Read Online Elizabeth's Education (Forbidden Lust) by Maggie Carpenter - Free Book Online Page B

Michael, returning to the sitting room, was puzzled to find it empty. Seeing the empty champagne bottle on the occasional table he astutely suspected that his young supplicant had gone looking for more to drink, so he decided to visit the kitchen to find her, and found cook still clearing the dinner things up. In response to his query she confirmed that Elizabeth had indeed gone down to the cellars to collect a fresh bottle for them. So as he found and made his way along the dingy passageway he stopped in his tracks, for Elizabeth was there, just ahead of him in the shadows, peering through a surreptitiously ajar door. He frowned; what on earth was she doing?
    Silently he approached, and standing behind her, looking over her shoulder, he was able to see the young couple making love, completely unaware of two pairs of prying eyes, and the fact that she was sneakily invading their privacy smacked as an instant affront to his integrity.
    Without hesitation he grabbed her around the waist, clamped a hand over her mouth so she couldn’t cry out, and with his other hand, though still holding his favourite riding crop, he managed to quickly but silently close the door. He then bustled her back along the passageway as covertly as he could, whispering fiercely into her ear that she was not to make a sound, and as soon as they were out of earshot of the kitchen he let her go, pushing her in front of him, and brought the crop down upon her bottom with a severity that shocked her more than hurt her. Her dress and petticoat shielded most of the blow, but when she turned to face him the anger on his face made her positively tremble.
    ‘You despicable sneak!’ he scolded her. ‘Have you learned nothing today? Spying on your unsuspecting servants while they steal a moment or two together? What shameful behaviour!’
    ‘Oh, sir, please don’t be angry with me!’ she wailed, truly upset that she had failed him, and fearful of the consequences. ‘I’m sorry!’ she cried.
    ‘You have disappointed me, Elizabeth,’ he said, catching his breath. ‘Go up to your room at once. You must be severely punished for this. You are a very, very naughty young lady.’
    She burst into tears and ran upstairs, holding up her skirt so as not to trip. She threw open her bedroom door and landed facedown on her bed, scolding herself for her stupidity. All her plans to please him were gone. Just like that, out of the window.
    Soon she heard him as he made his way along the landing, his footfalls sounding heavy and determined, as though he had a serious duty to perform and perform it he would, no matter what.
    Lord Michael approached her open door, rapping the crop against his leg with each stride and making sure she could hear its potent threat; anxious anticipation always increased the effectiveness of a good chastisement in the recipient.
    When he entered her room he almost felt sorry for her, but didn’t show it. Her splendid dress was rumpled underneath her, her hair was slightly askew, and as she turned and looked up at him with imploring eyes her flushed cheeks glistened with tears.
    ‘Oh, my lord, please, please forgive me,’ she pleaded, almost melting his resolve.
    But he reached back and closed the door without taking his eyes from her, and then approached the bed upon which she sprawled. ‘I’m sorry, young lady, but you need to be disciplined for such underhand behaviour. Someone of your high breeding and station should not stoop to such levels. You will learn that nothing you do, good or bad, is without consequence. You have disappointed me, for I thought you already understood that.’
    ‘Oh, I do, sir,’ she sobbed, ‘believe me I do.’
    ‘Then you must realise that your behaviour was wrong, and you must pay the price.’
    ‘Yes, sir,’ she said, dropping her head.
    ‘Take off your dress and underwear; I want you only in your petticoat,’ he ordered. ‘And when you’ve done that, fetch me some of your scarves.’
    ‘Yes,