Free Betrothed by Renee Rose Page B

his arms across his chest and said nothing. 
    “Forgive me, my lord.  You know best, of course,” she mumbled, turning on her heel to escape.
    Cruel though it was, he let her anticipation build, saying nothing to her until after supper, when he simply asked her to go to their chambers and wait for him. 
    She was pacing about their chamber when he arrived, her face pinched and apprehensive. 
    “Were you just testing to see if I would actually punish you or do you really believe I can't handle the management of this demesne?”  He asked her quietly. 
    She blanched.  “Neither, my lord,” she whispered, shaking her head.  “It's just... I'm used to things being a different way and I forget my place.  I'm sorry.”
    He nodded.  “Thank you for your apology.”  He sat down on the edge of the bed.  “Fetch me one of my belts,” he said and watched her reluctantly walk to the armoire.  He made a big show of inspecting the belt she brought him and then pointed to the edges of it.  “Not this one, it has rough edges— it might cut your skin.  Find a smoother one.” she headed back to the armoire.  “And more narrow,” he added. She glanced back nervously.  She brought back another belt, which he inspected just as closely and found acceptable.
    “Take off your clothes,” he said softly. 
    She was quaking as she stripped off her dress and shift, studiously avoiding his eyes as she undressed for her discipline.
    “Come here.”
    She came to stand in front of him, naked and blushing, and he pulled her down to sit on his right knee.  “Why am I punishing you?”
    She looked at her hands.  “For questioning you in front of others.”
    “Aye.  I will always be willing to hear your opinion, Julia.  You just need to find a better way to offer it to me.”
    “I know,” she whispered.
    “When I was a squire along with John and Andrew, my father had a knight who took great pleasure in punishing his wife.  He was always giving us advice about how best to go about it, and although we thought he was half crazy, the strangest part was that he and his wife were closer than any couple in the castle.  There was never any doubt that they were deeply in love and they seemed to have a very happy marriage.  We could never understand it. 
    Anyway, one piece of advice that I remember him giving was to spank with your hand first, so that there's less of a chance of leaving marks when you use your belt afterward.”  He shrugged.  “I thought we would test that out because it would please me— nay, that's a bad choice of words— I would be content to not leave marks on this beautiful little bottom,” he said lightly stroking the curve of her bared cheek.
    At this point she was thoroughly embarrassed and frightened so he wasted no more time.  He leaned her over his left knee, so her upper body rested on the bed and began to spank her with his hand, listening to the little grunts and squeaks she made with each smack and being sure to redden every part of her cheeks.  As he slapped her again and again, his irritation with her faded completely.  He became acutely aware of how beautiful she was and how sweet her submission.  She hadn't argued or tried to talk her way out of the punishment.  She hadn't made him chase her and hold her down.  She had taken off her own clothing and stood naked before him with a bowed head, offering the belt he had asked her to fetch.  And now she quietly held herself in place as he smarted every inch of her bottom.
    After a few more minutes, he sat her back up onto his right knee, feeling the heat from her bottom through his leggings.  Her hair was adorably mussed and her face was red but her eyes were dry.  He was surprised.
    “Can I not make you cry with my hand alone?”
    She looked startled at that.  Then she said thoughtfully, “I'm not crying because you are so calm.  If you yelled at me, I would be bawling from your words alone.”
    He started to remind her that