her."
"And yet, you just asked if our love will be as great as theirs." Richard tilted her chin again. "You might not understand, but I promise, discipline given out of love and accepted with the same will only make our bond stronger."
"I suppose so, but I guess I thought—or rather hoped—that once we were actually married, well, maybe you might change your mind."
"Just as I will never change my mind about how much I love you, I promise I will never change my mind about the need to keep you safe. If that means reddening your arse from time to time, so be it." His eyes locked onto hers and he bent to her. Right before he pressed his lips to hers, he said, "I promised to love, honor and cherish you today before God, and I'm promising you now that I will also take you in hand when you need reminding. What did you promise?"
Remembering her mother's hesitant words earlier, Anna understood that her Ma had been speaking of spanking as well as mating. Perhaps she should have listened a bit more closely. When she felt her husband pat her hip, she remembered he'd asked her a question. Looking into his eyes, she felt acceptance flow through her. "I promised to love, honor and obey you."
He nodded and kissed her lightly. "And obey you shall—or this," he said, pressing his palm harder against her right bottom cheek, "will feel my hand or belt, switch or strap until you remember your vows. Understand?"
"Yes. I mean, yes, I understand. I'll just need to remember to be the perfect wife."
He smiled and kissed her again before helping her to her feet. "I'm sure you'll try. Come now, no more talk of spankings, we have far more pleasant things to share."
When they returned to the house, not a single member of her family was in sight, though it was still a bit early for bed. Anna was unprepared when Richard suggested they retire. The shock of hearing him say he would continue to spank her flew from her mind as suddenly every word her cousin had said came flooding back.
"Um, wouldn't you like a cup of coffee first?" she suggested. "Or maybe a glass of milk?"
"No, honey. We have a very early start tomorrow. It's time we go upstairs." When she still hesitated, he bent closer to speak softly. "It's time you become my wife in all ways, Mrs. Andrews."
Not knowing how to respond to such a blatant proclamation, she simply nodded and took his hand.
"Don't be nervous, Anna. I promise you have nothing to fear," Richard said, as she led him to the room she shared with her sister.
"I'm not afraid," she denied. "It's just that Olivia said..." Her face felt hot and she couldn't finish her statement.
"Sweetheart, look at me," he said, lifting her chin with the tips of his fingers. "I love you. I swear to you it will be all right."
When he opened the door, she went inside. Seeing that a candle had been lit and placed on the bedside table beside a vase of wildflowers, she smiled. The quilt on the bed had been turned back and a white gown had been laid across the pillow. She understood that her Ma was attempting to make this more comfortable for her. Hearing the door click shut behind her, she turned. "I love you, too."
"Then relax, honey. Relax and let me teach you how wonderful love is." Richard took her in his arms and gave her a hug; the comfort of the embrace warring within her with the fear of what he intended to do next. When his hand moved to the buttons on the front of her blouse, she stiffened, a soft moan issuing from her throat.
"Shh, darlin', it's okay."
"I can do it," she said, moving to push his hand away only to have him take her hands and guide them to her sides.
"Annabelle, let me."
His tone was still soft but the look in his eyes brooked no nonsense. Nodding, she stood as he undid each button until he was able to part the front of her dress to expose her chemise. "You are beautiful," he said, bending to kiss her.
"I don't know what to do," she whispered, her eyes filling. "Olivia said you'd... you'd want to get it over
"And yet, you just asked if our love will be as great as theirs." Richard tilted her chin again. "You might not understand, but I promise, discipline given out of love and accepted with the same will only make our bond stronger."
"I suppose so, but I guess I thought—or rather hoped—that once we were actually married, well, maybe you might change your mind."
"Just as I will never change my mind about how much I love you, I promise I will never change my mind about the need to keep you safe. If that means reddening your arse from time to time, so be it." His eyes locked onto hers and he bent to her. Right before he pressed his lips to hers, he said, "I promised to love, honor and cherish you today before God, and I'm promising you now that I will also take you in hand when you need reminding. What did you promise?"
Remembering her mother's hesitant words earlier, Anna understood that her Ma had been speaking of spanking as well as mating. Perhaps she should have listened a bit more closely. When she felt her husband pat her hip, she remembered he'd asked her a question. Looking into his eyes, she felt acceptance flow through her. "I promised to love, honor and obey you."
He nodded and kissed her lightly. "And obey you shall—or this," he said, pressing his palm harder against her right bottom cheek, "will feel my hand or belt, switch or strap until you remember your vows. Understand?"
"Yes. I mean, yes, I understand. I'll just need to remember to be the perfect wife."
He smiled and kissed her again before helping her to her feet. "I'm sure you'll try. Come now, no more talk of spankings, we have far more pleasant things to share."
When they returned to the house, not a single member of her family was in sight, though it was still a bit early for bed. Anna was unprepared when Richard suggested they retire. The shock of hearing him say he would continue to spank her flew from her mind as suddenly every word her cousin had said came flooding back.
"Um, wouldn't you like a cup of coffee first?" she suggested. "Or maybe a glass of milk?"
"No, honey. We have a very early start tomorrow. It's time we go upstairs." When she still hesitated, he bent closer to speak softly. "It's time you become my wife in all ways, Mrs. Andrews."
Not knowing how to respond to such a blatant proclamation, she simply nodded and took his hand.
"Don't be nervous, Anna. I promise you have nothing to fear," Richard said, as she led him to the room she shared with her sister.
"I'm not afraid," she denied. "It's just that Olivia said..." Her face felt hot and she couldn't finish her statement.
"Sweetheart, look at me," he said, lifting her chin with the tips of his fingers. "I love you. I swear to you it will be all right."
When he opened the door, she went inside. Seeing that a candle had been lit and placed on the bedside table beside a vase of wildflowers, she smiled. The quilt on the bed had been turned back and a white gown had been laid across the pillow. She understood that her Ma was attempting to make this more comfortable for her. Hearing the door click shut behind her, she turned. "I love you, too."
"Then relax, honey. Relax and let me teach you how wonderful love is." Richard took her in his arms and gave her a hug; the comfort of the embrace warring within her with the fear of what he intended to do next. When his hand moved to the buttons on the front of her blouse, she stiffened, a soft moan issuing from her throat.
"Shh, darlin', it's okay."
"I can do it," she said, moving to push his hand away only to have him take her hands and guide them to her sides.
"Annabelle, let me."
His tone was still soft but the look in his eyes brooked no nonsense. Nodding, she stood as he undid each button until he was able to part the front of her dress to expose her chemise. "You are beautiful," he said, bending to kiss her.
"I don't know what to do," she whispered, her eyes filling. "Olivia said you'd... you'd want to get it over
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