Claimed (The Women of Wintercrest #3) Read online

  Claimed

  The Women of Wintercrest – Book 3

  By

  Maggie Ryan

  ©2013 by Blushing Books® and Maggie Ryan

  Copyright © 2013 by Blushing Books® and Maggie Ryan

  All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Blushing Books®,

  a subsidiary of

  ABCD Graphics and Design

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  is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

  Ryan, Maggie

  Claimed

  Women of Wintercrest, Book 3

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-62750-2160

  Cover Design by edhgraphics.blogspot.com

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

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  Maggie Ryan

  Blushing Books

  Prologue

  “Will I really have suitors, Sir?” Lucy asked quietly. Edward sat back in his chair, a little surprised that her first question hadn’t been one demanding he explain his rules. She had a serious look on her face, but also one of eagerness.

  He smiled and answered, “Yes, my dear. I fear you shall have several.” He saw her smile and he warned her. “You are a very beautiful woman, Lucille, and will draw the attention of most every available bachelor. However, I want you to remember that you will only be allowed to court those that I decide are suitable. I warn you, my criteria are very strict and I doubt that many will meet my expectations.”

  Lucy had listened and shyly forced herself to ask her question, “What of my expectations, Sir? Shouldn’t the choice be mine?” Edward laughed and shook his head.

  “Hardly, Lucy. Your father agreed that I was the proper one for Louisa, and Lucille, he also made it clear the type of man he wanted to be your mate. I find I not only agree with his desires, but having you as my ward, have decided his requirements were still too lenient for you, little one.”

  Lucy was suddenly missing her father and wished she could speak to both of her parents. “What…what did Papa want, Sir?”

  Edward thought about his answer and didn’t speak for several minutes. Did he really need to tell Lucy what sort of man her father had known both of his girls needed? “I believe you can answer your own question. After all, you are your sister’s twin. Your father wanted the very best for both of you.”

  She looked at him, her eyes huge and questioning, then looked away. Though almost afraid of his answer, she quietly asked her next question: “Someone like you, Sir? Someone who treats his wife more like a daughter than a wife? Someone who has so many rules and…and if not obeyed, punishes her?”

  Edward closed his eyes - not at her question, as he had been expecting some sort of discussion about this. He opened his eyes, knowing his ward needed to learn the truth of her future. “Yes, someone exactly like me. Someone who loves his wife - his little one, with his whole heart, his entire soul. Someone who would give his own life if necessary to protect his wife and what is his. You will find, Lucille, that there are many types of men in this world. Your father was a very good man, a man that loved his family fiercely. A man that, though you might not believe me, knew exactly what you would need to live a full, loving life. You don’t need and would never be truly happy with a man that is weak, Lucy. You are a strong, spirited girl who has so much to offer, but you also are young and innocent, and have so much to learn.” His words reminded Lucy of what Lord Eddington had said. She flushed, her hands twisting in her lap.

  “Are you…you going to teach me, Sir?” Edward also remembered his friend’s words to Lucy. The girl seated across from him had no idea of how little an institution truly taught. Lessons in grammar, history, geography and mathematics served to help make someone more intelligent, however, the value of life’s lessons was priceless. Lucy had been in his ‘class’ since her arrival at Wintercrest, though she had yet to admit it to herself.

  He smiled gently and answered, “Yes, Lucy. I will be but one teacher in your life. There are more than simple rules to live by in order to get through life. Life isn’t simply something to get through one day at a time. Life is something that should truly be lived.”

  Seeing the look of confusion combined with yearning on her beautiful face, he leaned forward and gathered both of her hands in his. “You have so much to offer a man, Lucille. Your heart is large and you are kind. You are going to discover passions that you have no idea exist. However, you are going to have to trust that I, like your father, have only your best interest at heart. I promise that I will do everything within my power to find your ultimate teacher. Trust me, little one, trust that I will find a man I know you will love. Trust and know your lessons will continue at the feet of your husband, whomever that will be.” He paused, giving her a chance to consider what he was saying. He knew there would be many additional discussions and conversations about his ward’s future. Standing, he reached out and took her hand in his, lifting her to her feet. “The hour is late and it is time for you to find your bed,” he said gently.

  Edward’s quiet passion in giving her his answer caused her heart to race. She found herself wondering if what he said could be true. Was she really as he described? Could she ever find happiness in a man she allowed him to choose? Could she even consider life with a man that would expect so much from her, things she had never before thought about? Could she find any semblance of happiness in a life that mimicked the one she was presently living? Could she truly place her trust in him? Her head was aching with all sorts of thoughts and emotions.

  “Thank you, Sir. Good night, Sir.”

  “Good night, little one, sleep well,” Edward said, knowing her future would hold many surprises as she made her discoveries. He vowed to do his best to ensure those discoveries would not only allow her to find happiness but also to unlock her true self.

  Chapter 1

  Charles Lloyds sat back in his leather chair and placed the letter he had been reading onto the surface of his desk. He found his heart racing as he again ran his eyes over every word written across the heavy, cream-colored paper. He shook his head as if unable to comprehend what was being offered. Sitting forward once again, he lifted the letter and reread it for the fourth time.

  It seemed he was being considered for the position of Headmaster at the school where he had taught mathematics for the past several years. The previous Headmaster, Mr. Thorne, had obviously been stripped of his position at the behest of Lord Edward Wintercrest. While Charles agreed wholeheartedly with the school board’s decision to remove the man, he had never once considered that he would be given this opportunity. He finally laid the letter down and stood. His long legs took him across the floor of his very small study. He felt as if he were an animal in a cage, quickly striding down the steps of his front stoop, walking with purpose towards the city park.

&nb
sp; Headmaster Lloyds? He grinned, discovering that he quite liked the title. His mind ran through everything that the position meant for him. Not only would his salary more than double, he understood that a larger, more prominent home was also part of the package. He would attain a position that allowed him entry into an upper class of society. Important people, people who expected and demanded the best, would enroll their daughters into his school, placing those precious offspring under his ultimate authority. He would have a position he had never even considered before - a position that required characteristics he was unsure he even possessed. Thinking of what could be in his future made his mind go immediately to whom he wanted to share that future with him. Miss Lucille Furniss, his former student, had captured his attention. He had spent a weekend not long ago, tutoring the young woman in an effort to teach her enough to pass her final mathematics exam. Though the girl had indeed passed with a perfect score, he knew she had paid a very high price for her diploma. Charles clasped his hands behind him as he began to walk along one of the many paths that wound through the large park. In his assignment he had discovered a world, the existence of which he had only heard the vaguest rumors. It seemed that among the elite society, men no longer worried what most thought of them. They had the means and desire to live their lives exactly as they saw fit. Charles knew they did nothing to break any laws, but also knew they lived along the edges of what most civilized people would consider acceptable.

  Thinking of Wintercrest and the man who ruled his home, he also remembered his first personal introduction to the lifestyle of absolute discipline. He remembered how the young woman he was tutoring had been paddled within his hearing after failing her first practice exam. He also remembered how she had been asked to lift her own skirts and bare her bottom for a strapping when she failed another. He felt his heart hammer against his chest, remembering how lovely she had looked to him, her heart-shaped bottom lifting when commanded, her skin turning red with each stroke of the strap in her guardian’s hand. Charles had felt both astonished and embarrassed at his reaction to Lucille’s chastisement. His thoughts caused his stride to falter and he sank onto a bench along the side of the path.

  He realized that if he were chosen for the position, he would be responsible for the education of many young women of society. He knew the job required he be able to administer corporal discipline. Not merely spanking or paddling. The position represented the ultimate in discipline and meant that he would wield the cane in his office upon any bottom that was sent to him for correction. Though he had to admit he had enjoyed watching Miss Furniss receive quite a strapping, he wondered if he were truly capable of wielding such an implement against a pale, bare bottom. The pride of being considered for the position was quickly turning into anguish. He had never had a woman across his lap for even a hand spanking. He was completely ill equipped to discipline some young woman whose parents had seen fit to place her into his care. Sighing, he stood and turned towards home. He would, of course, respond honestly to the proposal the letter had included. He knew he would have to accept his deficiencies and work to correct them. He allowed a small smile to pass his lips as his steps quickened. The sooner he responded, the sooner he could begin his own lessons. Having a definite plan sealed his resolve. He was soon behind his desk as he responded to the letter. He sealed his reply and hoped that his honesty about his inexperience would not seal his fate. He could only post his reply on the morrow and pray for the best.

  Charles slid into bed after extinguishing the lamp, his thoughts churning with dreams of a possible future. He was desperate to prove his worth to Lucille and knew enough about the world to realize he must first prove his worth to her guardian. If he could not convince Lord Wintercrest of his ability to care for Lucille, it would not matter one whit what his desires were. Sighing deeply, he dismissed those thoughts as he slid into sleep, dreaming of the woman that had captured his heart and his mind.

  As Charles read and reread his letter, Edward Wintercrest was also seated behind the desk in his far more spacious study. Upon his return home, Henri, his servant of many years, had informed him that the day’s post had been placed upon his desk. Thanking him, Edward had spent the earlier part of the evening enjoying dinner with his two girls. After the meal, he had spent an hour in the library playing a game of Jack Straws with his wife while his ward struggled with some sewing. Edward knew Lucille had spent the greater portion of her day at her task. He also knew she was worrying about the appointment she had been given to attend him in his study before she retired for the evening. When Mrs. Bremmer arrived to inform Louisa that it was time for bed, Edward watched as Louisa put away the game.

  “Good night, Papa,” Louisa said lifting herself onto her toes to press her lips to his cheek.

  “Good night, Louisa, sleep well,” Edward said as he stroked her long hair and then gave a gentle pat to her bottom. He saw Lucille watching them, flinching when his hand connected to her twin’s bottom. He waited until Mrs. Bremmer had left the room, Louisa’s hand held tightly in her own before turning to speak to his ward.

  “Are you almost finished with your task, Lucille?” he asked. Lucy trembled, but managed to nod.

  “Yes, Sir…this is the last pair,” she informed him as her needle worked through the fabric.

  “Good. When you have completed your duty, bring the completed garments to my study. I shall inspect your work at that time,” Edward said. He saw her lip tremble and her handshake. “Lucille, don’t make me wait long. You were naughty today and know what that means, don’t you, little one?” Lucy felt her eyes fill but again nodded her head.

  “Y…yes, Sir,” her voice barely audible. Edward simply nodded. He could not fault the poor girl because they both knew her evening was not yet over.

  “Good girl, I shall expect you within a half-hour,” Edward said, and turned to leave the room. The moment he was gone, Lucy dropped her face into her hands. She did indeed know what happened to naughty girls in this household. Naughtiness was never allowed, or ignored. She squirmed on the settee, intensely aware of the state of her bottom under her new dress. As her heart pounded, she remembered how her day had begun and what had led to the dreaded appointment.

  Lucy was gradually growing accustomed to life at Wintercrest. She no longer found it strange seeing her twin dressed far beneath her chronological age. Louisa always wore a frilly dress adorned with large bows and ribbons, her dress covered by a crisp white pinafore. Though the sight of her sister dressed as a much smaller child had originally shocked Lucy, she had been desperately pleased to discover she was not expected to dress in the same style. Lucy continued to wear the fashions of the time and thought nothing more of it. However, this morning, three weeks after she had graduated from school, her life had taken an unexpected turn.

  She had awakened as usual with the sound of her door opening. Opening her eyes, she had seen her maid, Molly, coming into her room, followed by Mrs. Bremmer, the head housekeeper as well as Edward’s very trusted employee. Lucy sat up in her bed, her quilt to her throat as she watched Mrs. Bremmer begin to pile clothing from Lucy’s wardrobe into the maid’s arms.

  “What are you doing?” Lucy asked as her wardrobe was systematically emptied. Mrs. Bremmer simply added the last dress onto the huge pile before speaking.

  “That’s a very silly question. What does it look like I’m doing, Lucille?” she asked before instructing Molly to place the dresses into trunks to be stored. Lucy didn’t know what to say, or even if the question required an answer. She watched as her drawers were opened and items pawed through. Her face flushed as the housekeeper gathered chemises, corset covers and silk drawers and handed them to Molly. She passed the dresses to another servant for packing.

  “I…I won’t have anything left to wear,” Lucy protested as several pair of her stockings were also taken from her drawers. Mrs. Bremmer ignored the young woman as she opened the next drawer and began removing corsets from their place. Lucy’s mouth gaped open as she watc
hed. Though she had admitted to both Molly as well as her twin that she hated being forced to wear a tight corset, seeing them being piled high into Molly’s arms, she threw back the covers of her bed and was soon attempting to pull her belongings from Mrs. Bremmer’s hands.

  “Stop! What do you think you are doing? These are my things. You have no right to take them!” Lucy demanded, even as she pulled with all her weight. Mrs. Bremmer’s hand remained clasped on the garment, her face drawing into a tight mask of disapproval.

  “Lucille, you will release your hold. I will tend to your naughty bottom in just a moment,” Anna said, her words causing Molly to gasp. Lucy gasped as well as she lost her tug-of-war and almost fell when the last corset was ripped from her hands. It had been several days since Lucille had felt the shame and pain of being spanked like a naughty child. Hearing the housekeeper speak as if tending to a naughty bottom was an everyday occurrence caused Lucy’s face to flush with red heat. Anna ignored the reaction her words had caused, and simply passed the garment to Molly. With her hands now free, Anna grabbed Lucy by her arm and dragged her a few feet towards her desk. With her free hand, Anna pulled out the straight-back chair and soon had it placed in the center of the room. Lucy gave a short scream as she was pulled roughly down across the woman’s left knee after Anna had seated herself. Anna soon had Lucy’s kicking legs trapped, placing her free leg over the young woman’s. Lucy felt her nightgown being lifted and was soon struggling with all her might to squirm off the woman’s lap.

  “No! Please, don’t!” Lucy begged as her nightgown was rapidly being drawn up her legs and then halfway up her back. “I’m sorry!” she cried. “I…I just don’t understand,” she wailed as she felt her drawers being pulled down to expose her bottom. Lucy was humiliated being pulled onto the woman’s lap and her bottom bared just like a naughty small child who had earned a spanking. She was remembering her punishments at Edward’s hand and the pain from those spankings.