Her Lord's Claim (The Forbidden Saga #4) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,9
and buried her burning cheek in her pillow, realizing again just how close she had come to testing his words at the ball. She hadn’t been spanked since that day but couldn’t help but wonder how Lucas’ hand would feel slapping against her bare bottom instead of simply spanking her through her layers of clothing. Thinking about his hand caused her to shiver and her heart to pound. She would not think of discipline, could not allow her mind to travel there. However, she smiled softly and knew her dreams would be full of images of his huge yet tender hands roaming elsewhere across her body. Pushing the shadow of a man wearing black robes, eyes full of judgement away, she told herself that she would not be ashamed of the thoughts that Lucas prompted within her. Snuggling down in her bed, she fell asleep with a naughty smile on her lips.
Chapter 3
Anna’s words proved true as Lucy was awakened the next morning. Lucy buried her face in her pillow as Molly drew her curtains back to allow the harsh morning sun to light the room. “Congratulations, Miss Lucy,” Molly said cheerfully as she crossed the room to the bed and attempted to pull the covers away. “I am so happy for you and Lord Huntington,” Molly continued and then frowned when she realized her mistress was attempting to pull the covers from her hands. “Now, Miss Lucy, come, you must get up and prepare yourself for the morning services,” Molly said as she forcefully uncovered Lucy.
Lucy managed to push herself into a sitting position. “I’m just so tired, Molly.” Lucy moaned as she watched her servant hustle about the room, gathering items to prepare Lucy for her day. “I don’t see why we can’t skip today’s services. I feel as if I haven’t gotten any sleep at all,” Lucy complained.
Molly giggled as she helped Lucy from the bed and led her into the adjacent water closet. “I know you are tired,” Molly said as she quickly stripped the nightgown from her mistress. “I waited a bit longer to awaken you, Miss Lucy, but I fear we must hurry now. The lords are already at the table, and I fear trouble if we don’t have you join them as quickly as possible.”
The mention of trouble reminded Lucy of spankings, and she didn’t protest as her drawers were discarded. Molly quickly piled Lucy’s hair up onto the top of her head and handed her a sponge and a bar of soap after helping her mistress into the tub. It had evidently been filled as she slept, and Lucy was grateful for its fragrant warmth.
“Do you wish me to bathe you, miss?” Molly asked, when Lucy simply held the items in her hands as if she had no memory of their intended use.
Molly’s words caused her to come out of her stupor, and she quickly soaped the sponge and began to lather her arms. “No, Molly, I am capable of bathing on my own,” Lucy said, her face flushing as the servant stood at the side of the tub, her face showing her uncertainty that Lucy could or would properly cleanse herself. As Lucy moved the sponge over her arms, Molly finally nodded.
“Very well, miss,” she said and turned to the door. “I shall prepare your clothing, but please hurry.”
“I will,” Lucy promised and began to bathe in earnest when the girl left the room. The activity served to help wash away the last remnants of sleepiness from her, and by the time Molly returned with a large towel, Lucy was ready and stood, quickly climbing out of the tub and gratefully accepting the covering. She still had an extremely hard time being nude in front of anyone and blushed even hotter when Molly took over, quickly rubbing the towel over Lucy's glistening body until she was dry. Lucy kept the concealing wrap tight around her, wishing Molly had remembered to bring her dressing gown into the room. As she followed the servant back into the bedroom, she had to admit that the maid had not been dawdling while her mistress bathed. The bed had already been properly made, the pillows fluffed and placed at the head of the bed and her clothes laid atop the smoothed quilt. Lucy’s smile slid from her face as she took a closer look at the clothing.
“No…” she moaned and looked beseechingly at her maid. “There’s been a mistake. The girls in the laundry must have