Her Lord's Desire (The Forbidden Saga #3) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,4

drawer and began removing corsets from their place. Lucy’s mouth gaped open as she watched. Though she had admitted to both Molly as well as her twin that she hated being forced to wear a tight corset, seeing them being piled high into Molly’s arms, she threw back the covers of her bed and was soon attempting to pull her belongings from Mrs. Bremmer’s hands.

“Stop! What do you think you are doing? These are my things.”

“Lucille, I suggest you abstain from arguing with me. I—”

“You have no right to take them!” Lucy demanded, cutting the woman off. “They don’t belong to you and I’ll inform Edward that you’ve stolen my things!” Even as she pulled with all her weight. Mrs. Bremmer’s hand remained clasped on the garment, her face drawing into a tight mask of disapproval.

“You are free to tell his lordship whatever you wish after I tend to your naughty bottom. But for now, missy, you will release your hold,” Anna said, her words causing Molly to gasp.

Shocked as well, Lucy lost her tug-of-war and almost fell when the last corset was ripped from her hands. It had been several days since Lucille had felt the shame and pain of being spanked like an errant child. Hearing the housekeeper speak as if tending to a naughty bottom was an everyday occurrence caused Lucy’s face to flush with red heat.

As if completely oblivious to the reaction her words had caused, Anna simply passed the garment to Molly. With her hands now free, Anna grabbed Lucy by her arm and marched her a few feet toward her desk. With her free hand, Anna pulled out the straight-back chair and dragged it to the center of the room. Lucy gave a short squeal as she was pulled roughly down across the woman’s left knee after Anna had seated herself. The moment Lucy felt her nightgown being lifted, she began struggling with all her might in an attempt to squirm off the woman’s lap. Anna soon had Lucy’s kicking legs trapped, placing her free leg over her young charge’s.

“No! Please, don’t!” Lucy begged as her nightgown was rapidly being drawn up her legs and then halfway up her back. “Wait! I’m sorry!” she cried. “I… I just don’t understand,” she wailed as she felt her drawers being pulled down to expose her bottom. Lucy was humiliated being pulled onto the woman’s lap and her bottom bared just like a naughty small child who had earned a correction. She was remembering her punishments at Edward’s hand and the pain from those spankings.

“Stop, please… you… you can’t spank me!” Lucy said her voice growing shriller with every word. “I’m a grown woman; I graduated from school… you… you can’t do this. I’m a big girl!”

Anna actually chuckled. “Big girls do not throw tantrums and act like ridiculous little children, Lucille. Big girls do not screech and wail so that every person in the household knows they are misbehaving,” Anna said. “You will settle yourself and ask me to give you a nice hard tawsing to teach you to behave like the ‘big girl’ you are claiming to be,” Anna directed.

Lucy flushed realizing the statement had indeed been a stupid one to make. However, there was no way she would ever ask this woman to spank her.

When Lucy remained silent, Anna sighed. “Lucille, surely you must know by now that you aren’t going to win any arguments in this household. Not with the lord and, young lady, not with me. I’d think you’d have recognized that your guardian has granted me full authority over both you and your sister. Lord Wintercrest spends a great many hours outside the manor and it is my responsibility to guide both of his young ladies in behavior appropriate to their station.”

Lucy’s head had turned back to look at the woman while she gave a speech she truly didn’t wish to hear. Responsibility indeed. Proper behavior appropriate for their station? Her twin held the title of Lady Wintercrest… and even if Lucy had learned that the title was basically nothing but words under this roof, Louisa was still a respected woman of society. Surely this servant was overstepping her boundaries. Opening her mouth to remind the housekeeper of those very facts, she watched Mrs. Bremmer reach into her apron pocket and remove an implement.

“Close your mouth, Lucille, you are not a fish,” Anna said.

Lucy snapped her mouth shut, her face flushing at the chastisement but was suddenly far more concerned when