Her mother had looked doubtful, but when Becky said that Sarah would look bad in town if she let a pregnant woman work in the store when she could do it herself, Barbara had given in. Sarah knew that her mother didn’t want people to look unfavorably on them, even if it was in the small town of Mac’s Crossing.
She bathed quickly, then put on a beautiful blue dress that she knew Josh loved. She did her hair so that it was curly, but not hanging down so it didn’t get in the way during the workday. Then she stepped into the living room and the bottom dropped out of her stomach.
Her mother sat in a chair next to the door, dressed as if ready to go out.
“Hurry and eat your breakfast,” she said. “Then we’ll leave.”
“We?”
“Certainly. You don’t think I’m going to allow you to spend all day at the store with an unmarried man, do you? I’ll chaperone you all day.”
“Mother, I don’t need a chaperone. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I? Well, you don’t go without me; I don’t care what you say, or what Becky says. I’m in charge here.”
Sarah went to the kitchen where Becky sat with coffee and oatmeal.
“Your mother’s being a fool,” she said. “But you and Josh set up this horrible situation on your own. Like I said I’ll help as much as possible, but she won’t budge from wanting to go with you. I just don’t know what Josh will say when he sees her.”
Sarah sighed heavily. “Me neither.”
* * *
Josh gripped the box in his hand and plastered a smile on his face. Mrs. McKay was giving him more advice on how he could make the store more profitable, on how things could be rearranged to make them more accessible to customers and therefore make people buy more.
“The material should be toward the front of the store, where it’s easier for the ladies to find,” she said, slapping her hand on a bolt of fabric. “Really, Joshua, why didn’t you think of that?”
He opened his mouth, and then closed it again when Sarah spoke up.
“It’s at the back of the store for a reason, Mother. Material sells well. If customers have to walk past things to get to it they’re more likely to pick up a few things they hadn’t thought about before.”
Josh’s heart swelled at Sarah’s words. He’d taught her well during the years that she’d worked for him. He just wished he’d taught himself to act on things instead of ignoring them, or more pointedly, ignoring her.
When she’d shown up this morning he’d contemplating taking her in the back room and kissing her until she was out of air, letting her refill and then kissing her again and again and again. Then he saw her mother standing behind her and his stomach had cratered, especially when she announced that she would be here all day, and every day, until he could find a proper replacement for Sarah.
He’d planned on closing the store at noon, so that he could have some time alone with Sarah and discuss the plan that he and Ben had come up with the night before, but with her mother here that wouldn’t work.
When lunchtime came around, Becky walked through the door with a large hamper of food.
“Nourishment for the workers,” she said with a smile. “My goodness, Barbara, you look peaked. Your cheeks are all flushed.”
Mrs. McKay put her hands to her cheeks, and then rushed to a mirror. “I do look red. Very red. Oh my goodness. Well, we’ll have to go to the house so I can rest. Get your coat, Sarah.”
“Mother, I can’t leave during the middle of the day. Josh will need me. You saw how things were this morning.” For the first time that day, Sarah was happy that they’d been busy most of the morning.
Her mother whirled on her. “You can’t expect me to stay here if I’m getting ill. Think of someone besides yourself for once.”
Sarah was happy to see Becky put her hand on Josh’s arm to try and calm him down.
“You go to the house, Barbara. I’ll stay with Sarah this afternoon.” Becky went and patted her sister on the back. “Take a nap. Maybe the trip here wore you out.”
“Yes. I think you’re right. As long as you don’t mind staying, I think I will go to the house and lie down. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Sarah stepped toward her mother. “Don’t you want to eat, first?”
“No. I’ll eat later in the afternoon.” She took her coat and left quickly.
When she was gone, Becky put the hamper on the counter. “You know, Josh, the Beaton house is empty, just down the way a bit. Nice and quiet for a picnic lunch. And you won’t even have to pay me for watching the store.”
* * *
“How is it that your aunt is so sweet, and your mother can be such a beast?”
Josh pushed the door open to the Beaton house and helped Sarah inside.
“I thought it would be dusty,” she said in an effort to avoid the question. “I think…”
Josh dropped the hamper on the table and pulled her into his arms. She groaned as his lips claimed hers, his tongue invading her mouth.
“That feels so wonderful,” she whispered against his mouth when he let her come up for air.
“Yes, it does,” he said, raining soft kisses across her cheek. “And I think Becky was here cleaning before she came to see us. I think she wanted us to have this time together.”
Josh spread out a blanket that he’d brought from the store and Sarah unpacked the food that Becky had brought for them. Some meat, bread and carrots.
When it was all unpacked, Sarah turned to Josh.
“Tell me you have a plan.”
“I’ve got one. Ben and I cooked it up last night. We need to make Ernest break the engagement. That way your family is not embarrassed in any way.”
“I don’t know about that. Somehow, my father would find a way to blame me if he breaks the engagement. He would say that I caused it.”
“Besides, Ernest is in St. Louis. How will he break our engagement?”
“Well, when he gets here, I’ll talk to him about it.”
Sarah sopped chewing her bread and stared at Josh. She swallowed hard and then said, “When he gets here?”
“That’s right. I sent him a telegram last night. He should have it by now.”
“And what did it say?”
“That I wanted to challenge his right to your affections. That you and I love each other, and that he and I needed to talk. In person.”
“Why did you do that? My father will telegram my mother, and she will put me on the next train to St. Louis.”
“She would. If she received your father’s telegram,” Josh said. “You forget who runs that business in town.”
“When he doesn’t get an answer, Ernest will come here.” Josh took another bite of his food. “What sort of man is he?”
Sarah tried to still her shaking hands. She put down the bread she was holding and cleared her throat.
“He’s very nice. Not mean or anything like that, just sort of meek, actually.”
“Good. I don’t intend to challenge him to a duel or anything like that. But he needs to know your feelings, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do. But sending that message was a mistake. We should have…”
“We should have what, Sarah? Hidden our feelings?”
“Well it’s not like you’ve shouted your feelings from the rooftops before now! If you had just said something! How was I to know how you felt?”
Josh sat down his food and rubbed the heels of his hands over his eyes.
“You’re right. You’re right. I should have told you. But I didn’t. Now I’m doing something about it. I’m making a stand for the woman that I love. I thought you were willing to make that stand with me. Last night you said you were. You said you’d follow me and allow me to lead us through this. Have you changed your mind?”
“No. I love you, you know that. But telling Ernest? He’ll tell my father! And when my father finds out they’ll both come out here and then, well, things will get rather difficult.”
Sara
h could feel tears welling up in her eyes.
“Sooner or later your father would have found out anyway, Sarah. At some point the engagement has to be broken, and your family has to find out we’re in love with each other. It’s best to do it quickly. The sooner Ernest is out of the way, the sooner you and I can be married. We’ll be together for the rest of our lives.”
Sarah’s smile brightened and she let out a soft giggle. Then, her smile faded.
“My father will be angry.”
“What’s more important? Your angry father, or our love?”
Sarah stared at him, her frown turning into a smile instantly. “Our love. That’s all that matters, Josh. I know I’m nervous about breaking the deal my father has made, but I don’t want Ernest. I want you.”
“Then you must trust me. I told you that last night, did I not?”
“Yes. I’m just a little frightened.”
His smile made her insides quake. “Last night I agreed to let you lead me in this. And on the first chance I had, I let you down. I’m so sorry, Joshua.”
“It’s all right, my love. This is still new to us, even though we’ve known each other for years. We’re a pair now. Our hearts are together in love.” His voice was deep and it sent a shiver through her body that she’d never felt before.
“Last night you said that.” She stopped speaking and gathered material from her skirt in her hands, worrying it. “Are you going to punish me?”
“Yes, Sarah, I am. I’m going to spank you. Right now.”
Chapter 3
The room was silent as they stared at each other. It wouldn’t be the first time she was spanked. Her father had done quite a bit of disciplining while she was a child, and from the way he talked, she was sure that he disciplined her mother, too. So the fact that her husband would spank her didn’t come as a big surprise to Sarah.
It did come as a surprise that it would happen before the wedding, though.
“Josh, I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Well, I think it’s not only a good idea, it’s a very necessary thing. You need this to remind you to obey me while we work through this situation.”
“I don’t like to be spanked.” Sarah knew she sounded like a child, but she didn’t care. She wanted to make sure that Josh understood her feelings. “Will you spank me a great deal when we’re married?”
“That depends. Spankings come from discipline, Sarah. If I think you need it then yes, you’ll be spanked. Our father taught us the importance of discipline, and I’ve taken a lick or two in my life.”
“Can I spank you, if you do something I don’t like?”
Josh’s laughter made her more than a little angry. “No.”
“Why not? If you get to spank me for displeasing you, then I should get the same courtesy.”
“Did you ever spank your father?” The humor in his voice made her smile.
“Of course not. Children don’t spank their fathers.”
“And wives don’t spank their husbands. Husbands do the disciplining.”
Sarah put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at Josh. “I’m not your wife. Yet.”
“You will be, but not if you keep waffling about the way I want to handle things. My guidance will help us through this problem. This spanking will reinforce the fact that you need to follow me in this. Don’t you think?”
“I think we should go back to the store. We’ve been here almost forty-five minutes.”
“No, Sarah. You get spanked, right now while we have private time together. Either that or you sneak out of the house tonight and come to the store after your mother’s asleep.”
Sarah considered her options. Sneaking out of the house was dangerous. If her mother found out what she was doing she would be the one doing the spanking, so either way, Sarah would get a reddened bottom.
After a few careful minutes of consideration, she decided Josh was right. Despite the fact that she didn’t want to be spanked, she knew that he wouldn’t let it go. Once Josh got a hold of something, he ran with it and didn’t turn back.
“We should do it now.” Her voice was low. “May I keep my bloomers on?”
Her father had always spanked on her bare bottom, and she didn’t want Josh to do that, although she knew he probably would after they were married.
“Yes. For the first one. After that, I’m not sure. We’ll take each one as it comes up.”
Sarah stomped her foot. “Just how many times are you planning on spanking me, Mr. Joshua MacAllister?”
“As many times as I think you need it, future Mrs. Joshua MacAllister.”
A huge grin spread across Sarah’s face. Her heart raced and she laughed. Joy spread through her body at his words. “Say it again.”
“All right. Future Mrs. Joshua MacAllister, turn around so I can raise your skirts.” Joshua smiled at her, which increased the warm feelings she had.
“Not too many.” She gave him a shy gaze and then bit her lip. “Promise?”
“Sarah, turn around.”
She turned toward the table, putting her hands on it and bending slightly. When Josh gathered her skirts and placed them above her behind she didn’t object. At least he had made the concession that she could receive her spanking with her bloomers still on. Her parents had never made that concession when she was a child.
Still, being half naked in front of him elicited feelings she’d never had before. She was nervous, yet she was excited. She wondered what he was thinking.
When the spanking didn’t start, she turned her head toward him.
“Joshua? Is something wrong?”
“No, Sarah. I’m thinking that perhaps my hand won’t be effective with your bloomers on. We’ll try a few swats, and if I think the message isn’t getting through, I’m going to lower them just a bit.”
Her heart, already doing double its usual time, beat faster. She bit her lip to keep from telling him that wasn’t fair. He’d said she could keep them on, but then again, she’d promised to follow him last night, and had objected at the first turn.
The first slap on her bottom didn’t really hurt. His hand landed in the same place the second time and the third time. Sarah knew that she wasn’t feeling the swats, but at the same time she knew that she needed to make Josh think that she was. If she didn’t, then he would lower her bloomers and spank her on her bare bottom, and she didn’t want that.
When the fourth swat landed, she jumped and let out a pretend yelp. She felt Josh move away from her and she turned her face to him.
“What?”
“You’re not feeling it, not a one of them. Take your bloomers down.”
“No! Josh it wouldn’t be proper. I’m an engaged woman.”
“You’re an engaged woman who will break the engagement and be my wife. Take the bloomers down now, Sarah. If you make me do it the spanking will be much, much worse.”
“Josh, please.”
“Now, Sarah. Do it right now.”
She wanted to disobey him, but at the same time she knew he was right. She wanted them to be together, and she had to trust him. That meant she needed to obey him.
Her hands shook as she lowered her bloomers to her knees. She could feel him looking at her, staring at her bare behind. He’d promised her that they wouldn’t be intimate until after they were married, and this was a huge test for them.
Everything was still for a long few minutes, and then Josh stepped toward her, and delivered a slap to her bare bottom. The sound carried through the room and Sarah tensed up.
“Relax, Sarah. It will hurt worse if you tense up, you should know that.”
She tried to relax but it was hard. Josh started to spank her again, his hand landing over and over on her bottom. She knew it would be red, and that she would feel this later tonight, when she was alone.
Even though it stung it would be the perfect way to remember him, to feel him close to her as she went to sleep in her cold bed.
The swats were coming harder
now, landing over and over on her bottom. Sarah stomped her feet and cried out. This time, the complaint was real. It really did hurt.
“Enough, enough! I get the message, truly I do.”
“Do you? Will you behave and obey me in everything I say in this matter?”
“Yes, yes!”
His hand came down again and again and Sarah felt tears well up in her eyes.
“Josh!”
“In everything, Sarah. You must do exactly as I say if you want us to be together.”
Her behind ached, and she wanted to tell him no. If he was going to spank her, she didn’t want to be with him. But she knew it wasn’t true. She couldn’t see herself with Ernest. She was sure that Earnest wouldn’t spank her. He was too meek for that.
She supposed that meant she had a dilemma. Stay with Josh, whom she loved with all her heart, and she was sure would spank her for being bad; or marry Earnest, whom she didn’t love, and she was sure wouldn’t spank her.
Even as the idea flew through her mind, she knew there was no choice. She loved Josh. She wanted to be his wife. She wanted to have his children, and if he spanked her along the way, then so be it.
“Sarah!” Josh delivered several more hard swats. “Will you obey me?”
“Yes, yes!”
“In everything? Will you know that what I say is law? Will you?” His hand came down over and over and over and Sarah cried out in dismay.
“Yes, Josh! Please stop, please!”
He delivered five more hard slaps to each cheek. Sarah knew how many he gave because she’d started to count, hoping that by giving her mind something to do it would take her mind off her now burning bottom.
When Josh stopped spanking her, and started to rub her cheeks, she took several deep breaths and tried to get a hold of herself.
“It’s over now,” he said softly. “I love you, Sarah. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes. I love you, too, Josh.”
“Good. Now, stand up and right your clothing so we can go back to the store before Becky begins to wonder what we’re doing down here.”
Heart and Home: The MacAllister Brothers Page 24
