man; his love for his wife and daughter unquestioned. Trust me to make the proper decision, I know what I'm doing." He paused. "You asked what my father would have thought. I believe he'd not only have understand, he would have approved. And, Peter, once that decision is made, I expect not only your support, but wish never again to hear you question my choice. Is that understood?"

  "Yes, I understand, and whatever decision you make, I promise my support. All I ask is that you understand I want you to find happiness, son. You will not do so if the girl does not have the nature you desire."

  Max nodded. Peter not only served him in all legal matters, he had also served his father before him. The man was privy to a great deal.

  Clapping his friend on the back, he grinned. "Then let's see what our future holds, shall we? It can't be as hellish as the past year has been." Max knew that while Peter might wish to disagree, he was smart enough to know when to remain quiet.

  The men entered the courthouse. Informing a clerk they were there to attend the day's ceremony, both were a bit surprised to be led into a smaller room instead of the official courtroom. It was already filling with people. "I suppose it's a good idea to conduct today's business here and not in there," Peter said, as they looked around the room.