young girl and not the panting woman who’d stifled a scream as she’d stroked her aching core.
Now she sat in the kitchen, daintily and dutifully eating her food as the Englishman watched approvingly.
“You’ll find it gets easier, Jenny, submitting.” He’d finished his breakfast and was regarding her over his empty plate. “Cody said your brother indulged you and left you somewhat spoiled. This must be a very big change, having control stripped away.”
She flushed at this and concentrated on buttering the biscuit in her hand as she nodded.
“Yes,” she said. “Very much.”
“We want you to understand that it’s not all bad, living under our guidance. I personally plan to make sure you’re treated with an equal dose of discipline and coddling.” He smiled, his teeth white in his tanned face. “So tell me. What do you like to do when you’re not being stubborn?”
Jenny shifted on her seat. “I like to draw,” she said. “And I like to read.”
“You went to school?” he asked.
“My aunt insisted on it,” she replied. “She said I’d have a better chance of marrying a learned man if I could read and manage household books and budgets. Apparently, that requires reading, although I preferred novels.”
“When I next to go the general store I’ll buy some pencils and paper,” he said. “As for books, I have a few.”
“You do?” Her eyes grew wide.
“I couldn’t leave England without something from home, and you’ll be happy to know that I brought more than the cane. I also brought a few books from my childhood—adventure stories and poetry.”
When she smiled, he smiled back.
“If you finish that biscuit, then perhaps I can find some for you. You can pass the day committing poems to memory. It’s an excellent exercise.”
He was true to his word. Once the dishes had been cleared away, Nigel produced a slim volume and introduced Jenny to the poems of Wordsworth. She was disappointed to find reading some of the words difficult, but thrilled when Nigel flawlessly read the poems to her with pleasant affectation. After the first poem, he asked her if she’d like to sit on his lap as he read. At first Jenny thought to refuse; the feelings he awakened in her were frightening and unfamiliar. But she wanted to please him, so she sat again in the safe circle of his arms until the rhythmic words of an English poet lulled her to a feeling of complacency.
When the door opened, she was almost disappointed to have the reading interrupted. Cody stood in the doorway for a moment as if surprised by the sight that greeted him.
“Well, it seems as though you’ve settled in, Jenny,” he said as he took his hat off and hung it on the peg by the door.
“It didn’t start off that way, mate,” Nigel said, and Jenny stood and dropped her gaze, afraid to look at Cody as the Englishman recounted how he’d had to spank and cane her before breakfast.
“But we got it all sorted out, right, sweet Jenny?” The Englishman had concluded his account and now both men were looking at her. She squirmed under their gaze as she answered.
“Yes,” she said. “It’s just… I’m just not used to having to answer to anyone. Not like this.”
Nigel stood. “I need to get some more fire for the wood. There’s biscuits and ham in the oven if you’re hungry.”
“Of course I’m hungry,” Cody said as the Englishman headed for the back door.
“I could get your dinner for you,” Jenny said as Cody removed his jacket.
“No, I’ll do it.” The cowboy offered her an easy smile. “You look pretty, Jenny.”
“Thank you.” She looked down at the dress she’d not wanted to don. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful to you or Nigel. I know you weren’t expecting another mouth to feed, but really, Cody, I can earn my keep if you’ll just let …”
“We can talk about that some other time,” he said with a smile. “Right now I just want you to concentrate on feeling at home here, on
Now she sat in the kitchen, daintily and dutifully eating her food as the Englishman watched approvingly.
“You’ll find it gets easier, Jenny, submitting.” He’d finished his breakfast and was regarding her over his empty plate. “Cody said your brother indulged you and left you somewhat spoiled. This must be a very big change, having control stripped away.”
She flushed at this and concentrated on buttering the biscuit in her hand as she nodded.
“Yes,” she said. “Very much.”
“We want you to understand that it’s not all bad, living under our guidance. I personally plan to make sure you’re treated with an equal dose of discipline and coddling.” He smiled, his teeth white in his tanned face. “So tell me. What do you like to do when you’re not being stubborn?”
Jenny shifted on her seat. “I like to draw,” she said. “And I like to read.”
“You went to school?” he asked.
“My aunt insisted on it,” she replied. “She said I’d have a better chance of marrying a learned man if I could read and manage household books and budgets. Apparently, that requires reading, although I preferred novels.”
“When I next to go the general store I’ll buy some pencils and paper,” he said. “As for books, I have a few.”
“You do?” Her eyes grew wide.
“I couldn’t leave England without something from home, and you’ll be happy to know that I brought more than the cane. I also brought a few books from my childhood—adventure stories and poetry.”
When she smiled, he smiled back.
“If you finish that biscuit, then perhaps I can find some for you. You can pass the day committing poems to memory. It’s an excellent exercise.”
He was true to his word. Once the dishes had been cleared away, Nigel produced a slim volume and introduced Jenny to the poems of Wordsworth. She was disappointed to find reading some of the words difficult, but thrilled when Nigel flawlessly read the poems to her with pleasant affectation. After the first poem, he asked her if she’d like to sit on his lap as he read. At first Jenny thought to refuse; the feelings he awakened in her were frightening and unfamiliar. But she wanted to please him, so she sat again in the safe circle of his arms until the rhythmic words of an English poet lulled her to a feeling of complacency.
When the door opened, she was almost disappointed to have the reading interrupted. Cody stood in the doorway for a moment as if surprised by the sight that greeted him.
“Well, it seems as though you’ve settled in, Jenny,” he said as he took his hat off and hung it on the peg by the door.
“It didn’t start off that way, mate,” Nigel said, and Jenny stood and dropped her gaze, afraid to look at Cody as the Englishman recounted how he’d had to spank and cane her before breakfast.
“But we got it all sorted out, right, sweet Jenny?” The Englishman had concluded his account and now both men were looking at her. She squirmed under their gaze as she answered.
“Yes,” she said. “It’s just… I’m just not used to having to answer to anyone. Not like this.”
Nigel stood. “I need to get some more fire for the wood. There’s biscuits and ham in the oven if you’re hungry.”
“Of course I’m hungry,” Cody said as the Englishman headed for the back door.
“I could get your dinner for you,” Jenny said as Cody removed his jacket.
“No, I’ll do it.” The cowboy offered her an easy smile. “You look pretty, Jenny.”
“Thank you.” She looked down at the dress she’d not wanted to don. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful to you or Nigel. I know you weren’t expecting another mouth to feed, but really, Cody, I can earn my keep if you’ll just let …”
“We can talk about that some other time,” he said with a smile. “Right now I just want you to concentrate on feeling at home here, on
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