“For all the children?” she asked. “Even the girls?”
“Aye. I told you my father believes that all children should learn to read and write. We also have many tenant farmers that live outside the village. One day we can take the horses, and I’ll introduce you to them,” he said.
“I’d like that,” she replied. “Just take me around and show me where everything is today if that’s alright with you.”
“That’s fine,” he told her and once again offered his arm, which Jacqueline took, and they continued their walk.
“This is the blacksmith’s workshop,” Connor said pointing, “and next to it is the bakery.”
“Taking your new bride out, Connor?” Jacqueline heard Catherine yell sarcastically from the front of one of the homes in the village, where she was gathered with a bunch of the village women.
“Just giving her a tour of her new home,” Connor replied, keeping his tone light. He looked away from Catherine and to the rest of the women standing around and said, “ladies, I’d like you to meet my new wife, Lady Jacqueline Fraser.”
The women were not rude as they nodded at Jacqueline, but they weren’t overly friendly either. Jacqueline knew she was going to have to work hard to earn the respect of the women that had been friends with Catherine for a long time.
“I heard an interesting story today,” Catherine said, and the women around her laughed softly trying to hide it.
“What’s that, Catherine?” Jacqueline asked, beginning to get annoyed.
“I heard Connor had to marry her,” Catherine said bitterly to the rest of the women, “he was found in her bed at Gleann.”
“That’s none of your business, Catherine,” Connor told her, getting annoyed himself.
“Is it true, Connor? Did you have to marry her? Did she invite you into her bed and then trap you into marriage?” Catherine said, provoking them both.
“The whore who has warmed his bed for the last year is questioning me?” Jacqueline angrily asked.
“Whore? Who are you calling a whore?” Catherine yelled back. “See what kind of woman our next laird has married?” she said to the women standing around her.
“Enough, Catherine,” Connor said, “I won’t allow you to speak to my wife that way.”
“Oh that’s right,” Catherine spat, “if I talk bad about her you’ll have me banished from the village. Isn’t that what you said, Connor? You used me and led me to believe we had a future together, then you run off and get trapped into marriage with some trollop.”
“I never led you on,” Connor spat back. “You were more than willing to be in my bed without any offer of marriage. And you know I never said if you talked bad about my wife I’d have you banished. I said I’d banish you if you tried to attack her again.”
“Why would I attack your wife? She attacked me,” Catherine lied to the women around her. “Who are you going to believe?” she asked them, “the woman who you’ve known all her life, or this new ‘lady’.”
“You bitch,” Jacqueline said and began walking towards Catherine.
“Jacqueline, stop,” Connor said and grabbed her by the arm stopping her. Speaking softly so only she could hear, he added, “you’re doing exactly what she wants.”
“I told you in the solar Catherine,” Jacqueline began, ignoring Connors words, “if you ever try to attack me again, it will be the last time it will ever happen. Consider verbal attacks part of that warning.”
“Are you threatening me?” Catherine said, baiting her.
“Not a threat, but a promise,” Jacqueline hissed in reply as Connor again took her arm trying to silence her.
“Why do you want to start trouble, Catherine?” Connor asked her. “What has my wife ever done to you?”
“She tricked you into marrying her, Connor,” Catherine said. “Everyone in the village knew you and I were going to marry one day soon.”
“If that’s what everyone in the village knew, then it was because of you telling them lies. I was never going to marry you, Catherine,” Connor angrily told her, “and I was hardly the first in your bed.”
“That’s what you say now in front of your wife,” Catherine said. “The people of this village know the truth though, and they will never accept this new wife.”
“Is that your plan, Catherine? To turn the people of the village against me before they even get to know me?” Jacqueline asked her. She then looked at the faces of the women around Catherine, and she could tell by their expressions that Catherine’s plan was already succeeding.
“There is no plan when one tells the truth,” Catherine said, smirking at the newly married couple. “Nobody wants your new wife here at Tarmon. She will never be welcome.”
Jacqueline had heard enough, and before Connor could stop her, she stepped towards Catherine, poking her in the chest with her finger and said, “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t care if you or any of the rest of the people in Tarmon want me here or not. You’re a bitch, Catherine. Stay out of my sight, or you’ll be sorry.”
Connor grabbed Jacqueline by the arm and began pulling her back towards the Keep and the castle. “Why couldn’t you just stay quiet,” he said quietly to her, knowing the villagers could still hear them. “The women around her are going to talk about what you said to her; you came off as the bitch.”
“So I’m supposed to let her treat me like that?” Jacqueline asked him loudly. “Maybe you still want the whore in your bed at night.”
“Enough, Jacqueline,” he hissed at her. “I’m already angry, don’t make it worse.”
“So you’re going to take the side of your whore? Are you forgetting that I’m your wife and it’s me you should be defending?” Jacqueline practically yelled back.
“I remember you’re my wife. I’m going to show you what a husband does to a wife who doesn’t know when to stop talking when she’s told,” he quietly said back.
“You can’t tell me what to do,” she said back.
Connor glanced around and seen a large rock on the side of the path they were walking on. He pulled Jacqueline over to it, placed his foot on top of it and quickly pulled her over his bent knee, in view of some of the villagers that were still watching them.
“I’ve had enough,” he said, pulling up her skirts but leaving her shift down, not wanting to bare her in front of the villagers he knew were still watching. He began repeatedly bringing his hand soundly down upon her backside. Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack. “This is just a warm-up. If I hear anymore sass out of you, the next time I have to stop I’ll lift your shift also and I don’t care who sees it, understand, wife?”
“Stop, Connor,” she cried, “someone is going to see what you’re doing.”
“I.. smack don’t.. smack care.. smack ” with each word he struck her once more. “Do.. smack you.. smack understand.. smack now.. smack ?”
“Aye, I understand,” she said back. “That hurts, please stop.”
Connor flipped her back up onto her feet. “Not another word,” he once again warned her as he took her arm and led her back home. It was a silent walk as both were too angry to speak to one another.
“Did you have a good stroll?” Caiden asked them as they walked back through the doors of Tarmon castle.
“Not really,” Connor said to him.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” his Da asked.
“We ran into Catherine, who’s been telling tales about my wife to the rest of the villagers,” Connor explained. “It wouldn’t have been so bad, but my wife couldn’t keep her mouth shut, and probably turned all the villagers against her by threatening Catherine in front of them.”
“That’s not good,” Laird Fraser said. “What are you going to do about it?”
“With the villagers? I’m not sure,” he answered. “My wife is about to get a lesson in listening to her husband. We’ll see you in the morning, Da.” He once again steered Jacqueline, who had been looking at the floor the entire time Connor had talked to h
is Da, towards the stairway. Before getting there, they ran into Jacqueline’s brother Owen.
“Hello, little sister,” Owen said, “what did you think of the village?”
“I think they are horrible, hateful people,” she hissed.
“Did something happen? Are you alright?” Owen asked her.
“Do you know Connor’s whore?” she bitterly asked him. “Maybe you should have warned me about her.”
“That’s not fair, Jacqueline, what was going on before you were married is none of your business. If something happens now that you’re married; than I will gladly stick up for you,” Owen defended himself.
“Maybe you should have stuck up for me before the wedding,” she said to her brother.
“I’ve heard enough out of you tonight,” Connor said to her as he bent down, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder before standing back up. “I’m sorry about your sister’s attitude tonight, Owen. I’m hoping that I can change it this evening and tomorrow it will be much improved.”
“I’ve had to improve it once or twice myself,” Owen told him.
“See you tomorrow, Owen,” Connor said as he began climbing the stairs holding Jacqueline in place with one arm across her thighs.
“Aren’t you going to help me,” she called to her brother.
“I think you’ve earned whatever happens, little sister,” he called to her. “Just remember, I do love you and want the best for you.”
“Liar,” she yelled at him as he walked away. “Just go away.”
Connor entered their solar and bedroom, he not very gentle dropped Jacqueline onto their bed and told her, “you have two minutes to strip down to your shift. I’d advise you for the first time today not to argue with me, you’ve already got a hell of a punishment coming.”
Chapter 5: Attitude Adjustment
“I’m not going to let you punish me,” she snapped at him as she sat up on the bed. “Who do you think you are?”
“I’m going to show you what a husband does to a disobedient wife,” he snapped back. “You’re down to a minute; I suggest you hurry.”
“Nay,” Jacqueline said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at him.
“Very well,” he said as he walked towards her. “We can do this the hard way. You’ve just added a strapping on top of the rest of your punishment.”
When he reached the bed where Jacqueline was sitting and staring at him, he reached and grabbed her by her ankles. With one quick pull and a flip he had her lying down on the bed on her stomach. He quickly jumped upon her back so she couldn’t get up, but being careful not to hurt her, he began to unfasten her dress down the back.
“Get off me, Connor,” she yelled, becoming even angrier and trying to buck him off.
“Nay!” was all he said in reply.
“You’re being a brute. Stop it,” she yelled back over her shoulder at him.
“Am I hurting you in any way?” he asked her.
“Nay,” she said, “but I don’t like being held down.”
“Too bad, wife,” he calmly said. “I gave you every chance to do this yourself,” he said as he grabbed the top of her dress and pulled it down. He lifted his weight off of her just long enough for him to pull it down to her hips.”
“Are you ready to listen and cooperate now?” he asked her.
“Aye,” she snapped at him.
“Alright,” he got up off of her back and held his hand out to her, “get up and take the rest of the dress off.”
“Why does my dress have to be off?” she asked him, her face turning red with embarrassment.
“You just keep adding extras,” he said as he once again grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Before she had time to react, he grabbed her dress where it pooled around her hips and pulled it down the rest of the way; it fell around her feet on the floor.
“Connor, stop,” Jacqueline tried to protest. Connor wasn’t listening, he spun around and plopped down on the edge of the bed pulling Jacqueline, belly down, over his knees.
“Now before I start, let me tell you what’s going to happen tonight,” he calmly began. “I’ve had enough of your attitude, and I’m going to change it before either of us gets any sleep tonight.”
“There is nothing wrong with my attitude,” she shot back.
“I can see you’re not ready to listen yet,” Connor said shaking his head. “Let’s see if I can put you in a more agreeable mood.”
“What are you doing?” Jacqueline cried as she felt her shift being lifted up exposing her from the waist down. “This isn’t proper.”
“Sisters and acquaintances get spanked over their clothing,” he told her, “wives get spanked on the bare.” Those were the last words Jacqueline heard before she felt the first smack upon her left cheek, then one to the right. She had been spanked many times by one of her brothers over her trews or skirts, but never on her bare bottom. She couldn’t believe how much it hurt.
“Ouch, smack, ouch, smack, stop, smack, Connor that hurts, smack, smack, smack .”
“Am I getting your attention yet?” Connor asked her. Smack, smack, smack, smack. He alternated left and right.
“Aye,” she cried out.
“Good,” he said. “Twenty more and then we can try talking again.”
“Nay,” Jacqueline pleaded. “That’s too many.” Connor ignored her and carried on. Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
Connor finished the promised twenty and looked at his handy work. Both butt cheeks were a nice shade of red but there was no sign of bruising, he was happy with the result so far. He stood Jacqueline up between his knees holding onto her by her arms. When he looked up at her face, it nearly broke his heart, seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Now let’s talk,” he said.
Jacqueline was angry, in fact, she was very angry, and with every spank she had become angrier. Not thinking she yelled out, “this is why I hate you,” as she swung and slapped Connor right across the cheek. She regretted it instantly but before she could apologize Connor once again had her face down over his knee, with her shift up to her waist.
“I cannot believe you, woman,” he growled at her as he grabbed her hairbrush off the table next to the bed. “You don’t want to talk? Very well, I’ll let this hairbrush do my talking for me.”
Thwack, the first strike of the hairbrush fell upon her left leg sit spot. “OUCH,” she yelled out. “That’s too much, Connor.”
“You know what’s too much, Jacqueline?” he asked, and before she could answer, he did it for her, “your attitude and temper are too much. Time to get them under control. Remember though; you didn’t want to talk.” He didn’t talk anymore after that as he brought the back of the brush down. Alternating sides as he paused a few seconds between each stroke.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack.
By the twentieth stroke, Jacqueline was again in tears. Connor lifted her up and walked her over to the corner and gently pushed her nose into the crease where the walls came together. “I want you to stand right here and don’t move. Think about why this is happening.”
“This is stupid, Connor,” she said turning around. “I’m not going to stand in some stupid corner like a disobedient child.”
“Very well,” Connor said, propping his leg up on a chair and once again hauling Jacqueline down over it, “let me know when you’re ready to stand in the corner.” Jacqueline hadn’t noticed he still had her hairbrush in his hand.
Connor quickly pulled her shift back up; her sit spots were a bright shade of red, so he decided to abandon that area and focus back on the cheeks of her butt. Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack.
“I’ll do it,” Jacqueline cried after three strokes to each side. “Just stop, I’ll stand in the stu
pid corner.” Thwack, thwack, thwack, the brush came down again. “I’ll stand in the corner I said.”
This time Connor let her up. “Nay, first you said it with attitude, the second time you said it correctly. Nose to the wall, Jacqueline, think about why this is happening.”
Jacqueline turned and put her nose into the crease like she’d been told. “Hike you shift up so I can see my handiwork,” Connor said to her.
“Nay,” Jacqueline replied. “I’m not going to do that. That’s humiliating.”
“You just don’t learn, do you,” he said as he walked over and once more had her flipped over his knee. This time only using his hand. Smack, smack, smack smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“I’ll do it,” Jacqueline cried out, “please stop and I’ll do it.”
Connor didn’t reply but once more placed her on her feet and turned her towards the corner. Jacqueline slowly lifted her shift up over her hips, her face turning red knowing Connor was looking.
“This is so embarrassing,” she said without looking back at him.
“No talking,” he said. “I just want you to listen, and when I’m done, you’re going to stand there and think for a bit.”
“How long?” she asked.
“Until I decide you’ve had enough. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to get out; you’ve still got a strapping coming.”
“I can’t take anymore, Connor,” she cried.
“I haven’t touched your thighs yet, wife,” he said. “I promised a strapping, and it’s going to happen. How many you get depends on you. This whole thing could have been over already if you weren’t so stubborn and hardheaded.”
“Fine,” she snapped at him. “Just say what you have to say and go away.”
“There’s the problem right there, that attitude. You just added on five more strokes to the twenty I was going to give you,” Connor replied.
“I’m sorry,” she said, regretting her words and trying not to cry,
“I don’t know if you really are right now,” he told her, “but you will be by the time this is over.”
Connor gave her a few minutes to calm down before he began. “I want this marriage to work, Jacqueline Fraser, but for that to happen, you need to do something about this attitude.”
An Honest Mistake Page 4
