Lilly Blossoms (Lessons in Submission Book 3) (9 page)

"Are you comfortable? Am I holding you too tightly?"

"No, I-I like the way you hold me, but…" Lilly hesitated, not wishing to reveal her anxiety.

"But what?"

"No, it's-it's silly."

"Lilly, what's silly is for you not to tell me what's bothering you."

"The light… it's shining in my eyes."

"Ah, that is easily remedied," Phillip said, reaching up to turn the knob to extinguish the lantern. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you," she said, relaxing into him.

She felt his arms tighten again as he squeezed her a bit. "I'm very happy to hear that you like sitting on my lap, as I certainly enjoy holding you. I'm very proud of you, Lilly. I know that it was hard for you but you did a beautiful job apologizing to Miss Summers."

"I like her," Lilly said and then giggled. "I really like the fact that she didn't see fit to have me arrested."

"She'd never do that," Phillip said. "At the most, she'd paddle your bottom."

Hearing him confirm her earlier thoughts didn't surprise her. Squirming a bit, she changed the subject. "I also like Rachel."

"I'm glad. And I'm sure you'll come to like Lord Martingham as well, the more you get to know him. I've known him since I was a little boy. How do you feel about Miss Summers' invitation to join them for dinner one evening?"

"Would you mind if we didn't? At least not yet?"

"No, I want you to be comfortable. As long as you agree to continue to have tea with me, I'll be happy."

She snuggled a bit closer and said, "Perhaps Rachel and her papa could join us for tea one day?"

"I'm sure they'd love to," Phillip said, bending to kiss her head. "You just let me know when you are ready."

"I will," she said.

They didn't have much time for further conversation before the carriage pulled to a stop. Phillip bent forward to look out of the window. "You live here?"

"Yes," Lilly said.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Don't you see the carts? Um, that's where the girls get their flowers to sell."

Phillip did see the carts and yet didn't see a single bloom. "I thought you lost that job."

"Oh, I did," Lilly said, "but that doesn't mean that I can't pay for a room."

"I see. So all the flower girls live here?"

"Not all, but most do."

She managed not to meet his eyes by slipping from his lap and peeling the blanket from around her. "Thank you for a lovely time, Lord Carrington."

"Just a minute," he said, replacing the blanket around her. "It's still raining. I'll carry you to your room."

"No! I mean, you can't," she said. "She doesn't allow men in her house… I mean, in our rooms."

"I'm sure your landlady… what did you say her name was?"

He wants her name?
"Um, Rose… I mean, Mrs. Rose."

His eyebrow lifted and she felt like an idiot, but it was too late to come up with a better name. Instead, she smiled. "Isn't that a perfect name for a woman who is in the flower business?" She didn't give him time to answer, picking up the flower basket. "It isn't far. I'll run fast and the water won't hurt the flowers."

His look had her nerves fluttering but he simply nodded, bending to give her a kiss. It, like the one before, had her tummy flipping and her toes wishing to curl within her boots. When his driver opened the door, holding an umbrella up to block the rain, Phillip stepped out and then turned to lift her out as well. She was about to dash for safety when he said, "Hold on. Don't forget this." He opened the blanket enough to tuck the bundle of food into her arms and then wrapped it around her again.

"I'll pick you up here next week."

"Oh, you don't need to," she said, "I'll be there doing some work for Miss Summers before our party."

"Wait, take the umbrella!"

Pretending not to have heard, she gave him a wave as she dashed from beneath its protection. "Thank you again. Good bye." She hurried around the corner of the building and kept running until she'd reached the back. She pressed into a doorway, her small size allowing her to stay mostly out of the rain. She waited and though she couldn't hear the clopping of hooves to tell her the carriage had driven away, after five minutes had passed and no one appeared, she took a deep breath, drew the blanket a bit tighter and, darting from building to building, she began to run home.

* * *

Shaking his head, Phillip stood beneath the umbrella he'd taken from James before telling him to leave.

"Leave, sir?" James said, his puzzled look telling of his confusion.

"Yes, drive off and don't come back for at least half an hour. I'll return then."

"If you're sure?" At his employer's assurance that he was, the man gave him one last look, climbed back into his seat and flicked the reins.

Once the carriage had left, Phillip looked again at his surroundings. He knew that they had driven to an area where the people who worked in various markets did gather, and yet every instinct he had told him that Lilly had just lied to him. "Mrs. Rose?" He'd eat his hat if there was a landlady at all, and he'd add his coat to his plate if her name was Rose. He'd give his little minx points for creativity but that wouldn't keep her bottom safe from her lies.

He was ready when the small figure crept to the corner of the building and then, obviously satisfied her lie was undetected, ran from the building and toward another. He followed, keeping to the shadows, the rain and occasional roll of thunder ensuring that his footsteps wouldn't be audible. His anger grew the further he walked, realizing that despite the blanket, she had to already be soaked to the skin. When he saw her glance around before darting through a gate hanging from one hinge, he quickened his steps. He almost accidentally revealed his presence when he saw that she had stopped. What on earth was she doing?

She was squatting and he heard a soft moan. Had she hurt herself? Seeing her rubbing her leg, he was about to take a step when she bent forward and seemed to be searching for something. He hoped she hadn't dropped the parcel of food. When the object meowed loudly, he realized it was a cat. Good lord, instead of paying attention to her surroundings, which he knew weren't the safest, she was practically sitting in a mud puddle in the pouring rain trying to coax a half-drowned cat out from behind a pile of what looked like rubbish!

"Hello, Mr. Tom."

Phillip's head swiveled to see who she was talking to. When a feline howl answered, he looked back to realize the animal was voicing his displeasure at being picked up. Phillip felt a bit stilly at the instant surge of jealousy.

"Ouch! Don't be a naughty boy. I know you are scared, but I'm not going to hurt you. Tonight is not a night to be outside."

Naughty? Oh yes, there is some definite naughtiness happening but, my girl, Mr. Tom is not the true naughty one.

It took everything he had not to move forward, sweep her up, cat and all, turn her over his knees and blister her behind. Instead, he saw her straightening, her conversation with the feral animal continuing.

"We'll be home in just a moment. I had a wonderful tea party today and if you behave and don't scratch me again, I promise there is a nice piece of roasted chicken just waiting for you."

Phillip looked around and saw nothing that he would consider close enough to be considered home. If she managed to reach home without that cat shredding her to pieces, he'd be surprised. Instead, he was shocked when she walked just a bit further into a yard that hadn't been tended to in years and pushed against a door that appeared to be only slightly more stable than the gate. Surely not. She couldn't live here. It was nothing more than an old garden shed that looked as if it would fall over with the next gust of wind. While he wanted nothing more than to open the door and grab Lilly, instead of spanking her, he wanted desperately to take her home with him.

He'd actually taken steps to do so when he pulled up short. What would she think if he barged into what was her home? He didn't have the right to make any demands of her. She had strength he couldn't even imagine. He couldn't conceive of a single woman he'd met in his entire life who would not only make a home for herself in an abandoned shed, but would share that home with what appeared to be a very ungrateful cat.

Sending a prayer heavenward that the shed would hold for a little longer, he promised that he'd take care of this flower girl who had won his heart from the moment he'd met her. Walking towards the street and then back towards the market to meet up with James, he muttered, "I'll leave you alone for now, Miss Lilly Lancaster but, young lady, come next week, we'll be discussing exactly what happens to naughty little girls who tell fibs."

Lilly was halfway through the hedge two days later before she remembered her promise. Though it would have been far more practical to continue crawling forward, she backed out, shook a few twigs from her skirt and walked back to the street. She walked up the pavement, pausing a moment to look up at the house. She could see someone walking across the hall but the etched glass of the door hid any features. Were the girls in classes? What sort of classes did they take? Who were their teachers? Remembering Lord Carrington addressing the woman who seen them out as 'Nanny Margaret', she wondered why he hadn't mentioned that one, if not more, of the women who lived there had children. Why would a husband not wish to live with his wife and child? These were questions to which she had no answers. Shrugging, she knew that if she asked, Lord Carrington would answer if he could. She continued her walk until she reached the garden. With a smile, she corrected herself. Miss Summers had called it
her
garden. Kneeling, she began to work, tugging weeds from the earth beneath the rose bushes. She was attempting to use her small pair of scissors to saw through a dead branch when the sun that had been shining on her was blotted out, leaving her in shadows. Looking up, she gave a little cry at the sight of a man.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, Miss Lilly. My name is Mr. Kerr. I work for Miss Summers as her gardener."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kerr. Um, Miss Summers told me…"

"I know," he said with a smile. "And I must say that I'm very glad you agreed to help. I wasn't sure if you had any tools and since I had extra, I thought you might like to use them? That little pair of scissors might be good to cut stems but they won't last long on some of these thicker branches."

He handed her a basket which held not only a small trowel, but a pair of larger shears and a small saw. There wasn't a single speck of dirt or rust on any of them. At the sight of a pair of gloves, she knew there was simply no way his large hands would fit inside them. The basket's entire contents were brand new. Still, she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth; especially since the tools would help her do the job she'd promised.

"Thank you. These will help."

"Be careful with that saw. It's little but it's sharp. You can leave any trimmings in a pile. I'll come by occasionally and add them to the mulching bin."

"All right, and thank you again."

"You're welcome, have a good day." She watched as he walked away, then slipped her hands into the gloves and lifted the saw. It was far better than her scissors and within an hour she had a tidy pile of dead branches, faded blooms, and weeds. Looking up, she saw by the sun's position that it was close to noon. She needed to get home and prepare her flowers for later that afternoon. Men who'd left home for work might not have considered bringing their wife a bunch of flowers, but she could easily imagine the smiles of happiness on the faces of the lucky ones whose husbands handed over a coin or two. All she needed to do was encourage them a tad.

Unsure what to do with the basket of tools, she considered leaving it under the bench but knew that rain and tools did not do well together. She'd take them home and bring them back. Skirting the side of the house, the sound of voices had her stopping. Realizing the window was cracked open, probably in an effort to enjoy the fresh breeze, she heard a voice she recognized. The moment the topic of the conversation became clearer, she was thrown back to that day. Though she knew she should turn around and crawl back through the hedge, she didn't move away. Stepping off the path, she pressed herself against the wall and crept a bit closer.

"Sarah, I must say that I'm very disappointed that your choice to be naughty has you back in my office again."

"It was really nothing…"

"I see. So being sent to my office for ridiculing one of your sisters is a mistake? You didn't call Kathryn names? You didn't call her a stupid, big fat baby?"

"That's a lie!"

"I'd be very careful if I were you, Sarah. I'll give you one more chance to tell me exactly why your nanny—the same woman you are accusing of lying—thought your behavior warranted sending you to me to mete out an additional measure of discipline after she spanked you."

"I didn't call Nanny Jennifer a liar. She just… I mean… Oh, you make it sound so awful and it wasn't… not really."

"Calling your sister stupid and stating she should stay in her crib because no papa wanted a little one who still had all her baby-fat not only sounds awful, it is awful. Whatever possessed you to be so hurtful?"

"I just meant that… you know she picked this school because… um, well, you know how much she likes being in the nursery…"

"Sarah, do I need to remind you that you chose the same school? That every one of your sisters chose this school because they are safe from judgment? The school is a haven where each of you can explore your needs and discover what it is within you that makes you happy, fulfills you, draws you to give so much of yourself to another. Here you learn that you are not alone in your desire to find that one man who will cherish you and the gift of your submission for the rest of your life."

"She… she is trying to steal my papa!"

Lilly didn't know how one could do anything but wish to hug the poor woman, as her tone was so very mournful. She was very surprised to hear Miss Summers's tone become sharper.

"What is most especially appalling is that you can sit before me and continue to lie to me."

"I'm not lying!"

"No? Then, please enlighten me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, tell me the name of your papa. You know, the one you accused Kathryn of attempting to steal. And, Sarah, remember, you've already got a paddling coming, do you truly wish to add a demerit to your journal?"

Lilly didn't fully understand everything that the headmistress was saying, but she didn't really have to. The tone of the woman's question suggested that it would be a very poor choice for her student to admit that a demerit would be just fine with her. She chanced moving a bit closer, lowering herself to her hands and knees and crawling directly beneath the window.

"Please, Miss Summers. I didn't mean it… I promise not to do it again."

"What have I told you about making such promises, young lady?" The answer popped into Lilly's head.
Don't make promises that you know you can't keep
. She didn't hear the same answer from the girl.

"Promises are easy to make when a na… naughty girl is facing having her… her bottom blistered."

"That's right. Promises are far too important to make lightly. Now, answer the question. Who is this mysterious papa?"

"There… is no one," Sarah admitted, and Lilly could hear the yearning in the young woman's voice. "I-I thought maybe… Rachel's papa's friend might but… she's Kathryn's friend and won't help me. Everyone hates me…"

"No, they don't. Everyone under this roof is attempting to help you. The only person standing in your way is yourself. This isn't an easy dynamic to live, Sarah. And if you think that you can live this lifestyle based on illusions, then you are going to continue to be disappointed."

"But all I want is to find a papa, too!"

"And one day you will. One day you'll learn to trust that a man will love you for who you are inside and not the fake Sarah you project."

"Do you think so? Will you help me?"

"I do think so and yes, I and everyone here will help you if you make the choice to be sincere in your desire for help."

"Oh, I do, I really do."

"I'm glad to hear that. But right now, we have to attend to the punishment you've earned by choosing to hurt Kathryn. I will not tolerate one of my pupils insulting and ridiculing another."

"Please… I will apologize… I don't need…"

"Yes, you will apologize and, Sarah, we both know you might not want this paddling, but you most definitely need it. Stand up, lower your bloomers and then turn and face your chair. Elbows on the seat and present yourself properly for your punishment."

Lilly couldn't help herself. Listening was no longer enough. She just had to see what was happening. Miss Summers had always been so nice, her voice almost lyrical, sweet. The tone she had heard giving those instructions sounded so different. She slowly rose up just high enough that she could see into the room. A pretty red-headed woman was sniffling as she stood up from her chair and reached beneath her skirts to untie her drawers. Once they slid to her ankles, she turned away from the desk, then bent forward and lowered herself onto her elbows. Lilly watched as Miss Summers stood, moved around her desk and stepped up behind her. Lilly's breath caught as the headmistress reached for the hem of the girl's pretty, mint-green frock and rolled her skirts and petticoats up, tucking them into the sash of the pinafore around her waist, completely baring her bottom.

"I can tell by your red bottom that Nanny Jennifer did a very thorough job in warming you for the paddle. However, unless you'd also like a stroke of the cane, I suggest you present yourself properly."

Lilly could understand the young woman's soft moan. It had to be embarrassing to stand with your bare bottom, its color attesting to the fact that you'd definitely been considered naughty, pushed out as if on display. However, when Sarah slowly shuffled her legs apart before arching her back, Lilly saw far more than she'd imagined. Even the copper-colored curls of her mound did not conceal the pouch of her quim.

"Down on your forearms. I want your bottom nice and high." Once the girl had obeyed, her cheek resting on the cushion between her arms, Lilly watched as Miss Summers lifted a paddle off the surface of her desk.

The first crack of wood against flesh had Lilly's eyes widening and her fist pressed into her mouth to stifle her gasp. Another crack followed and then two more before Sarah cried out.

"Oh, please, not so hard! My bottom already burns!"

"Burning bottoms are the price for naughtiness, aren't they, little one?"

"But I swear I'm sorry!"

"Lift your bottom, Sarah," Eleanor said and Lilly watched as the girl obeyed.

Was her obedience a sign of her submission? Lord Carrington had said that every girl here had enrolled by choice. They'd chosen to enroll in a school, to take classes of what she sensed weren't focused on reading, writing or mathematics… and they'd enrolled knowing that they would be required to offer up their bare bottoms for discipline.

The paddling continued, Sarah's poor bottom flattening for a moment as the stroke landed and then bouncing back as the color bloomed. When Lilly felt an awful tightness in her chest, she released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding as Sarah slowly stood. She heard Miss Summers speaking again.

"I didn't give you permission to rise. We're not done, Sarah. Since the dozen you received the last time didn't seem to make the proper impression, let's see if another dozen will teach you the necessary lesson."

"Oh, please, Miss Summers. I've learned the lesson. I-I don't want another dozen."

"I'm sure you don't, but you will receive it." Lilly watched as the headmistress used the paddle to gesture to the seat of the chair. "Head down and bottom well up if you please."

It amazed Lilly that Sarah lowered her head again and pushed her poor bottom up to take another twelve strokes. The crack of the paddle was only slightly louder than the sounds of Sarah's cries. When the paddling was over, Lilly's amazement continued as the paddle was returned to the desk and then Miss Summers gave permission for the naughty girl to rise. The moment she did, Sarah spun around to throw her arms around her headmistress. "I'm so sorry. I pro… I mean, I'll really try to do better."

"I know you will, sweetie," Eleanor said, holding the girl close for several minutes. "Try very hard because if I find you in my office again this week, I will be giving you a demerit."

"You won't see me," Sarah said and Lilly believed her. From her viewpoint, she was sure the poor girl would try very hard indeed. Her bottom was the ruby red color of the roses in Lilly's basket.

"Go ahead and step out of your bloomers," Miss Summer said. Sarah instantly obeyed, folding and handing the discarded garment to Eleanor. "Thank you. You'll stand at the wall and think about what you need to do to improve. Oh, and, Sarah, when your nanny comes to get you, make sure you tell her that you are to sit at your desk, your bare bottom on your chair until you've completed an essay of no less than two thousand words on exactly why you chose this school and what you are truly searching for. I hope you will take the opportunity to honestly reflect on what it is that will allow you to be yourself and what you really need to find happiness. That is the only way that we can guide you in your search."

Lilly watched as Eleanor reached out cup Sarah's cheek with her palm. "And, sweetie, I promise that your perfect papa is searching for you as well."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Miss Summers."

"You're welcome, my dear. If you've managed to finish before dinner, you may ask your nanny for your drawers. If not, you'll be sitting at the table with your skirt up and bottom exposed."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lilly saw Eleanor open the door and give Sarah yet another hug before the girl left the office. Her skirts fell from where they were tucked into her waistband, the white petticoats brushing against her outer thighs. Lilly's breath caught in her throat at the erotic image. Sarah's bottom appeared to be framed—like a fine painting hanging on a museum's wall. When the headmistress turned back, it took Lilly a moment to realize her gaze had turned towards the window. She dropped out of sight, praying that she hadn't been seen. Grabbing her basket, she crawled to the other side of the window before standing and running around the house, down the pavement and to the corner.