Protection (31 page)

The next morning, with Lisa’s imagination—amongst other things—thoroughly aroused,
she sought out Ruth’s company.

“Do you still have one of your old maid’s uniforms tucked away somewhere?”

Lisa’s query earned a startled look. It had taken a while, but she’d convinced Ruth
that since she was primarily her companion, Lisa would prefer her to dress in everyday
attire. As the two women were of a similar size and build, Lisa gladly shared her
extensive wardrobe.

“Why do ye ask?” Ruth sounded more curious than wary. Ruth and Ben had finally announced
their engagement after Ruth had begun opening up to Lisa about the barriers that existed
in her mind and heart when it came to intimacy. Letting her friend know the physical
side of a loving relationship could be fun had gone a long way to alleviating some
of Ruth’s fears. Still, Lisa didn’t want to embarrass either of them with too detailed
an explanation.

“I’d like to borrow it, as I want to play a little, er,
game
with Nathaniel that requires costuming.” She finished on a bright note, pleased with
her inventiveness.

“Don’t tell me any more.” Turning towards the door to Lisa’s sitting room, Ruth went
to fetch the uniform, muttering on her way out, “I don’t
want to know.”

With her hair pinned up in a plain-looking bun, her uniform neatly buttoned, and short
black boots on her feet, Lisa looked the epitome of a modest young maid. The fact
she had chosen not to don a rather strategic piece of her intimate attire was neither
here nor there.

Just before eleven she asked Ruth to scout the hallways to make sure the coast was
clear of other staff members. Then Lisa made her way to Nathaniel’s study, where she
often joined him for morning tea. Once she had snuck inside the door, she quickly
locked it and slipped the key into one of her apron pockets before turning to face
her, by now, bemused-looking husband.

“Good morning, my lord.” She curtsied, glancing to where the tea tray had already
been delivered, the chocolate pastries she’d baked earlier arranged on a china plate.
She hoped they could enjoy them together after
they had reenacted her dream.

“Please forgive me for being late
.
I know I promised it wouldn’t happen again, and you did say I would be punished severely
if I continued with my tardy ways, but please, don’t be too
harsh on me, my lord.”

Nathaniel’s eyes sparkled.

“A prettily spoken apology, Miss Brown,” he said. “But it does not make up for the
fact that you’ve kept me waiting again.”

Lisa shivered at his severe tone and the hooded gaze he directed her way.

“I’ll do anything to make it up to you, my lord.
Anything
.”

A short bark of laughter escaped Nathaniel’s lips before he recovered his austere
expression and beckoned her closer with a curl of his forefinger.

“That you will, Miss Brown,” he said. “But first, I’m afraid, must come the punishment
I promised.”

“Oh, my lord.” She feigned tears. “Please don’t chastise me more than I can bear.”

Nathaniel tugged her hard up against his chest. “I warned you what would happen if
you disobeyed me, so there’s no point begging for mercy now.”

His tone and expression were so severe Lisa felt a moment of apprehension. Her heart
raced as she became caught up in the game that was beginning to feel thrillingly,
and maybe a little frighteningly, real.

“Umm . . . you wouldn’t actually hurt
me, would you?” she whispered.

Nathaniel’s eyes widened. “How could you even ask such a thing? I’d rather cut off
my own arm than cause you pain. You must know that by now.”

“Well, it’s just you’re so very convincing,” she said in an effort to placate him.

“I am?” He sounded pleased and waggled his eyebrows. “Well, maybe that’s because I
rather relish the idea of chastising the delectable Miss Brown on my desk, which is
what I’m assuming you want?”

“Yes, please.”

His face took on a sinister cast once more, his voice dropping low. “Then stop interrupting
me.”

Lisa nodded dumbly, and in a flash, he spun her around so her back was pressed against
his front and the desk was before them. His hands moved to boldly cup her breasts
through the thin material of her blouse and chemise, and his growing hardness pressed
against her bottom.

“You’re in for it now, Miss Brown. I will teach you to obey me if it is the last thing
I do.”

“Oh, my lord,” she cried, thoroughly enjoying being dominated by her dark and dangerous
husband. Pushing back to rub her bottom against his aroused member, she feigned ignorance.
“Are you sure it’s safe to be carrying a weapon on your person at a time like this,
my lord? It’s not loaded,
is it?”

“It certainly is.” He thrust against her, and Lisa’s body shook. Capturing her hands,
he held them together in front of her. “How dare you laugh at me?” he said, more than
a little mirth evident in his own tone.

“Forgive me, my lord.” She looked over her shoulder, imploring him with exaggerated
fluttering of her eyelashes.

“You shall receive my forgiveness when you have satisfied my desires, Miss Brown,
and not before.”

He tugged her blouse from the waistband of her skirt and slipped his hands beneath.
The chemise was in the way, and she was taken aback to hear the sound of the fabric
tearing.

“Damn,” he muttered. “I’ll buy you a replacement.”

“Think nothing of it,” she whispered, gasping with pleasure when his hands slid through
the hole he had created in the chemise. While fondling her breasts with bold strokes,
his teeth nipped lightly at her neck, and his erection pressed rhythmically against
her.

If this was Nathaniel’s idea of chastisement, she would have to displease him more
often.

“You won’t make me wait too
long for my punishment will you?” she asked, unsure if her question was in character
or not.

“I wasn’t planning on making you wait at all,” Nathaniel said, pushing her forward
so she was bent over the shiny surface of his desk, her weight resting on her elbows.

“Don’t move,” he ordered, removing his hands to tug at her skirts, lifting them high
until her bare bottom was revealed to his gaze.

“Oh, Lisa, you are just begging to be chastised.”

Laying a hand on each cheek of her bottom, he caressed them softly, cupping and moulding
the soft globes beneath his fingers. Unable to resist, she squirmed beneath his touch.

Then he spanked her.

The tap was light, with barely enough force to cause the mildest sting, but her shock
was profound.

“Nathaniel!” She stared at him over her shoulder.

“That’s
my lord
to you.” His smirk was unmistakeable. “Now hold still, or there will be more where
that came from.”

“But . . . but . . . you said you wouldn’t hurt
me.”

“I didn’t!” His brow furrowed, and he soothingly stroked the place where he had slapped.
“Did I?”

“No, not really,” she admitted. “You just gave me a fright.”

“The look on your face was priceless.”

It was Lisa’s turn to scowl. “You’re spoiling the game.”

He quickly sobered. “Silence, Miss Brown,” he said, holding her firmly with one hand
at her bare hip while he released his impressively aroused member from his breeches.

“Heavens above.” Lisa’s awestruck tone was only partially feigned.

“I said
silence
,” Nathaniel repeated, though there was a chuckle in his tone. With only the barest
preparation, he entered her, quickly establishing a punishing
pace.

“I’m not hurting you, am I?” he whispered, leaning forward to cover her body, his
mouth close to her ear.

“No, don’t stop,” she half ordered, half pleaded.

Nathaniel obeyed and continued to chastise
her until she was overcome with one of the most intense climaxes she’d ever experienced,
which was saying something considering the heights of bliss her husband had brought
her to on numerous occasions. Continuing to move until he had milked her body of every
last ounce of ecstasy, he held back from attaining his own release until she was reduced
to a moaning, quivering bundle of satiation.

Lisa vaguely recalled hearing his groan of satisfaction when he finally allowed his
body to seek its own pleasure, returning to reality to find herself being cuddled
on his lap in his large, comfortable chair.

“So, Miss Brown.” Her dazed expression met his smug gaze. “Have you learned your lesson?
Can I count on you to behave from now on?”

“Oh, quite to the contrary, my lord.” She melted against him. “I must forewarn you.
I intend to misbehave quite regularly in future.”

Chapter 29

Announcement

“Nathaniel, do you have a moment?” Lisa approached him in his study at Marsden Park.
It seemed appropriate to share her news with him in this room, as she had reason to
believe it was on the very desk where he now worked that this particular part of their
journey had begun.

“For you, sweetheart”—he put the papers he was working on aside and drew her to rest
against his legs—“I have as many moments as you need.”

Smiling at his declaration, she took a seat in her favourite place—his lap. With his
hands holding her around her waist, she linked her fingers behind his neck. Even after
twenty months of marriage, she was still a little awed by her too-handsome husband.
It was sometimes hard to believe he was all hers—though she was going to have to learn
to share.

Savouring the moment, she leaned forward at the same time he did, their mouths brushing
together for a kiss that sent a thrill coursing through her. She didn’t fear growing
tired of Nathaniel’s attention, her confidence justified to date. Although they had
their occasional moments of discord, she wanted him more each day. The feeling, thankfully,
was mutual.

“There was something you wanted to tell me?” Nathaniel nuzzled her neck with his lips.

“More in the way of an announcement.”

He stilled before pulling back to meet her nervous gaze. “You saw the doctor?”

“And the midwife.”

Nathaniel had insisted she get more than one opinion.

“And?”

“And we shall be the proud parents of a, hopefully, healthy baby boy, or
girl
, in late spring, early summer of next year.”

“Hopefully?” He pounced on the word as she knew he would, and she cupped his cheek.

“Both the doctor and the midwife said they believe the baby is fine, but I’m being
cautious as it is still early. We do have seven more months to go.”

If nothing else, life had taught Lisa to be pragmatic.

“But the baby’s well . . .
you’re
well?” Nathaniel shifted a hand to place it gently over her stomach.

“Yes, the baby and I are both perfectly well,” she said firmly.

“And the delivery?”

His eyes measured the distance between her hip bones just as they had multiple times
a day since she had missed her monthly courses for the second
time a week prior. Thankfully, her figure had matured as Nathaniel had hoped it would.
Her hip measurement had grown by almost three inches since they wed, giving her a
more womanly shape, one better suited to childbearing. Regardless, he had wanted to
wait a full two years after their marriage before trying for a baby, and she knew
he feared their preempting the plan could lead to tragedy.

“I’m a fit, healthy, and extremely well-cared-for young woman, and neither the doctor
nor midwife could see any reason why there would be complications.”

“Ye’re not a verra robust lass, and I’d like to see a bit more meat on yer bones.
But ye’re sensible and, from what I’ve heard, not afraid of hard work, so I’m sure
ye’ll birth a bonny babe without too much fuss,”
were the Scottish midwife’s exact words, but Lisa hesitated to report them in full.
The last thing she wanted was to give Nathaniel an excuse to coddle her any more than
he already did.

“We’re going to have a baby,” he whispered.