Mastering Maeve (20 page)

It excited him to the core when she gave herself to him, willingly and completely. He had tried suggesting it in the past, but Maeve’s feisty independent streak seemed to object, regardless of how much her body showed otherwise. She was nearly there in Texas, admitting that it excited her when he was pushy about discipline, but back on her own turf Maeve was much more self-sufficient. Now he was going to try to open the way by stealth first, and have the discussion later, to see if she could learn to become comfortable with total submission. He was pleasantly surprised by her apology; it was a small victory.

Larry had expected to return to a much calmer household that evening. Due to the appalling driving conditions, he was a little late returning from Galway. Maeve was changing for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, a custom they had stolen from the U.S. to honour the travelling guests. Bridie had been most scathing about it as it was a break from tradition and way too much fussing for her liking, and had made her views on the subject very clear to both Larry and Maeve.

“You’re late. You left me to the mercy of Granny,” Maeve whined as he came in to change, kissing her briefly.

“I know, honey, I’m sorry, the journey took a little longer than expected, but we still have time.”

“Granny is still having kittens about the meal tonight, especially about my father’s family coming,” Maeve continued moaning.

“Whatever you do, don’t bite, Maeve. I know it’s difficult.”

“I’ll do my best, but she really knows how to wind me up. Anyway, I’m going down to check all is ready in the dining room for when we get back.”

Larry showered and changed. He was almost as tense as Maeve seemed. He could understand why Bridie was less than happy about Maeve’s other grandmother and aunt coming this evening and although she may have a point, Larry totally supported Maeve’s point of view that it was better to get it over with now in a small crowd than on Saturday, when the eyes of the whole neighbourhood would be on them all. Larry really admired Maeve for having the courage to visit the O’Reilly family, and for having enough compassion in her heart to forgive the past hurt; he just wished Bridie could see it from Maeve’s perspective.

He joined his future bride in the dining room as soon as he was dressed, and smiled as she was bending over the tables, placing name cards in each seat, giving him a beautiful view of her behind, his favourite part of her luscious body. He knew she had spent a lot of time trying to get the seating right to keep friction to a minimum among her grandparents, and to encourage as much mingling with visitors, to help put them at ease before Saturday. She looked lost in thought as he saw her stretch forward; some of her hair had escaped its tie, and the luxurious blue-black was a stunning contrast to the crisp white table linen. He’d have liked to push her forward and have his wicked way right at that moment, but he was jolted from the naughty daydream by the sound of his cell phone.

Looking at the caller ID, he became quite flustered. He definitely didn’t want Maeve to overhear this conversation. She looked up at the sound and her face scowled as he made a rapid retreat.

“How much longer are these secretive calls going to go on?” she demanded crossly on his return. “Are you having an affair already?”

She made a grab for his phone and checked the caller ID. He was really angry, both at her snapping the phone, and even more, because she doubted his fidelity. He drew her out and gave her several firm smacks on the bottom.

“Stop it
now
, Maeve! I’ve had just about enough of your behaviour. I would never check your phone.”

“And I don’t need to leave the room every time mine rings. What are you up to? Have you any idea how secretive you’ve been over the last few weeks, or how bad it looks? We’re getting married in a few days and you’re having all these illicit phone calls. Are you fucking someone?”

Larry reached out and grasped her firmly by the arm and tugged her in the direction of the door.

“Oh, no, you don’t get to hit me for questioning why you’re hiding things from me,” she snapped, tugging her arm away.

“I’ll decide when you need to be spanked from now on, madam; you’ve been asking for this all week,” he retorted, grabbing her again. “Now you’re coming to the schoolroom whether you like it or not. I will carry you if I have to and I don’t give a damn who sees it. Enough is enough.” To his surprise she started walking, but as they approached the door she began to plead.

“Please, Larry, I’m sorry, we need to get to the church.”

“You should have thought about that before.” He shut the door quietly behind them.

“Remove your skirt, leave your panties on,” he ordered. Again he was pleased with her unexpected cooperation. Only when she stood before him in a state of semi-undress with her arms folded across her chest did he see any sign of insubordination.

“Look at me, Maeve,” he demanded, cupping his chin in her hand. She raised her eyes to his face; her cheeks were flushed and she looked wary but defiant. “Why do you think I am going to spank you?”

“Because obviously you think I should have to answer to you even though you don’t feel you should answer to me,” she answered sulkily.

“Do you really believe that’s why?” he asked sternly.

“No, I suppose not. But I don’t think it’s fair that I should get punished when you’re the one acting suspiciously.”

“Maeve, it’s your grandma’s fault that you’re snapping at her, and it’s my fault that you’re snapping at me. Who’s the common denominator here? You’re being totally unreasonable with everyone.”

“It’s not unreasonable to wonder why your fiancé has been sneaking around for weeks, taking calls and sending texts nonstop, but hiding them.”

“No, it’s not unreasonable to wonder, or even to ask, but it is unreasonable to snatch my cell and start checking it. If you
had
asked, I’d have said I’ve been working on something I think you’d like very much, but I wanted to wait until it was confirmed before telling you. I was hoping I could have it all pulled together on time for our wedding day, and now it is. I was coming in to tell you the good news when you got all antsy.”

“So what is it?” Maeve asked.

“Stop stalling, Maeve. You know I’ve got to punish you for that, and how you’re acting all week, don’t you?” Maeve slowly nodded her head. “Here’s what I want you to do for me. I want you to go over to the door and fetch that strap that’s on the hook.”

“Oh, God, n-no, please, Larry, not that.” He watched the colour drain from her face.

“Honey, we don’t have time for a long spanking, but you’ve been very bad, so it’s gotta hurt. Now go fetch it quickly or I’ll double you to a dozen strokes. Please hurry, it’s getting late and we don’t want to keep the priest waiting any longer than necessary,” he said, keeping his voice gentle but firm.

He watched her drag her feet to the door, and knew that the very act of fetching the implement herself, while in a state of undress, was adding to her dread. He held out his hand as she returned and passed the leather strap to him. It was about three inches wide and fourteen inches long of double-thickness leather. It was crafted to cause serious pain and he could see she knew that as she passed it over.

“Now pull your panties down to your knees and lie across the desk. Grip the other side with your hands.” She obeyed as expeditiously as she could, considering what was coming. He gave no warm-up, partly as time was limited and partly as this was meant to cause her as much hurt as she had with caused him her accusations. He swished the strap through the air, getting the feel of it, and saw her shudder and tighten her bottom cheeks at the sound.

“Don’t clench, Maeve, or I will cane you later too while using a plug to teach you not to clench. Be a good girl and relax.” He rubbed her milky white globes once, then spread her legs apart to help prevent clenching. He had a glimpse of her pussy, slick and moist in spite of her trepidation. Her white cotton panties were bunched up in a twist just above her knees. He clucked his disapproval at her obvious arousal to increase her mortification, but really, if she had any clue how hot she looked like that, she could so easily have distracted him from his intentions.

“Count to six, and don’t make me start over.”

“Ok,” she rasped.

“Pardon?” he asked as he brought the strap down in the centre of her bare pale arse. Immediately a wide red welt formed as she yelped.

“Sorry, sir, I mean, yes, sir, one.”

“No, that one doesn’t count, and I want to hear ‘sir’ after each number.”

“O-one, sir,” she howled as he brought the strap down again. She wriggled, trying to escape the burning sensation.

“Be still,” he ordered. He delivered each of the remaining five in quick succession, starting up at the top of her bum and working his way down. By the time it was done, she was aflame right along to the tops of her thighs, the width and length of the implement ensuring every bit of her posterior felt the impact. It wasn’t enough strokes for tears, but that was what he wanted. He wasn’t so heartless as to force her to go to a rehearsal with the embarrassment of red eyes. A scorched bottom was humiliation enough. He rubbed her momentarily and then told her to thank him and dress quickly.

“Thank you, sir,” Maeve said meekly. At that he pulled her in for a quick cuddle; she had accepted her correction much more readily than he had anticipated. If she knew how badly he wanted her now. All the appearance of defiance had gone and her face was placid and calm. His penis was aching from a desire to plunge into the glistening moist crevice he had spied only a moment earlier, but there really wasn’t time. He brought his mouth down on hers and she responded hungrily until he reluctantly pulled away.

“Come on, sweetie, we really do have to go, much and all as I’d like to put you leaning face down on that table again.”

A much milder woman accompanied Larry to the church. He noticed too how much less snappy she was with everyone at dinner. Even when Bridie seemed to deliberately goad her, she just passed it over. Larry squeezed her knee under the table, silently acknowledging her effort. The meal passed off uneventfully, with Bridie even managing to hold her tongue with the O’Reillys. Maeve had seated Lawrence’s family with Bridie as Lawrence and she had seemed to hit it off so well during his visit. Both Maeve and Larry were pretty delighted to see them chat away like old friends. Finally the diners went their own separate ways and all that was left were Maeve, Larry, Lawrence, and Bridie, drinking an after-dinner brandy in the bar.

“I got some good news today,” Larry said to the assembled crew. “At least I hope it’s good news. I got word that my offer was accepted on a beef farm in Meath. That’s what all the secrecy has been about, Maeve; I didn’t want to get your hopes up that we’d be able to stay if it fell through.” He stole a sly look in her direction. She was beaming as she leaned across her grandmother to kiss him.

“Really, so we get to stay here, you’d do that for me? Larry Williamson, I love you. Thank you so much.”

Bridie’s reaction was almost as good. To lose Maeve to the States would have been terribly hard for her at her age and he knew she had been dreading it. He figured it was behind a lot of her snarky behaviour in the last few days as the time loomed closer. Larry was equally as aware of the disappointment in his father’s visage. But Lawrence had Margaret and her family; Bridie had no one. He was doing what he thought was the right thing.

“They’re looking for lots of archaeologists on the dig for the Navan road, near what’s that place the old high kings lived? You don’t even need to earn a salary; you could just volunteer and be doing what you love,” he said to Maeve, watching her eyes light up.

“You mean the Hill of Tara. Jesus, yeah, I could, couldn’t I? That would be so cool.”

* * *

The fifteenth of February stunned everyone; an icon of Our Lord, the Child of Prague, sworn by Irish people to gain the blessing of a dry wedding day, had been left outside overnight and had done his work, creating a
minor miracle. The sun shone down brightly as the wedding cortege drove up to the parish church.The unexpectedly clement weather drew all of the snoops out of their houses to have a look at the bride who was dressed in a Celtic design dress of white Irish linen, elaborately embroidered, with long flared sleeves, a fitted bodice, and a flared skirt and train. A simple gold rope detail formed a belt, emphasising her slim waist and feminine hips. She wore her hair down in loose curls, with an Angel’s Breath tiara and pearls interwoven in her hair. Orla’s dress was of a similar design in emerald green.

Larry felt nervous and stiff in his morning suit as he waited. As the organ struck up Wagner’s Wedding March, he looked around and caught sight of his bride and smiled; any earlier nerves now entirely washed away. Always ready to cause a bit of a stir, Maeve had elected Bridie to give her away, much to her grandmother’s delight. Larry watched the three women walk up the aisle where he was waiting longingly for his future bride. The resemblance in the bride’s and grandmother’s personalities was striking and Larry knew he would have his hands full with his young, bright, spirited wife. But when he saw the mettle in Bridie as she proudly walked alongside the bride, he knew Maeve would be able to take anything life threw their way.

“You look so beautiful,” he whispered as she drew up beside him to take his arm.

“You look gorgeous too,” she replied.

The wedding ceremony took about an hour of sitting and standing and careful attention to the solemn words, trying not to fudge his words with his nerves. He was proud of how collected Maeve seemed to be, especially given her anxiety in the build-up to it.

He watched her closely all through the wedding reception. There was no doubt in his mind that staying in Ireland was the right thing to do as she was so at ease among her own people. She belonged here; not like in Texas where she had been fraught with worry about saying or doing the wrong thing and consequently was almost afraid to speak. Here Maeve’s confidence shone and her spirit bloomed. And even though sometimes her exuberance or even wilfulness could be tiresome, it was still what Larry loved best about her. He would be able to help Maeve control how she exhibited her spirit, but he hoped she would never squash it—rather, learn to hide it at times.