Becoming a Lady by Adaline Raine Page A

sake.  She gave him a final pat and walked slowly towards the glowering Sir William.  “I was just brushing the horses.”
    He reached for her arm and pulled her into the main part of the stable.  “Do you see the sky?  It is hours past the evening meal and no one could find you.”
    How many hours had she been away?  “I was only -”
    Anna trailed off as she saw the fear behind his words.  She had reason to believe that she had caused him to worry.
    “Do you think it is a good idea to be out this time of day without a guard?”  He held her by her shoulders now and was looking down at her.
    “ I did not think.”  Anna bit her lower lip.  She certainly did not mean to trouble him and the way that he was looking at her was deeply upsetting.
    “ That is obvious.”  Sir William let go of her shoulders.  “You are aware that Lord Wendel is away.”
    A small knot began to form in her belly.  “Yes, Sir, I am aware.”  Was he really going to hold this against her?  All she wanted was to brush the horses!
    “ Do you realize what could have happened out here?”
    “ I am more worried, Sir, about what is about to happen out here.”  Anna looked down.  Her last words to him had been that she did not believe he would attend to her even if she was in his possession.  For all purposes she was now his.
    “ You should be,” he stated frankly and began to look around the stable.
    Anna bit her lip again as his eyes settled on the far wall.  Hanging dangerously nearby was a row of different tools.  Some were for mucking out the stable or attending to the horses but what seemed to catch his attention was the selection of riding crops.  Oh no!  The knot grew bigger.  Surely he could not mean to use such a tool to spank her! 
    “Stay here.”  Sir William commanded and took several strides over to the wall. 
    Anna felt her knees going weak.  “Sir -”
    He was already walking back to her when she remembered that she was going to try to apologize first.  “I am sorry that I did not ask you to come out here.”
    “ I believe that you are going to be genuinely sorry later on this evening.”  He sat down on one of the small benches on the side of the barn.  He had one of the crops in his hand and Anna began to flush.
    “ Please, Sir, I stated I was sorry.”  Anna was babbling.
    “ Come over here.”
    Anna was trembling as she did what he asked.  “I just wanted to get some air.”
    He pulled her over his lap and raised her skirts.  “There are some very unsavory men that live in this village.  Do you know what could have happened if one of them had caught your scent and found you out here?”
    Anna sniffled as the thought began to dawn her.  “I told you that I did not think, Sir.”
    He began to smack her with his hand.  “You cannot venture outside by yourself.” 
    Anna yelped as he smacked faster.  “I understand, Sir William.  I do apologize.”
    “ If you understood, you would not keep winding up over my lap.”  He paused.  “If you do not feel safe with the guard assigned to you then I will bring you out here.”
    Anna let out the breath she had been holding.  “Yes, Sir, I will not come out here or anywhere alone.”
    “ That was only the warm-up.”  His voice held an authority that made the knot return to her belly.  His tone also made things much lower being to tingle in an odd mixture of anticipation and fear.
    She screeched as the crop stung her cheek.  It hit the other and she screeched again.  She thrashed after only a few swats and began to beg.  “Ouch!  Please!  It burns!”  Sir William continued to land it on her upper thighs and all over both cheeks until she was shouting.  “Please!  Please!”  Anna could no longer keep her legs still and she was yelling loudly.
    Sir William continued to tap the crop down on each cheek.  Anna was thrashing and bucking and begging him to stop. 
    Finally she felt her skirts flip down to cover her bottom.