A Lesson in Passion (13 page)

Ian walked next to her and explained that when
the time came, she was to bend over the box and hold onto the rope.
He held a vicious looking wooden paddle in his hand. The paddle,
smooth from careful sanding, was the size of the cricket bat, but a
little wider. It had an intricate design on it, probably Scottish
in nature, Ginny surmised. It looked well used and was probably
what they used on willful children.

Ian spoke to the clan calmly. “It gives me no
pleasure to do this, but as ya know, we have rules that must be
followed. Lady Chatham has broken a very important rule by
disrespecting me and this clan.” The crowd began to boo Ginny and
she felt the hate like needles being pushed into her skin. She kept
her head high and bore it without complaint. Ian was feeling even
worse for what he was about to do.

“
QUIET!” Ian roared at the booing
clan. “She is willing to take her punishment for her transgression.
She is here of her own accord, no one needed to drag her here or
hold her down. She will take her punishment and it will be
done.”

Ian nodded to Ginny, who quickly took her
place on the box. She held the rope, although Ginny didn't think he
would paddle her so hard to send her flying. Of course, she didn't
know for sure.

“
You will receive three whacks,”
Ian announced right before the first one hit.

Ginny had never experienced anything like it.
She imagined that it was how it would feel being hit by a ram.
Ginny was certain that Ian wasn't holding anything back just
because she was a woman. All that was heard was a small grunt from
Ginny. She'd be damned again if she would cry. These people didn't
deserve her tears, only her contempt.

The second whack was worse since it was
hitting sore skin and the third was nearly unbearable. When it was
over, Ginny stood up slowly. She fought to keep down the wave of
nausea that was building up inside her. Ginny knew that crying
would be bad, but throwing up would be unforgivable. As she passed
Ian, he stopped her with his hand.

“
Ya have done well, little one. Ya
took it like a warrior,” Ian whispered in her ear. Ginny, who had
been looking straight ahead up until that point, turned her head
and looked right into his eyes. It was clear that she was angry,
but trying to contain herself to avoid another whack.

“
Thank you, Laird. That means so
much to me,” Ginny managed to say before pushing his hand away and
walking into the keep. Sarcasm had always been something of an art
form for Ginny. She wielded it like a sword against the stupid.
Right now, she could think of no one more stupid than Laird Ian and
the whole McKenna clan.

*
*
*

Maude followed Ginny into the keep. She closed
the door and came to her side. “Please let me help ya,” was all she
said as she took Ginny's arm and led her the large table in the
middle of the room. “I know ya don't want to sit, so lean over the
table and I will fetch ya some water.”

Maude's kindness was almost Ginny's undoing.
After all the hate she received since her arrival, this one young
girl proved that she was not some kind of monster. Ginny leaned
over the table and wondered if the sting would subside
soon.

As if reading her mind, Maude said, “It won't
sting forever, my lady. It will hurt for the first hour or so, but
it will get better before evening supper.”

Ginny received the water gratefully. It seemed
that poor Maude had received the same punishment at some time
herself. “What did you do?” was all Ginny said.

“I can get myself into some mischief on
occasion. The last time I accidentally set fire to my family's
hut.”

Ginny looked at her incredulously. “Really...
all I did was laugh. How many did you get for the fire?”

“Five,” Maude turned her face away,
but Ginny could see that she was laughing. “It was an accident, but
no one would listen. That was before Laird Ian. His father was much
more brutal.” More brutal?
Dear
God
, thought Ginny,
he must have been the devil himself.

Ginny could hear the giant wood door opening
and the light from outside pouring in. She knew who it would be
without turning around to look. She wondered if she would hear
about her snide remark before leaving him outside. The “emperor”
couldn't possibly be happy with her insolence.

“Maude, would ya be so kind as to
leave us alone for a moment?” Ian's voice, for once, didn't sound
surly.

Maude bowed her head and headed toward the
kitchen. Before she left, she called back, “Please let me know if I
can be of service this evening, my lady. I've some experience and
can be helpful in yar comfort.” Ginny couldn't help but smile.
Despite Ian's presence, she'd made her displeasure known. Maude was
a braver girl than she.

In a uncharacteristically soft voice, Ian
asked, “How are ya faring?”

Ginny was in no mood to speak to him. However,
she did not wish to endure another paddling session. With her teeth
gritted, she said, “As fine as to be expected, Laird.” It almost
killed her to hold back the smart ass response she so wanted to
give him. Ginny also had quite a few names she wished she could
call him. Many he would have never heard before, and may not even
know were insulting. Ginny considered this while Ian continued to
stare at her.

Ian went quite easy on her. He did not swing
with as much ferocity as he had in the past on other members of his
clan and he certainly wasn't as vicious as his father. He wanted
her to know of his compassion. “Ya should be thankful that I was so
gentle with ya.”

What?
Ginny thought.
He has to be
kidding!

Despite the pain, she stood up and faced him
dead on. Biting back the worst of the comments that came to mind,
Ginny smiled and said, “I will forever be grateful for your
kindness and the kindness of your clan. I have never been so
welcomed in my life. Your restraint with the paddle was most
appreciated. I can honestly say, without a doubt, I barely felt
it.”

At this, Ian smiled. Her audacity was starting
to please him greatly. Since the moment they met, she never shrank
from him. Oh, he knew there were times she feared him and what he
was capable of, but she never backed down. Ian loved watching the
play of emotions on her face as she held back the worst of her
thoughts. Yes, this woman would please him greatly.

Ginny stared at Ian's face as he smiled. Yes,
he was a handsome man, but most of the time it was hard to notice
with the constant snarl he wore. Now, with his smile, Ginny noticed
a strange stirring. Sexually appealing, she began to wonder what it
would be like to sleep with him. Ginny was no virgin, although the
body she possessed most likely was. She began to smile thinking
about what it would do to him if she responded with as much ardor
as a 21st century woman.

Her smile was Ian's undoing. His mind shouted
for him to stop, but his body moved closer to hers. His large,
calloused hands grabbed her face and pointed it up to meet his
gaze. “You please me, Lady Genevieve. You belong to me now and
forever.” With that, Ian bent his head to meet his lips with hers.
Gentle at first, he didn't want to scare her.

Ginny couldn't believe he was
kissing her and so gently. It was her chance to shock and horrify
him.
Now, Laird Ian McKenna, you'll find
out what it was like to kiss this woman who's not afraid of men and
not ignorant of sex
. She reached her hand
behind his head, laced her fingers in his long hair and pulled him
even closer. Opening her mouth, her tongue reached out and traced
his lips.

Ian pulled back abruptly and just stared at
Ginny. He could not believe her boldness. Shock flashed on his face
before he couldn't hold back any more. With a grunt of pleasure,
Ian pulled Ginny to his mouth and kissed her. His tongue reaching
into her mouth to take possession of her. His hands caressing her
face and shoulders. Ian knew that he would not likely be able to
stop himself.

Just as his hands reached down to caress her
breasts, Ginny pulled away abruptly. She quickly ran around to the
other side of the table to put some distance between the two of
them. Her plan to shock and horrify him went terribly wrong. Ginny
knew that he was turned on. She was no prude, but damn if she would
sleep with him after he took a paddle to her ass. Wiping her hand
across her wet, swollen lips, Ginny had trouble drawing a
breath.

Neither said a word for a long time. They just
stared at each other from across the table. When Ian could trust
his voice again, he spoke gently, “Did I scare ya?”

What!
,
Ginny thought,
he has got to be
kidding?
It occurred to her that that
thought was becoming her mantra. Ginny dropped her face to her
hands and was shaking. She immediately controlled her laughter,
since that was what got her paddled in the first place. She took a
deep breath and looked him in the eyes.

“I'm sorry, Laird, but I thought it
was I who scared you!” Ginny retorted. She couldn't help but smile
at the look of indignation on his face. There was a part of her
that just couldn't help herself when it came to baiting
him.

“Surely, ya jest,” was all Ian
could say. This girl, this Englishwoman, had the audacity to think
she could inflict fear on him.
Of all the
gall
, he thought. Once again, his desire
turned to rage. When he saw the look on her face, he realized that
he was scaring her again and immediately calmed himself
down.
What was it about this
woman
, he thought grimly.

Ginny could see that she'd made him angry
again. She wasn't up for another confrontation. She just wanted to
find some middle ground that they could both live in. Ginny was
tired, hungry, dirty and in pain. She knew she should suck it up
and placate him before he went on a rampage once again.

“I'm sorry, Laird. I didn't mean to
insult you... again. I know whenever I speak, I say the wrong thing
and make you angry. Maybe I should find Maude and she can bring me
to her house. I don't wish to inconvenience you any longer,” Ginny
said forlornly. She knew she sounded pathetic, which was so unlike
her, but at this point, she was pretty pathetic.

“Ya must be tired,” Ian was trying
to be more accommodating.

“I'm exhausted. I'm also starving
and thirsty and filthy and my bottom is on fire. I am not having a
good day!”

Immediately, Ian strode from the room toward
the kitchens. Ginny could only imagine what he had in store for
her. She prayed for a little kindness, which all the romantic
novels would offer, but she knew that she'd irretrievably changed
this story for the worst.

Ian came back with a tray of ale, bread and
cheese. He held the tray in one hand and grabbed her arm with the
other. He walked briskly up the stone steps to the upper level
where he stopped in front of an enormous wood door, with big metal
studs and door pull. Ian used his shoulder to push open the door
and dragged Ginny inside.

Inside the room, was a giant hearth, two holes
for windows with heavy fabric curtains. The stone floor was covered
with rugs and on the one side was a giant bed with a canopy and
more heavy curtains. Ginny could imagine how cozy it would be when
all the curtains were drawn. Before she could take in the whole
room, Ian dragged her to the bed and released his grip. He put the
tray down next to the bed and turned to Ginny.

“This is my bedchamber. Please
partake of it until ya feel better. Have a bite to eat and get some
rest. I'll fetch Maude to attend ya.”

With that, he left the room. Ginny stared at
the doorway and began to cry.

*
*
*

Maude found Ginny, still standing
in the same spot, staring at the door. Somehow, Ginny managed to
stop her tears before Maude came in, but it was obvious from her
red eyes and tear stained cheeks that she'd been crying. “My lady,
are ya unwell?”

Ginny laughed. “That would be the
understatement of the century.”

Maude tilted her head slightly and looked at
her funny. “Ya say the strangest things, my lady. Let me assist ya
so ya can get some rest. Everything will seem much better
tomorrow.”

“Why, are they finally sending me
away?” Ginny was only half kidding.

Maude helped Ginny undress. Two women from the
kitchen began to arrange for a bath. There was a small tub, more
like a bucket, that was placed next to the hearth. While Maude
built a fire, the two women began to fill the tub with hot water.
Leaving two buckets of water behind for rinsing, the women
disappeared through the door. Maude then had Ginny kneel in the tub
so she could help her wash. Such a personal activity, Ginny was
slightly embarrassed, but not enough to ask Maude to leave. With a
sweet smelling soap, Maude washed the spit and mud from Ginny's
hair.

After she was rinsed, Maude had Ginny dry
herself by the fire and began to clean up after the bath. Finally,
clean and dry, except for her hair, Ginny felt a thousand times
better.