His Little Courtesan (11 page)

"You've fallen in love
with India, Jane. Things are not perfect here."

"I know that. What I am
saying is that I don't blame the people for protesting. I know how it feels to
be snubbed for being different."

"What you don't
understand is that there are some very powerful groups who are growing into
their political unrest, and becoming physically violent. They have started to
cut off and destroy supplies. And suppliers."

She sensed he was beginning to
calm down. "What are you not telling me?" Her question was asked
cautiously.

Philip sighed. "There was
a murder on the docks, followed by arson. All the warehouses belonging to that
company were destroyed. Ours are located at the far end, and were left
untouched this time. Rama suspects that we were spared because our company is
known to promote the local economy more than others, and because we are very
generous in the returns."

"Why didn't you tell
me?"

"Would that have stopped
you? No. You would have seen it as a grand adventure. If I could trust you to
be content with solely keeping ledgers and the accounts of inventory, I would
place you at the desk myself. But," he lifted her chin, "I fear that
you will become restless and present to a place where you may end up getting
caught in a knife fight or a fire. Deny this is true."

Jane hung her head, wisely
choosing to avoid defending her unruly behavior. "I cannot. My present
actions prove it so."

"Yes, they do."
Philip inhaled deeply. "However, you are correct. I have taught you the
skills necessary to run this company and am wasting your talents." He
straightened himself and walked to the window, a deep furrow in his brow as his
contemplated his thoughts. After several minutes of silence, he turned to her.
"This is how things will be done from this point forward. Unless I decide
otherwise, and with good cause, the bookkeeping will be part of your new
schedule of responsibilities…"

"You're allowing me to
help?" Jane brightened.

"I am allowing you to
uphold a task that just happens to be associated with the company. The extent
of involvement that I permit you will be dependent upon your behavior and
degree of trustworthiness. Do not look pleased, Jane. We will be headmaster and
pupil once again, only this time with different consequences to when you were a
child."

"I'm just happy that
you're allowing me a second chance."

"I may be pig-headed, but
I am not imprudent."

Jane reddened, knowing that
Lynette had chewed his ear prior to his joining her. "Do not give me
reason to regret bringing you to India. I am already questioning my wisdom in
doing so."

"Papa—"

"No more talking, little
girl. It is time for you to prepare for bed."

"But the sun has barely
dropped."

"Children will be put to
bed early in my household. Your life… our life… is about to take a turn. I have
neglected several significant aspects in your upbringing, starting with
self-discipline. You've always resisted structure in the past, and I've allowed
myself to be swayed by your tears. That is going to change immediately."
With a chaste kiss on her forehead and a warning to stay in the room, he
departed.

When he did not return to her
bed that evening, Jane was in no more doubt as to the extent of trouble she had
managed to create for herself this time.

***

Usha came to her the following
morning with a tray of food and a sympathetic ear. Jane took comfort in her
adopted mother's arms, sobbing despondently, and grieving over the outcome of
her newly wed state. The older woman rocked her lovingly, reassuring her that
all would be well, and that her situation was not unusual for those involved in
the dynamics of discipline. She even shared her own story of her wedding night,
confiding that she'd been so nervous that she'd overindulged in the betel and
answered back to her new husband. Usha giggled, admitting that a new bride
expected to be deflowered in her wedding bed, not paddled until she was unable
to sit for two days. She additionally admitted that she held no regrets or
second thoughts about the life Rama had offered her, and that time and
experience had calmed and molded her into who she had become.

Rama himself escorted the
couple to the river dock for their departure that afternoon. He kept his broad
palm anchored either on the top of Jane's head, or firmly placed on her
shoulder, as a constant reminder of his presence.

The girl shuddered under the
firm hold, reading it as it was intended—a warning of what would occur if
she dared disobey the rules of safety again. His dark eyes met hers as he
kissed her on the forehead in a fatherly manner.

"My love for you is as
great as there are stars in the sky, but I have reached my limit with your
escapades. Do not do this again, Little Monkey, or I will enact my own form of
discipline next time. Monkeys are sacred to us. They will never be killed, but
they will be severely punished. Understand?"

Trembling at the underlying
threat, and knowing what he was capable of doing after speaking with Lynette,
not to mention her own experience, Jane nodded silently. She avoided Philip's
eyes as Rama sat her firmly on the cushioned bench, wagged a finger at her, and
then turned to say his goodbyes to his friend. She strained to hear the
whispered exchange shared by the two men, knowing that they were in deep
discussion about her future and her fate. For a brief moment, she wondered
whether the river crocodiles would offer her more sympathy and understanding
than what the two had in store for her.

The dreaded thought of what
Philip's hand of justice would entail loomed over her as he shifted from being
utterly furious to stoically silent. He barely spoke two words as they traveled
upriver to return to the cottage, nor did he bestow any affectionate physical
attention. Upon entering the house, Jane sprinted up the staircase, blinded with
frightened tears after being immediately sent her to her room to prepare for
punishment. Her anxiety-riddled mind exploded with the thoughts of what her
backside would be experiencing within the next hour. She knew he would bare her
bottom to his strict and unyielding discipline, and that he would not
relinquish his position as disciplinarian until he knew that the lesson had
been well received.

He had ordered her to strip to
her shift and wait with her nose in the corner. With shaking hands, Jane
removed the simple gown she had borrowed from Lynette's wardrobe, and then
worked the delicate drawers over her hips. She watched as they slid down her
slender legs and puddled to the floor. A shiver of fear caressed her entire
body. She knew that Philip would never harm her for any reason, and she trusted
that anything he dished out for punishment was meant to teach a valuable lesson
and reinforce his love, and position, in her life. So why was she afraid? Was
it just the natural instinct for self-preservation, or did she question her
ability to endure?

Sipping some cooled juice to
relieve her dried mouth, Jane noticed her hands were trembling as she held the
cup. Even with the thin chemise covering her backside, she felt more exposed
than ever. Why had she been so foolish? If only she had put aside her own
willfulness, she could have been preparing for several hours of lovemaking
instead of the agony of a well-smacked bottom.

She groaned as she rested her forehead against
the wall. In the past, Philip had instituted quite a number of disciplinary
rituals, much to her discomfort. He was a man who liked control and disliked
chaos, so her defiance was certain to place a splinter under his nails. She
again cursed her foolishness. What was she expecting to have happened, anyway?

"You will be spanked," he had said in
a firm, low voice, as they traveled upriver to the cottage. "I intend to
show you exactly how I feel about your obstinate behavior. I've been much too
lax with your discipline of late. I am drawing the line at this, right here and
now."

She reflected on his words, which were meant to
both frighten, and warn, her. Jane's stomach turned at the knowledge that he
had been counselling with Rama. She knew little about the prince's private
interactions with his wives, other than that he was a strict, non-compromising
disciplinarian, and had no concern regarding the condition of a lady's rump as
long as her heart stayed intact. Jane feared that he might have convinced her
husband to practice the same belief. If so, she was—as Lynette had
delicately stated on numerous occasions—'
likely facing a dewskitch and a drag
'.

Even the sound of the phrase made her tremble,
as its connotation implied a thorough and severe thrashing, followed by several
months of 'jail' time. She was grateful that Philip would never impose the
British tradition of keeping a stiff upper lip during a punishment, even if she
was capable of such an act. No, there would be tears—many of them, in
fact. He counted on that. But what would he expect from her that would change
the course of their lives?

The phrase 'you will be spanked' asserted
itself into her mind, filling her thoughts with overwhelming urgency and her tummy
with apprehension. There was no doubt that swift justice would follow his entry
into their quarters, and that he would have her weeping and flailing like a
child within seconds of vigorously spanking her bottom to a deep crimson red.

Resentment began to work its way in, along with
the unfairness of the situation. She was too old to be spanked, nor should she
be placed on restriction like a naughty schoolgirl. Except for in the Raja's
household, she knew of no other girls who were taken across their husband's
knees and treated like an ill-disciplined child if they stepped out of bounds.
She also knew that, once Philip had made a decision, there was nothing she
could do or say to force him to change his mind. A lifetime of experience with
him had taught her that the harder she tried to plea, promise and sway him, the
more predictable—and severe—the outcome would be. Philip did not
like to be second guessed, manipulated, or questioned. End of story.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.
Jane wiped her eyes with the back of her left hand, trying to control her
tearful whimpers. She was determined to remain calm, reason with his
sensibilities and offer alternative ideas to that of spanking, along with sworn
vows of future good conduct. Most of all, she had to behave like an adult. Yet
she did not feel like one, knowing that Papa was closing in to take her over
his knee. She began to weep as she heard the door slowly open, knowing that
Philip stood there, his sleeves rolled up over his elbows, determined to give
her the paddling of her life.

His silence was even
more frightening. H
er heart thundered in her ears with her sense
of trepidation. Not only did she feel vulnerable and defenseless before his
stern authority, but this time he was genuinely angry with her willful
disobedience, deliberate wandering outside of the 'safety zone', and flagrant
violation of the orders to remain in her room. She shuddered to think how long
and thorough this particular spanking would be, and how much she would be
inclined to fight it. Additionally, she knew that Philip would do whatever was
required to ensure that she eventually submitted her tender young bottom to an
extremely well-earned paddling.

She listened as he walked across the room and
scraped something heavy against the floor. The sounds of various thumping,
clinking and thudding followed, causing Jane to hold her breath in dreadful
expectation.

"Turn around, Jane."

She obeyed. A strong, unwavering image of stern
parental-like authority, Philip leaned with one foot up on a heavy, straight
backed chair, next to which was a basket that held a formidable array of
implements. One by one, several paddles, a thick razor strop, and two large
wooden spoons were set upon a small side table. On top of these, he set the
broad, oval hairbrush that he used to both tenderly brush her red locks, and
tenderize her white bottom.

He wasted no more time. "Come and stand
before me, young lady. This entire situation is nothing new between us and,
frankly, your disregard of my rules and boundaries is a blatant show of
disrespect. I won't have it any longer. Particularly now that you are not just
my little girl, but also my lady wife."

Jane winced, feeling terribly small as she
listened to the man's angry tirade, inundated by humiliation and the
conflicting emotions of regret, embarrassment, guilt, and shame. She looked up
at him with misted eyes and begged him to reconsider.

"
Please,
Papa, I don't want a spanking, I'm sorry I snuck out like that. I swear that I
will never do it again. I promise! I'm too old to be spanked like a
child."

"I have heard
this before."
He dismissed her vows and tears with an impatient wave of his hand
as he seated himself on the wooden chair. Grimly, he shifted through the
collection of implements. "Come over here," he growled, "it's
time for you to go over my knee, young lady. Delay, and this spanking will go
even harder for you."