by Golden Angel
Well, to say Cordelia was flabbergasted was putting it mildly.
"I had no idea," she finally managed to say, a bit weakly, knowing Marjorie was waiting for some sort of response.
Her friend laughed. "I'm sure you didn't. After all, you never had reason to, but one spanked wife always recognizes another."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
That eyebrow went up again. Just the one. It was a skill Cordelia had always envied. Marjorie could sometimes carry on her entire side of the conversation with that eyebrow. "My dear, would you feel comfortable talking about such a thing with anyone who had never experienced the same thing? It's a scandalous topic of conversation, and many would not be… understanding."
"Oh." Cordelia immediately saw Marjorie's point.
It didn't matter how close of friends they were, it wasn't the kind of subject one could speak easily about. Just as Cordelia hadn't brought it up with Marjorie before, although she'd talked with Eleanor and Irene about it. She blushed again as she thought about Christopher, Marjorie's husband. "I'll never be able to look him in the face again," she muttered.
"Of course you will!" Marjorie said, pealing with laughter. "Why wouldn't you? I know that your husband's cousin spanks his wife. And his other cousin, Lady Hyde, is spanked by her husband. The signs are unmistakable. And you speak to both gentlemen with no qualms."
"Yes, but... I knew when I met them what they did. I had no idea that Christopher... Oh..." Cordelia shook her head, putting her hands to her flaming cheeks. "Do you think he'll know I know?"
"Only if you blush like that when you talk to him," Marjorie said blithely. "I can assure you, I shall have no similar problem with your husband. I thought he might be the type. He's very... authoritative."
"Is that why you told me to be open-minded?"
"Partly. But also because I could tell the Baron never treated you as you deserved and I was sure that Philip would."
"How did you know about the Baron? I never said anything."
"No, dear, but what you didn't say was more than enough," Marjorie said gently. She smiled at Cordelia, reaching over to pat her hand, before picking up her tea cup to take a sip.
It really was quite nice to be sitting, just the two of them, and having an intimate conversation. Even if Cordelia wasn't exactly sitting comfortably. She was reminded of how Marjorie had given her truly excellent advice, and so - now realizing Marjorie would understand even more than Cordelia had thought - she told her everything that had transpired. Not just last night, but also the other times she had been punished and why Philip had been so harsh last night.
Although, she did omit that he punished her inside her bottom as well. That was part of the reason she was as sore as she was, but she was still too embarrassed to mention it.
Sipping her tea, Marjorie listened with a contemplative look on her face. Of course, she made several comments, mostly about Gabrielle's stupidity the night before, but otherwise she didn't interrupt. Upon Cordelia's completion of the story, she sighed, nodding her head and putting down her teacup.
"Well I can see your dilemma. You've always wanted more of a relationship with Gabrielle than she was ever willing to countenance. I think you're being too hard on yourself when it comes to your reasons for not mentioning Mr. Pressen to Dunbury. I don't think you were entirely selfish. After all, how often has Gabrielle actually asked you for something like that?" Marjorie gave Cordelia a piercing look, and Cordelia nodded, sighing as she recognized Marjorie's point. "While I'm sure you didn't want to lose Dunbury's attention, I think you were also taking advantage of the first time Gabrielle had actually asked you to keep something in confidence for her."
"However, I certainly agree with your husband that you need to put him first. After all, Gabrielle will be married and moving into her own household soon enough, God willing. Philip is your future, and just because he keeps giving you enough rope to hang yourself doesn't mean that you should."
Cordelia nodded again. Although Philip had been amorous this morning, she'd felt he was holding himself a little different afterwards. As if he was setting himself apart just a bit. She had abused his trust, even if she hadn't entirely meant to, and she doubted he was sure of her reformation. After all, she'd basically broken the tenants of the promises she'd made after her last punishment.
"I'll just have to prove to him that I really do understand now," she said, ruefully. She had absolutely no idea how she was going to do that.
******
Swirling the brandy in his glass, Philip studied the amber liquid. It reminded him of the dress Cordelia had been wearing the night before. And her big, liquid eyes as she'd stared up at him this morning.
He'd tried to act as though everything were the same, but it wasn't. Disciplining her the way he had, he was supposed to forgive her transgression and move on, but it was proving harder than it had in the past. Not the forgiveness, that was no problem, but the moving on. He still wasn't assured she wouldn't do it again. That she wouldn't place Gabrielle's desires and needs before hers or his. It was damnably frustrating.
"I believe you're supposed to sip that, not stare at it," Felix murmured. Not that he was much better. They'd both been sitting in silence for the last five minutes, staring at their beverages instead of drinking them. They were easily the most morose table at the club, which was fortunately not very full. Having an abundance of witnesses to their misery was not something either of them wanted. "It's not a crystal ball, after all."
"Even if it were, I don't know that it could help me," Philip said with a sigh, setting the glass down. "Not unless it could show me the perfect husband for Gabrielle and how to get him leg-shackled to her."
Although he wasn't sure even that would be enough. After all, it wasn't truly Gabrielle that was the problem; it was how Cordelia behaved when it came to Gabrielle. Surely that would be rectified once Gabrielle was married, but at the same time, Philip didn't know if it would truly satisfy him either. He wanted Cordelia to choose him, to make him the most important person in her life, not become the default through a lack of choice.
"I've been thinking..." Felix started to say and then fell silent.
Philip mentally prodded his friend. He had his suspicions about what Felix had been thinking, but he didn't want to assume anything. Leaving Felix's words hanging in the air, he waited, patiently. He didn't entirely understand his suspicions, but he wouldn't judge a man's personal preferences either.
Running his finger around the top of his glass, Felix scowled. With his dark features, it was a rather brooding look, and quite unlike him. Although he looked quite natural brooding, he'd always been more interested in being the charmer or the joker. Sullen quiet was not truly part of his personality.
"I was going to wait till the end of her first Season, but I'm still considering offering for Gabrielle," Felix said finally.
Even though he'd suspected it was coming, Philip's eyebrows still raised in surprise. "Truly?"
"She's... different."
"If by different you mean spoiled and self-involved; although, truthfully I don't think that makes her stand out from the other ladies of the ton."
"Because that's not all she is."
"She wants for discipline."
"She also wants for cherishing," Felix said, giving him a dark look. "I'm beginning to agree with your wife; you're too hard on the girl."
"I have a lack of patience for those who don't appreciate what they're being given by others," Philip admitted. "Especially when the one doing the giving is Cordelia."
"Understandably."
"And I don't dislike Gabrielle all the time. Her company can be quite enjoyable when she wants to be charming. I'd like her a good deal more if she didn't revert back the second she's not getting her way."
Felix's fingers drummed on the table, and he nodded, sighing. "She needs her own husband."
"So offer for her." It would certainly make Cordelia happy, since she seemed to be attached to Gabrielle, despit
e the way her stepdaughter treated her. Being married to Felix would ensure the chit stayed in their lives. Philip knew he could trust his friend to take care of Gabrielle and treat her well, which took care of his concerns.
"I'm not ready yet."
Feeling his eyebrows rise again, Philip studied his friend more closely. There were dark circles that had begun to appear under Felix's eyes, and his brow was wrinkled in a manner that Philip had seldom seen. Like a man gripped with a difficult decision.
"Marriage is a serious proposition," Felix continued, his gaze unfocused as if was staring off into space. "I want something like what you and Cordelia have. What your cousins have. While I think Gabrielle is attracted to me, I'm not sure that she actually likes me. And after she went off with Pressen last night, I'm not sure how discriminating she is when it comes to attraction."
Blast. So, though her reputation wasn't ruined, Gabrielle's behavior might have already lost her a suitor. Although, Philip doubted Felix would have been distressed over Gabrielle's sneaking off if it had been him she'd arranged to meet. Not that Felix would have done such a thing - at least, not with an innocent, young woman.
"She may just be anxious to leave my household, which has made her less discriminating," Philip said. "I don't believe she cares for my form of discipline, although it's certainly done her quite a bit of good as far as I can tell."
"Then she certainly wouldn't care for mine either," Felix said, suddenly grinning. The expression lightened his features considerably. "Cordelia seems to have taken to it like a duck to water."
"Cordelia is... almost perfect," Philip said smugly. The smugness faded marginally. "If she would give me the same loyalty that she gives Gabrielle, I would be the most fortunate man in the world."
"Women," Felix muttered, lifting his glass. "There's always something wrong with them."
Chapter 15
The next day, the Dunbury household resumed their normal activities. Although both Cordelia and Gabrielle were still suffering from the after effects of their punishments, cutting themselves off from the public entirely wasn't an option, not at the height of the Season. Both ladies had to grit their teeth and bear it as Philip escorted them to a dinner at the Marquess of Earith's home and then Lady Sorenson's ball.
At least they could sit without wincing, even if neither of them was entirely comfortable.
Cordelia was pleased Philip made more of an effort to include her in chaperoning Gabrielle. Rather than urging her to walk the room or dance as often as possible, he kept her on his arm for a large portion of the evening as they stayed near Gabrielle's circle. Of course, she did circulate a bit, and she danced, but she spent far more time at her husband's side and watching Gabrielle than she had before. Especially since Gabrielle was no longer trusted and, unfortunately, Arabella obviously couldn't be either. When Gabrielle tore a flounce and had to visit the retiring room, despite Arabella's company, Cordelia went with them as well. The Duke's sister was showing all the signs of recently having been spanked as well, and Cordelia realized what Marjorie had meant by saying one spanked wife always recognizes another.
Although Gabrielle obviously realized that she was being closely monitored, she didn't protest. She seemed to be on her best behavior.
Strangely, she also seemed to hold Philip in more affection than before. Cordelia supposed being held accountable for her actions and punished for them, not to mention held when she took her discipline admirably, was preferable to Gabrielle over a complete lack of reaction or being ignored. Perhaps being spanked even made Gabrielle feel more cared for, the way it did for Cordelia.
With Philip keeping Cordelia at his side, she found many of her insecurities starting to dissipate. He obviously enjoyed her company and, while some ladies still attempted to flirt with him despite the fact that she was standing right there, he ignored any and all intimated invitations. Even more reassuring, the ladies seemed to take it as a matter of course; none of them were surprised by his response. It was as if they just felt the need to test. Their lack of surprise reassured Cordelia that this was Philip's usual response to their attentions and not just a show he was putting on because of her presence.
Also encouraging was the complete lack of gossip about Gabrielle and their early departure from the Duchess of Richmond's ball. The large numbers in attendance that evening had certainly worked to their advantage; it appeared most people hadn't even noticed they'd left early. Not one untoward word was said about Gabrielle which meant that, however ungentlemanly Mr. Pressen had been by arranging a rendezvous with Gabrielle, he was at least discreet about it.
She didn't have a chance to see the man as he wasn't in attendance at either the Eariths' or the Sorensons', which probably explained why Gabrielle was looking around vainly at both events.
Felix was also not in attendance that evening, surprisingly, although Lord Hyde, Lord Brooke, and the Earl of Spencer were hovering closer than ever. So were Arabella's brothers. Lady Grace whispered to Cordelia that she and Eleanor were also going to keep an eye on Gabrielle from now on, and that Cynthia had promised to as well, but apparently no one truly considered Cynthia an appropriate chaperone. She was too likely to start her own trouble to be able to satisfactorily watch after someone else.
The only regret Cordelia had was that Philip didn't seem at all inclined to whisk her away for one of their clandestine interludes. He was too busy being on guard, despite Gabrielle's good behavior. She doubted that was likely to change very quickly.
She was right, of course.
During the next week, they didn't sneak away from the ballroom once. Every night when they arrived home, Philip would strip her down and pounce on her like a starving man, but he wouldn't sneak away while they were out. Cordelia missed it, despite how amorous he was when they reached home. He was wearing her out with their late night activities; she was spanked, licked, tormented for what felt like hours by his mouth and fingers, before he finally drove into her and fucked her into screaming climaxes that left her limp and exhausted. It probably didn't help that she'd started to tease him a bit during the balls, wearing her lowest cut gowns, making sure to lean towards him so that he could enjoy the view of her bosom, pressing herself against him "accidentally." Gabrielle was being so well-behaved that she didn't see why they couldn't resume their thrilling assignations.
Her insecurities were beginning to mount again. Not that Philip was becoming interested in another woman or anything, but that they wouldn't be able to return to the way things had been. Sometimes she still felt a distance from him, despite the communication that had opened between them. She made sure to tell him everything that happened that might have the slightest bit of importance, but she still felt like he was holding back. Waiting to see if she was going to mess up again. While she understood, it was also a bit hurtful. She was desperate to prove to him that she wouldn't.
Of course, the best way to prove it was if Gabrielle stopped behaving and Cordelia caught her out at it, but she didn't want that either.
It was incredibly frustrating.
******
"You've been making yourself scarce," Philip said as Felix came to stand beside him.
He hadn't seen his friend in several days, despite his usual messages to Felix with their schedule. As far as he knew, Felix hadn't been attending any other events either.
"I haven't been much for socializing," Felix said, his dark eyes sliding over to where Gabrielle was standing in the middle of her court, pretending to ignore him. Philip knew she was pretending because he'd been watching her when Felix had entered the ballroom; in fact, Gabrielle's reaction when Felix came into the room was why Philip knew his friend was there. He'd seen the way she'd lit up, and he'd immediately followed her gaze, expecting to see that Mr. Pressen had finally come out of hiding.
Imagine his surprise when it was his best friend that had drawn her attention instead.
He'd noticed Gabrielle had been looking for someone at all the events the past few days and he
had assumed it was Pressen. Apparently, he'd been wrong.
"She was watching for you."
"Was she now?" Felix studied Gabrielle who was so obvious about not looking their way that she might as well have stared. She'd become much more animated since Felix had entered the ballroom, suddenly smiling much wider and with a sparkle that hadn't been there before. The suitors surrounding her were entranced. Too bad for them, Philip was fairly certain it wasn't for their benefit. "Well that's encouraging, considering she's doing her best to pretend I don't exist now."
"Think of it this way, she certainly doesn't single anyone else out for that kind of treatment."
Felix grinned, a roguish smile lighting up his own features, as if he'd just had a kind of revelation. Then again, Felix's moods could often turn quickly like that as he was never one to dwell in negativity. "That's very true. Obviously her dislike for my company means she likes me the best. Ah, and here is your lovely wife. My Lady Cordelia." He bowed to her and nodded to her dance partner, his eldest brother, who was returning her from the floor. "Thomas."
"Felix! You've returned to us, we've missed you," she said, reaching out to take his hands and kiss each of his cheeks in turn.
"I can only imagine, if you've been forced to dance with my brother just for a hint of my company," he said, winking at her.
"It had nothing to do with you and everything to do with the goodness of her heart," Thomas said, shaking his head. All of the Hoods were good looking men, but as the only one with a title, Thomas certainly garnered more attention from the young ladies than his brothers. He'd practically begged Cordelia to accompany him to the dance floor when he'd seen an avaricious mama dragging her debutante daughter his way. Gently shoving his younger brother out of the way, he took Cordelia's hands and bowed over them, kissing them fervently enough that Philip scowled at him. Thomas just gave him a cheeky grin back. "My lady, you have my utmost gratitude for your timely rescue."
