Penelope's Punishment (7 page)

It was a strange, painful sensation for Emmie. She could feel his fingers scissor and move inside her bottom. It was a huge relief when he finally pulled them out. That is until she felt the cold, rubber tip of the plug. Emmie started to breathe heavily, frightened of the unknown. She could feel the moment the plug reached beyond the thin tapered end. Her entrance stretched and strained as the plug overextended it far beyond the width of Papa’s fingers.

“It hurts too much. Take it out. Take it out!” Emmie released her knees and tried to scurry back. Richard took his forearm and pressed it against the underside of her thighs up under her knees, halting her struggles.

“You are being a very bad girl. Try to move away and you will earn another spanking.”

Emmie stopped struggling as she focused on the pain of him thrusting the plug in further. He could feel her body resisting and had to increase the pressure to force the wide bulb past her tight ring. He could see her tiny rosebud, usually puckered and pink, all smooth as it stretched over the plug. Finally, her body relented. He watched as her bottom hole closed around the handle of the plug.

Emmie could not believe the object was deep inside of her. She felt spikes of pain as she instinctively tried to push the offending plug out. Unfortunately it was securely up her bottom, only Papa would be able to remove it. She could feel a throbbing fullness and hated it.

Emmie pleaded with him. “Please, please don’t leave it inside me. I don’t like it.”

Richard drew his fingers down the seam of her cunny and held up the evidence of her arousal. “Your body tells me differently, little one. Now lie back while Papa kisses your sweet cunny and makes it all better.”

##

Later that evening Richard and Rand tucked their little ones into their beds in the nursery, knowing the girls would enjoy waking up together tomorrow morning. Looking at their sweet, sated faces all warm and safe, they could not help but think of their friend’s lost little one.    

Little Girl Found

Penelope was in trouble. She hunched closer against the cold brick wall as she watched Badger give instructions to his crew. He was a well-known cracksman in the East End and they were on a housebreaking. Badger had found a house that never locked a small first floor window and brought a crew to haul out all the goods. Normally this wasn’t her thing, but no one refused Badger. He was mad as hops and dangerous as hell. She was in real trouble this time.

She fingered the empty arnica ointment jar tucked safely into her coat pocket. The bruise was long gone but she still drew comfort from holding the jar - her only connection to
him
.

“Listen up, you sons of whores. This is a real bang up jump. Pip here is goin’ crawl through that window and open the doors. You go in and grab what you can find,” commanded Badger.

“What if the copper’s come because some hag cries for the watch? It’s a fairground here.” Penelope gestured to all the gas lamps lighting the streets. She was hoping to scare him off the job.

“Shut your sauce-box, Pip, before I smack you one,” said Badger, not the least bit deterred by the risky nature of the burglary. “Let’s go. Anyone screws up I’ll nobble you good,” he warned.

Penelope shuddered. She had seen Badger beat up a bloke once before. It was a bloody, brutal sight.

“Come on then, Pip. I’ll give ye a leg up.”

Penelope placed her foot in his cupped hands. He hoisted her high till she had a grip on the window sill. As she was pushing the sash up she slipped. Badger made a grab for her. Unfortunately, his hand landed between her legs. Penelope looked with wide, frightened eyes into his startled ones. She had been found out. One of the most vicious and cruel criminals in the East End knew she was a female.

Badger’s eyes lit with an unholy promise. “Looks like I’m takin two prizes tonight,” he sneered before giving her a shove through the window.

Yes, Penelope was in real trouble.

##

Alex was getting dressed for the evening, although not in his typical evening attire. Despite Smither’s protestations, Alex was going to the East End to search for Penelope. He had borrowed some of his coachman’s clothes and was about to use some soot from the fireplace to dirty his face.

Smither burst into his bedroom, in an uncharacteristically unprofessional manner. “You are not going to the East End tonight, my lord.”

Ignoring the breach of protocol, Alex argued back. “We have been over this Smitty. I have to find her. There is nothing you can say that will prevent me from looking.”

“She is not in the East End. She is in Mayfair. We have to hurry.” Smither paused, not wanting to be the one to bear bad news. “She was forced into a housebreaking crew run by a nasty piece of work called Badger.”

That was all Alex needed to hear. “Get the horses, no time for a carriage! Send a footman to Lord Burkewood’s!” he shouted as he ran to his study to retrieve his dueling pistols.

He was shocked to learn how close Penelope was to his home. The band of criminals had decided to break into a house just a few blocks away. By the time he, Rand and Richard showed up, the police already had it surrounded. A clever lamplighter had noticed the strange activity around a back window and alerted the police. Alex left Rand and Richard to deal with the officers as he boldly marched up to the front door. Despite the angry shouts from the police to stay away, he reared back and with a fierce kick knocked the door in. Storming into the dark home, he furiously looked around while shouting her name.

The first thing Alex saw was a vicious looking street thug approaching him brandishing a knife.

“No one gets one on Badger!” sneered the criminal before lunging for Alex.

Alex dispatched him with a quick uppercut to his jaw, getting little satisfaction from hearing the crunch of broken bone. He pushed through the cops now entering the home in full force, his only thought…to find Penelope.

##

Penelope watched in shocked silence as coppers swarmed the house. It was like she was seeing everything from far away. People shouting, running. There was a copper beating one of the crew with a billy club for trying to kick him, another was unconscious not too far away from her. 

She slowly slumped down in a corner, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible. There was no point in running. Besides, she was so tired of running, of constantly battling to survive. She reached into her pocket for the jar of arnica and stroked its cool, smooth glass.

“Penelope!”

“Penelope!”

Someone was calling her name…her real name.

“Penelope!”

Alex burst into the room. It took him a moment to find her curled up on the floor.

“My god, Penelope.”

It was him!

Going down on one knee, he gathered her into his arms, crushing her in his embrace. Penelope could not believe he had found her - that he had bothered to look. She snuggled closer, breathing in his warm spicy scent as she felt his strong, protective arms hold her tighter.    

“Thank god, you are all right,” he whispered against her hair as he stroked her back. He hooked her knees under his arm and rose. Cradling her close to his chest, he walked out of the home. At the front gate, two gentlemen dressed in evening attire argued with a cop.

“My good man, no one is going to fuss over one missing urchin when you have captured five fully grown thieves,” said Lord Richard Burkewood.

“It just wouldn’t feel right, milord,” hedged the cop. He couldn’t care less about the guttersnipe or what these fine lords wanted with him. He just figured it would be worth a finny.

Sensing where the conversation was going, Richard pulled a five pound note out of his pocket and handed it to the disreputable cop. “This should ease your conscience,” he said sardonically.

“Thank you kindly, milord,” said the cop, who tipped his hat before walking away.

Rand and Richard approached Alex as he clutched Penelope close. “It has all been smoothed over. Take her home,” said Rand with a reassuring hand on Alex’s shoulder.

With a grateful nod, Alex walked over to his waiting carriage. It was so like Smither to send it along anyway. He climbed in and repositioned Penelope on his lap.

“I…I…” She started but did not quite know what to say.

“Not one word, little one.” 

Alex needed some time to calm down. He almost did not get to her in time. The cops had already discovered the robbery and were surrounding the house to round up the thieves. Thankfully, Rand and Richard distracted them while he went in search of Penelope.

He knew he would never get the image of her looking so small and afraid out of his mind.

When the carriage arrived home, Alex carried Penelope into his study and placed her before the fire. He waited till the footman brought the pot of chocolate he ordered before pouring her a cup and himself a brandy.

“Drink.”

“What is it?” she asked sniffing the beverage.

“It is chocolate mixed with warm milk.”

She took a sip and instantly fell in love with the warm, sweet concoction. Alex took a fortifying sip of brandy. Penelope waited anxiously for him to talk…or to start yelling.

“Remove that ridiculous cap.”

She swiped the cap off her head. Her shoulder-length auburn curls tumbled out. Alex stood and stared. It looks like she had come to no harm during her two weeks away from him, but that did nothing to cool his temper.
It was sheer luck that she was now safe from harm and back under his protection.

Taking another long draw of brandy, he stated, “We will marry in the morning.”

Penelope choked on her chocolate. Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she looked at him aghast. She had expected all sort of things from him, but not an offer of marriage.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Ha. That’s a laugh, a fancy bloke like you making a lady out of me.” 

“It will not be a traditional marriage.”

Her big green eyes showed curiosity and wariness. She clearly did not believe his intentions.

“The men in my family believe in protecting their women from the harsh realities and responsibilities of the adult world.”

Penelope snorted with derision. It was far too late for that where she was concerned. Alex sent her a sidelong look and she quickly settled down. Clutching her chocolate, she sipped the comforting brew and listened.

“You have clearly demonstrated you cannot be trusted to take care of yourself. You need a strong man to take you in hand, to discipline you. While you may have seen more than your fair share of the cruelties of man I intend to remedy the situation.”

He stood and walked over to tower over Penelope. Placing two fingers under her chin, he raised her head to meet his gaze. She was awed by the power and strength he conveyed just standing there.

“In my household, you will be treated as a child. You shall have no responsibilities beyond pleasing me. You will have a nanny who will see to all of your needs. During the day you will receive instruction from her. You will learn your letters and numbers. At night, you will receive instruction from me.”

Penelope licked her lips. Not wanting to speak out of turn, she still needed to know. “What kind of instruction?”

Alex ran his thumb over her wet bottom lip, the desire heavy in his gaze. “Submission, my dear Penelope.”

He released her chin and walked over to the sideboard to pour himself another brandy. Penelope did not move or make a sound, frozen by his words.

“I am going to teach you how to clear your mind so your body may be free. All your worries and fears are now on my shoulders. It is through submission you will learn to completely trust in me, in my strength. You will learn to trust me to take care of all your body’s needs.”

Penelope slowly rose, shaking her head.

“What if I don’t want to submit to you?”

Alex smiled, he was expecting that response.

“As I told you before, little one, you don’t have a choice.”

He could see the fight return to her eyes. No doubt he was about to be treated to some more of her colorful verse.

“Bloody hell! So I agree to get hammered for life
so you can treat me like some little chavy or you toss me to the coppers?”

Alex put down his glass and stalked towards her. Penelope tried to back up but was prevented by the heat from the fire.

“Married to me or the cops? Again that implies you have a choice.” Alex placed both hands against the mantle, caging her in. Penelope was literally caught between the fire in the grate and the fire in his eyes.

He leaned in close. “You. Do. Not.”

Penelope opened her mouth to argue further.

“You are already getting punished for running away. Open your mouth to cross me again and I will double it.”

Punished? Did he truly mean to punish her? Penelope felt overwhelmed. He was correct on one score. She had no choice, at least not right at this moment. Badger had plenty of friends. It would only be a matter of time before word spread she was a female. She needed a place to hide out till she thought of plan. Besides, he could not possibly be serious about marrying a guttersnipe dipper like her. It was just a ploy to get between her legs.

“Fine,” she said weakly.

Alex chucked her under the chin and stepped away. She wasn’t fooling him for a moment, but she would learn.

“Fine, Papa,” he corrected.

“Papa?” she repeated, confused.

“You will address me as Papa.” He paused. “Say it.”

Unsure, she slowly relented. “Papa.”

Alex smiled; he loved hearing that name on her lips.

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” Alex called.

A short, stout woman entered. She was dressed in a crisp blue dress and a white apron so stiff it looked like it would crack. She was far from attractive; a more accurate descriptor for this woman would have been ‘handsome.’

“Nanny is here to take you in hand. You need a bath and a good cleansing. I will see you later, for the punishment I promised.”

Before Penelope could object, the strong woman grabbed her by the upper arm and dragged her out of the study.