Lord Edward's Law (Women of Wintercrest) by Maggie Ryan Read Free Book Online Page B

the one who wants to hurt Louisa.  You are a monster.  Put me down!”  Edward simply tightened his grip, and before she knew it, she was tossed over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a sack of flour.  Her fists beat against his back, her hair loosening from its weave to tumble almost to the ground.  She felt his hand hard against her legs, and then screeched as she felt his free hand land against her bottom.  Her skirts gave her protection but having been spanked so much recently; even that protection gave her little comfort.  Edward strode to his horse, tossed her easily face-down over the saddle and then climbed up behind her.  He grinned seeing her struggle to sit up, but he easily kept her in place before him as he turned the horse back to the stable.  Lucy sobbed with the humiliation of how easily she had been caught and tossed onto the horse.  She felt his hand slap into her bottom again and again.
    “I’ll give you a proper thrashing when we get back to the manor , Lucille.  It might take you a longer time to train than your sister, but I guarantee you will be trained.”  His words caused her to sob harder and she realized she had no way of escaping.  He ruled not only the manor but every person under his care.  She had no legal means to escape him.  She would remain his ward, remain his to discipline any way he might choose, until she wed.  She was now terrified of marrying any man.  Surely Louisa had no previous knowledge of how her husband would expect her to live her life before she stood in the church before God and her family, vowing to give herself to this man, to honor and obey him until death parted them.  How could any man be trusted?  How could any woman ever know what horrors might wait for them upon the exchanging of their marriage vows?  Confused, hurt, terrified and ashamed, Lucy stopped struggling and simply lay over the horse as he guided it back to the house where she knew she would soon be receiving a thrashing for trying to run away from her fate.
    Louisa stood at the door of the manor and saw her husband return with her sister.  She saw him slide off the horse, toss the reins to the groom and then pluck Lucy off the horse and throw her once again over his shoulder.  Louisa trembled , fearing the spanking her sister was sure to endure in mere moments.  Edward walked up the stairs of the porch, and Louisa quietly opened the door for them. 
    He paused to smile down at his wife .  “I will join you in a bit, my dear.  Do you need your nappy changed before I take care of Lucy?”  Louisa knew he was asking her not out of true concern for her needs, but to reinforce the fact of how his household was run. 
    She blushed but managed to shake her head. “No sir, Papa.  I’m…I’m dry.” 
    He smiled and bent just a bit to kiss the top of her head.   “That’s good, honey.  Run along and ask Mrs. Bremmer to start your dinner.  We will join you in just a bit.”  Louisa hurried to do his bidding, her tummy clenching, knowing it would be hard to take even the smallest bite, considering what would be happening in the study.  Edward walked past the dining room; his naughty ward easily slung over his shoulder, and saw Mrs. Bremmer helping Louisa into her chair. 
    He nodded at the woman and she said,   “Shall I come to assist you after serving Miss Louisa her soup, my Lord?”  Knowing her presence would cause Lucille much humiliation, he was tempted to take her up on her offer; however, he decided to handle it differently.
    “I don’t believe I shall need your help, Mrs. Bremmer.  If I find that Lucille won’t submit to her strapping, I shall ring for you.  Until them, please make sure our little lady eats her dinner.”  Mrs. Bremmer nodded, though she wished she was to be included.  If some little girl needed to have her bottom tended to, it was definitely the one currently hanging over the Lord’s shoulder.  Lucille was lying limply, her hair