Read Online Southern Discomfort by Rachel Burns - Free Book Online Page B

It was time. He had to really punish her even
though she had been so sick yesterday. She had put herself in danger.
She had left him no choice.
    Nathaniel excused
himself from the table. He grabbed the thick leather strap that they
had on the way up. He could hear the women's appalled gasps, but he
walked on, with purpose, only pausing before he opened the door for
his sorry-looking wife. There was nothing for it, this was a lesson
she bitterly needed to learn. He reached for the knob and opened it
determined.
    He saw her
sitting on his side of the bed. Her head was hung. She wasn't playing
any games with him yet. He was prepared for everything at the moment.
    “Emily, take
your clothes off.”
    He watched her
shaking form reached down and remove her shoes and stockings.
    She stood,
opening her dress with hands that were shaking so bad, that she could
hardly manage the task. She stepped out of her dress and then started
to work on her corset.
    Emily was crying
and sniffling already. He could probably hear her, she thought. That
thought embarrassed her greatly. He already thought she was a spoiled
northerner, of that she was sure. Her fingers weren't doing what they
were supposed to. She was worried that he would give her extra
punishment for not obeying fast enough.
    He thought she
was being very brave even though she was obviously so scared. She had
every right to be scared. This would be the spanking of her life. She
wouldn't be sitting for at least a week after he was finished with
her.
    Emily's corset
finally opened and came off. She quickly opened her knickers and
pulled them down so he could see that the good will was there. She
stood next to the bed and hung her head. Be brave, do as he says.
Take what he will dish out. You can do it. Take it with as much
dignity and pride as you can. She was so busy talking to herself with
her thoughts that she didn't hear him calling her.
    “Emily, I won't
stand for any of your games! Now come here.”
    “I'm sorry.”
She moved over to him. She saw the strap in hands. Panic took her
heart and her shaking got even worse. She just wanted to run as fast
as she could and as far away as she could but she had done that
already, she had landed here.
    “I want you to
place your hands on the baseboard of the bed. Your hands stay there.
If they come back I will give you extras. Trust me Emily, you don't
want extras.” He was starting to feel sorry for her but he was
resolved to doing this and doing it right. She wasn't fighting him
like yesterday. He hoped she wasn't because she knew that what she
did was very very wrong. He thought of the snake biting her and him
losing her. “Get into position now, Emily.” He was careful not to
raise his voice again. He knew they were being listened to.
    She rested her
hands on the base board at the foot of the bed. She had stepped very
close to the baseboard.
    “Take a couple
steps back to me but leave your hands in place.” He watched her
take two steps back. Her back was still straight and proud with her
long hair covering her back and bottom. “More.”
    She took another
step back. Her arms were as straight as they could be. He said more
again. She looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a look,
showing him that she was confused.
    Nathaniel reached
out and moved her the way he wanted her. He pushed her back and
shoulders down with one hand and moved her hips back. He took the
opportunity to move her hair out of the way.
    Nathaniel hadn't
wanted to touch her. He felt stirring in him now that couldn't get in
the way just now. That stirring would never be satisfied if she
wasn't around to take care of it because she played with snakes or
because she had done whatever other foolishness popped into her head.
He would make sure that she would be around for a long time. It was
his job and duty to protect her, even from herself.
    Nathaniel stepped
to the side of her. He meant to make this memorable. He raised the
strap and brought it down in an