by Bella Bryce
Brayden nodded in agreement. Alice wasn’t entirely amused that they wouldn’t be able to fully exchange conversation and in her opinion, the boundary wasn’t any clearer than it had been before.
“So is Elisabeth my friend or my elder?” Alice inquired, half an hour later when she was in bed. Brayden sat on the edge of her bed and looked down at her as she propped herself up onto one elbow.
“She’s first and foremost, older than you. But she is also a guest in this house and courting your uncle.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Alice sighed.
“Darling, I’m afraid I can’t be so outright as to tell you that she is both your friend and yet not quite. I am not your friend, I am your father. Although, I am friendly with you.”
“Yes, Sir, but you’re Father, that’s different.”
Brayden shook his head. “No, my love, it isn’t different.”
“It is a bit, really, because, see, you’re older,” Alice told him.
Brayden raised an eyebrow.
“You’re almost thirty,” she added.
Brayden gently eased Alice to lie down. “I think you’d best bite that tongue, young lady,” he said, before planting a kiss on her forehead.
“Don’t be sensitive about your age, Father, it’s just a number.”
Brayden touched his nose to Alice’s gently. “You’re very wise, darling.”
Alice smiled as he stood to his full height and turned out her bedside lamp.
Elisabeth loved her bedroom. She was overwhelmed and thankful to the extent that she could barely speak when Brayden opened the door. Elisabeth had been both of those things when Bennett had showed her the room at his estate, Barton-Court House, but knowing the significance of having a room at Waldorf Manor was very different. Her room at Waldorf Manor spoke to the impending courtship, which would properly begin the next day when Bennett collected Elisabeth and they left the estate to spend quality time together. It spoke to the expectation of an impending marriage and Bennett’s integrity to keep his mind free of distraction. It also helped that Brayden had chosen the room beside Alice’s, which was an enormous comfort in a new place.
She admired the king-sized bed, walk-in wardrobe fitted with wood panelling, the six window seats overlooking the front gardens and driveway and various other luxuries; the furniture, ten-foot fireplace and décor finished it off. It was beyond beautiful; it was luxury.
Bennett took a long look at the room and ensured that he knew where everything was so that he could somehow still control her time when they were apart by being familiar with its resources. He wanted to know if she had books and if so, how many and where they were. Brayden knew Bennett was absorbing the details while walking about the room with his hands behind his back; that was how Bennett was.
“Celia will also serve as somewhat of a lady’s maid. It may seem a bit old fashioned, but my mother always had a lady’s maid to help her in and out of complicated dresses and hairstyles. I’ve since had no reason to retain that position until Alice came along. Celia doubles as head housekeeper and helps Alice in the mornings and evenings briefly, but you must tell me if you need more assistance. If you need a lady’s maid, I will bring one of the other girls in; many of them have experience, it’s just that the demand over the last forty years has decreased.”
“She will,” Bennett said, returning from his military-like inspection around the room. “You’ll need someone to help you, several of your blouses and dresses have buttons and zips you can’t reach.”
“Very well, Celia will see to her from tomorrow,” Brayden said.
Elisabeth offered a polite smile but felt rather awkward at the two gentlemen deciding for her that she needed another woman to help her in and out of her clothes. It was a foreign concept, but one that she knew would grow on her. It was no different than a friend or her Mum assisting with an unreachable zipper, really. Not that her mother really had the dexterity to do so, but the idea was the same.
Brayden led Bennett and Elisabeth back to his study and reclaimed his wing chair. Bennett sat beside Elisabeth on the sofa, producing an obvious smile from her as he sat down and took hold of one hand. They had all seen Elisabeth’s bedroom and now it was time for the rather grown up portion of the discussion since Alice had gone to bed.
“Bennett, would you like to start?” Brayden asked.
Bennett adjusted his posture as if he were warming up for the words he’d been planning to say for weeks. And he had been planning, he just hadn’t realised until the moment he spoke.
“Uncle Brayden is my best friend, your elder and essentially, your guardian for the moment,” he began, looking at Elisabeth. “I live nearly half an hour away so I will not be the one correcting your behaviour when we are out of sight of each other. Whilst you reside here at Waldorf, you are accountable to him and I expect you to follow all of his rules.”
Elisabeth gave a few small nods. She fully expected that.
“This will be your home until we move forward in our relationship. I want to see you settle in here and enjoy the opportunity.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied, quietly. She was fully aware that Brayden was watching them interact and it made her feel a little embarrassed knowing he was fully aware what their relationship was all about.
“And speaking of settling in,” Bennett said, looking over at Brayden and then back at Elisabeth, “you will be held to the same expectations as Alice whilst living here. As the man who is courting you, I’ve given Uncle Brayden permission to correct any errant behaviour when or if he deems it necessary. Then, he will tell me and I will address it because you are accountable to me.”
Brayden observed quietly as Elisabeth digested Bennett’s words. He was aware that it could have been awkward, Bennett was handing over the reins for a good portion of each day to another man, who would be baring and spanking his future wife if he felt she deserved it. But it wasn’t as any typical man might assume it was – Brayden wasn’t typical and he would approach that task with incredible humility.
Unlike Bennett, Brayden didn’t see punishment as a ‘joy’ to hand out – not toward Alice, anyway. Brayden very much enjoyed the idea of having a young lady to correct. But like any good father, he didn’t look forward to seeing his own daughter test boundaries, defy him and then face the consequences. On the other hand, Brayden was adamant that any woman he considered marrying must not oppose his leading and discipline.
Bennett’s view on the subject hadn’t changed. Bennett was rigid and the line didn’t move for anyone, ever. He needed not only to be in control, but also to be in control of someone and he had to frequently demonstrate that authority. His harshness had seriously deteriorated, but his usual seriousness hadn’t.
Brayden had been waiting for Bennett to finish and he felt it was a good time to contribute. “Elisabeth,” he said, folding his hands as he leant forward slightly in his wing chair. She transferred her eyes over to his.
“Obviously, we must have your initial consent and your understanding that you are aware of our expectations. I should hope that you will get comfortable here with Alice and me very quickly and feel this is your home. Bennett is right in that my expectations for you are much the same as they are for my daughter. The rules don’t change regardless of your place and I wish you to learn them so we can all three enjoy this time living together.”
“Yes, Sir,” Elisabeth replied. “I’m grateful you’ve invited me to stay, Uncle Brayden. Thank you.”
“You’re family now,” Brayden replied.
Elisabeth nodded and pressed her lips together. It was about time she lived in a home where she could just wake up in the morning and be herself. It would be a welcome change from the years of caretaking in her childhood home. Her mind also went to the more serious side of her being accepted into Brayden’s home as his niece. That was just it – she was his flesh and blood now. She thought on his and Bennett’s words about being subject to her uncle’s discipline and later, Benn
ett’s, if she stepped out of line. It wasn’t typical of Elisabeth to get into trouble and although the thought was daunting, she doubted it would ever become necessary. At least, she hoped it wouldn’t. Daunting or not, it was her uncle’s home and he had every right to maintain propriety under his roof. Likewise the man she was courting had the same right and responsibility over their relationship, which Elisabeth looked forward to.
“If we’re all understood and in agreement, then I’m going to see Elisabeth back to her room. It’s her bedtime,” Bennett said, glancing at his watch.
Brayden turned his wrist over and made a note of ten o’clock being her curfew. “I’ll be along after Bennett,” he told Elisabeth.
Elisabeth avoided smiling, although Bennett’s words melted her insides. She wasn’t tired, but she loved knowing he had just announced that she had a bedtime and that time was looming.
“Yes, Uncle Brayden,” she replied, a coy smile on her face as Bennett led her by the hand out of the study and down the corridor. Elisabeth giggled quietly as she affectionately looked up at him.
Bennett raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at her. “Is something amusing, young lady?”
Elisabeth bit her lip and shook her head in a teasingly demure way, her beautiful brown eyes encouraging him to persist in his questioning.
“I’m sure I could draw an answer out of you,” Bennett said, as they passed Alice’s door and went on to her own, a hundred feet down. He turned the brass knob and pushed the door open.
Elisabeth audibly giggled and let go of his hand as she walked into her new bedroom.
Bennett closed the door and followed her across the spacious floor.
“It’s like being in my own house - this room is so big,” Elisabeth said, turning in a circle and then looking back at Bennett.
He had both of his hands behind his back as he watched her. His three-piece navy blue and white pinstriped suit just about did Elisabeth in. She couldn’t handle any more of his arousing nature. She just about lost her breath when Bennett removed one hand from behind his back and signalled with his index finger for Elisabeth to approach him.
“Yes, Sir?” she asked quietly, although her tone was slightly playful.
“Don’t play adorable submissive with me, Elisabeth Grace. I think perhaps I will leave you with a reminder of what will happen to girls who don’t behave.”
Elisabeth swallowed and blushed. “Does that mean I’m in trouble?”
“No,” he said, stepping closer to her. “I spank hard when you’re in trouble.”
She blinked and averted her eyes.
“Come here,” Bennett said, and took her by the hand over to the bed. He sat down and pulled Elisabeth across his knees without a word. Bennett sat there for a moment as Elisabeth stared at the floor. “You haven’t misbehaved yet, darling, but I’m sure there will be times that you do and neither Uncle Brayden nor I will know about it.”
Elisabeth wasn’t as nervous as she had been in the two weeks prior, living at Barton-Court House as his charge when she’d gone over Bennett’s knee; those were situations where she had been in serious trouble.
“This is a warning, Elisabeth. I suggest you heed it, my darling,” Bennett said, as he pulled up her vintage sailor dress, pulled down her burgundy tights and then her knickers. He took no notice of her perfect figure and got straight to business delivering a rather mild twenty smacks to her. Mild in that Elisabeth didn’t sob her way through the smacks as she did when Bennett properly punished her.
Elisabeth nearly giggled when he redressed her, then pulled her to stand in front of his knees and held both her hands. She was still a little shorter than he was as he sat on her bed.
“I didn’t think it was possible for you to joke about a spanking,” she teased.
Bennett raised an eyebrow, then parted his knees and pulled her closer to him.
“I never joke about spanking,” he replied. “There is a difference between enjoying an innocent and lightly delivered reminder, and sobbing your way through the one I will give you for stepping out of line. I don’t have to remind you what that is like.”
“No, Sir,” Elisabeth replied. She slipped her hands out of his and then slid them gently around his neck and planted herself to sit across his knees. “Please don’t go.”
Bennett put his arms around Elisabeth to secure her balance and kissed her lips gently.
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning,” he replied, quietly, before kissing her again. Bennett rested his forehead against hers. “Be a good girl and get into your nightdress for me. I’ll tuck you up before I leave.”
Elisabeth’s knees shook as she padded across the room to the wardrobe where she knew Celia had unpacked her clothes. Bennett had ensured that when she moved to Barton-Court House she had an entirely bespoke wardrobe made to measure with vintage and demure dresses, skirts, pinafores and blouses, along with enough coordinating cardigans, tights and shoes to make any girl envious. She opened one of the eight wardrobe doors, found her nightdress inside and took it with her across the room to the en-suite bathroom where she closed the door. Bennett stood up off the bed, straightened the otherwise meticulously neat bedcover and paced across to the fireplace. He rested one hand on the fireplace mantle and put the other in his pinstriped trouser pocket.
Bennett was a little surprised at himself. He had never imagined giving Elisabeth a smacked bottom that hadn’t been earned through truly deserving misbehaviour. He certainly hadn’t compromised himself in that he went easy on her; he was just a little surprised how much he actually enjoyed giving Elisabeth a bit of a playful warning. He would have to stop that, however, or his word as a gentleman not to sleep with Elisabeth a moment before their wedding night, would become an extremely difficult word to keep. Disciplinary spankings were never fun – for anyone. Playful ones and gentle warnings were a little too fun.
The bathroom door opened and Elisabeth emerged, causing Bennett to look up from the fire and watch her walk across the room, which took a few moments. She looked at him as though she wanted him to sit down so she could climb into his lap and cuddle against him. Bennett would have had a very difficult time telling her no.
“Bedtime,” he said.
Brayden saw Bennett down to the foyer after he’d seen Elisabeth into bed with a kiss to her forehead. That’s where he’d had to draw the line for that evening. Their courtship had only just begun and he found it difficult to leave her on the first evening.
Wellesley held out Bennett’s coat to him and he cast another glance up the grand staircase. “Thank you,” he said, shaking Brayden’s hand. He knew Brayden was the only person he really trusted to look after Elisabeth during the very delicate stages of their newly developing relationship. It was the only place where Elisabeth could get the comfort and security of a home where she had no responsibility, but could also continue to be comfortable with how extremely wealthy she would soon be.
They bid each other a good night and Brayden waited until his butler secured Waldorf’s front doors.
“If I may say, Sir, a smile looks rather charming on Mr. Fowler,” Wellesley commented, before clearing his throat and vacating the foyer.
“It does indeed,” Brayden commented quietly, then put his hands neatly into his tailored trouser pockets and ascended the grand staircase.
Elisabeth was sitting up in bed in her newly appointed room at Waldorf Manor reading the last chapter of Enid Blyton’s children’s book, The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor, which Bennett had given to her. He’d also given her Jane Eyre to read once she needed to come down off of the lovely high that was escaping to the world of the vintage boarding school story. She looked up when she saw the door open.
“Hello,” Elisabeth said, her voice faint from all the way across the room as she smiled and closed the book.
Alice quietly closed the door, ran across the enormous bedroom and climbed up onto the bed where Elisabeth had nestled beneath the covers.
“Has my father
come in to say goodnight yet?”
“No, so you’d better make this a quick visit,” Elisabeth said, as she watched Alice crawl over the generously fluffy duvet beneath the ruched satin cover, and then situate herself cross-legged.
“I wondered why my door was opening without a knock. I figured that couldn’t be Uncle Brayden,” Elisabeth said, placing her book on the nearest bedside table.
“Uncle Brayden?” Alice asked, folding her arms, which remained tucked snugly inside of the oversized Aran wool cardigan, across her chest. Brayden had taken the cardigan from his wardrobe and put it around Alice’s shoulders one evening when she’d gotten out of bed without a dressing gown. It took less time for him to leave his study and retrieve the cardigan than it had for him to walk her back to her bedroom and either put her straight back to bed or retrieve her dressing gown. Alice also refused to give Brayden back his cardigan and although he didn’t entertain defiance, in that case he made an exception. She loved the cardigan and it smelled like Brayden – his protective, fatherly scent coupled with his aftershave.
“Apparently,” Elisabeth said with a smile. “First, it was Mr. James, then Sir, now, it’s Uncle Brayden and Sir.”
Alice shook her head and tossed a dismissive hand downward as she yawned. “In the beginning, I nearly called him by his name instead of Father loads of times.”
Elisabeth nodded and then frowned. “Weren’t you put to bed ages ago?” she asked, pulling the covers up closer to her chest.
“Half nine,” Alice replied, rolling her eyes.
“What time is it now?” Elisabeth asked.
“Half ten and then some.”
“If he comes in to say goodnight, you’ll get told off won’t you?” Elisabeth warned, with an astonished laugh escaping her parted lips.
“No,” Alice replied.
Elisabeth didn’t look convinced.
“It’s your first night here and he wants us to get along; I’ll get away with it this one time. Trust me,” Alice replied.
