“Yes. But if he got up here once, he’ll be able to do it again. I know him.”
“I doubt it; however, I wouldn’t put it past him to try. I’ll double-check with the staff.”
“Are you angry with me for not telling you sooner?”
“Disappointed, not angry.”
“Are you going to punish me for lying?” Her voice sounded small and uncertain.
Interesting she viewed her reaction that way. He regarded her omission as a desperate attempt to avoid an unpleasant complication, but she had lied, and he had admitted he’d suspected she wasn’t being honest with him. He’d also told her he’d punish her for lying if they were together in a relationship, since he refused to tolerate lies in any form. So, how should he handle this? His decision was put off when his cell buzzed. Shifting her a little to the side, he drew the device out of his pocket. Brent.
“Discover anything?” Jerry asked without preliminaries.
“Yes. At least I think so. The car was a midnight blue Lexus LX SUV. Must be new since we don’t show a record of one in our database.”
“Hold on.” Placing the phone against his chest, he turned to Elly. “What kind of car does Arthur drive?”
“He bought a new Lexus SUV. Why?”
“Color?”
“Dark blue. What’s happened?” She started to rise off his lap, but he tightened his hold and raised one eyebrow. She instantly quieted in his arms. “Sorry.”
He gave a nod and spoke to Brent again. “We’ve got a confirmation of a newly purchased Lexus.”
“I thought that would be the case. I’m calling in the Boulder police. Neglecting to report a hit and run is illegal in Colorado. If you run over a domestic animal, you can be cited for willful destruction of property. Unfortunately, that’s not a felony in this state, but it’s enough to get the police involved and Arthur arrested. He could deny seeing the dog, since she was small, though several witnesses reported he aimed for the beagle. Add a case for domestic abuse on top, and I’d say Arthur Benson is going to need a very good lawyer.”
“Thanks. Elly is due to be released today. However, she’s in a spot of trouble at the moment, which may require an inventive punishment before she leaves.”
“What did she do?”
“She deliberately lied to me, and you know my position on lying.”
“Okay, but remember you’re dealing with a woman who’s suffered some serious abuse. She might panic and fight you.”
“Right now she’s sitting on my lap awaiting my verdict, so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, but thanks for the advice.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then. Hope to get this other situation resolved by this afternoon.”
“Thanks. That would be a very special coming home present, I think. Bye.”
Jerry kept eye contact with Elly as he put his phone back.
“You’re not going to tell me what Brent said, are you?”
“Maybe later, not now.”
“What do you intend to do?” He heard the unease creeping into her voice, but she remained on his lap.
“Have you eaten breakfast, yet?” At her nod, he said, “I consider lying to be a serious offense, as I’ve told you more than once. Normally, I’d turn you over my knee and spank your pretty little butt until it glowed a bright pink, then make you stand in the corner with your arms over your head for at least fifteen minutes before we discussed why you chose to break my faith and trust in you. However, for many reasons, I don’t consider that an option right now. So….”
She held her breath and regarded him through worried eyes, but remained silent.
“Instead, I’m going to put you in the corner and have you stand, with your arms straight at your sides, for five minutes.” He adjusted the time considering her weakened state. “After that, you’ll sit on your bed in silent confinement for fifteen minutes. When your confinement is over, we’ll talk about why you chose to lie to me and how doing so might have put you in even more danger.”
Her brow furrowed. “May I ask a question now?”
“Go ahead.”
“What’s silent confinement?”
“Basically, it means you sit and stare at the wall. No talking, reading or watching TV. You are to remain still and silent.”
“What happens if a nurse or a doctor comes in to ask me something?”
“If I can answer their query, I will. If you need to answer it, look to me first. Once I give a nod, your time out will be put on a temporary hold and you may speak. When they are gone, the clock will resume. I’ll keep time.”
“And if I break the timeout?”
“If it’s for anything other than medical reasons, the first time, you’ll get a warning. Do it again and I’ll start adding minutes. If I suspect you are deliberately breaking the rules, I’ll double the length of your punishment.”
She glanced down at her entwined fingers. “What if I choose not to comply?”
“You sure you want my answer to that?”
A single nod, but she declined to meet his gaze. She was testing his resolve. Normally, if a woman refused to accept his correction they were through. Except that would never be the case with Elly; however, he could make it so uncomfortable for her she’d change her mind.
“Do you know what shunning is?”
She met his gaze then. “Isn’t that an Amish practice involving ostracizing?”
“Yes. The individual becomes a non-person who no one in the community will speak to or look at. It’s a silent treatment of sorts, but includes rejection steeped in disapproval in addition to no communication.”
“You would shun me?”
“Essentially, yes.”
She considered his answer for a moment, then asked, “Where do you want me to stand?”
* * * *
Giving a light tap to Elly’s hip, Jerry said, “Stand up, and I’ll help you.” A huge weight pressed on Elly’s shoulders as she rose and let him position her in the corner by the window. As punishments went, this was nothing, and yet her entire frame trembled as he placed her arms at her sides. Once she stood the way he wanted, he pressed his body into hers as if in silent support. She leaned against him.
“Shh,” he whispered, placing a kiss near her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll be right here the entire time. If you feel dizzy, raise a hand or call my name, either way I’ll come get you and help you sit. I don’t think standing for five minutes will be a problem for you physically, but you’re still healing, so we need to make allowances. Though this is a punishment, it is not intended to cause you pain or discomfort, merely time for reflection. I want you to consider why you thought lying to me was your best or only course of action. What you hoped to gain and what you lost instead. All right?”
His words and presence reassured her, but she still felt like she’d let him down. When she gave a nod, he took a step back. She could still sense him standing less than a foot away, waiting to catch her if she grew unsteady for any reason, and his consideration for her well-being wrapped her in a warm blanket of concern. Jerry Douglas was so unlike Arthur in so many respects. He even applied his punishments with a caring hand. For all the times Arthur had said he intended his corrections as loving reminders, she’d never received an ounce of care from him, except the one time she had fainted. What radiated from Arthur during a punishment was disappointment in her inadequacies and disapproval of her actions.
Though Jerry had expressed disappointment in the choice she’d made, nothing in his words or actions indicated he found her lacking. Even her apparent weakness was only a condition for concern, not rebuke. So, why were tears running down her cheeks?
* * * *
Though he remained less than sixteen inches from her small form, Jerry grew concerned when Elly continued crying. He didn’t consider his punishment terribly onerous. In fact, as punishments went, corner-time was one of the lightest he administered, but Elly stood hunched against the wall, shuddering with silent sobs a
s if he’d caused her true torment.
A part of him wanted to wrap his arms around her and reassure her with kisses and caresses, while another part reminded him she had tested his resolve and giving in now would send the wrong message. He needed to be strong and resolute, which he rationalized was still possible standing a foot away.
Another doubt that raised its ugly head was the suspicion she wouldn’t ask for help if she needed it. She certainly hadn’t with Arthur. The lady possessed a lot of pride, and he admired her backbone, but he wanted her to learn she wasn’t invincible, nor did anyone expect her to be. Requesting assistance did not bring shame.
Crossing his arms over his chest in an effort to avoid reaching out to her, he kept an eye on his watch as the second hand made its slow revolution around the dial. Her five minutes were almost up when Jayne walked into the room and halted at the sight of Elly standing in the corner.
“I came in to check Mrs. Benson’s vitals. Is there a problem?”
“No. Everything’s fine.” Jerry placed his arm about Elly. “You’re done, sweetie. Let’s go get your blood pressure checked. Okay?”
Elly nodded and came with him without resistance or complaint. She’d stopped crying, which was good, since Nurse Jayne already glared at him as if he was the sort of man who got his jollies from kicking harmless puppies.
He assisted Elly back to the bed and sat down beside her. Jayne glowered at him. Yup, he’d been classified as a puppy kicker all right. However, the lady could glare all she wanted; he wasn’t leaving Elly’s side.
The nurse secured the cuff on Elly’s arm, placed her stethoscope and started pumping. Elly watched in silence as the sleeve inflated.
She hadn’t exactly been a chatterbox during her stay in the hospital, but she’d been more conversational than the mute sitting beside him now. He began to suspect she didn’t think she was permitted to speak, and Jerry wasn’t sure how to signal otherwise.
“Do you feel all right, Elly?” Jayne inquired as she walked a few steps away to write Elly’s blood pressure on the whiteboard. Returning, she waited for a reply before putting the thermometer probe in Elly’s mouth. Elly merely nodded.
When the device beeped, Jayne scribbled the results below Elly’s BP. “Any pain or discomfort anywhere?”
Elly shook her head.
Finally, the nurse stared directly at Jerry. “Would you step outside with me for a moment please, Dr. Douglas. I’d like to have a private word with you.”
Nodding, he gave Elly’s fingers a squeeze. “Go ahead and relax, sweetie. I’ll return in a minute.
With a compliant nod, Elly lay back in bed.
The moment he stepped out into the hall, Jayne shut Elly’s door and turned on him. “I don’t know what sort of game you two are playing, but she’s still a very sick young woman who’s only been out of ICU for three days. Did you forbid her to talk?”
“No. She can talk if she needs to; however, it appears she neither wanted nor needed to.”
“So, why did you have her standing in the corner? I assume you made her do that, since I never saw her pose there on her own before.”
He tilted his head. “Were you here yesterday afternoon?”
“No, I was off. Why?”
“Read through the notes on her file. I had to leave, but when I called and checked on her, she sounded odd. I asked her what was wrong, and she said ‘nothing.’ Except ‘nothing’ turned out to be her abusive husband out in the hall, throwing things about as he demanded to see her. He was subsequently escorted out by security, but not before scaring her so badly she hid in the bathroom. That man represents a threat to her as long as he is walking about free, and she lied to me about him being here, so I had her stand facing the corner for five minutes. She’ll spend the next fifteen on her bed staring at the wall. No talking, TV or reading.”
“Her physicians will be making rounds in a half-hour.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not hurting her, Jayne. I’d never do that on purpose, but I won’t have her lying to me about things that threaten her well-being. If I thought standing for five-minutes would stress her, she’d have spent the entire time in bed.”
“She looked unhappy.”
“She is unhappy because I’m disappointed with her, not because I’m a cruel tyrant.”
Jayne gave a single nod. “Okay. I don’t like it, but okay. Go easy on her, all right?”
“Of course.” The moment he walked back into the room, Elly raised her hand like a little girl in school.
Yup, she thought she was forbidden to talk without permission. He could cut down her time by including the few minutes they’d spent with Jayne in her count, so he glanced at his watch and gave her a solemn nod. “You may speak if you wish.”
“Is Jayne angry with you?”
“No. She’s concerned about you. How are you doing? Would you like some water or anything else?”
“I’m fine.” She hesitated, before adding, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth about Arthur, yesterday.”
Taking a seat beside her, Jerry clasped Elly’s hand. “Do you understand why I punished you for lying to me?”
After a moment’s hesitation, she gave a single nod.
“Tell me why.”
Meeting his gaze, she said, “You think Arthur may hurt me in order to bring me back under his control. By not telling you, I made matters more difficult, and I might have endangered myself.”
“True. Except you neglected to mention trust, Elly. Lying indicates a lack of trust.”
“That wasn’t why I didn’t tell you,” she argued immediately.
“All right. Why did you choose to keep your husband’s presence a secret?”
She bit her lower lip and hesitated, another clue. She fully expected him to lash out with anger or belittlement once she gave her reasons. Finally, she said, “If I’d told you, you would have hurried back here, no matter what I said. And even though they escorted him out of the hospital, they had no way of ensuring he left the parking lot. He could have remained, lying in wait for your return.”
“Which is why you suggested I stay in Corbin’s Bend, right?”
Elly winced and nodded, then held her breath.
“Thank you.”
She blinked, and he knew his suspicions had been correct.
“You’re not angry?”
“No, of course not. Your only thought was to protect me. Despite my occasional claim to the contrary, I’m not a superhero. However….” He gave her nose a light tap. “That doesn’t excuse lying to me, either. If you’d told me, I would have been better prepared to protect myself should it have proved necessary. Instead, I might have returned and been waylaid.”
“I didn’t consider that,” she murmured softly. “I thought you’d stay in Corbin’s Bend if you knew you’d be keeping me awake.”
“True. But if I drove back without telling you, I wouldn’t have kept you awake, would I?”
“So, why did you stay?”
He gave her a gentle smile. “Because I sensed you didn’t want me here, and I’m not going to force you to accept my presence.”
“Oh.”
“So, tell me what you learned.”
She sighed. “To tell the truth, even when I think doing so may make matters worse.”
“Just ‘to always tell the truth’ would have been fine.” He bent forward to give her a kiss and she leaned in to meet it. Next thing he knew, she was lying across his lap, fingers gripping his collar, and kissing him for all he was worth. He wanted her, and his body wasn’t shy about announcing the fact. However, taking her in the hospital was out of the question, and making love when the activity might aggravate her injuries was against everything he believed in.
After a moment, he ran a finger over her shining, slightly swollen lips. As much as he wanted to be inside her, he also loved holding her. Especially when she smiled at him like he was the bravest, handsomest, wisest man on the earth. Yup, a man could get used to this.
Her eyes clouded over. “Do I still have to go into solitary confinement?”
When he frowned at her, she winced again, so he checked his watch. “If I let you off with a warning this time, I’m afraid you’ll think you can always bend me around your little finger. It’s not a good precedent to set.”
She continued to stare at him, not stating an argument either way, leaving it up to him to decide. And as much as he feared setting a bad example, he didn’t have the heart to insist she return to a silent, uncommunicative mode. So, he shook his head. “I’m giving you an early release for time already served.”
Her responding smile nearly blinded him, and this time she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. She’d never taken the initiative before to offer anything more than a peck on his cheek, and the realization made his head spin. Moments later, her doctors stepped in the room and coughed. He and Elly instantly broke apart like two teenagers caught necking in the car, which in a way they were. Caught necking that is.
Chapter Thirteen
The doctors appeared amused as they informed Elly she was free to go home. Though her face flamed with embarrassment, she had no desire to leave Jerry’s lap. In fact, she knew of no other place she would rather be. She was still a married woman who’d made vows to love and honor another man, but that man had abused her trust and her beloved dog, so in her mind he no longer deserved her fidelity.
When Dr. Pendergast said he’d like to do a brief examination of Elly’s incision, Jerry moved her off his lap and stepped out of the way as Elly lay back on the bed.
“Looks good,” Dr. Pendergast proclaimed, replacing Elly’s bandage and lowering her gown.
Rising, he spoke to Jerry. “You’ll need to keep the dressing dry and change it about twice a day.”
“Should we put anything on the bandage like antibiotic ointment?” Jerry inquired.
“That shouldn’t be necessary,” Pendergast replied, directing the rest of his instructions to Jerry.
Elly remained silent as Jerry spoke with the physicians about what she could and couldn’t do once she got home. She saw no need to interfere since they were pretty much saying the same things Marcus had already told her, and she knew Jerry would make certain she did everything necessary to remain healthy. But what was going to happen when she was completely healed? She doubted she’d be able to afford the fees a home in Corbin’s Bend required, and if she could, she wasn’t sure she wanted to live in a spanking community. Elly closed her eyes, refusing to consider what leaving Corbin’s Bend would mean.
A Simple Misunderstanding (Corbin's Bend) Page 15
