The Devil's Good Intentions (32 page)

He poured himself another drink from the bar and took a seat on the couch. He thought about the news that Cedric had brought him earlier that evening. Salvador thought himself livid when he heard that Sebastian had over taken his ship, but when he heard that Pennington was enquiring into Katherine’s past - he saw red. Sebastian had not harmed any of his seamen nor did he take any of his cargo, but he did have his crew tear his ship apart without explanation. They weren’t sure if this was a warning or if Sebastian was indeed looking for something in particular. The ship was carrying fine silks and whiskey, but nothing else and he couldn’t think of anything that should have been among his cargo but wasn’t. According to Cedric, the captain of the Enchantress noticed that Sebastian’s ship was weighed down and already riding slower than normal, so he couldn’t possibly be looking for a larger booty. And why would Pennington be looking into Katherine’s past? He knew Katherine’s Father had made many enemies when his business ventures failed, but Salvador had paid off all of his debts. Unfortunately, he could not repair reputations. Salvador would have noticed Pennington’s name among his logs if Katherine’s Father had been in any business venture with him and he did not recognize any of his ships as being in relation with Pennington’s. So why bother looking into Katherine’s past? He was not a regular gossip monger around the ton and only busied himself with subjects that he could profit from. He would find out Pennington’s game and end it before Katherine got hurt. If he needed to keep Katherine at home during the ball then he would do so.

He finished off his drink and sighed as he looked towards the door. He knew he should retire for the night but wanted to give Katherine time to cool down. He certainly wasn’t hiding from her and would in no way relent in his verdict. He never wanted to make Katherine feel like she was in danger at any time but she needed to know that taking precautions were necessary and he would not allow her to blindly walk into harm’s way.

Tomorrow he needed to visit one of his tenants who had just become a Father for the fourth time. The house they were staying in was already crowded as is and Salvador wanted to give the man the option to move into a larger housing complex that was located on his very own estate in exchange for supervising some hard labour in his fields. The man had been working on the docks for Salvador and with his family growing; Salvador thought it would be best that he stay closer to home. He didn’t think the man would refuse, in fact he had been complaining that his back wasn’t like it used to be and that the travel between the docks and his home were taking time away from his family. Salvador thought this a perfect solution.

Salvador also thought back to Katherine’s enquiry about her personal possessions at the Rochester Estate. What he failed to tell her was that it had already been ransacked by the time he had gotten to the estate to inspect it. Katherine’s room in particular had been in disarray and there was not one piece of furniture that was not tossed or turned over. It was obvious that somebody had gone through everything and he often wondered if there was something in particular they were looking for, or if they had found it.

When Salvador reached his room, he noted that it was unusually silent. He quietly stepped in and noted that Katherine was nowhere in sight. When he ventured to the bathing chamber, he could tell that she had taken a bath but again she did not occupy that room either. A wave of panic passed through him as he envisioned her leaving the estate to prove her point. Clenching his fists, he stormed out of their chambers and ventured into each guest bedroom in hopes that she was pouting in the safety of his home. After searching the upper floor with no results, he started to venture downstairs.

“
Sarah!” His voice boomed from the stairway as he stormed into the front hall.

“
Sarah!” He called again bringing the doorman to his heel.

“
Have you seen Sarah or Katherine?” He barked at the doorman as he started checking the rooms downstairs.

“
No, My Lord” The man stumbled out as the blood drained from his face.

“
My Lord?” Sarah’s voice reached his ears from down the hall.

“
Get over here” He barked as he stormed into the library.

Sarah jumped at his order and then quickly obeyed.

“
Where is my wife?” He bellowed as he checked every nook and cranny in the library.

“
She has retired for the evening My Lord” She informed him nervously.

“
Where did she retire to?” He turned and faced her head on.

She took a step back and held her throat in fright.

“
Y-your chamber?” She replied with uncertainty.

“
Did you see her retire to my chamber?”

“
Y-yes My Lord! I laid out her robe and brought her nightcap before she bid me to retire for the evening.” She stuttered out and then gulped when his expression turned menacing.

“
Did she appear calm to you?”

“
N-no. She seemed a trifle upset but would not relate to me as to why. But I was sure she was bound for bed!”

“
You were wrong.” He said menacingly as he turned his eyes to the group of servants who had gathered to the doorway of the library.

“
I want this place torn apart until she is found.” He growled out as he stormed passed his servants to continue his hunt.

She would not have left the estate would she? Could she be that dense? He made his way out to the stables to see if her horse was where it should be – it was. He looked around and verified that all the other horses were in there places which they were.

Just then the stable master came around the corner with a pitch fork in his hand.

“
Halt thief!” The man yelled as he started towards Salvador.

“
Cease!” Salvador bellowed – stopping the stable master in his tracks.

“
Lord Salvador? Is that you?”

“
Indeed it is I. Have you seen my wife?”

“
Yes My Lord. I was on my way to see you, but got distracted when I heard someone in the stables. It turns out I have no need to seek you out after all.” He chuckled out merrily as though there was nothing wrong.

“
Where is she?” Salvador said in a calm tone that did not reflect his seething anger.

“
The Mistress requested that I saddle her horse for her and when I refused her pleas, she attempted to saddle her horse herself. Thank goodness the saddle weighs more than she, eh!” He laughed out, not seeing the growing tick in Salvador’s cheek.

“
And where pray tell did she depart to after that?” Salvador managed to get out.

“
After she stormed out of the barn, I followed her to an empty slave quarter. She did not see me following her and I didn’t want to alarm her to my presence, just in case she decided to run off where it wasn’t safe. I stayed for a little while to make sure she stayed there and then I was on my way to fetch you.” The man proudly proclaimed.

“
Remind me to give you a raise.” Salvador responded to him. “Which quarters shall I find her in?” He continued.

The man beamed with pride and led Salvador to the quarter that he saw her retreat to.

“
Thank you. Please go back to my home and alert Henry that the search is over and for the servants to retire for the evening.

“
Yes My Lord.” He bowed and then ran back to the house.

Salvador stayed where he was for a while to cool down his temper. Where did the little vixen think she was going to go at this hour? And why retire here instead of in their chamber? Was she trying to worry him? She would learn that she will not flee every time things don’t go her way.

When he felt as though he could approach her without throttling her, he approached the small hut.

Rather than trying the handle, he kicked in the door and stood at the entryway.

Katherine jumped from the bed and yelled out her surprise as she looked on him with horror.

When she realized that it was her husband who had kicked in the door, her face went from terror to confusion and then to stubborn pride.

“
Stay back Salvador” She warned him as she held out her hand to ward him off, trying to cover herself with a sheet.

She sat there on the single cot on her knees and facing him like she would her enemy. He had to admire her courage but could not admire her stupidity.

“
What in the blazes do you think you’re doing here?” He bellowed from the door as he took a menacing step forward.

“
I needed space and had no desire to have you crowd it for the remainder of the evening.” She retorted bravely.

“
And where did you think you were going to go if you managed to saddle your horse?” He tried to enquire with a level tone.

She paled visibly and he could see that she was starting to lose her nerve.

“
Answer me!” He bellowed out.

She licked her lips nervously and averted her eyes.

“
T-To the hunting lodge” She responded meekly. “Y-You said for me not to leave the estate and technically the hunting lodge is still on the estate.” She tried to defend her actions.

Now he had visions of wolves circling her, or her getting lost in the dark and coming upon highwaymen. He felt his temper starting to peak again and he saw her flinch as he visibly started to shake from it.

“
You little fool! There are wild animals and other threats that could have torn you apart well before I would have found you!”

He slammed the hut door shut making the foundation shake. Katherine gasped and tried to leap from the bed, but he was quicker.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck and dragged her body up to his.

“
I was so angry and I wasn’t thinking about that!” She tried to defend herself.

“
No Kat, you just weren’t thinking.” He growled out to her.

“
Salvador, you’re angry right now and will probably do something you will regret later. Please let me go.” She pleaded.

“
No. You argued with me because I insist on putting your safety above anything else and then the first thing you do is disappear from our home and attempt to put yourself into harm’s way. That is not acceptable.” He growled out again as his hand tightened around the back of her neck.

“
What are you going to do?” She trembled out as she tried to twist her neck free from his grasp.

Without answering her, he sat down on the cot and dragged her over his knees. When he started to lift up her shift, she started squirming and bucking beneath his hold. When her shift was lifted to her lower back, he held her there firmly and quickly administered his first smack. He had spanked her in passion, but this was not meant to bring pleasure. She cried out and desperately tried to free herself from him - but he was stronger. He knew it was either this or the strap and he had no desire to go that far. He continued to thrash her bottom until her struggles ceased. He looked down at the angry welts on her cheeks and nodded with approval.

He pulled her shift down and without saying a word of comfort; he tossed her over his shoulder and carried her back to the house.

She had passed out from the pain he had inflicted and easily brought her up to their quarters without running into any of the servants. When they arrived to his room, he removed her shift and placed her gently down on the bed – laying her on her stomach and then went to fetch the soothing balm. As he administered it to her bottom, she moaned and squirmed beneath him. He knew she had regained consciousness and wondered what her response would be to his punishment. Would she reject him? Again he had a vision of her being torn apart by wolves and instantly knew he did not regret his actions. She could not endanger herself like that and needed to know that there were consequences for her lack of obedience.

She gasped and buried her face into the pillow as his fingers ran the lubricant over a rising welt.

“
If you ever place yourself in a dangerous situation again Katherine, this punishment will seem light compared to what I will do to you. Do you understand me?” He warned her in an even tone.