Reunion (Hunter's Ridge Book 3) (25 page)

"Present."

The command had her lifting from the saddle, her torso stretched along the horse's neck, her feet taking her weight as she pushed her naked posterior up and back. The horse continued to rock as she bent, using her leg and arm muscles to keep it in motion as required, never knowing when the backward rock would meet with the stroke to be given. She wasn't sure which was harder; the anticipation of that first stroke, or the reality of how a thin rod of bamboo could sear her backside. All she could do was obey her Papa and concentrate on riding Diabla, lifting her bottom on each backward roll.

Whish…crack!
Lucy's head reared back as the first line of fire was delivered. He'd chosen the thin cane, the one that was flexible and able to wrap and mold against a bottom. The force pushed her forward, her bottom bucking before Diabla's momentum rocked back on its runners.
Whish…crack!
Another line flamed across her flesh. Her teeth held her bottom lip as she tried to contain the wails she knew would soon escape, despite her effort to accept her discipline in silence. She heard the sound of the cane whistling through the air and the sharp crack as it met its target three additional times before her Papa spoke again.

"Gallop, Lucy. Ride hard and fast and push your bottom back. I want to see it lifted high so I can do it justice." He assisted her again, his large hand pushing hard against Diabla's flank as Lucy forced her torso lower, her arse higher, her thighs beginning to burn with the required flexing and unflexing of muscles to keep the horse rocking faster and faster. Her hands pulled on the reins and, with the faster pace, she lifted her roasted rear for her Papa.

Whish…crack; whish…crack; whish…crack!

"Papa!" Her cry filled the space around them but did nothing to stop the cane from falling. The strokes fell faster, biting into her with every tilt of the horse.

"Stand," Lucas ordered, and when she straightened her legs to stand in the stirrups, her body practically bent in two, the cane stroke was adjusted by his upward swing to bite directly across the tautly stretched skin of her sit-spot.

"Ahh, please, Papa!"

Another stroke was given, and then a final one before the cane stopped falling. Her tears streamed down her face, her chest heaving as she drew in great gulps of air and she felt Diabla come to a gentle stop beneath her. She had no wish to sit in the saddle, the fire across her buttocks and those lines painted where buttocks met her thighs were burning as if her Papa were holding a flame to her skin.

"Shh," Lucas said, as he moved to the side of the horse after returning the cane to the rack. "I've got you, Kitten." He held her with an arm around her waist until she'd released the reins to fall to the floor. He plucked her from Diabla and her legs instantly wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck. Her tears were absorbed by the collar of his shirt as she buried her face in his neck. "Shh, you rode very well, little one. You made me very proud."

"I'm sorry, Papa," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry I was naughty."

"I know, Kitten. I know you want to be my good girl." He held her until she had stopped sobbing and gulping for breath. Once she'd calmed, he led her to the kneeling bench, gently pulling her arms from their tight hold. "Kneel and consider what you've learned, Lucy."

She knelt, her hand swiping across her face to remove her tears before she folded them once more. She was no longer contemplating what was to come, her burning backside told her that the physical atonement was done. She was not even aware that her sister was kneeling beside her until Louisa's hand moved to take hers. Their fingers entwined, giving silent and loving support to each other as they knelt, heads bowed and eyes closed.

Lucas replaced the blocks of wood to keep the horse still before using a cloth and cleanser to wipe down the saddle. He then gave it a brief rubbing of oil before unbuckling the stirrups to return them to the lowest position. He'd found it far better to have his little one wondering how they'd be adjusted after he'd placed her in the saddle, than to have her understand how he expected her to ride the moment she saw Diabla. Once he was done, he rolled his sleeves down, accepting his coat from Edward who'd come to stand beside him.

"Beautiful horse," Edward said softly, as his palm ran across the leather. "Absolutely beautiful ride as well."

"She amazes me every time she rides," Lucas said. "Not only is she incredible when riding for punishment, it is like watching a goddess when she rides for pleasure."

"I can see how that is possible. My plans for Louisa's parlor have just changed a bit."

"Feel free to ask for the key while you are here." Lucas grinned as he bent to pick up Lucy's gown from the floor. "Shall we finish so our ladies can find their rest?"

At Edward's nod, the men moved to the prie-dieu, each taking the arm of their loved one.

Once Lucy stood, Lucas helped her back into her gown, tying the bows before bending to kiss her lightly. His cock was rock hard, and twitched when she moaned and pressed her lips hard against his. Though the men always required a final penance, sinking into their wives to spill themselves into their willing bodies, they had decided that the very intimate penance required after a naughty bottom had been strapped or caned was best left to be given in private.

Scooping the women into their arms, the men left the parlor, carefully walking down the narrow stairs. Edward turned into his room as Lucas carried Lucy a bit farther, pushing his own door open and carrying her to the bed.

He gently massaged her arms, his fingers loosening the muscles before he slid his hands between the gown's panels to massage her thighs. Her soft moan told of her relief as cramped, tight muscles relaxed under his ministrations.

"Thank you," Lucy said, her eyes lifted to his, watching as he undressed. "May I make my penance now, Papa?"

"Yes, Kitten."

This time the bows were undone by her own fingers, the gown slipped off as she moved to lie over the wedge he'd placed in the center of their bed. Using her fingers to pull apart the hot, swollen globes of her bottom, she then splayed her legs wide to offer herself to him. "I'm sorry I was naughty, Papa. Thank you for spanking me. Thank you for my paddling, and thank you for caning me as I rode Diabla. Please forgive me."

"I have, and always will," Lucas said, climbing to kneel behind her, reaching for the pot of lubricant he'd placed by the wedge. Her gasp as he applied the cream to her flower told him of the contrasting sensations; the cold lubricant against the heat of her skin. He applied a generous amount to his cock before moving forward to gently insert a finger into her pink, furrowed opening. Another finger joined the first as he began to work them in and out of her, taking the time to prepare her before he accepted her penance.

Removing his fingers, he traced them along the crease of her sex, the lips swollen and parted, her clit standing tall.

Lucy gasped at his touch, wanting to press down against his hand, to beg him to slide his fingers deep inside. She was gushing, the wet sounds as he continued to touch her causing her face to flush as a soft moan of yearning floated past her throat.

"Such a wanton, naughty girl," he said, bending forward to kiss her shoulder. "Such a beautiful, passionate woman." He lifted off her back, the head of his cock pressing against her flower signaling that it was time.

She pushed back, opening herself for his entry, accepting his dominance and craving his every touch despite the sharp pain as her sphincter advertised its reluctance to stretch around his girth.

"Open, Kitten, let Papa into your bottom."

She pressed harder, impaling herself on his cock, biting back her squeal as a burning pain told of his success in entering her most intimate opening.

"Good girl, you may release."

Lucy moved her hands as he began to slide into her, her fingers finding the bedcovers to clutch, her cheek pressed to the mattress as her body continued to accept every inch of him.

Despite the shame of such possession, she'd come to enjoy anal play. However, this was not play—this was penance. She knew that once he was fully seated, his balls pressed against her soaking wet cunny, he'd extract the last of her penance by pounding in and out of her. Though it was always a struggle to accept the hard fucking, she was also grateful for it. She didn't want to spend, didn't want to reach a culmination, as doing so would warrant her bottom receiving another dose. No, this was for his pleasure only, and one she'd willingly offer every time she received permission to perform her penance.

*****

Lucas kept her cheeks spread wide with his fingers. He'd watched as her small pucker had opened with her efforts to offer herself. He'd watched as his cockhead stretched her, and heard her soft cry as she was penetrated, her ring of muscle breached. His movements were slow, though his balls were practically boiling with the need to release his seed. This offering was a gift, and one he would never rush.

The time had passed when Lucy fought him; when she'd wailed from the moment she saw the pot of lubricant. She'd learned so much, and he was grateful he'd been the one to teach her. Lessons of pleasure had followed those of pain, and he'd often bury himself in her backside while his fingers stroked in and out of her cunny. He loved feeling her writhe beneath him, her body pressing forward and back as if unsure which of the fuckings was giving her the most pleasure. Even as he sank to the hilt and prepared to fuck her long and hard, he vowed that tonight, when she was once again in this bed, she'd be quivering and moaning in pleasure—but for now, it was time to finish her atonement.

Moving his hands from her cheeks, he allowed them to close as much as they could around his cock. He gripped her hips, his fingers lying across the wheals he'd placed on her bottom with the cane. Pulling back, he moved almost completely free of her before plunging back in. Again and again, faster and harder, he took her, claimed her as he accepted her offering.

His testicles slapped loudly against her and he could feel the cream that flowed from her coating his skin. The heat of her upturned bottom touched his pelvis every time he buried himself deep, and he heard the moans and soft squeals she was unable to contain or muffle in the bedcoverings. With a final thrust, he erupted inside her, filling her. He thrust a few more times, ensuring he gave her every drop before bending once more across her back.

"I love you, Lucy. Thank you for your penance."

"I love you, too, Papa. I'll be a better girl this week."

He pulled from her, moving off the bed and into the water closet. After washing himself, he dressed and then moved to the bed.

"Shh," he said, running a warm cloth over her sex to clean her before gently parting her cheeks to wipe away the remnants of lubricant. "Stay still, sweetie." He opened another pot and began to spread soothing ointment over every welt he'd placed on her bottom. She whimpered a little, but remained still until her entire backside was glistening with the arnica cream.

Lucas washed his hands while the cream dried. When he helped her off the wedge, he instructed her to lie on her back. "I know your bottom hurts, Kitten, but Papa needs to diaper you." He did it as quickly as possible, pulling on the gown he'd brought into his room from the nursery. When he lifted her, she wrapped her body around him, her head resting against his neck.

Carrying her across the hall, he sat in one of the rockers, having moved the one from Molly's room into the nursery earlier. He'd just picked up one of the bottles they'd left on the table between the rockers when the door was pushed opened and Edward entered; Louisa in his arms.

No one spoke, as nothing needed to be said. The four had come so far together, and accepted the love and support offered by those bonds. Neither twin finished the entire bottle of milk, and barely stirred as they were placed lovingly into the cribs onto their tummies. Lips were kissed and dummies pressed into mouths as covers were tucked around women who found the greatest fulfillment in offering their complete submission.

Epilogue

The house was filled with the tantalizing aroma of cinnamon and spices as Lucy and Louisa moved downstairs, hand in hand. Entering the kitchen, they found that Ettie and Franny were at the tall work table, making cones from pretty patterned paper. A huge pile waiting to be filled was testament to the fact they'd been working for a while.

"I'm so glad you're up," Ettie said, as she glued another cone together. "We sort of stole the idea from Lord Northbridge. Lucas said we could fill them with candy, and hand them out to the children in the pageant tonight."

"I'm sure Lord Northbridge would be delighted that his gift to us is being extended to others. What can we do help?" Louisa asked.

"You can start filling them, or help Bea and Mrs. Williams package the cookies."

Lucy moved to help wrap cookies in brown paper, each packet tied with ribbon, a piece of holly added for a final decoration.

When Lucas and Edward entered an hour later, they found the girls laughing, and baskets filled with the cones and wrapped cookies. Edith was attempting to sweep the girls from her domain. "Go on now, I've got dinner to make."

Lucy went to her Papa, lifting onto her toes to kiss his cheek. His arms dropped around her, holding her close. "Shall we go work on the puzzle?"

"May we go see Samson and Delilah, Papa?"

While the others scattered to various points of the house, Lucas helped Lucy into her boots and made sure she had her mittens. With the hood of her cloak pulled over her head, he held a basket while she filled it with carrots and apples. This time when she slipped out of the door it was with her hand in his.

Instead of rushing to Delilah's stall, Lucy stopped at each one, giving each horse a treat and a few minutes of her attention. Lucas watched as she stroked each large face, telling every animal that they were beautiful or handsome, such good horses. She'd been on a facsimile of a horse only hours earlier, having her backside caned, and yet her love for the animals was obvious.