husband would leave her alone. Shivering a little, she looked at Richard. His smile helped ease her heart. Despite her cousin's warnings of the horror she'd endure, she could not fathom needing to be afraid of Richard. She gave him a smile and he returned it before turning to leave the room.
* * * * *
Richard thought his bride looked even more beautiful as she stood at the table, busily preparing the evening meal. He knew she could cook at least a little, but he was far more interested in what he would discover about her later tonight. He couldn't help but want dinner to be done and then have his wife to himself. He felt his cock twitch and grinned. Deciding it wouldn't be right to seem impatient, he gave her another smile before turning to go back outside. He went into the barn and began rechecking the loaded wagon. John and his sons helped him load the rest of Annabelle's trunks and, just as they finished, they were called in for dinner.
The meal passed quickly, the conversation revolving around the wedding as well as the upcoming journey. After everyone had eaten, Anna was excused from helping clean up. Apparently unsure of what to expect, she appeared to be nervous, her eyes frequently finding her husband's—only to slide quickly away again. Richard finally took her hand. "Let's take a walk, shall we?" She nodded gratefully, and he helped her into her cloak. Once they were outside, he took her hand again, and they walked through the yard towards the pastures. The night was still and beautiful. Thousands of stars twinkled in the sky, and a full moon provided light. They walked without speaking for several minutes. Richard led her down to the river and over to the same branch where their future had truly begun. He sat down and drew her down onto his lap. He held her close, then bent to place a kiss on the top of her head. "I love you, wife," he whispered into her hair.
She smiled at the word, her head tucked under his chin. "I love you too, husband."
Richard drew her a bit closer and looked out over the water, its surface calm and smooth except for small ripples that appeared as insects paused to take a drink. He smiled and pressed a kiss on top of her head. "I bet you are going to miss this swimming hole."
Anna turned her glance from the water to him. "Not when I paid for that swim with a strapping." As if she'd just realized what she'd admitted, she turned away, pressing her cheek against his neck.
"I know, little one, I saw you."
"You saw me swimming?" Her face showed her embarrassment and he shook his head.
"No, darling—if I had, you can be certain you would not have walked home in your chemise and drawers."
"Oh, I-I don't know what to say," she whispered, then evidently thought of another question. "If you didn't see me swimming, what do you mean you saw me?"
Though he'd never meant to discuss that day, he would never lie to her. "I saw you in the barn with your Pa." Her moan had him hugging her tighter. "Shh, little one. That's the day I realized that I truly loved you. I'd waited for you, praying that when I returned, you would fall in love with me as well. But, Anna, even though I knew when I left that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, that day I discovered you were a woman and not the girl I'd carried around in my head."
She blushed and whispered, "Did you just hear me cry?" Seeing him shake his head, she blushed even deeper. "Did you see everything? My bottom?" When he grinned and nodded, she moaned and buried her face in his chest.
"Anna, you looked like a goddess in one of those fairytale books. Despite your belief that you didn't deserve the punishment, you submitted to your strapping. I was very proud that you finally understood why your Pa punished you and apologized. It doesn't take much to deny naughtiness, honey, but it takes maturity and love to admit that wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness." He felt her relax slightly against him. "You have a very pretty arse, by the
* * * * *
Richard thought his bride looked even more beautiful as she stood at the table, busily preparing the evening meal. He knew she could cook at least a little, but he was far more interested in what he would discover about her later tonight. He couldn't help but want dinner to be done and then have his wife to himself. He felt his cock twitch and grinned. Deciding it wouldn't be right to seem impatient, he gave her another smile before turning to go back outside. He went into the barn and began rechecking the loaded wagon. John and his sons helped him load the rest of Annabelle's trunks and, just as they finished, they were called in for dinner.
The meal passed quickly, the conversation revolving around the wedding as well as the upcoming journey. After everyone had eaten, Anna was excused from helping clean up. Apparently unsure of what to expect, she appeared to be nervous, her eyes frequently finding her husband's—only to slide quickly away again. Richard finally took her hand. "Let's take a walk, shall we?" She nodded gratefully, and he helped her into her cloak. Once they were outside, he took her hand again, and they walked through the yard towards the pastures. The night was still and beautiful. Thousands of stars twinkled in the sky, and a full moon provided light. They walked without speaking for several minutes. Richard led her down to the river and over to the same branch where their future had truly begun. He sat down and drew her down onto his lap. He held her close, then bent to place a kiss on the top of her head. "I love you, wife," he whispered into her hair.
She smiled at the word, her head tucked under his chin. "I love you too, husband."
Richard drew her a bit closer and looked out over the water, its surface calm and smooth except for small ripples that appeared as insects paused to take a drink. He smiled and pressed a kiss on top of her head. "I bet you are going to miss this swimming hole."
Anna turned her glance from the water to him. "Not when I paid for that swim with a strapping." As if she'd just realized what she'd admitted, she turned away, pressing her cheek against his neck.
"I know, little one, I saw you."
"You saw me swimming?" Her face showed her embarrassment and he shook his head.
"No, darling—if I had, you can be certain you would not have walked home in your chemise and drawers."
"Oh, I-I don't know what to say," she whispered, then evidently thought of another question. "If you didn't see me swimming, what do you mean you saw me?"
Though he'd never meant to discuss that day, he would never lie to her. "I saw you in the barn with your Pa." Her moan had him hugging her tighter. "Shh, little one. That's the day I realized that I truly loved you. I'd waited for you, praying that when I returned, you would fall in love with me as well. But, Anna, even though I knew when I left that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, that day I discovered you were a woman and not the girl I'd carried around in my head."
She blushed and whispered, "Did you just hear me cry?" Seeing him shake his head, she blushed even deeper. "Did you see everything? My bottom?" When he grinned and nodded, she moaned and buried her face in his chest.
"Anna, you looked like a goddess in one of those fairytale books. Despite your belief that you didn't deserve the punishment, you submitted to your strapping. I was very proud that you finally understood why your Pa punished you and apologized. It doesn't take much to deny naughtiness, honey, but it takes maturity and love to admit that wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness." He felt her relax slightly against him. "You have a very pretty arse, by the
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