by Starla Kaye
He gave an understanding look and nodded at his lap. His reaction had surprised her enough that she puzzled over it even as she slid awkwardly over his hard thighs, flattening her hands on the floor. “I don’t like you either,” she stated as she settled into place.
His hand moved to the back of her skirt. She couldn’t stop the quiver at even that touch.
“The way you look at me when you think I don’t notice, tells me you don’t find me repulsive.” He gently squeezed one buttock and she sucked in a breath. “The way you return my kisses proves you’re as drawn to me as I am to you.”
She snorted. “I don’t—”
He swatted her butt hard enough that she felt it through the layers of fabric. “I will not tolerate lying, Ashlynn. Even to yourself.”
She hated being in this humiliating position, but she was more troubled by the truth of what he’d said. She might want to deny it, but she did yearn for him. She’d read about how a woman felt all fluttery inside at the nearness of a man she desired. About how she grew moist between her legs, how she grew warm and achy deep inside her. And when the man touched her, kissed her, the woman craved him even more. All of which was exactly how she felt when Blaine touched her, when he kissed her. She didn’t want to feel this way about him. She didn’t want to marry him and be forced into a role that she was certain she could never play well. She would never be an acceptable wife for him. Why couldn’t he see that?
She tried to look back at him but the pair of curls the maid had helped her with hit her in the face. She dropped her head again. “You should have let me leave. It really is for the best. You would be free to find a woman far more biddable and deserving of being your wife.” Odd, but the admission hurt.
To her displeasure, he lifted the hem of her long skirt and shifted it over her back while she felt her face flame. She just wanted this over with. Once he spanked her and let her return to Braden’s home, she would do her very best not to see him again.
He lifted her chemise as well, capturing her attention again. She tensed, heart racing.
“I do not wish to have a merely biddable wife, one who will offer me no challenges,” he said bluntly. “It is you I want and will have for my bride.”
“Why? I don’t understand why you want me when you don’t even know me.” And yet his determination touched a soft spot in her heart.
“I can’t explain it, but I have felt drawn to you from the minute we first met. There is no logic to my feelings. They just are.” He sighed and lightly smoothed his hand over her bottom. “However, I am willing to give you more time. I am willing to court you, entice you into wanting to be my wife.”
Court her? The silly woman in her was excited by the idea. She’d never been courted, not even by Gerald. And the Duke of Ashcroft was talking about wanting to win her over instead of insisting she marry him per the arrangement with her father. She needed to think about this turn of events.
To her embarrassment, he parted her drawers, moving the fabric aside enough to bare her buttocks. She tensed again, squeezing her eyes shut. His hand rose and clapped back down loud enough to echo around the room. “First, though, we must deal with this unpleasantness.”
Ashlynn prayed none of the servants were near enough to hear what was happening. How humiliating that would be. She would not cry out. She would take what he felt necessary…but this would be the last time he spanked her.
“It really is a shame I have to redden such a pretty little butt.” His hand smoothed over where he had swatted her. “Your skin is so soft, so cool. For now.”
Shivers of desire swirled through her at his light touch, at his softly spoken words. Her lower lips trembled and she realized that she wanted him every bit as much as the wanton women she read about longed for their lovers. She could imagine that Blaine would be an amazing lover.
His hand rose again and began swatting her bottom, ruining the pleasant thoughts she’d been having. He didn’t bother with further chastisement. He concentrated on making sure she understood exactly how much he had been displeased with her behavior. He had a very hard hand and he was excellent at applying it. She struggled to stay in place, fought to remain stoic.
His skills at delivering a spanking were finally too much for her resistance. At one particular stinging smack, she arched backward and cried out, “Stop! Oh, Lord have mercy, stop!”
Stubborn man that he was, he went right on burning her bottom. She wriggled from side to side. She kicked out her legs. She gasped and sobbed. Finally, she blurted out, “All right, I will marry you. Just stop!”
The doors to the library opened, drawing their attention. Her father stepped into the room, his expression grim. “The agreement is off.”
Chapter Seven
Mortified, Ashlynn scrambled off Blaine’s lap. Her drawers fell closed and her chemise and skirt slid down into place, making her wince. Her face flamed as hot as her throbbing bottom. She couldn’t look her father in the eye. What he’d seen… Her stretched over his friend’s knee, red bottom bare, Blaine’s hand planted against it. If she could wither away in mortification, she truly wished it would happen. Somehow she managed a weak, “What…what are you doing here?”
“Never mind that,” her father barked. He stepped further into the room. “You will wait for me in the carriage out front with Braden.”
Braden is here, too. Her humiliation grew. He’d already witnessed her foolish behavior today, already must think she the worst sister ever. Her entire family surely would be glad to see the last of her. She should have stayed on The Pearl and sailed off to America, even with Blaine onboard as well.
“I told you to go out to the carriage,” her father snapped, capturing her attention once more.
Her stomach knotted and her breaths came in rapid pants. She hazarded a glance at Blaine, who stood rigidly, his expression furious. “I…”
“Do as your father said,” Blaine stated, his gaze locked with her father’s. “I will handle this matter.”
“But—”
“Leave. Now.” Her father demanded without looking in her direction again. “You have gravely disappointed me, daughter.”
She blinked rapidly at the tears filling her eyes. Her heart seemed to be in her throat. His displeasure with her hurting more than the spanking she’d received. She could only imagine what he intended to do to her when they returned to Braden’s house. No doubt it would involve a long, difficult session with the strop.
“I’m sorry, Father,” she said brokenly, walking with shaky legs to the doorway. He didn’t even glance at her as she passed him.
But she couldn’t leave without gazing at Blaine a final time. He stood shoulders squarely back, mouth tight. Anger sparked from him. She wanted time alone with him, time to talk, but it wasn’t to be. They had finally started to make some sort of headway in their complicated situation. He was willing to compromise if she would give him a chance. He’d talked of wanting to court her. She hadn’t responded before he’d commenced with the spanking. She’d been surprised, pleased by the idea. Yet she hadn’t told him as much, and now she might never get the chance.
“Go,” both men commanded.
The sobs she’d held back finally broke free. Confused and defeated, she raced out of the house.
“This is my fault, Your Grace,” Edmond apologized bluntly. “I knew Ashlynn was a willful young woman, far too used to doing as she pleased. Her mother spoiled her, I fear. And I wasn’t there as a parent near enough.”
Blaine was more than annoyed at having his old friend, his future father-in-law, stride unannounced into the room, interrupting them. He felt no regret at soundly spanking the man’s daughter. She’d deserved every solid smack to her butt. But it had been a private matter. Edmond had horribly embarrassed her and he was angry on her behalf. “Your interruption was—”
“Timely.” Edmond clenched his fists at his sides, a vein stood out in his neck. “While my daughter is well deserving of a serious thrashing, it should ha
ve been me delivering it. After all she has put you through, I am sure you do not want anything more to do with her.”
He drew in a breath and unclenched his hands. “Trust me, I will deal with her. You will not have to suffer from her poor behavior ever again.”
The distraught, angry duke strode out, clearly determined to confront Ashlynn, ignoring Blaine as he marched after him. “We have both seriously wronged her in this matter, Edmond. We are as much at fault here as she is.”
Edmond stopped halfway down the front walk, frowned in uncertainty. “How can you be so forgiving? She has rebelled time and again. She has caused much embarrassment for you as well as for our family.” His shoulders slumped and he sadly shook his head. “I don’t know how to handle her anymore. A grim thrashing is needed, naturally, but after that…”
Blaine looked toward the carriage, heard Ashlynn sobbing and heard Braden awkwardly trying to comfort her. Guilt curled through him. The fault for the uncomfortable situation lie totally with him. “I should not have been so insistent about wanting to marry her. I should have—”
“All of that matters naught now. I will make sure that she causes you no more shame. You may be assured of that.” Edmond’s spine stiffened and he turned to grimly stride away.
Concerned and a good bit alarmed by the statement, Blaine caught up with the older man. He stopped him with a hand to his shoulder, making Edmond face him. “Think hard before you punish your daughter further. I understand that, as her father, you believe it is your duty to deal out discipline when necessary. She needs your love and understanding more than a walloping.”
He saw one of Edmond’s thick eyebrows lift; saw the wariness in his eyes. He boldly continued, “I ask that you think about her side of this, about how trapped she has felt. Weigh this matter with your heart before you act.”
Edmond remained silent for a second, and then gave him a curt nod before he climbed into the carriage without a word.
***
Blaine was in a foul mood, had been for two weeks. He hadn’t seen or heard from either Ashlynn or her father since Edmond had swept his daughter away from his house. He wasn’t the least bit happy about the situation. If all had gone according to the original plan, he would be a married man again as of yesterday. But nothing had gone right almost since he’d made that foolish marital agreement with Edmond. And now the agreement was supposedly off. Bloody hell!
He sat alone in a corner of one of White’s small rooms, frowning, holding a glass of whiskey that he’d yet to even sip at. The place was alive with men playing cards and parlor games in other rooms. He knew there would be a lot of high stakes gambling going on as well. While there had been times when he would have been in the midst of it all, tonight none of it held any interest for him. Nothing had interested him in days, weeks actually.
Swirling the liquid around and watching the dark liquor, he thought about leaving. Yet he didn’t move. He heard the familiar boisterous ribbing and laughing of some of the rakehells who frequented the club. Upon their arrival, each man had stopped in to greet him only to be given a scowl and no encouragement to stay. Word had spread and now everyone gave him a wide berth and time alone. That was fine with him. He didn’t feel like wasting energy on talking, on pretending he gave a damn about anything anyone had to say. He shouldn’t have come here, but he hadn’t been able to stay in his town house another lonely night.
Heaving a sigh of disgust, he realized that what he should do was escape London to his estate in Oxfordshire. Invitations to garden parties and balls came to him on a daily basis in alarming numbers. Word had blazed its way through the ton about his failed betrothal to Lady Remington. The town’s wealthiest widow was back in the market for a new wife. He was in demand once again. God, how he hated the situation.
“I’m surprised they haven’t asked you to leave,” Braden said bluntly, walking into the room with Daniel right behind him. Both of the tall men were decked out in evening dress and stylish as always. “As it is nobody wants to even come in this room, to chance a run-in with you.” The half-brothers looked almost as disgruntled as he felt.
“Yet here you are, daring a nasty ‘run-in’ with the ogre of White’s.” He downed the fiery liquid in one long swallow. Still, he hadn’t seen either of his friends since that fateful day and he’d missed them.
Daniel went to stand looking out the window at James Street and Braden took a seat on the chair next to him. He faced Blaine, nodding, disapproval in his gaze. “Your butler appears to be slacking in his duties. You look rather unkempt, like you’ve been sleeping in your clothes.”
“His Grace doesn’t look like he’s slept at all,” Daniel commented, turning to gaze in censure as well at him.
Blaine couldn’t deny that. He hadn’t had a decent night’s rest since the brief confrontation with Edmond before he’d all but dragged Ashlynn from his home. He’d worried about how Edmond had punished his daughter for running away, for risking her life, for disgracing her family. Of course he knew the man dearly loved his troublesome daughter. Still, she’d suffered enough with the ordeal and then with him putting his hand to her backside. He hadn’t wanted her to suffer more.
As if he read his thoughts, Braden said quietly, “Father banished her to his estate in Devonshire. She’s blackened the family name enough, he claims. She will still there until the rumors stop racing around the ton.”
“Until she’s old and gray,” Daniel grumbled, sounding angry. “He is certain there isn’t a man of worth in all of England who would consider marrying her now.”
He turned to glare at Blaine. “You don’t turn down marrying the richest, most powerful man in England—even if your father is nearly as wealthy, nearly as powerful. It was unforgiveable behavior in the eyes of your ton. She will be shunned.”
Blaine well knew that Daniel, her American brother, had little use for the peerage here in England, even less for the ton. Having grown up always knowing where his family stood in the scheme of things and what his duties would be one day, he understood the society’s good points…and its bad points. Ashlynn would indeed be rejected for what she had done.
Braden—one of his oldest and closest friends—gave him a contemptuous look. “Besides all of that, you have destroyed her reputation. The two of you spent too much time alone together. That impropriety was overlooked because of your station and because you were to be married. Now she is considered ruined. I have heard it scandously repeated around town.”
“The best she can hope for is to end up being some man’s mistress.” Daniel stood rigid, fury sparking off him.
Blaine knew everything they said was true. The ton would be quick to turn their backs on her, even with Edmond’s status in the peerage. He was the one who had been rejected, the one who would be pitied. If only she hadn’t voiced her displeasure at the match so many times, in front of so many different people… If only she hadn’t pulled that foolish stunt of running away and attempting to sail back to America to get away from him… She was indeed far too headstrong for her own good, for his good.
He forced the disturbing thoughts aside and slammed the empty glass down on the small table beside his chair. “I have had more than enough!” He stood, blowing out a breath of frustration. “I am weary of everyone feeling sorry for me. Sick to death of everyone butting into my business.”
Irritation filled him until he could barely breathe. He ground his teeth, finally biting out, “The whole lot of you can go to bloody hell, as far as I am concerned. I leave on the morrow for Oxfordshire and I don’t know if I will ever return to London.” Maybe he was acting cowardly rather than taking action, but he needed time and distance for now.
Daniel couldn’t leave the matter alone. He snarled, “So what has happened to Ashlynn means nothing to you?” He looked ready to pummel him. “You are washing your hands of her? Allowing her to waste away confined to Payton House and forgotten by your polite society.”
He whirled to face the slightly taller man; half w
ishing he would take a swing at him. “She made her choice. She washed her hands of me.”
Braden stepped between them, looking even more upset. “Father lectured her all the way back to my house that day. He didn’t let her say two words. And he sent her away the next morning without even speaking to her again. Because of you.”
Because of him? Shock had him blinking, had him stepping back. He’d always known Edmond to be a more than fair man, this was so unlike him. But she had evidently pushed her father too far with her constant attempts to get out of the marriage. She had sealed her fate to be removed from London, from the society he was an intricate part of with his position. The idea that she’d been sent away in shame horrified him. She didn’t deserve such harsh treatment. She had been poorly treated from the start. And that was his fault. If he hadn’t decided at their first meeting that he must have her for wife… If he had courted her as he should have…
“My messages to Ashlynn?” he asked dully, thinking how he had sent notes requesting to speak with her daily for the first week. And then several more just last week. He had received no replies. Foolish man that he’d been, he hadn’t gone in person to call on her.
“Not delivered,” Braden said, sounding sad. “I tried to intercept once when I noticed a parchment to her with your seal on it. But Father grabbed it out of my hand and tossed it in the fireplace. I can only assume he did the same with any other missives.”
Blaine’s shoulders stiffened. “He had no right to do that! No right to keep me from trying to communicate with her.” He cursed under his breath. You should have gone to see her, at least gone to speak with Edmond and settle the matter.
Daniel walked closer, looking frustrated. “He is hurting at the whole situation. He believes he has failed you, as his friend, by trying to marry you to his unruly daughter, who embarrassed you time and again.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out. “He desperately wanted to give her a husband he knew would love her, would take care of her. Now he is certain no man will ever please her, and, even more importantly, that no man will ever want her after all of this.”
