Dealing With Discipline (36 page)

Irene hadn’t seemed to be so shyly
submissive the night before at Lady Cowper’s, so Eleanor supposed
that Hugh had done something during their honeymoon to help her
come out of her shell a bit. She seemed to have retreated back into
it, but Eleanor was sure that probably had something to do with the
tender state of her bottom and the fact that she was obviously in
over her head.

“I do have one question,” Irene
mumbled, her voice so low and words so jumbled that she was almost
incoherent. Her vibrant green eyes were focused on the invitations
she was clutching tightly in her lap, the pile that she and Eleanor
had sorted for her to respond with affirmative.

“Yes?” Eleanor leaned closer, her
voice soft and encouraging. Her new position allowed her to see the
flaming pink of Irene’s cheeks, a color which clashed horribly with
her red hair and yet was really rather fetching.

Being cast in a position of
responsibility was rather new and exciting for Eleanor. She had
found that she quite enjoyed being the knowledgeable one and
helping her sister-in-law.

“Last night… Hugh… he said…”  Irene’s
cheeks were slowly becoming blotchy with intense reds and pinks
that trickled from her face down to her neck.  It was with a
sudden jolt that Eleanor realized Irene’s question had nothing to
do with social engagements.  With great bravery, Irene
gathered herself and her words came out in a whispered rush, eyes
flicking to the closed doors as if afraid someone might walk in
while she spoke.  “Hugh said that he’s spanked you before and
that LordHydespanksyounowtoo.”

The sudden silence that reigned in the room
made Irene’s panting sound extremely loud.  She was staring at
the floor while Eleanor found herself studying the ceiling, her own
cheeks feeling rather flushed now.  

"I'm sorry," Irene whispered.  "I
shouldn't have brought it up."

"I'm not angry," Eleanor said,
reluctantly looking at her sister-in-law, but Irene's emerald eyes
were riveted to the floor.  "I just don't quite know what to
say... Yes.  I've received my fair share of spankings from
both my father and Hugh, and now from Edwin."  Although she
kept her voice as calm and even as she could, she could still feel
a hot blush rising.  This wasn't a topic of conversation that
was normally discussed, her own mother hadn't wanted to hear any
details of Eleanor's punishments. 

"Really?  I just... I can't imagine you
letting anyone..."  Irene finally looked up at her again, her
expression rather shocked.  

"I don't recall that I ever had a
choice," Eleanor said, somewhat bemused.  This was not at all
an appropriate conversation, but considering that Irene had
overcome her usual sense of propriety to bring it up she felt as
though she should indulge her a little further.  “My father
spanked both of us on a regular basis and I supposed I was always a
bit used to it because of that. With Edwin… I admit, one time I ran
from him but once he caught me I regretted it.”

"No one's ever... I'd never..." Irene's eyes
and voice dropped again.  "Not until Hugh.  He's spanked
me twice now.  I don't know... I don't know how I should feel
or..."  Her voice trickled off.  

A surge of sympathy engulfed Eleanor.
 Poor Irene.  At least Eleanor had always known what the
consequences of her bad behavior was, Irene still seemed to be
assimilating the idea that Hugh might take his hand to her
backside.  Then again, from what she'd seen last night she
couldn't deny that her sister-in-law might have deserved it.
 

Perhaps Irene might like some space from Hugh
to think things through...

"You know... Irene... I've been considering
taking a trip out to the country and I need a companion to go with
me.  Perhaps you would be interested?"  Traveling with
her sister-in-law would certainly satisfy propriety.  "I
thought I might go to Bath to visit my mother."

"You won't be traveling with Lord
Hyde?"

"No."  Eleanor's calm expression became
slightly more intense as Irene looked at her with some confusion
and a kind of dawning curiosity.  "I would like to spend some
time away from my husband at this juncture."

"Oh..."  The idea appealed immensely.
 Achieving distance from both Hugh and Alex so that she could
sort out her feelings away from Society and in the calm of the
country sounded wonderful.  "I think... I think that sounds
lovely.  When?"

"It's only a few weeks until the Season is
over and then Edwin plans to visit his parents, I'm sure Hugh will
be returning to his estates at the same time."

A few weeks seemed like an
interminable amount of time from where Irene was sitting, but she
also knew that with all the social events that it would pass
quickly enough.  Hope sprang up in her breast.  Some time
in Eleanor's company where she could perhaps gather the courage to
speak more explicitly with her sister-in-law, away from Hugh and
Alex so that she could think, away from the bustle of the city...
it sounded perfect.

"I would like that very much."

******

While the evening before had not quite
gone as Hugh had intended, he couldn’t deny that he’d enjoyed parts
of it immensely. Still, the disquiet that Irene had sparked at Lady
Cowper’s ball hadn’t quite died down, despite the fact that she had
seemed very much back to her old self before leaning to see his
sister. They’d had a perfectly amiable breakfast with each other,
without any of the coldness she’d displayed towards him after her
first spanking.

Yet he knew he’d been much harsher
with her than he had the first time. She’d certainly been sitting
gingerly enough at the dining table.

Women. Who could figure?

Well, possibly the man
sprawled bonelessly in an armchair in front of him. With no cravat,
the top of his shirt unbuttoned and wearing a very rumpled jacket,
Wesley was looking more than a little worse for the wear. Not that
many ladies would agree with Hugh’s assessment, he had to admit.
They’d find his devil-may-care dress and scruffy face immensely
intriguing, just as they did his piratical looks and roguish charm.
It wasn’t a tactic that Hugh had ever used when he’d been cutting a
swath through the accommodating ladies of the
ton
, but he could stand witness that
it worked very well for the Earl of Spencer.

No, Wesley could read women quite
well, his current trouble came from a man.

“So Lord Windham wasn’t quite as
accommodating as you’d been led to believe?” Hugh asked, his lips
quirking even though he had found he no longer found quite as much
amusement in an irate husband. Still, it was Wesley and he knew his
friend wouldn’t presume to step where he’d be unwelcome.

“Not accommodating at all, in fact,”
Wesley said with a groan, his fingers lightly tracing over the
swollen spot on this cheek which was already starting to darken and
bruise. “I’d barely even gotten the woman alone to see if we’d even
suit before he came crashing in.”

“I thought you were currently involved
with Lady Lilienfield,” Hugh murmured. Not that he was entirely
surprised Wesley had gone looking for a fresh conquest, he’d always
been rather hard to keep entertained. It would take quite a woman
to keep Wesley interested.

Wesley shrugged in response to Hugh’s
implied question. “Both she and I agreed that the attraction had
run its course. I gave her a suitably appreciative gift and I’d
just begun looking for something to enjoy myself with for the last
bit of the Season. Didn’t realize it’d be so bloody
hard.”

“If Lord Windham demands satisfaction
you know I’m happy to offer myself as your second, as would
Edwin.”

“For that matter I suspect Alex would
be as well, but I seriously doubt it will come to that. Windham’s a
hothead but it was patently obvious that Lady Windham and I didn’t
do more than exchange a few kisses… I’ve been considering ending my
Season early.”

“Really?” Hugh looked at his friend in
surprise. Now that Wesley had returned to England and come back out
into Society following his father’s death, he hadn’t thought
anything would make his friend retreat again.

“Oh not over this,” Wesley
said with a negligent wave of his hand. He yawned, looking very
much like a lazy lion contemplating bestirring himself. “Although
giving the Windhams some distance is a distinct benefit. No, my
mother wrote me again. She’s threatening that if I don’t come and
help her with my ward then she’s going to come to
me
, ward in tow I
assume, and do her best to interfere in my life by
match-making.”

A palpable
hit
, Hugh thought, hiding a grin. Although
Wesley might be a rake and a rogue and play at being an
irresponsible lordling with not a care in the world, Hugh was well
aware that Wesley was quite responsible about his estates and
finances, as well as the business endeavors he’s become involved in
during his travels, and that he could never be harsh to his mother.
The Countess had obviously realized that her son was finding it
much easier to deny her requests and pleas at a distance. If she
were to arrive wherever Wesley was and insist on trotting him out
to all manner of debutantes, he’d feel forced to humor
her.

While the late Earl had been forceful
and demanding, it was the Countess who knew how to tug at her sons’
heartstrings. Which was why Wesley’s brothers had applied to him
for support for their desired futures and why Wesley had informed
his mother of his support for their wishes by letter. He’d gotten a
scathing written reply but that was preferable to the Countess
descending in person.

“What did your ward do this time?”
Hugh was genuinely curious as Wesley had thoroughly entertained him
with the letters from the Countess that he’d missed while he’d been
away on his honeymoon. Every letter had a new descriptive for her:
blue-stocking, hoyden, unmanageable impudence, etc. From what Hugh
could tell the girl was even more spirited than Eleanor had been;
he didn’t envy the Countess or Wesley their tasks.

“Ah,” Wesley said, pulling the letter
in question from his coat with a flourish and a grin. “I knew you’d
ask. Apparently she’s now become a brazen hussy.”

“Oh my.”

“Indeed. My mother says,
and I quote, ‘
The ungrateful brat told me
in quite strident tones that she did not appreciate my ‘meddling’
as she called it. I took the opportunity to remind her that no man
wants to marry a young woman who rides astride, as it is remarkably
scandalous, especially in public and that the sooner she is wed the
sooner she will have her own household and would no longer have to
abide my meddling. I thought that perhaps such a description would
encourage her to curb her behavior at least until I can get her wed
and off my hands. Well! The brazen hussy is now throwing herself at
the various gentleman we meet, some of them with the worst
reputations and who are known fortune hunters, and I’m quite sure
that she’s now not only going to ruin our good name and my
reputation, but herself as well. I will not have it be said that
any ward under my care was ruined. Wesley, I implore you, if you do
not make your way to Bath to assist me within the next month then I
will make my way to you
.’ She goes on and
on.”

Finally able to let loose his
laughter, Hugh was practically doubled over with mirth. With each
letter the Countess of Spencer sent her tone became more irate and
her language much less elegant. He’d never thought to hear her
utter the term “brazen hussy,” and the high-pitched imitation that
Wesley used to read aloud her words only added to the entertainment
value of such a recitation.

Even Wesley was smiling, able to
recognize the humor in the situation and in his mother’s letter.
Since he hadn’t met the wench, he didn’t feel particularly beholden
to finding her a husband or taking care of her, he’d thought he
could reliably leave that in his mother’s hands. The reality of
having a ward was not something that had in any way affected his
life, other than entertainment value whenever he’d received another
letter from the Countess. But obviously the situation needed to be
taken in hand. With his considerable charms, and a strong hand if
necessary, he doubted it would take him very much time to make the
chit behave well enough to lift the burden from his mother and get
her married off so that he wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore
at all. Of course he’d have to make sure she had a suitable
husband, despite his mother’s obvious frustrations with the wench
he knew that she would expect him to assist in making a match that
she could brag of.

Really the letter had come at quite an
opportune time.

“So I suppose you’ll be off to Bath
soon then?” Hugh said as his amusement died down to chuckling.
“What will the ladies of London do without you?”

“Hopefully learn to be more discerning
about their husbands’ inclinations,” Wesley said dryly. “And yes,
I’m planning to leave within the week. It seems too good an
opportunity not to take advantage of, especially since I no longer
have anything keeping me here.”

“Other than my scintillating company,
of course.”

“Of course. Although I might find it a
dashed bit more scintillating if you’d feed me.”