by Starla Kaye
“Ye will just have to put up with me a wee bit longer.” She tried to control her urge to smile at the frustration pinching his face. “’Tis a hardship, I ken.”
He remained silent a moment longer and she wondered if he would deny what she’d said. But then he grew serious again and stated, “New messages have gone out this morn to other men on Edward’s list who are without wives or betrotheds. We will not give up on the task of finding you a suitable husband.” He shifted his gaze to include Mary. “I’ve sent messages on your behalf as well.”
Mary grimaced in disapproval, but her tone was all sweetness when she said, “I appreciate your efforts, Lord Middleham. Although I still think you and I—”
“Nay. There will never be a ‘you and I.’” He turned to walk away and missed the flash of anger in Mary’s expression.
“He doesna want ye. Time and a’gin he’s told ye that.” Maggie rose to her feet, feeling lighter at the darkening scowl on her adversary’s face.
Mary stood, thrust her pointy chin out, and hissed, “If you weren’t around, I’m sure I could persuade him differently.”
Maggie knew that wouldn’t happen. Nicholas, as with most of the staff here, didn’t like Mary. The staff knew of her two faces: one for their lord and one for everyone else. Perhaps Nicholas knew of it, too, but he was too much of a gentleman to toss her out on her thin ass. He was determined to find her a husband. Unfortunately there had not been even one hint of interest in her as yet.
Tired of worrying about the situation, Maggie walked toward the doors. Mary could handle the running of the keep today, just as Nicholas had said. The sun had risen and the day promised to be beautiful. She’d been longing to take a ride, let the wind blow her hair back, let the freshness away from the castle brighten the doldrums she’d had of late. The frustration she’d endured from being too near Nicholas and unable to do anything about it. She ached to have him kiss her again, but knew it would be wrong. He would not come close to her to chance such a thing from happening once more. So what she needed was time and distance from the man who tempted her. He would not allow her to go riding by herself and he wouldn’t spare a man for such silliness. But she could thwart him in another way, though she didn’t intend for him to find out. She’d only be gone a short while.
“Where are you going?” Mary demanded when Maggie stepped into the doorway.
“Doona worry about me. I will be around.” She strode outside and ignored Mary’s attempt to demand an answer.
As soon as she stepped onto the steps of the keep, she heard Nicholas’s voice from around the west side. He was informing his men of the new training to be done today. She knew they would all be busy for most of the day. He would not be checking on her, nor would the others notice if she left for a while. She’d overheard Richard telling Gerald about the ‘secret’ passageway within the outer wall, starting in the corner paddock. It had been built for an escape route and unless the castle was under siege, which it wasn’t, only one man walked guard on the parapet above the route’s exit near the village of Middleham. And on the other side of the village was a large pond she’d seen when they’d ridden here. She fully intended to visit the pond today, even dip her feet in it.
* * *
Nicholas had worked long and hard with his men for several hours. There was still more to teach them, but he had left Gerald in charge while he made a flimsy excuse to go into the keep. He’d tried to ignore Gerald’s amused look when he’d briefly spoken to him. His first knew him far too well, knew he didn’t stop training easily. Gerald hadn’t teased him about going off to check in on Maggie, even if he knew that was exactly what Nicholas planned.
He muttered under his breath, berating himself for this foolishness. Maggie would be scurrying about the keep attending to her daily chores as always, in spite of how she’d acted so oddly earlier. Yet her attitude had bothered him so much he’d gotten distracted too many times. He’d endured sword thrusts he normally wouldn’t have suffered. Fortunately they fought with wooden swords. Still it had been embarrassing to be caught gathering wool in his head like that. And he would be a bit bruised later.
He strode into the great hall and stopped a second to let his eyes adjust to the much dimmer lighting. He was impatient to find Maggie and have a word or two with her about…. Well, he wasn’t sure about what yet. Then he would return to the training and not think about her until he sat down to sup with her later.
Mary looked up in surprise from where she sat at one of the long tables talking with several of the maids. It appeared she’d been taking them to task about something and they quickly got up to hurry away at the sight of him. He didn’t want to know what their talk had concerned. If Mary had ruffled their feathers, Maggie would soothe them in time. He’d observed her doing so on more than one occasion, although he didn’t think either Mary or Maggie knew he’d done so.
“Would you like some mead? A bite to eat?” Mary got up and smoothed down the sides of her gown and sent him a coquettish smile. As always, she was dressed in far too elegant a gown for everyday wear.
“Thank you, but no.” He glanced around the large room now that his eyes had fully adjusted. “I came to have a word with Maggie.”
Annoyance sparked in Mary’s eyes but she maintained a forced smile. “She isn’t here. She walked out the keep’s doors not long after you did. I have not seen her since.”
“Mayhap she returned when you were elsewhere.” He remembered suggesting that Maggie rest in her chamber today. He hadn’t thought she would actually do so, but he started toward the stairway at the side of the space. “I will check her bedchamber.”
“The maids just finished cleaning the bedchambers. She isn’t there, My Lord.”
His gut tightened. Somehow he knew she had left the castle grounds. She’d been specifically warned against doing so, certainly not without one or two guards with her. And he knew all of the men were either in the bailey practicing or doing their turn up on the parapets. When he got his hands on her…. Anger turned to worry. Anything could happen to her out there on her own.
He turned and hurried out of the keep, ignoring Mary calling after him. The instant he spotted Gerald, he shouted, “Maggie is missing.”
“Missing? Are you sure?”
The nearby men who had been practicing stopped. They looked at him warily, clearly having heard the displeasure and worry in his tone. They would be worried about her as well. “Six of you mount up and come with me. Gerald, saddle my horse. Yours, too. We hunt for the wayward Lady Urquhart.”
Gerald nodded grimly and he hurried to the paddocks with six of the closest men.
Nicholas ground his teeth even as his heart pounded. He strode off to search around the other sides of the bailey and the gardens. But he knew in his gut that he wouldn’t find her. Restless, she’d said. He’d seen the truth of it in her eyes. She was used to more freedom than he gave her, used to riding—with guards—around her beloved Loch Ness. Loch Ness. Immediately he thought about the pond on the other side of the village. He knew without a doubt that was where she’d headed. How he knew her so well in this short of time, he couldn’t say. He just did. He also knew that once he found her—alone, which infuriated him—he would burn her bottom. She would be standing to eat her meals for a week, or squirming a lot in her chair.
He only prayed no other harm came to her with this rebellious act. He wasn’t sure he could take it if someone hurt her.
* * *
Maggie heard the pounding hooves and knew without even having to look up from her perch on the fallen log beside the pond that she’d been discovered. And she knew just who had come for her. Why had she stayed here so long? Because she’d dreaded going back so soon. The day was so beautiful; the pond so peaceful. At least it had been.
She sat still, her back to the riders, waiting for their arrival. She didn’t even bother trying to come up with an excuse for being here. Nicholas had sternly ordered her never to leave the castle’s walls without a
n escort. She’d done so; she’d disobeyed him. All she could do now was listen to his bluster and take whatever punishment he would deem out. And there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would punish her.
The earth shuddered as his big warhorse rode up behind her and he jumped to the ground. The other horses stopped farther back, for which she was grateful, though the men he’d brought with him would still witness his immediate display of anger.
As she faced him, she saw the barely controlled fury in his dark blue eyes. His body looked tense, his chest muscles rigid beneath the light chainmail he’d been practicing in. His square jaw was clenched and he drew in several steadying breaths. But she refused to cower, although she would rather have dealt with him in private.
Without saying a word, Nicholas reached down and tugged her to her feet. She grimaced at his rough handling, not surprised, annoyed. Before she could even attempt to resist, he placed a leg on the log he’d plucked her from, spun her around and bent her over his thigh. Her feet dangled in the air.
His hand connected with her skirt-covered bottom, hard enough that she felt it even through the thin layers of fabric.
“You have disobeyed me, Maggie,” he said in grave deliberation. A series of sharp swats landed in a flurry. “You were not to leave the grounds.” More swats. “Certainly not without a guard.”
Maggie had sucked in a sharp breath at the firm swats. She didn’t like being spanked; she disliked being spanked in front of his men even more. She turned her head to hiss at him, “Doona shame me like this.”
A vein pulsed in his neck and he smacked her wiggling bottom one more time, and then released her. “That was only a small taste of what’s to come.”
She refused to reach back and rub at the sting, which really wasn’t too bad anyway. She thrust her chin out. “I didna mean any harm. I just needed some time alone, some time away from ye and Mary.”
For a second, understanding flashed in his eyes, but then he shook his head. “You risked much by such a rash decision. And now you’ve forced these men to take time away from their training.”
She glanced at them, her face heated from what they’d observed. Most of the men appeared more amused than anything, which disgusted her. But Gerald looked almost as upset as Nicholas, just as disapproving. She noted the size of his hands and knew they would wield a lot of pain. Poor Fia. Her friend had never complained, but she’d been spanked several times that she knew about but the big man. It had to have hurt mightily.
Pulling her from her uncomfortable musings, Nicholas tugged her with him to his horse. He mounted and then reached down to pull her up with him. She considered refusing, knew how stupid that would be, and managed to let him lift her until she sat in his lap sideways. The ride would be awkward, but that would be the least of her problems for a while.
* * *
Nicholas was so angry with what Maggie had done he’d been unable to speak the entire ride back to the castle. His men had ridden in silence as well. All were aware of the dangers she’d faced by going off alone. Small bands of outlaws roamed the land. They often heard tales of people being caught and stolen from or far worse. Women had been raped, killed. Maggie was a beautiful young woman. She would have been a prize among prizes to any villain who had come across her. He’d mulled over his fears the entire ride back. He’d felt almost sick with them.
The second he stopped in front of the keep’s steps, he lowered her to the ground, holding her arm as she looked up at him. “You will meet me in the solar, Lady Urquhart. You have a taste of the tawse coming.”
She paled but nodded. She knew she’d done wrong and though she would dread the thrashing, she appeared prepared to accept it. She didn’t say a word as she walked with a measure of dignity up the steps and into the keep. His stomach still churned with tension. He hadn’t felt such fear in a long time. She would not disobey him in this manner again.
Maggie had tried not to see the look of pleasure on Mary’s face when the two women had met in the great hall. Mary knew she would be punished. Why couldn’t the woman have been in the kitchens? Or anywhere but here? But Maggie refused to respond to the false concern Mary voiced while she strode grimly to the stairs.
She walked into the torch-lit solar and waited for Nicholas. He was very upset with her, maybe even more than he’d been when she’d disobeyed him by not staying in her room and then accidentally shooting his hawk with her arrow. This would be a most unpleasant time, she was sure.
Fortunately she didn’t have to wait long. Nicholas’s weighty footsteps thudded on the stone floor and she felt the tension emanating from him when he strode into the room. Her heart raced at the sound of the heavy door closing behind him. She rubbed at her nervous stomach and faced him.
His handsome face was tight with determination. He motioned to the large wooden desk. “Lift your skirts and bend over the desk.” As she approached it, he walked around to pull her father’s worn tawse from a drawer.
Her hands shook as she lifted the skirt and then her chemise to her waist by herself this time. He moved behind her and she leaned awkwardly over the cold wooden desktop, tucking her clothes beneath her stomach. Her bare bottom thrust out and her face heated at the embarrassing sight she must make. He wasn’t her father and he wasn’t her husband. He was a man duty-bound to find her a husband. He was also a man she’d grown to have strong feelings for, certainly a strong attraction to.
She forced those thoughts from her mind and bent forward over her arms. You can do this. You earned this leathering. Maybe she had, but it was still awful to accept it.
He shifted to her left side and she tensed. “I am sorry.”
“You should have thought about what would happen when you chose to disobey me.”
He drew his arm back and she heard the loud Thwap! as the tawse connected with her buttocks. She felt it even more and sucked in a sharp breath.
“You will not be disobeying me again anytime soon.” He lashed her soundly again and again across the middle of her buttocks. “Do you understand me?” He emphasized each word with another lash.
“Aye! I understand,” she hissed out, rising on her toes, her knees buckling toward the desk.
“You worried me. So much could have happened to you.” His voice broke. “You are lucky it was me and my men who found you alone.”
She didn’t feel all that lucky. Tears streamed down her face. She panted and struggled to remain in place. Waited for more.
It didn’t come. He stepped away. “Do not ever frighten me like that again, Maggie.” She heard the fear for her in his voice and guilt for putting it there made her feel worse.
“Nay, I will no’ go off on my own again,” she gritted out. She waited for him to move close again, to begin once more.
He didn’t move closer. He didn’t start thrashing her again. Instead she heard him swear under his breath and then she heard the sound of the tawse being thrown across the room.
Even though the tawsing had been brief, her bottom blazed with the fires of Hell. He stood there in silence at her side and she knew he was watching her, staring at her reddened bottom. She knew she should get up and cover herself, but she didn’t move. More was going on here than just his disciplining her.
And then his cool hand settled on her bottom. She automatically flinched. Would he spank her now?
She trembled, waited.
Instead he just smoothed his hand in gentle circles. Over and over, so gently. “I was out of my mind with worry,” he said in a low, husky voice. “If anything had happened to you….”
Warmth curled inside her. Her bottom quivered at his soothing touch. Her tears dried up; her heart raced. She longed for something else, something she didn’t fully understand. She pushed her tender bottom back toward him. But she didn’t know what she was seeking. “Nicholas,” she purred.
Suddenly he drew in a tense breath. He jerked his hand away and strode toward the door. He stopped to glance back at her, his voice ragged with emotion as he sa
id, “You will go to your chamber now. Stay there for the rest of the day and tomorrow.”
Confined to her room again. She hated that. But as she saw the heat in his eyes, she also knew it was probably wise to keep her distance from him. She sensed he was battling down a need to do more than spank her. And she wasn’t sure she would stop his advances.
“Aye, My Lord.” Her agreement seemed to break his moment of looking at her with lust and he hurried out.
As his footsteps resounded away, she straightened and flinched at the feel of her garments rubbing against her tender bottom. She saw the tawse tossed across the room. Although she didn’t want to touch it, she couldn’t leave it lying there for anyone to find. She walked gingerly toward it, picked it up, and carried it back to the desk. One of these days he would no longer use it on her. Not because he no longer cared enough to discipline her, but because she wouldn’t be here.
The thought saddened her and fresh tears slid down her face. She quietly made her way to her bedchamber, praying he would soon find her a suitable husband. She wasn’t at all sure she could control these strong urges she felt toward him much longer.
* * *
Nicholas hurried from the great hall, not even bothering with breaking his fast this morning. He’d spotted Mary heading for him the second he stepped off the stairway leading from the upper chambers. Ever since the pond incident with Maggie, what he’d done—not so much the leathering, more the caressing her—he’d increased his avoidance of her this last week. Now Mary had set her sights on him. She was all smiles and good cheer. Still, he suspected that side of her was only for his benefit. Maggie continued to avoid the woman. The servants avoided her as well as much as possible; a fact which he’d heard second hand from Gerald after Fia had told him. Apparently everyone was avoiding everybody. He was uncomfortable in his new home and wanted things to change. And he was distressed that he hadn’t heard back from any of the men he’d contacted on behalf of both Maggie and Mary. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his distance from Maggie.
