wiggled just a bit closer.
"How did you know?" she asked softly.
"That you needed a spanking?" he asked, his breath warm against the back of her neck.
"Yes."
"Kitten, I know you inside and out. The moment you confessed your fear about your lack of thought in speaking about something forbidden told me that no matter whether I truly understood the reasoning, you'd feel guilty until you paid a price." She felt his lips kiss her shoulder and snuggled closer. "I admit, I never would have switched you for something done without intent, but the moment I saw the switch, I knew that was your hope."
"Thank you, Papa. I love you."
"You are my heart, my life and always my love, Lucy."
Chapter Five
The next day after breakfast, the family piled into two carriages. Lucas had thought about using the wagon as there were nine of them going into town, but decided that Bea didn't need to be bounced around or exposed to the cold. She and Frank were in the smaller of the two carriages while the rest of them piled into the larger, family carriage. It would have been a tight fit but for the fact that Lucy and Louisa could ride on their Papas' laps.
Once in town, he and Edward helped the girls out of the carriage. "Remember what I said. No one is to wander off alone…" Seeing Ettie opening her mouth, he lifted his hand. "If you can't obey, then you are welcome to wait in the carriage." When his youngest sister shut her mouth, he added, "I understand we are Christmas shopping but I'm quite positive that among all of us, someone you are not shopping for can stay with you. You can change up partners as you need. Now, is that absolutely clear?"
A chorus of 'yes, sir' rang out and he nodded. "Good. I'll be shopping as well, and then we will all meet up to eat lunch at noon."
"Can we go now?" Ettie asked, bouncing on her feet.
"Heaven help the clerks," Lucas teased and then nodded. "Just remember, young lady, obey the rules or not only will you not be allowed to come to town the next time, you'll be getting a spanking when we get home."
"Lucas, I heard you the first time," Ettie said, glancing around to make sure no one had heard her brother's threat.
"See that you remember that you did," Lucas said, giving her a hug before stepping back.
Ettie grabbed Franny's hand. "Come on, let's get you know what first." The rest watched as Franny was practically dragged into the store.
"Have fun," Lucas said as he pressed a sheaf of notes into Lucy's hand. "Keep that in your reticule and stay with Louisa or Molly."
"Yes, Papa," she said, going onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Once Louisa had received her own allowance and kiss from Edward, the girls entered the store with Molly. Frank escorted Bea to a millinery shop as she'd promised not to enter the general store for at least a half-hour, giving her sisters time to do whatever they needed without fear of her seeing. Edward and Lucas moved further down the block to enter a shop where they hoped to finalize their Christmas shopping for their wives.
Once inside the store, Molly asked if they wanted to go with her to pick up some items she needed.
"Oh, can't we please shop ourselves?" Ettie asked. "We'll stay together but if we go with you, we might run out of time."
Molly looked at the four girls. "Promise no one will go off alone?" All the girls nodded and Molly said she'd not take long before hurrying off. The girls asked a clerk where the sewing supplies were and then walked to that area.
"What about these?" Ettie asked, holding up two skeins of yarn.
"What if the baby is a girl?" Franny asked upon seeing the blue yarn.
"Oh, I never really thought about that," Ettie confessed. "Maybe I should make two afghans?"
"Or you might use yellow or green instead?" Lucy suggested. "Or even white."
"No, I want Cleo on it and she's white," Ettie countered and then nodded. "I think green would be okay, as no animals besides snakes and lizards are green, and no baby wants those on a
"How did you know?" she asked softly.
"That you needed a spanking?" he asked, his breath warm against the back of her neck.
"Yes."
"Kitten, I know you inside and out. The moment you confessed your fear about your lack of thought in speaking about something forbidden told me that no matter whether I truly understood the reasoning, you'd feel guilty until you paid a price." She felt his lips kiss her shoulder and snuggled closer. "I admit, I never would have switched you for something done without intent, but the moment I saw the switch, I knew that was your hope."
"Thank you, Papa. I love you."
"You are my heart, my life and always my love, Lucy."
Chapter Five
The next day after breakfast, the family piled into two carriages. Lucas had thought about using the wagon as there were nine of them going into town, but decided that Bea didn't need to be bounced around or exposed to the cold. She and Frank were in the smaller of the two carriages while the rest of them piled into the larger, family carriage. It would have been a tight fit but for the fact that Lucy and Louisa could ride on their Papas' laps.
Once in town, he and Edward helped the girls out of the carriage. "Remember what I said. No one is to wander off alone…" Seeing Ettie opening her mouth, he lifted his hand. "If you can't obey, then you are welcome to wait in the carriage." When his youngest sister shut her mouth, he added, "I understand we are Christmas shopping but I'm quite positive that among all of us, someone you are not shopping for can stay with you. You can change up partners as you need. Now, is that absolutely clear?"
A chorus of 'yes, sir' rang out and he nodded. "Good. I'll be shopping as well, and then we will all meet up to eat lunch at noon."
"Can we go now?" Ettie asked, bouncing on her feet.
"Heaven help the clerks," Lucas teased and then nodded. "Just remember, young lady, obey the rules or not only will you not be allowed to come to town the next time, you'll be getting a spanking when we get home."
"Lucas, I heard you the first time," Ettie said, glancing around to make sure no one had heard her brother's threat.
"See that you remember that you did," Lucas said, giving her a hug before stepping back.
Ettie grabbed Franny's hand. "Come on, let's get you know what first." The rest watched as Franny was practically dragged into the store.
"Have fun," Lucas said as he pressed a sheaf of notes into Lucy's hand. "Keep that in your reticule and stay with Louisa or Molly."
"Yes, Papa," she said, going onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Once Louisa had received her own allowance and kiss from Edward, the girls entered the store with Molly. Frank escorted Bea to a millinery shop as she'd promised not to enter the general store for at least a half-hour, giving her sisters time to do whatever they needed without fear of her seeing. Edward and Lucas moved further down the block to enter a shop where they hoped to finalize their Christmas shopping for their wives.
Once inside the store, Molly asked if they wanted to go with her to pick up some items she needed.
"Oh, can't we please shop ourselves?" Ettie asked. "We'll stay together but if we go with you, we might run out of time."
Molly looked at the four girls. "Promise no one will go off alone?" All the girls nodded and Molly said she'd not take long before hurrying off. The girls asked a clerk where the sewing supplies were and then walked to that area.
"What about these?" Ettie asked, holding up two skeins of yarn.
"What if the baby is a girl?" Franny asked upon seeing the blue yarn.
"Oh, I never really thought about that," Ettie confessed. "Maybe I should make two afghans?"
"Or you might use yellow or green instead?" Lucy suggested. "Or even white."
"No, I want Cleo on it and she's white," Ettie countered and then nodded. "I think green would be okay, as no animals besides snakes and lizards are green, and no baby wants those on a
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