The Demure Bride

by Joannie Kay

  "Mandy, come on in here!" Matt bellowed.

  Amanda jumped, and thought she caught a sympathetic look in Goldie's eyes. She got up, but took her coffee with her as she went to find her father standing by the doorway to the hallway. "Come to my study, girl. I don't want to be interrupted." He motioned for her to precede him, and followed behind her, shutting the door once she was inside his office. "Sit down, Mandy. We need to have us an understanding," Matt stated, sitting behind his desk and leaning back in his chair to look at her as she sat cautiously on one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. "Are you over your temper?" he asked in an abrupt tone of voice.

  "I still don't think you were fair," Amanda refused to lie. "You permitted Mr. Thorne to get away with beating me!" she accused.

  "Mandy, you struck the man across his face with that damned foolish little whip you carry. I can't fault him for doing what I would have done in his place," he stated. "It's time for some plain talk right now, and maybe I shouldn't have waited this long, but I knew you were grieving for your Mama, and I didn't want to speak ill of her." He paused, reflecting, and then reached for his pipe and filled it with a fragrant tobacco before lighting it. "Mandy, I don't know what your Mama told you about me. I can imagine, but I want you to know that I loved her and it darn near killed me when she left and took you with her. I should of come after her, turned her over my knee, and brought her back here where she belonged, but I had more pride back then and decided she would come back on her own. She didn't."

  "Why did she leave in the first place, Father?" Amanda was curious, in spite of her anger with him. Her Mama would never discuss the situation with her.

  "Isabel left because I put my foot down. Back in them days, it was even wilder out here than it is now. I was working hard to make a go of this place; couldn't afford more than a couple of hands to help out, and we sure as shootin' didn't live in this fancy house. I didn't build it until about ten years after your Mama left."

  He shook his head as if to remind himself he was telling a story, and then continued, "Isabel didn't think I was paying her enough attention. She missed having other women to talk to, and was mad as hell at me because I wouldn't take off workin' in the middle of the day to haul her into town for some silly women's meeting at the church. She waited until I was out of sight and then she loaded you into the wagon and took off alone for town. My horse threw a shoe, or I wouldn't of known until it was too late to stop the Comanche from carryin' the two of you off. Once I rescued the two of you and got you back here, I turned your Mama over my knee and paddled her proper for risking your lives. It made her furious with me, and she said she wouldn't live where it wasn't safe to leave her house alone. She packed bags for the two of you, and the first chance she got, she left a note for me and said she'd gone home to her parents. Told me if I came to my senses and was willing to live in Boston, to come for her. I wasn't about to give up this ranch, and I wrote and told her so. She refused to come back, and then she died before I realized I was a fool not to swallow my pride and go and bring her back, kicking and screaming if need be. I hate that, Mandy. I hate that I kept thinking I had time to make this place something she would love. It's why I built this house... for Isabel... but she wanted nothing to do with it. As much as I loved her, she was snooty and highfalutin', and I ain't about to let you be that way, girl. You're my girl as much as your Mama's, and it's time for you to forget all about those silly society rules your Mama thought was so darn important. The truth is, I am your Papa... I don't want you calling me 'Father' as if you don't care a thing for me. I don't want to see you wearing one of those silly riding suits out here any more, either. It's been nearly two years now, and you need to adapt, Mandy. You live in Texas now, not Boston. And, you need to take responsibility for your mare's care, and listen to folks when they tell you something for your own good." He paused, and then added firmly, well aware of her mutinous expression, "And, honey, you are going to say sorry to Rob Thorne for hitting him. He's our neighbor, and I don't want bad feelings between him and us... especially when you were in the wrong."

  Chapter Two

  "No, I am not going to apologize to that horrid man!" Amanda jumped to her feet. "Robert Thorne treated me despicably, and if anyone apologizes, it should be him! He beat me! I struck him twice, and he used my whip to hit me considerably more than two times. I have welts on my posterior!"

  "You couldn't feel a darn thing through those heavy skirts you was wearin', girl!" Matt scolded. "If you did you wouldn't be standin' there sassing me." He glared at her, "I'm fed up with your uppity ways, Mandy. You struck our neighbor when he was tryin' to help you from your spill. You made a fool mistake in tryin' to jump that mare, and then you made it worse by gettin' mad at Rob. You are goin' to take yourself over to his place tomorrow and apologize, even if I have to tan your hide and haul you over there myself."

  "Why are you so determined to humiliate me, Father? Why do you persist in failing to see my side of this situation?" She stomped her foot, clearly irate. "I will never apologize to that man! Never!" She turned on her heel to stomp from the room, but she didn't make it to the door. She didn't even hear Matt move, but he caught her by the elbow and pulled her right back to his desk. "What do you think you are you doing...? No! Father, no!" she cried out in dismay, but it was too late. His work toughened hand landed on the rounded part of her skirt. "Don't you dare treat me like this! I am fully grown!" Amanda's temper was blazing as she struggled to get free of the ignoble position in which she found herself.

  "All I see is a spoiled brat who needs to mend her ways, and I should have done this two years ago instead of waitin' to see if you'd settle down," Matt said as he spanked her again.

  "I will never forgive you for this!" Amanda was humiliated beyond belief.

  "We'll see about that," Matt Chambers said solemnly, and to her horror he flipped up her skirt and then her petticoats until all that was covering her bottom was her lace and ribbon trimmed cotton drawers.

  "No! You cannot do this, Father! I am a grown woman! What if someone walks in and sees me like this?"

  "If it is anyone who's had to put up with your snotty tantrums lately they'll probably applaud and want to shake my hand when I'm done, and I ain't gonna be done for a long while," he added in an ominous tone of voice as he continued to spank her rounded bottom.

  "Father! Stop!" Amanda was already in pain... from her fall, and from the spanking she had endured at Robert Thorne's hand. "You are truly hurting me!" Tears filled her eyes.

  "I ain't hurting you, girl. I'm tryin' to get your attention. You were out of line this mornin'. You treated your mare bad, and you treated Rob Thorne like it was his fault you got throwed. All the sass in the world ain't gonna change that. It's time I started acting like your Papa and settle you down. No man is gonna give you a second look if you keep actin' so high and mighty!"

  Amanda burst into tears. The spanking really hurt! Her father was a very strong man and used to physical work. Her poor bottom was on fire and she felt like a naughty little girl! She didn't like being treated like a bratty child! "Please stop! Please!"

  "Who are you talkin' to, Mandy?" Matt demanded, continuing to apply his hand in hard spanks meant to chastise.

  "To you!" she answered sharply, and then gasped when he spanked lower, in an area that was especially tender from the earlier spanking with her riding whip! "Please, Papa, not there!" she begged. "Stop!"

  "Now, was it so hard to call me Papa?" Matt asked quietly, giving her one more hard slap on her bottom.

  "No," she admitted.

  "I like it when you call me Papa," he admitted without a bit of shame. "Makes me feel like you like me a little."

  "Of course I like you, Papa!" She tried to turn and look at him, but he was still holding her in place with one strong arm around her waist. "I love you," she said tearfully.

  "I love you, too, Mandy, girl," Matt said emotionally. "And I don't like havin' to do this, but I love you too much not to tan you when
you need tanning." He gave her three more sound spanks, causing her to cry out each time. "Are you going to obey your Papa and say 'sorry' to Rob?"

  Amanda simply could not agree to do that. She just couldn't! That man had no right to thrash her with her own whip! Matt took her silence for stubbornness, and he started spanking again, in earnest. "Nooooo! Please stop, Papa! I am in pain!" she screeched.

  "I'll stop when you agree to tell the man you're sorry for striking him with your whip, girl, and not one second before." He was a strong man, and even though his hand was on fire, he would keep this up as long as necessary to make his point. Mandy was always stubborn, even as a small child. She'd needed her Papa's guidance, and now he was going to have to be very firm.

  "Okay! I will do it!" Amanda hated herself for giving in, but she was simply in too much pain to continue her resistance.

  "You will do what?" Matt continued spanking, even harder. He wasn't letting her off so easy.

  "I will apologize to Robert Thorne!" Amanda practically yelled. "Papa, please stop! I hurt so much!" To her relief, he pulled down her skirts and then helped her to her feet. Her hair had come down, and her face was streaked with tears of pain. She turned to run from the room, but once again Matt stopped her. He pulled her close and put his arms around her to hug her. Amanda was embarrassed when she burst into tears and hid her face in his shirt.

  "It's okay, sweetie. Papa is here and will take care of you. It's okay to cry." He continued to hold her until she finally quieted. "I didn't enjoy makin' you cry like that, Mandy, but I am your Papa, and I'm not gonna let you act all snooty with folks and get away with it. Rob is a nice man and a good neighbor. You think about what you want to say to him, and I'll drive you over to his place tomorrow mornin' in the buggy and stand with you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Are you mad at me, honey?"

  Amanda looked up into his troubled green eyes; eyes that looked like her own. "I still feel I am too old to be spanked, Papa, but I know you did it because you love me. I will try to do better, and I promise I will call you Papa since it means so much to you."

  "Now that is what I wanted to hear." He kissed her again and then said, "There is another matter we need to discuss, Mandy. You're to see to it that Glimmer is cared for every day; I want you to prove to me that you are responsible enough to own your own horse. You won't be riding her again until I give you permission. You could have injured her today, daughter, but even worse than that, you could have been hurt or killed. You need a reminder not to be that foolish again. Before I let you ride Glimmer again you are going to give me a promise that you won't try to jump her. In the meantime, you won't be sitting a saddle and the only exercise you'll get is from the use of your own two legs."

  "Papa, nooo! I love to go riding! I love Glimmer, too! I will not try to jump her again, I promise! Please do not take her away from me," she begged, tears filling her eyes once again.

  "You won't be riding her, or any of the horses, for at least one week, Amanda." Matt was serious and his facial expression told her there was no point in arguing. She was being punished for today.

  "Why are you doing this, Papa?" Her wounded expression told him she was nearly heartbroken. "You already spanked me, and I have promised you I will not jump Glimmer again. I will keep my word; please do not take Glimmer from me. I will prove to you that I can be responsible, and if I mess up again, you can always take her away then... But, I promise I have learned my lesson. Please give me another chance to prove myself."

  Matt gave her a hard, assessing look. It was clear that he wanted to believe her, and finally he asked, "Will you take care of Glimmer yourself?"

  "Yes, Papa. I will."

  "Okay, honey. I'll give you another chance, but if you jump that mare or I find out that Whitey is the one carin' for Glimmer, you'll get another tanning and I'll use a strap... and you won't be riding another horse on this ranch for a year. I mean that, girl. Do you understand me?" Matt was as serious as he could be and it wasn't an idle promise.

  "I understand, Papa. I am truly sorry I tried that jump today, and I won't do that again."

  "You are more important to me than the horse, honey. That is why I am being so hard on you." He gave her one more hug, and then said, "I have work to do. You take some time this afternoon to think about what you need to say to Rob. I'll see you at supper." He picked up his hat and then left the room.

  Amanda immediately groaned and reached back to rub her stinging backside. Two spankings in one day! Unbelievable! Her Mama was probably looking down on them and shaking her head. Mama did not approve of spanking and it was quite a shock to learn that her Papa had spanked Mama. Amanda did not remember hearing her parents fight, nor did she remember being taken captive by the Comanche. Her Mama was always so delicate and such a lady. It was so hard to picture her married to her Papa... or to picture her over his knee getting a spanking. Amanda had to be honest, her Papa had a good reason to spank her Mama... Just as he had a good reason today, she forced herself to admit. She had been acting like a spoiled brat... She was going to see to it that Glimmer had the best care she could give her. She would not be sitting her saddle again today, and probably not tomorrow; her bottom was unbelievably sore; but she would change her clothing and go and have a talk with Whitey and find out exactly what she needed to do to care for her little mare. She was not in Boston any more, and it was time she accepted that.

  * * *

  "Thanks, son," Matt said automatically when Whitey offered to care for his large white stallion. "How did my girl do today cleaning out Glimmer's stall?"

  "She was fit to be tied, but she did a good job, Mr. Chambers." It didn't occur to the younger man to lie or coat the truth. "She even come out here this afternoon and asked me how to take care of her mare. Said she was going to see to her from now on, so I reckon that mucking that stall didn't upset her too much."

  "Mandy asked you how to take care of Glimmer?" Matt was pleased.

  "Yes sir, she sure did. Don't you worry none, Mr. Chambers. I'll show her what to do and make sure she don't get hurt doin' it," Whitey offered.

  "Thanks, Whitey. You're a good man." Matt clapped him on the back and headed for the house and a good supper. If he'd known that taking his feisty daughter over his knee would make such a drastic change for the better he would have done it a lot sooner! Once he'd washed up and Goldie called him to the table he noticed there was no place set for Amanda.

  "Where's Mandy?" he asked the silent woman.

  Goldie gave him a baleful look that spoke volumes. "Her room."

  "We'll be down shortly," he announced and then got to his feet and went upstairs. He knocked on Amanda's door. "Mandy, why aren't you coming down to supper?" he demanded.

  The door opened and she looked up at him. "I cannot sit down, Papa," she told him, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. "I am in too much pain to attempt sitting to eat a meal," she explained. "Goldie promised to fix me a tray."

  "That is extra work for Goldie, and you ain't sick. Sitting on a sore butt is part of the punishment," he informed her matter-of-factly. "You come down and eat at the table."

  "But, it hurts to sit down!" she repeated herself, positive he didn't understand what she was trying to tell him.

  "It will hurt even worse if I have to spank you to get you to the table, girl. You don't make extra work for Goldie just because you're sore and it hurts to sit. You come and sit at the table. No more sass on the subject."

  Amanda didn't know how she got through the meal. Sitting was pure torture, and her Papa was determined she sit there until he was finished eating, too. Finally, Matt announced he had some bookwork to do and he reminded her that they would be driving over to see Robert Thorne the next morning after breakfast.

  Amanda wanted to argue, but she'd given her word and now she had no choice but go and apologize to the odious man. Once she helped Goldie with the dishes, Mandy decided she would go on upstairs and to bed. She certainly wasn't going to sit in the parlor, or at the pi
ano and play as she normally did. How on earth she would survive the buggy seat in the morning was a complete mystery. She asked Goldie if she had any salve or ointment that would help, and the woman brought her a small tin. Mandy thanked her and then went upstairs. Once she undressed, she gingerly applied some of the ointment to her aching backside. To her relief, the burning sensation eased immediately. She crawled into bed and lied on her tummy, contemplating getting even with Robert Thorne.

  * * *

  Robert Thorne woke with a smile on his handsome face and was pleased to realize he was looking forward to the day. Moving west and buying this ranch had proven to be exactly what he needed to do to take care of the boredom his life had become in England. His parents were both deceased; his two sisters were married and had children to raise; his elder brother barely tolerated his presence as their parents' acknowledged favorite. There was nothing holding him in his native country and when the opportunity rose for him to travel, he did so without hesitation. He'd worked at various jobs as he made his way west, and finally found what made him happy, ranching. Robert had always loved horses, and he took to ranching with a flair. When he was positive he knew enough to make a go of his own place, he purchased land, bought cattle, and worked from sunup to sundown. He had faced the inevitable, a couple of hands he hired decided to test him thinking him a greenhorn, and he sent them packing after he proved to the rest that he was capable of holding his own with the best.

  Of course, the livid red mark on his cheek reminded him of his feisty little neighbor and he smiled grimly and wondered if her backside sported a few red marks of its own. He supposed he should have controlled his blasted temper and refrained from venting his fury on her bottom, but the thrashing was long overdue in his opinion. Miss Amanda Chambers had a reputation in the area for being uppity and thinking herself better than other folks. She was certainly foolish for trying to take that jump on her little mare, and her Father should have taken her home and spanked her soundly for risking her fool neck.