Claimed (The Women of Wintercrest #3) Read online

  “Stop, please…you…you can’t spank me!” Lucy said her voice growing shriller with every word. “I’m a grown woman; I graduated from school…you…you can’t do this. I’m a big girl!”

  Anna actually chuckled. “Big girls do not throw tantrums and act like ridiculous little children, Lucille. Big girls do not screech and wail so that every person in the household knows they are misbehaving,” Anna said. “You will settle yourself and ask me to give you a nice hard tawsing to teach you to behave like the ‘big girl’ you are claiming to be,” Anna directed. Lucy flushed realizing the statement had indeed been a stupid one to make. However, there was no way she would ever ask this horrid, hateful woman to spank her. Anna knew this moment was one of immense importance in Lucille’s life. It was absolutely imperative that the young woman come to understand that she was not to question Anna’s authority. Edward spent many hours outside the manor and it would be her responsibility to guide both his young girls in proper behavior. She reached into her pocket and removed her favorite implement, a leather tawse she had owned for years.

  Lucy stiffened when she felt the leather being rubbed across the surface of her bottom. Anna said firmly, “Lucille, I can sit here all day because I assure you, you will not be let up until you ask me for and have received a tawsing.” Lucy flushed but decided that if the housekeeper could sit all day, she could simply do so as well. She allowed herself to relax her muscles until she was draped over the woman’s knee, her hands planted firmly on the floor. She squirmed as if to make herself more comfortable and smiled to herself. Anna was also grinning. Lucille was not the first young woman she had disciplined. Even Louisa was not Anna’s first young charge. Anna had raised five daughters of her own. All were now married with very strict husbands, their own children being raised in the same strict environment that the Bremmers believed to best prepare children for adulthood. She continued to rub the tawse all over Lucy’s upturned bottom. Lucy shivered as the tawse moved on her skin and then moved down to rub against the very sensitive area where her bottom met her thighs.

  Several minutes passed before Lucy became aware of another presence in the room. She lifted her head briefly to see Molly had returned. Her maid’s arms were full of clothing.

  “Thank you, Molly,” Anna said. “Just hang them in the wardrobe if you please.” Molly nodded and was soon placing identically styled dresses into the wardrobe. After she finished, she began to open Lucy’s empty drawers in her dresser and was placing folded undershirts and new bloomers and stockings into them. As she bent to close the last drawer, she happened to glance at Lucy. Lucy flushed and looked away. Instead of a member of a highly respected household, she suddenly felt ridiculous and very childish turned over a lap, her bottom bared in the time-honored position of a naughty child about to be spanked. She squirmed a bit and took several deep breaths, not quite understanding how she had wound up in this situation, but quite desperate to remove herself from it. She was extremely aware of every movement of the implement on her bottom and her color deepened. With a final sigh, she conceded.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bremmer. I…I just don’t understand. I…I didn’t mean to disrespect you,” Lucy said in a soft voice. Anna nodded knowing the young woman was almost where she needed to be. When the housekeeper didn’t respond, Lucy sighed again. “Please, don’t do this…please, I…I promise I won’t speak to you in that way again. There is no need to sp…spank me. I…I understand I was wrong. I’ve learned my lesson.” Anna continued to stroke Lucy’s bottom with the tawse as if she hadn’t even heard Lucy’s confession.

  Molly spoke softly, her heart aching for her mistress. “If there is nothing else, Mrs. Bremmer, shall I help the girls pack Miss Lucy’s trunks?” she asked, not wanting to witness what was sure to be quite a spanking.

  “Yes, Molly, you may,” Anna answered. “If you see Mr. Bremmer or his Lord, please inform them that I am waiting for Lucille to decide exactly how long she wishes to remain over my knee, her bloomers lowered to bare her little bottom. We may be here for quite a long time until our naughty little girl properly requests to have her bottom tawsed.” Molly swallowed hard herself but curtsied.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Molly said and quickly left the room. She was halfway down the stairs when she saw Lord Wintercrest ascending them. She paused, and with her face flushing, told him what Anna had requested. Edward thanked her and she practically ran down the remaining stairs. She knew Lucy would soon be very sorry for her act of defiance.

  Inside her room, Lucy knew when she had lost. She wiggled just a bit and then said quietly, “Please, Mrs. Bremmer, I…I accept now that you must have the authority to sp…spank me. Please, just this once…please forgive me. I…I promise never to speak to you with such rudeness again. I…I don’t need a…a spanking.” Anna smiled but would not allow the girl off so easily.

  “You were instructed to request your tawsing, young lady. You’ll find a bottom that has been attended to by an expertly applied tawse feels very differently from one given a simple spanking,” Anna informed the girl, hearing her gulp loudly. The leather continued to move and stroke Lucy’s bottom. “Try again, Lucille, as every moment you are making me wait to attend to your naughty bottom will make your coming chastisement harder to accept. I’m afraid your poor bottom is in for quite the lesson already. Do you really wish it to be extended?” Lucy hung her head, all thoughts of pleading for mercy draining from her body. Despite the past weeks of being perfectly behaved, it seemed nothing would stop this punishment. She had been considered naughty and would simply have to pay the price with her bottom.

  “Please…oh, please, Mrs. Bremmer,” she said, her voice cracking as the first sob escaped her. “I’m so sorry…I…oh, God, please don’t do this. I…I just didn’t want to wear Louisa’s clothes and be a little girl. It…it isn’t fair…it isn’t right for him to require this of me. I’m…I’m a grown woman,” Lucy said, her voice breaking.

  “We’ve already established that you are not a ‘big girl’, Lucille. We both know that what you might consider fair has no bearing in this household. Regardless of your opinion, fair or not, disrespect and blatant misbehavior are never, ever overlooked in this house. You did not act as a grown woman and simply converse with me about something you didn’t understand. Had you, perhaps you would have discovered your beliefs are incorrect. However, we will not be able to converse about anything except what is to happen to this poor little bottom.” Anna ended her statement with another swipe of the tawse against Lucy’s sit spot. It was the final straw.

  “Please…please may I have my tawsing?” Lucy said as the first drips of her tears slid down her cheek to plop onto the carpet under her head. Anna finally lifted the tawse from the girl’s bottom.

  “Yes, you may,” Lucy heard but stiffened and gasped. The words had not come from the housekeeper. Turning her head and lifting the curtain of her hair, Lucy saw Edward leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom. She immediately turned bright red with shame. How long had he been standing there? How much had he heard?

  “Please, Sir…please, I’m so sorry,” Lucy tried thinking perhaps she could show her contrition before the tawsing began. “I just didn’t understand what Mrs. Bremmer was doing with my clothing. I…I didn’t mean to be naughty. I promise to mind…”

  “Of course you promise, Lucille,” Edward said, not moving a muscle. “It is so easy for a little one to promise anything when she is turned over a lap, her bloomers at her ankles and her bare bottom positioned for punishment.” His words immediately caused the shame at her position to burn hotter, realizing this was all her own fault. Edward continued, “As you are aware, promises mean very little. Actions prove your desire and, young lady, the only action you shall be doing in the next minute is to offer your naughty bare bottom to Mrs. Bremmer’s tawse.” He was aware that his young ward was indeed learning her place. Though she was upended over the housekeeper’s knee, her bottom totally bare and exposed, he understood her first thought was not on
e of shame of having him see her nakedness. Her first thought had been to apologize for her misbehavior. She still had miles to go, but for this moment, he was proud of her.

  He paused and then nodded to his employee. “After you release Lucille, have her spend her day tailoring her new drawers into the open style that you recommended. I’ve come to agree our little one will find the style quite the lesson. I believe having to wear the drawers will teach her that she should be grateful for all that is provided to her.” Anna nodded, and without another word, lifted the tawse and brought it down with a crack against Lucille’s bottom.

  The room was soon ringing with Lucy’s cries and pleas for mercy. The tawse lifted again and again and again, bouncing sharply onto her bottom, each stroke sounding like a crack of a whip. Lucy learned that Mrs. Bremmer had been correct. Having her bottom tawsed was far more painful than either a hand spanking or even a paddling. Each stroke caused her bottom to burn and itch as the separate strands of the stiff leather bit into different parts of her bottom. She was soon struggling, her hands clawing at the carpet, the tips of her toes scrabbling behind her where they were locked under Mrs. Bremmer’s leg.

  “Owwww, please…please no more!” she begged as the tawse bit into her sit-spot. She arched and shrieked, no longer concerned that Edward might be still in the room witnessing her punishment. She didn’t even care if the entire household heard her cries. All she wanted was for the tawsing to stop.

  “I’m sorry! Please, oh please, stop,” she cried to no avail. Anna simply continued to punish the young woman. By the time she allowed her off her lap, Lucille would never again question her authority or her opinion upon the painful lesson a tawse could deliver. Lucy made the mistake of reaching back with her hand in an attempt to grab hold of Mrs. Bremmer’s wrist. Anna simply slapped the tawse against the back of Lucy’s thigh, causing her to arch and screech again.

  “Keep that hand down, little girl,” Anna ordered slapping the other thigh. “Naughty girls are punished and must show they accept their punishment. Put your hands down and don’t reach for your bottom again.” Lucy sobbed, but as the tawse continued to punish her thighs, she finally submitted. Once her hands were flat on the floor, the tawse was returned to her bottom. While the pain was still dreadful, it was less than the burn on the backs of her thighs. Time seemed to stretch into eternity before the tawse finally stopped falling. Anna began to rub the leather over the welts she had painted onto the small bottom over her lap. Lucy continued to sob and gulp for air as she wagged her bottom from side to side. She swore she was burning more than she had under Headmaster Thorne’s cane. She moaned and continued to promise to be a good girl, not even aware she was speaking. Anna allowed her to cry for several minutes.

  “Settle down, Lucille. Your tawsing is done. You are to rise and go stand in your corner. Keep your gown up and that naughty bottom displayed,” Anna instructed as she released the girl. Lucy continued to sob, her chest heaving as she stumbled to the appropriate corner.

  “Gown up, Lucille,” she heard and sobbed harder realizing that Edward had indeed stayed to witness her discipline. Lucy raked her gown up to bare her hot, aching bottom. She shifted from foot to foot, the burn so intense she couldn’t remain still. Edward walked to the corner and put his hand on Lucy’s lower back. She stiffened at the contact.

  “Settle, little one. I know your bottom is burning but you must show your contrition and remain still during your corner time. If you continue to move about, Mrs. Bremmer will simply give you another dose,” Edward warned her. She nodded and stilled her legs. He removed his hand and used it to brush her hair from her face. She looked so precious, her nose pressed to the wall, her punished bottom testament to her discipline. “I shall see you in my study before bed, Lucille,” Edward said and the girl wailed louder. Edward allowed it for a moment before continuing, “It has been several days since you’ve been given an appointment, Lucille. I am disappointed to discover you haven’t learned to be a good girl for me and Mrs. Bremmer. Perhaps another lesson this evening will help remind you of how it feels to be put to bed on a hot, throbbing rear.”

  Lucy lost her breath for a moment and then sobbed harder, her voice echoing her distress. She knew her bottom would eventually stop burning from the tawse but that the fire would be reignited this evening. Edward stepped away and spoke quietly with Mrs. Bremmer. She nodded and assured him that his wishes would be followed.

  Wiping her cheeks, Lucy once more picked up her needle. She made her stitches through the fabric as quickly as possible so as not to be late for her appointment. Lucille shivered as she made her final knot. She folded the garment and set it atop the pile that had gradually grown during the day. She twisted her hands together, massaging her sore and pricked fingers. She had been sewing for hours, and though grateful she was finally finished, she knew her punishment was not yet complete. She took a deep breath and forced herself to her feet. Her face flushed as she felt her skirt slide down to cover her bottom. She had been sitting on the settee, her skirts lifted behind her in order that her bottom was bare on the cushion of the settee. She had not been allowed drawers all day long and had been conscious of her nakedness beneath her new dress. Mrs. Bremmer had reminded her whenever Lucy had to sit to lift her dress properly. Lucy had been embarrassed when having to take her seat at the dinner table. She had lifted her dress as quickly as she could and only prayed that neither Edward nor any of the many servants had seen her bare bottom being pressed to the surface of her chair. She swiped her hands down her skirts and then bent and picked up the stack of items. She stood, wincing a bit at the pull of the wheals across her bottom from Mrs. Bremmer’s tawse. Taking another deep breath, she swiped a tear from her cheek and began the journey to her guardian’s study.

  Chapter 2

  Edward heard the timid knock on his door and pushed aside the business correspondence he had been reading. He had already worked on the household accounts while waiting for Lucille to finish her sewing and come to him.

  “Come in,” he said and watched as the thick door slowly opened. Lucille stepped inside and turned to close the door behind her. Edward knew she was attempting to appear brave but knew her legs were probably shaking. She stood for a moment as if unsure where to go.

  “Come here, Lucille,” Edward directed and motioned towards his desk. Lucy walked forward, her eyes unable to keep from glancing at the large armoire that held a prominent place in the room. She knew what it contained and her heart pounded at the many possibilities. Edward was aware of her thoughts as he raked his eyes up and down her petite form. She looked exactly as he desired. While not dressed anywhere as young as her twin, she no longer looked like a modern young woman either. Edward had placed a large order with a local seamstress and had been explicit in what he desired. Seeing his ward wearing one of the new dresses made him realize he had made the proper choices for her attire.

  The dress was a pale grey color with a wide childish collar of stark white. The bodice was pleated and dropped to a low-waisted skirt where another white band encircled Louisa’s hips. Beneath the band, a skirt fell to land at mid-calf, the dozens of pleats opening and closing with Lucy’s steps. Below the hem of the dress, Lucy was wearing thin black stockings and her feet were shod in slip-on simple black shoes. Unlike the dresses Louisa wore daily, there were no large bows or unneeded adornments on this dress. Edward knew it resembled much more a uniform than any dress a young woman of courting age wished to wear. He smiled knowing that Lucy’s wardrobes held nothing but duplicates of this dress though of different colors. Lucy was unaware of his perusal as her eyes finally fell from the armoire. When she had reached Edward’s desk, she stopped, the garments held tightly against her chest.

  “Are you done?” he asked nodding towards the fabric.

  “Ye…yes, Sir,” Lucy answered.

  “Good, place them here, if you please,” he instructed patting the area he had cleared in front of him. Lucy placed her pile where indicated and then stood back
, her hands twisting in the fabric of her dress. Edward ignored her unease as he picked up the first item. Lucy’s face flushed as he unfolded the garment and began to examine her work. Edward knew her embarrassment came from seeing him examine the intimate garment.

  “You’ve done well, Lucille,” Edward said admiring the small and even stitches. “I am pleased to see you took your time and did very neat work. I’m sure Mrs. Bremmer would agree with me, you are almost as good a seamstress as your sister.” Lucy flushed knowing he was looking at stitches that had only been deemed acceptable after being ripped out again and again as she worked on the garments.

  “Tha…thank you, Sir,” Lucy said softly hoping against hope that her diligence in her work might be enough. “I worked all day, Sir,” she added. Edward smiled and looked at her.

  “I know, little one. Mrs. Bremmer has kept me informed of your progress,” he said and saw her flush. “She’s also informed me that you have not been allowed to cover your bottom until I approve your work.” Lucy closed her eyes, her shame at being naked beneath her skirts obvious. “I believe you have earned the right to wear your new drawers,” Edward said and stood. Lucy trembled even more as he stepped from behind his desk and reached out to hand her the item.

  Lucy took the offered drawers. She had spent the whole day first removing the entire center seam from all her drawers. After the seams had been meticulously picked apart, Mrs. Bremmer had instructed her on how to turn under the raw edges and hem the long seams. Lucy had cried as she worked, her fingers quickly being pricked by the tips of the scissors as well as the needle as she worked. Mrs. Bremmer knew that more tears would soon fall when the girl realized that beneath her skirts, Lucille might be covered, but with a very simple pushing apart the volume of fabric, her bottom would be both bare and very easily accessible to a spanking, paddling, switching, strapping or worse. She would quickly learn that fighting about her wardrobe earned her nothing but the punishment of wearing open-crotch drawers for the foreseeable future.