by Golden Angel
After she’d lost control of her tongue, he kept complimenting her stepmother, as if she didn’t already know Cordelia’s virtues by heart. She'd heard plenty about them from her father as he went over all the reasons he'd married Cordelia and how it would benefit his heir - once Cordelia bore him. But Cordelia had failed, there was no heir... not that it had stopped her father from focusing all his attention on Cordelia in hopes that the happy event might still occur. Right up until the moment of his death - he'd called Cordelia into the room to ask if she might be with child. He'd never called for Gabrielle, and he'd passed from the world without seeing her for one last time.
Despite failing to give her first husband his heir, Cordelia was still having her second, perfect wedding, with her cold, perfectly handsome husband, while the man's perfect best friend, Mr. Felix Hood, was watching over Gabrielle for them. Ensuring she did nothing to upset their special day, hovering over her like a specter, and scowling every time she said something negative about Cordelia. He was incredibly handsome, with thick black hair and black eyes that made him look dangerous and exciting, broad shoulders and a trim waist, and his legs filled out his breeches quite nicely. More than one lady had come to flirt with him, yet he hadn't left Gabrielle's side and had exchanged more than once glance with the Marquess.
The first time in her life that she had a man dancing attendance on her, and it was all so precious Cordelia wouldn't have to pay any attention to her.
Gabrielle was so bitter, she wished she could spit on the floor to rid her mouth of the taste.
Even though she was new to society, she knew she should have made her come-out at least a year ago, if not two. She was nineteen, which put her at a disadvantage to the younger, fresher ladies. Perhaps if Cordelia had taken her to the Irvings’ house party, Gabrielle could have landed a husband as well. Instead, she was completely displaced… unwelcome in her old home (the new Baron was as uninterested in her presence as her father had been) and now an obvious burden in her new one. What newly wedding couple wanted a debutante ward to wrangle with? She was sure she’d be leg-shackled to the first blighter that asked.
If she was lucky, perhaps he wouldn’t be too horrid.
She couldn’t help but glance at Mr. Hood, who was conversing charmingly with everyone. He was very handsome. And kind. If he wasn’t constantly endorsing Cordelia, he’d be a pleasant companion… and if they weren’t talking about her stepmother, Gabrielle was sure she could be too. Although, he didn’t seem to be interested in talking to her about anything but her stepmother.
"Dunbury is such a lovely estate," said a lady sitting across from Mr. Hood, smiling encouragingly at Gabrielle and interrupting her ruminations. "Have you been to see it yet?"
Something wicked stirred inside Gabrielle. She was so tired of being reminded that her home was no longer her home, and that she hadn’t even stepped foot in her supposed “new” home. While Dunbury House in London was where they were staying for the Season, Dunbury estate was where they’d be in residence the remainder of the year. Or once the Marquess had tired of his new bride, the way the Baron had.
"No, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to admire it when Cordelia is with child," Gabrielle said in a bored tone. "After all, that's where we'll be shuttled off once the Marquess has done his duty."
The woman gasped quietly and several of the other diners looked at Gabrielle askance, but she didn't care anymore. Why should she? Cordelia shouldn't expect anything less from her new husband, and Gabrielle wasn't going to pretend. Nor was she going to hope that the Marquess would be any different from her father.
Fingers grasped her arm in a gentle but unyielding grip as Mr. Hood leaned in, his breath hot on her ear. A strange shimmer of excitement went through her body at his nearness... and then he ruined it.
"Not one more word out of you. I'm warning you now. If you can't keep your mouth shut or be polite, you will find yourself over my knee before the sun goes down and we'll see if I can't spank the nastiness out of you. Philip told me to keep you in line, and I will not fail him in that."
Any retort she might have made choked in her throat, as indignation, fear, and the urge to cry all collided inside her chest.
He’d seemed so nice and now… The Marquess had told Mr. Hood that he could beat her? For a few words? Even Gabrielle's father hadn't tried to completely silence her; she'd always been allowed the verbal outlet to vent her frustrations and unhappiness. But she didn't want to be beaten either. The one time her father had slapped her across her face, it had split her lip and made her cheek swell, making it hard for her to eat for days.
She felt her chest tighten as she turned her head away from him, hiding her pain and the evidence of more betrayal by Cordelia behind her social smile. The smile that she’d perfected as a young girl. It was a familiar mask, a safe mask, and the only expression that would be deemed acceptable.
Scraping up her backbone, Gabrielle sat up straight and determinedly ignored the man sitting next to her. The rest of the meal, she didn’t say one more word to him, but she bent herself to being as sweet as she could to everyone else. She could feel him watching her out of the corner of his eye as she laughed and chattered. It was utterly exhausting to keep up the act, but she wouldn’t give him an excuse to raise his hand to her. Even more infuriating was when he seemed pleased with her performance, and she actually felt relieved whenever she sensed his approval.
By the time the meal was over, she was completely wrung out. She tried to head to Cordelia, seeing her stepmother as the only haven of safety amongst this crowd of strangers, but the Marquess’ cousin Lady Hyde was suddenly there, taking her arm and tugging her in another direction.
“Come with me, Gabrielle,” Lady Hyde said, her voice surprisingly gentle. She’d been rather harsh with Gabrielle earlier, while Cordelia had been dressing for the wedding, probably because Gabrielle hadn’t been able to stop herself from needling her stepmother with some rather cruel observations, but at least she didn’t seem to look down on Gabrielle for being new to London. “I’d like to introduce you to some of my friends.”
Off to the side, Mr. Hood was watching, a warning on his face. Gabrielle turned away from him with a shiver. She was sure that Cordelia wouldn’t allow Mr. Hood to beat her, no matter how the Marquess felt, but Cordelia was unavailable to her right now, which meant all she could do was toe the line until she could speak with her stepmother. All the while, she could feel Mr. Hood’s gaze on her, just waiting to implement his threat.
******
Sitting at the breakfast table, Gabrielle trembled. She’d had an hour for her rage and hurt to build… anger was so much better than fear or loneliness.
Gabrielle had stewed all night, and all morning, fear and anger chasing each other around her head like two hounds, playing tug-of-war with her emotions. So when Cordelia came in, her face wreathed in smiles, it was no wonder that Gabrielle could barely breathe for the emotion choking her.
“Good morning,” Cordelia said, almost cautiously, which would have made Gabrielle happy if she wasn’t already so worked up.
"Perhaps for you," Gabrielle said, glaring at her angrily. Tears sparked in her eyes, but she didn’t wipe them away; she wanted to ensure Cordelia could see how upset she was. "How could you marry a man like that?"
"A man like what?" The confusion on Cordelia’s face gave way to sudden wariness, and Gabrielle realized that her stepmother didn’t know. Some of the betrayal that she was feeling subsided and the words came tumbling out of her mouth as tears spilled over her cheeks. Part of her wanted to shock Cordelia, to tear away some of the happiness that she was obviously buoyed up by, to drag her down to the mire of misery and despair that Gabrielle was swamped with.
"His friend threatened to hit me last night at dinner, and he said that he had Philip's permission to do it!" Gabrielle clenched her fork tightly, drawing in a deep breath as she tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to take away her voice. Anger seemed to have vanished, giving
way to fear and resentment. "I've been sitting here, waiting for you all morning, and he came in here and had breakfast, and I've been too terrified to move ever since in case he should catch me alone."
Hunching slightly, Gabrielle's eyes went to the footmen standing at the doors, whose faces were kept carefully blank as they stared straight ahead. They had been her only comfort while she’d waited… surely no one would beat her in front of the help… even if he was a lord, he wouldn’t want them seeing that.
"There must be some mistake, dear," Cordelia said soothingly, moving to Gabrielle’s side of the table. For once, Gabrielle couldn’t help herself… she saw Cordelia’s open, welcoming arms, and she lurched into them, wrapping her own arms around Cordelia’s waist in a desperate plea for protection. The only thing familiar to her in this entire house was Cordelia and she clung to her as if the woman was her only port in a storm. Cordelia stroked her hair, although she had to be shocked at Gabrielle’s action. Gabrielle couldn’t remember ever hugging Cordelia. “I would never allow anyone to hit you and I don’t think Philip would either. This must just be some kind of misunderstanding…”
The sensation of betrayal hit hard again and Gabrielle pulled away immediately, now that she knew the comfort she sought wasn’t to be found there. "I should have known you wouldn't believe me. You don't care what happens to me at all now that you're married to someone else. No one ever cares what happens to me."
Burying her face in her hands, Gabrielle sobbed piteously. Cordelia wrapped her up in her arms from behind, holding her even if Gabrielle no longer welcomed her touch.
"I do care, I do, Gabby," she said, bravely taking the nickname that Gabrielle had never allowed her to use. Gabrielle grasped Cordelia’s hand, squeezing it… for once she didn’t mind Cordelia using her nickname. Only her father had ever called her Gabby and only when he was in one of his rare moods where he wanted to indulge her. "I will speak to Philip. You have no need to be frightened. I'll go speak with him right now."
"Thank you," Gabrielle whispered, turning her head to burrow it into Cordelia's shoulder.
"You should go to your room and compose yourself," Cordelia said softly, patting Gabrielle's back. She looked up at one of the footmen, who immediately met her gaze. "Please escort my stepdaughter to her room, and do not let anyone delay her."
"Yes, my lady," the footman said immediately, coming forward.
Sniffling, Gabrielle stood, extricating herself from Cordelia's arms. She still felt as though she was trembling all over. While she knew that she had probably sounded hysterical… well she still felt that way. Yesterday had been too much for her even before Mr. Hood had threatened her.
She would go to her room and work on embroidering the doll’s dress she’d bought for the daughter of one of the maids. That would keep her hands busy and give her something nice to distract herself with.
******
The hunting hound nosed through two of her pups, who were growling over a piece of rag, both wanting to play with it. Felix couldn’t help but grin, watching the two balls of fur. They were cute and fluffy now, but their dam was one of the best Philip had ever had and Felix had been trying to buy one of her pups for years. Philip had always teased him by saying he'd give Felix one as a wedding present, and Felix would groan and threaten to steal one of them instead.
Heavy footsteps warned him of Philip’s approach, as the other man came to join him, leaning on the fence.
"All six still here I see."
"For now." A smile quirked Felix's lips as he gave Philip a sidelong look. Philip grinned at first, and then sobered. Seeing the change of expression, Felix's became more serious as well.
"What happened with Miss Astley last night?" Philip asked.
"One too many cutting little remarks," Felix said, frowning. He shook his head, his dark eyes serious, making him look almost brooding. "She's too green to realize that her insinuations will reflect badly on her first, and then on you and Cordelia - although not for the reasons she thinks." By which he meant that the ton would censure Cordelia for not instructing her stepdaughter on how to behave and Philip for his lack of control over her. It was doubtful that anyone would believe her slurs, but they would negatively affect the entire family anyway. "Eventually I told the chit that if she couldn't keep her mouth shut, she'd find herself over my knee and I'd spank that nastiness out of her." He sighed, giving Philip a rueful smile. "I realize that it wasn’t appropriate, but she refused to be deflected and it was becoming quite... trying. And it worked. Once she started to behave herself, her company was much more enjoyable."
It had actually weighed on his mind all evening after he’d done it, despite the improvement in her behavior. He’d overstepped his bounds entirely and he had no business making a threat that he couldn’t keep. In his defense, he’d a hard time thinking about anything else – the little brat was in need of a good spanking, and it didn’t help that he couldn’t stop thinking about that perfectly rounded backside that he’d initially seen. In fact, that image lingering in his mind had been what sparked his threat in the first place; he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. Not just because he enjoyed spanking a woman’s backside, but because he wanted to swat the bad behavior out of her and return her to the sweet, giving woman he’d accidentally stumbled upon beforehand. The contrast between her behaviors was as startling as it was fascinating.
"I can sympathize," Philip murmured. They both watched the hounds play for a moment; the two pups were now tugging on the opposite ends of a knotted rag, tumbling into each other in their enthusiasm. Their dam seemed to have given up on separating them. "I hope you understand that I could never allow you to carry out such a threat as long as Gabrielle resides in my household." The significant look he gave Felix made him snort.
"I've no need of her dowry," Felix said immediately. He certainly hadn’t come to Philip’s wedding with thoughts of perpetuating his own. No matter how beautiful or complexly interesting the young woman in question was. His eyes drifted down to the hounds. "Although, she's beautiful enough. I could be convinced to take her off your hands for say... these two pups right here." He was half serious… Just because he hadn’t intended to begin thinking of his own marriage didn’t mean he couldn’t. After all, what better way to draw his and Philip’s relationship even closer? Having the beautiful Miss Astley to keep him warm at night would certainly be no hardship, and it would give him the right to govern her behavior. Preferably with a stern hand to her upturned bottom.
"Really?" drawled Philip, leaning more heavily on the fence as he studied his friend.
"You must admit, two pups and the right to spank her as I please... it wouldn't be such a bad deal."
"Even if I tell you that she's accused you of threatening to hit her to keep her in line?"
"The hell she did!" Indignant, Felix straightened, his dark eyes blazing with anger. "That little... I specifically said I would spank her, I swear. You know I would never hit a woman."
"I suspected as much," Philip said. "I made sure Cordelia knew as well."
The fury drained from Felix's face, turning to concern. Philip was his best friend, after all; if his wife were to take a dislike of Felix… well, he didn’t think it would end their friendship but it would certainly strain it. "She didn't believe such a thing, did she?"
"I assured her that Gabrielle must be mistaken and that, of course, I would be the one to handle any discipline Gabrielle requires. However, if you could exert yourself to charm Cordelia, to reassure her further, I would appreciate it. I would hate for my new wife to think I could associate with a brute."
Felix nodded. Guilt struck him hard. Had Gabrielle truly thought that he would beat her? There was a definite difference between a spanking and a beating… did she know that? He hadn’t meant to make her afraid; although, now that he thought about it, she hadn’t seemed fearful at the breakfast. In fact, after he’d made the threat, she’d been the very picture of charm and grace. Granted, he’d needed to giv
e her a warning look a time or two after that, but he’d admired the way she’d deported herself for the most part. Confusion swirled in him. Had all of that been an act? Or was her accusation to Cordelia the act?
******
Left to stew again, Gabrielle felt like she was going mad. She was terrified that the Marquess would come instead of Cordelia… maybe that he would even beat her. Would he beat Cordelia too? She stared in her mirror at the haggard figure, hating the way she looked affright, but she’d had no patience for her hair this morning and didn’t feel any for it now.
When the knock on her door finally came, she almost fell apart. Thankfully, it was just Cordelia at the door.
"Is he gone?" Gabrielle asked, although her tone made it sound more like a demand.
Cordelia glanced down the hall. "May I come in?" she asked, instead of answering the question.
Stepping back, Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. She pursed her lips as she shut the door behind her stepmother. Cordelia no longer looked distressed or even upset on Gabrielle’s behalf. What had her new husband said to her that made anything about the situation palatable?
"Gabrielle, did Mr. Hood say that he would hit you or that he would spank you?" Cordelia asked, before Gabrielle could demand an answer to her previous question.
"It's the same thing," Gabrielle said sharply. "The man threatened to beat me, and you're quibbling about what word he used?" Her hands went to her hips as she glared at Cordelia, making Cordelia shrink into herself a bit. As if a spanking was somehow different – they both involved being hit! In fact, a spanking sounded almost worse. Naughty children were spanked, and Gabrielle was no longer a child.
"It makes a difference," Cordelia said softly.
"Either is unacceptable! I am a young lady, I refuse to be treated as a child." Fuming, Gabrielle started pacing. She sneered at Cordelia. "Apparently, your new husband isn't as enamored as you were told, if he refused to take your side already."
"It isn't my side, nor is it your side," Cordelia replied, so calmly that Gabrielle felt like slapping her. Beating, spanking… what did it matter? But Cordelia was implacable. "The Marquess reassured me that he would absolutely not allow Mr. Hood to... to discipline you. Mr. Hood overstepped his bounds, and Philip will speak with him. However-"
