Elizabeth's Education (Forbidden Lust) (18 page)

‘That’s most generous,’ Lord Michael said gratefully. ‘I shall be in touch upon my return to London.’

‘I’ll be looking forward to it,’ Chadwick replied, and then thanking him again, shook his hand and left.

Lord Michael locked the front door and started back up the stairs. The chance meeting with the old master had proved to be far more satisfying than he could have hoped for, and he had no doubt the elderly gentleman could prove to be a veritable fountain of corporal punishment knowledge in the future.

He entered the bedroom, quickly got undressed again and climbed into bed. Embracing the weary Elizabeth he removed her blindfold, and she curled up, snuggling against him.

‘How’s your bottom, my dear?’ he asked comfortingly.

‘Stinging, sir,’ she whispered ruefully. ‘Really stinging.’

‘Your obedience or a punishment, yes?’

‘Yes sir, I understand. I’ll be so good you won’t have any cause for complaint. None whatsoever, I promise.’

He smiled to himself. Though she meant every word, he knew it would not be long before her bottom would once again be subjected to his discipline.

On the last morning of their brief break Lord Michael was the first to stir. He gazed at Elizabeth, admiring her beautiful face and tousled hair. She had woken something in him for which he’d long been searching. Every challenge he presented her with she not only undertook, but also embraced. He was extremely pleased with her. He glanced at the clock. It was already past eight and time to rise.

He kissed Elizabeth’s forehead, whispered it was time to wake up and rise, then got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He started a bath for her, took care of his own needs, and then returned to the bedroom where she was still under the covers.

‘Come along, my dear,’ he told her. ‘You have some work to do before we head back to the station. Meet me downstairs.’

She sighed and yawned prettily, but then smiled up at him and did as she was told. Finding the bath ready she bathed, then dressed quickly and made her way downstairs. She found him in the dining room, the remains of his breakfast on the table before him.

‘Mrs O’Grady has the day off, dear girl,’ he stated. ‘I therefore want you to clean up the table and stack the dishes in the scullery.’

Elizabeth eyed the dirty plates and cutlery, but his training stood her in good stead, especially her recent whipping, and she immediately found her way to the kitchen. He strolled in behind her and put the kettle on to boil, so as to make them some tea.

She set about her chores quietly and diligently, scraping any scraps into old newspapers she found, and then folding them into a neat package. The food she felt could still be eaten she covered with clean brown paper and placed it in the pantry.

With the dining room table cleared she washed the crockery and cutlery and stacked them in the sink. Lastly, she found a clean cloth and gave the table a good wipe over.

Lord Michael watched with a sense of triumph. Not once did she complain, or whine, or suggest that she was too good for such menial work, and when she was finished he passed her the cup of tea he had actually made for them, the gesture of great significance to her because gentlemen of his standing simply did not do such things. She was proud of herself and the job she’d done, but even more so when it was obvious that he was happy with her too.

In the sitting room, drinking their tea together, her bottom still glowing from the nights before, she felt enormously content.

It wasn’t long before it was time to leave, and Lord Michael walked her back upstairs to gather their things. He reminded her to check that she’d not forgotten anything, and instructed her to make the bed. This too she did obediently as he packed his own bag.

And so it was she found herself in a carriage heading back to the train station, and she felt a little sad, for after such a short stay they were already headed home again.

And it was an even more dejected Elizabeth who stepped elegantly down from the carriage outside her home, for she could see her father’s carriage in the yard. He was back, and that meant Lord Michael would soon be leaving them. How would she ever be able to stand it without him?

The man of her thoughts took her arm and guided her up the steps to the house. He talked to her in low tones, telling her he expected her to behave in a polite and gracious manner. She was to be respectful to her father, polite to her brother, and considerate to the servants. Her stomach knotted and her face flushed, as the familiar warmth spread between her legs, and she wished he were taking her up to her room to do all manner of unspeakably wonderful things to her.

She let out a deep sigh, and when her father met them in the hallway she bobbed, said hello respectfully, and told him how much she had missed him. Her brother, coming down the stairs, raised his eyebrows in surprise at her gracious manner.

The four of them enjoyed an agreeable lunch and Elizabeth remained on her best behaviour throughout, but all the while she could not stop thinking that Lord Michael would soon be leaving them, and it wasn’t an easy task to remain cheerful.

After lunch the men disappeared into the drawing room, and Elizabeth took herself to her room, pondering what she might do to ease her feelings of despondency.

She sat at her dresser, running a brush through her hair. The very same brush he had spanked her with when she recovered from her heavy cold. How she wished she were over his knee at that very moment, her buttocks turning cherry-red under the smarting smacks of his hand.

She was embarrassed that this was what she yearned for, but alone with her thoughts there was no reason to be coy or untruthful. She didn’t know why she ached for his discipline, but she just did.

Sighing, she laid the hairbrush down and flopped on her bed. No doubt he would be off to London in the morning, and she was very deflated by that prospect indeed.

A knock on her door made her jump, and thinking it was Grace she called for her to enter. But it was not the maid it was Lord Michael. She caught her breath, and was about to rush to him when he held up a warning hand. The house was full again, and such behaviour was no longer permitted.

‘Since you’ve been such a good girl,’ he said, entering the room but leaving the door ajar, ‘I’ve convinced your father to allow you to join me for dinner in London, tomorrow evening.’

Elizabeth stood up excitedly. ‘Oh sir, how wonderful!’ she squealed in delight. ‘Thank you, sir, so much!’

‘Now, now, settle down,’ he warned. ‘Ladylike behaviour at all times, if you please.’

She took a deep breath and attempted to control her glee.

‘We’ll have a very pleasant time together, I’m sure,’ he went on. ‘Now pay attention.’

She thought about letting out another squeal of delight, just to ensure a spanking took place during the following evening.

‘Your father was very impressed with your countenance at lunch, and believes my company is doing you the world of good.’

‘Oh, sir, if only he knew,’ she giggled mischievously.

‘Elizabeth!’ he barked, and immediately she settled herself down.

‘Now, as I was about to say, I’ll be leaving shortly but you will be permitted to take your father’s carriage into London, then spend the night at my house under my charge.’

This was wonderful news indeed. Spending the night at his residence. Could it possibly get any better?

‘I think you should thank your father now for his generous gesture of trust and goodwill.’

‘Yes, sir, of course,’ she replied, and skipped past him as he ushered her out the door. ‘I shall do so immediately.’

When Lord Michael left that afternoon, Elizabeth was so thrilled at the prospect of the following evening every ounce of her earlier depression had evaporated. She would spend the rest of the day deciding which clothes to wear and what to pack, and have Grace play with her hair until a style worthy of the occasion could be decided upon.

She did so admire him, she thought, watching the carriage he was in disappear down the drive. She waited until he was completely out of sight, and then went back indoors, her brother beside her.

‘So, he’s quite a chap, isn’t he, Elizabeth?’ her sibling said.

‘Yes, James, he certainly is,’ she concurred.

‘You need a strong male partner like him,’ he went on, unwittingly echoing her very thoughts. ‘The usual type that simper around you are no good at all.’

The old Elizabeth would have turned on him and told him off, insisting he mind his own business, and if she chose to spend time with those ‘simpering’ others, then she would.

But the new Elizabeth nodded agreeably, and turning to look at her brother, agreed utterly. ‘Oh, James,’ she said with an intensity that surprised even her, ‘you’re so right. To think I might have wasted myself on any one of them!’

James almost hugged her. He would certainly shake Lord Michael’s hand when next they saw each other, for in a matter of mere days in his company his sister had turned into a good-natured, well-mannered, very pleasant young lady.

‘Would you excuse me, dear James?’ she said, completely unable to contain herself. ‘But I’m so thrilled about tomorrow night I simply must start preparing myself now.’

Still stunned by this remarkable turnaround, he did not quite know how to respond to such a polite and fervent request, and was even more shocked when she didn’t dash off, but stood politely awaiting his response.

‘Do you mind?’ she prompted.

‘Elizabeth, it is such a delight to see you this way,’ he said. ‘Of course you may go, and if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.’

She smiled and thanked him, then disappeared up the stairs. James, still disbelieving, made his way to the study.

‘She’s a different girl, father,’ he said, as he sat in one of the large leather armchairs.

His father raised his head from the newspaper and nodded. ‘She is indeed. I can only hope my good friend will continue in his affections, and perhaps even one of these days make an honest woman of her.’

‘I hope so too,’ James agreed. ‘For all our sakes, I hope so too.’

Up in her room Elizabeth was going through her dresses. She wasn’t happy with any of them, and over the course of the evening, interrupted by a very quick dinner, chose four, discarded those, and finally settled on a royal blue silk that highlighted her skin tones, and brought out the colour of her eyes.

With Grace’s help she also decided upon a hairstyle, and by the time she had bathed and was climbing into bed, she was exhausted.

In the darkness she wriggled under the covers. She missed him. She missed the stinging of her bottom, of him making love to her, of curling up next to him, totally spent, feeling safe and warm, but most of all, she missed being under his complete control.

She was being such a good girl, learning to follow his orders immediately and without question. But then she furrowed her brow, for this being the case, would she never again feel the painfully exquisite sting of his discipline?

And why did she crave such excruciating attention? But even as she asked the question, she knew she may never know the answer. She just did; she craved to be punished, made to behave, then taken and driven to the heights of passion. Was there anything better in the whole world?

The questions flittered through her mind. The only answer, she decided, was to purposely misbehave, so he would have no choice but to continue keeping her within the bounds of acceptable behaviour by the use of corporal punishment.

The thought made her tremble a little; the memory of how the hairbrush stung her cheeks and how the crop bit into her flesh made her shudder. Did she really want this? She touched between her legs, feeling the wetness there. Yes she did. The memories of his discipline spurred her on until the moment was upon her, and she released her joy with small cries of pleasure.

It was the first time she had experienced an orgasm without him. The first time, alone in the dark, she had found her own satisfaction. It wasn’t the same, but it helped, and she was finally able to sleep.

When she awoke the following morning she did so determined to find a way to misbehave at dinner. It was the only thing she could think of to ensure a trip across his knee, or over the sofa, or tied over a pillow. Just the thought made her positively tingle, and pleased with herself, she made her way to the bathroom to ready herself for the day, and the exciting evening that lay ahead.