Lucy Surrenders (3 page)

"Thank you, my Prince," Louisa said as her husband helped her into the carriage.  Lucy was helped by Lucas and settled herself onto the seat.  She smiled at her sister and gave a contented sigh.  The girls didn't speak, but both understood that the fairytale they lived might at this moment resemble Cinderella's but was immensely different. 

Lucas put his arm around her small frame as he drew her closer to his side, still marveling over his incredible fortune.  He had prayed for this ending and knew it was truly just the beginning.  He bent and pressed his lips against the top of her head.  Lucy smiled at the loving gesture and closed her eyes in contentment.  She was where she belonged, and tomorrow would take care of itself.

By the time the carriage arrived at Wintercrest Manor, both girls were sound asleep.  Edward and Lucas had been speaking quietly.

"You realize your little one is living in a dream world, Lucas," Edward said quietly.  "She has come a very long way from the day she entered my life, but she has no true knowledge of what her role as your wife and the little one will entail." 

Lucas nodded as he glanced down at the sleeping girl. "She'll learn, Edward," he said confidently.  "She at least has had some time to grow accustomed to the lifestyle and has the gift of her sister as an example.  I am not a fool, Edward.  I'm well aware that the battles will be difficult.  I do assure you, though that I will dedicate my life to her." 

Edward knew that his friend spoke the truth.  He grinned, knowing that, of the two girls, Lucas had fallen in love with a little hellcat, instead of the sweet little kitten he seemed to imagine her. 

Lucas chuckled as he saw Edward's grin. "I'm made of tough stuff, Edward," he said, trailing his fingers down Lucy's cheek. 

The men both smiled, watching as she gave a small sigh of contentment at his touch.  "She's likely to scratch and claw, but I'm betting she'll purr soon enough." 

As Henri opened the carriage door, Edward made a last comment. "See that she doesn't purr until the ring is on her finger, and her name on the license." 

Lucas nodded and grinned, his thoughts going to a special item he had carried for weeks, hoping to one day be able to present it to Lucy.
"Don't worry, Edward.  We may be men who demand absolute submission and obedience, but we are both men of integrity.  Your ward will remain a virgin until our wedding night." 

Edward chuckled, knowing just how hard it would be for his dear friend to keep his promise and was extremely glad that he had no reason to deny his own needs.

The two men easily carried their small charges up the stairs to the door.  It was promptly opened, and they stepped into the house.  Mrs. Bremmer stood waiting in the hallway as Edward turned to speak quietly to Lucas.

"I will hold you to your word, Lucas," he said and then grinned.  "Although if she manages to go long without giving you cause to bare and redden her bottom, I shall be surprised." 

Lucas nodded. “Redden her bottom I shall no longer hesitate to do, Edward.  That I can also promise you," Lucas said.

Nodding, Edward motioned Anna to precede them up the stairs.  Anna said nothing but was intrigued with the quiet conversation.  They all paused before Lucy's door.

"I'll take care of her, Sir," Anna said after opening the door.  Lucas gave her a smile and walked into the room, placing the sleeping girl on her bed.

"She's to be my wife, Anna," Lucas said proudly. 

Anna smiled but wasn't surprised after hearing the men speak.  She had known this man since he was a babe and had always had faith that he would capture Lucy's heart. "Congratulations, Lucas," she said quietly and reached up to stroke his cheek.  "You will make her a fine husband," she said, and then chuckled.  "I warn you though, these little ones might be twins, but you, Sir, are taking on a sweet little hellion." 

Lucas smiled and bent to kiss the housekeeper's cheek.
"I know, Anna," he said sincerely.  "I wouldn't have it any other way.  If Edward isn't careful, I just might persuade you to come to Hunter's Ridge.  I have a feeling our little one might need you." 

Anna chuckled as she walked him to the door.
"I'm needed here, Sir," she said and saw Edward smiling at her after shooting Lucas a warning glance.  "I have no desire to leave Wintercrest.  However, if you truly decide you need more help than you currently have, I'm sure we can work together to find a proper nanny.  Now, scoot; I need to put your little one to bed and find my own.  It is very late, and church comes early." 

Anna shut the door behind Lucas and soon was coaxing Lucy to wake enough to allow her gown to be removed.  As she turned the girl to unlace the tight corset, Anna knew the girl would have no need for that garment in her future wardrobe.

"I hear congratulations are in order, little one," Anna said as she began to remove the pins from Lucy's hair.  "Lord Huntington is a good man; you made an excellent choice." 

Lucy was incredibly sleepy but smiled. "I love him, Mrs. Bremmer," she said, the truth evident in her voice.  "I will try to make him happy." 

Anna smiled as she ran the brush through the girl's waist-length hair before plaiting it.  She pulled a nightgown over Lucy's head and helped her climb between the sheets.
"I know you will, Lucille," she said.  "Your life changed the moment you made your choice." 

Lucy smiled and nodded as she felt herself begin to drift into sleep.
"I am ready," she whispered, her eyes closing. 

Anna smiled and swept her own lips across Lucy's cheek.  She knew the girl had no true idea of exactly how her life would begin to change.
"I pray it is so, but I fear your bottom will have many lessons.  Sweet dreams, little one." 

Lucy's eyes opened and her brow furrowed at the woman's words.  She again remembered that her very first introduction to her fiancé had been his hand smacking against her bottom.  She felt her face flush at the memory and also remembered he had never apologized for the spanking.  Instead, he had actually warned her a few times since that she should never question his intent to discipline her misbehavior.  She again closed her eyes and buried her burning cheek in her pillow, realizing again just how close she had come to testing his words at the ball.  She hadn't been spanked since that day but suddenly feared it would not be long before she discovered how Lucas' hand would feel slapping against her bare bottom instead of simply spanking her through her layers of clothing.  Thinking about his hand caused her to shiver and her heart to pound.  She would not think of discipline, could not allow her mind to travel there.  However, she smiled softly and knew her dreams would be full of images of his huge yet tender hands roaming elsewhere across her body.  Knowing she should be ashamed at her thoughts, she snuggled down in her bed and fell asleep with a naughty smile on her lips.

Anna's words proved true as Lucy was awakened the next morning.  Lucy buried her face in her pillow as Molly drew her curtains back to allow the harsh morning sun to light the room. "Congratulations, Miss Lucy," Molly said cheerfully as she crossed the room to the bed and attempted to pull the covers away.  "I am so happy for you and Lord Huntington," Molly continued and then frowned when she realized her mistress was attempting to pull the covers from her hands.  "Now Miss Lucy, come, you must get up and prepare yourself for the morning services," Molly said as she forcefully uncovered Lucy. 

Lucy groaned, but managed to push herself into a sitting position. "I'm just so tired, Molly." Lucy moaned as she watched her servant hustle about the room, gathering items to prepare Lucy for her day.  "I don't see why we can't skip today's services; I feel as if I haven't gotten any sleep at all," Lucy complained.

Molly giggled as she helped Lucy from the bed and led her into the adjacent water closet.
"I know you are tired, Miss," Molly said as she quickly stripped the nightgown from her mistress.  "I waited a bit longer to awaken you, Miss Lucy, but I fear we must hurry now.  The Lords are already at the table, and I fear trouble if we don't have you join them as quickly as possible." 

The mention of trouble reminded Lucy of spankings, and she didn't protest as her drawers were discarded and she was helped into the tub.  It had evidently been filled as she slept, and she was grateful for its fragrant warmth.  Molly quickly piled Lucy's hair up onto the top of her head and handed her a sponge and a bar of soap.

"Do you wish me to bathe you, Miss?" Molly asked, when Lucy simply held the items in her hands as if she had no memory of their intended use.  Molly's words caused her to flush, and she quickly soaped the sponge and began to lather her arms.

"No, Molly, I am capable of bathing on my own," Lucy said, her face flushing as the servant stood at the side of the tub, her face showing her uncertainty that Lucy could or would properly cleanse herself.  As Lucy moved the sponge over her arms, Molly finally nodded.

"Very well, Miss," she said and turned to the door.  "I shall prepare your clothing, but please hurry." 

Lucy nodded and began to bathe in earnest when the girl left the room.  By the time Molly returned with a large towel, Lucy was ready and stood, quickly climbing out of the tub and gratefully accepting the towel.  She still had an extremely hard time being nude in front of anyone and blushed even hotter when Molly took over, quickly rubbing the towel over Lucy's glistening body until she was dry.  Lucy kept the towel wrapped tightly around her, wishing Molly had remembered to bring her dressing gown into the room.  She followed the servant back into the bedroom and smiled, seeing Molly had been busy as Lucy bathed.  The bed had already been properly made, the pillows fluffed and placed at the head of the bed and her clothes lying on the smoothed quilt.  Lucy's smile slid from her face as she took a closer look at the clothing.

"No...." she moaned and looked beseechingly at her maid.  "This can't be correct ... those ... those look like Louisa's clothes," Lucy said, her voice shaking as her eyes returned to the dress laid out on the bed.  Molly shook her head, though she understood her mistress' concern.

"Mrs. Bremmer gave me your clothing for today, Miss Lucy," Molly said in the way of explanation.  "She will have the remainder of your new wardrobe in place by the time you return from church." 

Lucy felt her eyes fill as she watched Molly move the dress aside to expose the childish white stockings and black slip-on shoes beneath the dress.  Molly picked up the pair of white drawers that were lying on top of two petticoats and shook them out.

"Please, Miss Lucy," Molly said quietly as her eyes moved to the closed door of Lucy's bedroom.  "Please don't make a fuss.  Don't you remember what happened last time?" 

Lucy lost control, and tears begin to roll down her cheeks at the memory of being given her first tawsing, when she had complained about the earlier change to her wardrobe.  Though she had hated wearing the simple dresses Edward had arranged to have made for her, she had gradually grown accustomed to them to the point she no longer thought about the fact that she had been dressing far beneath her station or proper age for several weeks.  Though her bottom clenched with the memory of that awful spanking, she still could not accept this new change.  She was backing away from the bed, her hands gripping the towel around her and shaking her head when her door opened.  Her eyes flew to see Mrs. Bremmer step into the room leaving the door wide open behind her.

"I expected you downstairs by now, Lucille," Anna said, taking in the scene with a quick glance.  Molly still stood by the side of the bed, the lacy, childish drawers in her hands.  "I told you last night that your life would change.  Tell me, Lucille," Anna said as she reached into her bottomless pocket and removed the very tawse that Lucy had felt across her bottom in a scene much like the one this morning. "Do I need to send Molly downstairs to inform Lord Wintercrest, and your fiancé that you are going to cause them to be late for services because you are once again over my knees getting your bottom properly tawsed for throwing a tantrum about the clothing that has been provided for you?
”

Lucy couldn't seem to tear her eyes from the thongs of leather in the housekeeper's hand. She knew without a single doubt that she was moments away from feeling it bite into her bare bottom, and experience had taught her that she would be wearing the clothing regardless of whether her bottom remained pale or was a hot, throbbing mass of red welts.  She shook her head, her tears still falling.  Anna slapped the tawse against her thigh, causing both Lucy and Molly to jump.

"I asked you a question, Missy," Anna said, knowing that Lucy was in a state of denial about her future, and the quicker she came to the realization of what was expected of her, the easier life would be for everyone.  "I suggest you answer me properly and quickly before I decide a trip across my knees is how you need to start your day."

Lucy trembled as she shook her head harder.  "No ... no, Ma'am," she stammered as the tawse once more smacked against the housekeeper's thigh. Anna nodded her head and used the tawse to indicate what she expected.

"I'm pleased to hear that, little one.  Remove the towel and allow Molly to dress you," Anna instructed, and did not return the tawse to her pocket until Lucy very reluctantly released her death grip on her towel and managed to shuffle forward towards the bed.  Anna nodded and kept her eyes on the two girls as Lucy was dressed.