Miranda And The Ranch Hand (Domestic Discipline Romance) (7 page)

When Miranda came around about an hour later she had new stitches and three very agitated men pacing her room. As the events of the morning came flooding back, she was tempted to shut her eyes again and avoid her brothers and Dylan for a little while longer—then it hit her—Dylan was back?

“I’m sorry—I just wanted to help” was about all she could manage to get out. Her throat was so dry and raw with irritation from the smoke. She felt the biting pain in her side where she had torn open her bullet wound, and it seemed like every other muscle in her body hurt from the exertion of treating the animals. After virtually no exercise for three weeks, she’d gone well beyond overdoing it.

Dylan was at her bedside in two swift strides. He took her hand and the anger that had been building up a head of steam since the doctor told them Miranda would be all right, simply melted away. Miranda saw only love and concern in his eyes, and he saw great relief in hers as she drank in the sight of him with the thirst of a critter left for days without water.

“Dylan…”

“Mandy, don’t try to talk—here drink this.” The cool water immediately soothed her raw throat, but it was the touch of the man she loved that eased her pain from her mind.

“This is one hell of a homecoming—here I’m expecting to see you up and around, and you’re in worse shape than when I left! Geez, Mandy will you ever listen when someone tells you NO for your own good! You just don’t get it—it’s not just you that’s hurt when you put yourself at risk.”

Tears glistened in her eyes, but before Miranda could respond, Marcus chimed in. “Dylan, that’s a message we’ve been trying to get through that thick head of hers for years! Mandy, what Dylan’s trying to say is we can’t imagine life here without your laughter and spirit. We’re not just being mean or trying to fence in your adventurous nature—we just want you to use a little common sense, and take your own safety into consideration.”

Always the one to lighten the mood, David said with mock sternness, “Which means sis, you’re going to be tied to the bed with armed guards outside the door and window!”

“Yeah, armed with a paddle and instructions to use it on your bare backside if you step one foot out of this room until the doc says you’re completely healed!” Marcus added.

They all laughed, as Dylan jumped in saying, “And I’m taking the first shift—in fact I’m taking all the shifts.” Then he turned serious again, “And don’t think for one minute young lady, your condition or the fact that I’ve missed the hell out of you the last three weeks, gets you out of a very long, hard spanking for what you pulled today.”

“Not to mention the blistered butt we still owe her Dylan, for not staying out of harm’s way during the bandits’ raid, and getting herself shot in the first place!”

“Man oh man Mandy, when the doc says you can get up and around again, you better be sure you can stay up for a while, because it doesn’t sound like you’re going to want to sit much!” David teased.

Now Miranda was starting to get irritated at the teasing and threatening promises of spankings. “You know guys,” she said sarcastically, “I’m really sick and tired of being treated like a naughty little girl every time I try to do what I’m trained to do. I can’t stand by when a creature is hurt or sick—I’ve got to do something. You’re no better than the other ranchers around here—nobody thinks a woman is good for anything other than cooking, cleaning and having kids!” She tried to sit up to reinforce her point, but was immediately set back by the searing pain in her side.

Dylan reached out to support her shoulders and ease her back down on the bed. “Mandy, this is not about your ability to work miracles with hurt critters. You know damn well your brothers and I—hell everyone on this ranch—respects your vet skills. But you don’t stop to think about consequences, especially to yourself. You just plunge in headfirst without ever checking how deep the water is. If I went into every Ranger investigation with the same recklessness, I’d have been killed a hundred times by now.”

“And brat, I hate to say it, but ever since you were a kid, there has only been one way to get your attention. No amount of lecturing, scolding or threatening has ever gotten through that thick hide of yours. Only the direct approach across my knee seems to make an impression!”

Even Mandy couldn’t argue with that—she knew it was true. “Actually, it’s that huge, hard left hand of yours that makes the impression—usually several of them! All right, I get the message—I swear, I’ll be more careful and think before I act. But really, Marcus, don’t you think getting shot and being cooped up here is punishment enough?” she asked hopefully.

“No!” Marcus, David and Dylan all said at the same time.

Mandy sighed heavily. “Just my luck, to be loved by three overbearing, dominant cowboys who live by the law of the hand—against my poor bottom!”

It was another two weeks before the doctor pronounced Miranda’s wounds healed enough that there was no more danger of reopening, bleeding or infection. Her pain was pretty much gone, and she was getting her strength back, even though true to her brother’s word, she wasn’t allowed out of her bedroom for the entire two weeks. And this time she didn’t have Dylan to constantly keep her company.

Dylan spent just about every day in Austin helping to set-up the new headquarters for the Rangers Frontier Battalion branch. All the calls for assistance from local sheriffs would now come through the Austin office. And while border security was not the duty of their office, all the Rangers talked about the tug of war between those who wanted Texas to break away again as an independent republic and those who supported the reinstatement in the United States after secession to the Confederacy during the war. Dylan knew most of the ranchers like the Rollins favored reinstatement. But there were strong political forces in Austin pushing for independence.

One of the things the independence proponents preached all the time was security—and that put the Rangers right in the middle of the debate because they were the only real statewide law enforcement in Texas. Dylan wondered, not for the first time, if the independence supporters could have been behind the animal slaughter at the ranches outside Austin. It would make a strong point in the legislature if the Rangers couldn’t even keep the ranches right around the capitol city safe.

There hadn’t been any more attacks since Dylan and his partners stopped the renegades at the Double-R, but Dylan just had a feeling things weren’t over yet. Unfortunately his instincts were usually right. Dylan headed back to the Double-R that night thinking about the upcoming fall cattle drive to market. Many of the ranches went together on that drive—leaving some wide-open targets. Finally Dylan decided to put his grim thoughts aside and concentrate on Miranda—she was freed from her bedroom confinement tonight and he knew she’d be ready to celebrate.

The day Miranda was released from what she referred to as her ruffles and roses jail cell, she couldn’t wait to get back outside and spent the whole day walking around the house and sitting on the porch. She helped Jenna with dinner and was delighted to join her brothers and Dylan at the dinner table.

But after dinner Marcus ended the celebratory mood when he addressed Miranda in his quiet but uncompromising voice. “Mandy, I want you to go to your room, get ready for bed and wait for me. We have some unfinished business.”

Miranda’s face fell—her bright smile disintegrated but threatened tears made her eyes appear overly bright, giving her the look of a vulnerable child. In a near whisper she pleaded, “Please Marcus, not tonight… not my first night out of my room.”

“Mandy, you know very well that arguing only ups the ante—this punishment has been delayed long enough.”

Miranda fled upstairs, embarrassed to already be in tears and humiliated that David and Dylan both were in the room. After she disappeared, David turned angrily to Marcus, “Dammit Marcus, did you have to do that tonight? She’s been a model patient—not complaining once in the last two weeks about being confined to her room. She finally gets a day of happiness, and you…”

Marcus cut him off, “That’s enough, David. This is not open for discussion!” He turned on his heel and left the house, slamming the door on the way out. Marcus headed to the old hickory tree by the barn to cut a switch. He had been dreading this moment for weeks, ever since he found out the danger Mandy put herself in that night with the renegades. He never liked punishing her, but he had been especially dreading this time because he knew he’d have to be severe with her. He thought back to those three days she lay unconscious, fighting for every breath of life, and was grimly reminded again why he had to follow through.

Marcus and Dylan had discussed Mandy’s punishment and agreed that one severe spanking was enough to make their point. Since Marcus had been the primary disciplinarian in her life up till now, he would be the one to do it. He remembered the look of relief on Dylan’s face when that decision was made.

Marcus smiled as he remembered the rest of the discussion. Dylan had asked for Miranda’s hand in marriage. He had never seen the Texas Ranger look so much like a skittish colt before its first saddle ride. Marcus of course consented and was very happy for both of them. He really couldn’t have asked for a better man for his little sister. It was like eavesdropping on an intimate love letter every time you looked into their faces when they were together. Marcus knew Dylan wouldn’t try to break her spirit—they’d be partners in life, but he also knew Dylan would take her in hand when that wild spirit turned reckless, or too bratty!

With a heavy heart at his upcoming task, Marcus headed back into the house and upstairs to Miranda’s room. As Marcus crossed the parlor, David saw the wicked looking switch in his hand and started after him, but Dylan grabbed his arm in a firm grip and shook his head no. He said quietly, “What if she were killed the next time because there were no consequences this time to make her think twice. Don’t make this any harder for your brother.”

David stopped at that and slumped down on the couch, suddenly feeling sorry for both Marcus and Mandy. Dylan sat across from him, also waiting for the sobs that would cut to his heart as well.

Marcus knocked and entered Mandy’s room. She sat on the edge of the bed looking for all the world like an angel in her white cotton bed gown, her hair long and loose and two crocodile tears rolling down her cheeks. There was no defiance in her look, just shame and a little fear.

“Mandy, I love you and I’m responsible for you. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you. That’s why I can’t just let what happened go. I want you to have a good reason to think twice before you act.”

Miranda didn’t say a word, she just kept looking down. “Miranda, look at me.” She looked up and felt a physical pain at the worry and disappointment she knew she put in his eyes.

“I want to you to bend over the bed and hold on to a pillow. I don’t want you getting up or putting your hands back. There will be no fighting or arguing. I expect you to take every sting of this switch like you know you deserve it.”

Mandy silently got up and turned around, pulled up her night gown and laid over the edge of the bed—her tears flowing freely now. Marcus saw she was bare beneath her gown and knew she was ready to accept her punishment. Now he just wanted to get it over with as much as she did.

Mandy heard the soft swish of the switch cutting through the air seconds before the first contact left an ugly thin red line across her buttocks. She clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut to the fiery pain. After what she’d seen in Marcus’s eyes, she was determined to take the switching as well as possible. By the tenth swish-crack of the switch she couldn’t hold it in any longer and was sobbing loudly, but still she didn’t move.

Marcus held nothing back as he striped her bottom thoroughly and then moved to the back of her legs. He knew she’d have welts for days, but he was proud of the way she refused to plead with him to stop—she just took it. Swish—crack! Swish—crack! Swish—crack!

The switch finally broke at 30 strokes. Marcus threw it to the floor and went to Mandy, gently rubbing her back and letting her cry out her pain. That’s when he realized there were tears on his own face. He got some cooling salve off her dresser and with a feather-light touch; he smoothed it over her red-hot buttocks and legs. Then he helped her up and cradled her just as he had done when she was spanked as a child. When her sobs settled down to sniffles, he helped her into bed, laying her on her stomach.

“All is forgiven, little sis. Go to sleep,” he whispered. She was asleep in minutes, as exhausted as he was. Marcus just went to his own room, intending to go right to bed himself.

When things quieted down, David and Dylan went upstairs. Dylan stopped in Mandy’s room to make sure she was all right, but David went on down the hall to Marcus’s room. He knocked and entered even though Marcus didn’t say come in.

Marcus looked like the last cowpoke in the bunkhouse after round up. Exhaustion was etched into his very being.

“David, I don’t want to talk about this right now—or ever for that matter. It’s done—now leave me alone.” It was very rare to see or hear Marcus’s normal calm control slip.

“I didn’t come in here to argue, Marcus. I just wanted to see if you were all right.”

“Mandy’s the one who was beaten tonight. Why don’t you save your concern for her!”

The self-reproach in Marcus’s voice startled David. He’d never heard his brother show the least sign of regret or doubt about anything he did, especially not when he’d punished either Mandy or David. David walked across the room, put both his hands on Marcus’s shoulders and forced him to sit down on the bed. He then squatted down so they were eye to eye.