His Willful Bride (Victorian Brides Book 1) Read online

  “Are you ready?” her aunt asked, bustling into the room. “Oh, my, don’t you look lovely.”

  “Thank you,” Charlotte smiled. “Yes, I’m ready. I’m very ready.”

  “Come along then. Your uncle is waiting. Everyone is waiting, it’s time.”

  Moving from the room, Charlotte couldn’t feel her feet touch the floor, and it was almost as if she were outside her body watching herself and those around her. She was sure that the amazing, wonderful, magnificent event was too spectacular to be happening to her, but when she saw Edward the reality hit, and her heart swelled to the point she thought it would burst.

  The ceremony was subdued, almost grave, and as they spoke their vows, Charlotte couldn’t understand why something that was making her so happy should be so solemn, and she had to fight the temptation to shout out something amusing. It drew to a close, and the wedded couple made their way to the reception room to partake of cake and accept the congratulations of the many well-wishers, but a few minutes after the celebration began, Charlotte looked up at Edward earnestly.

  “I need to do something. I will only be a moment,” she said quietly.

  “Now?” he asked with a puzzled frown.

  “Yes,” she nodded.

  “Very well, please don’t take too long.”

  “I won’t,” she beamed up at him.

  He knew she was up to mischief. It was written all over her face, and as he watched her quickly slip through the gathered guests and disappear down the hallway, he didn’t even attempt to guess what that mischief might be.

  “Where is she going?” Mildred inquired, having rushed across to Edward’s side when she saw her niece hurry away. “She shouldn’t be leaving.”

  “She needed to attend to something,” Edward casually replied.

  The disapproval was clear in the woman’s eyes. Over the previous several weeks he had come to understand why his high-spirited Charlotte and her aunt were oil and water. Mildred was a dour, rigid woman, and though he didn’t condone Charlotte’s defiant and willful attitude, he could see how Mildred’s stiff demeanor would have been like a red flag to a bull.

  “I hope she’s back quickly,” Mildred whispered tersely. “The guests expect to speak with her; they want to extend their congratulations and share their joy with you both.”

  “Indeed,” Edward replied tactfully.

  It was only a minute or two later that Sterling, the earl’s austere, straight-backed butler, approached carrying a silver tray. Upon it sat an envelope with Edward’s name scrawled across the front. It was Charlotte’s script. More curious than worried, Edward scooped it up, and hurriedly ripping open the envelope, he read the note inside.

  Meet me in the woods near the rose garden. Your loving wife, C.

  Breaking into a broad grin, he shook his head. She’d had enough of the pomp and ceremony, and wanted her new husband all to herself.

  Charlotte, this is precisely who you are. Well, my dear, you shall have me, and perhaps more of me than you expect.

  Making polite excuses, feeling Mildred’s displeasure, Edward extricated himself from the company and made his way down the hallway, through the drawing room, and out onto the terrace. The day was perfect, sunny and warm with puffy clouds, but being the end of September he could feel the slightest suggestion of the approaching autumn. Walking quickly through the rose garden, he entered the thicket and spied Charlotte immediately.

  She looked like a fine oil painting.

  Standing in the sheen of a sunbeam, her cream gown glowed golden, and the veil framing her dark hair appeared to be a halo. She was perfectly still, and walking towards her, he believed he was seeing her as she truly was; an angel kissed by the heavens.

  Such a vision. Yes, you are heaven-sent, with just enough devil in you to make you perfect.

  “Hello, wife,” he said with a smile. “I don’t need to ask why you’re here.”

  “I couldn’t abide it,” she sighed. “I was tired of all those people. I wanted you all to myself.”

  “I know, but do you think it was the polite thing to do?”

  “Of course not, but I didn’t leave to be polite, I left because—”

  “You’ve already told me why you left,” he said, taking her hands. “We may not like the dictates of society, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore them.”

  “I’m not ignoring them,” she said with a cheeky grin. “I’m choosing not to follow them.”

  “I think that’s the same thing,” he winked.

  “Um, it is?”

  “I believe so.”

  “Be that as it may, I have what I want. You. Here. Alone with me.”

  “Charlotte Pemberly, you are a very naughty girl, but you are now my wife—”

  “Guilty on both counts,” she interrupted, her eyes sparkling up at him.

  “And that means,” he continued, raising his eyebrows, “I can deal with your naughtiness.”

  “It does?”

  “What do you think happens to naughty, cheeky, willful wives?” he asked, slowly leading her to a fallen tree trunk.

  In a flash, Charlotte suddenly knew his intent. He was going to spank her.

  “Edward, you’re not going to lay me over your knee, are you?”

  “Well guessed,” he nodded. “You are as clever as you are naughty.”

  “No, please, no, not here,” she protested, trying to pause his step. “My petticoats! This is scandalous!”

  “Yes, here,” he decreed, cutting her off as he perched himself carefully on the rough wood. “It seems right that you should feel my spanking hand for first time in this forest. This is where I first told you how I felt, where I proposed, and where I first kissed you.”

  “But, uh, Edward, please, uh, shouldn’t we return to our guests?”

  “My goodness,” he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows, “now she wants to go back to the very people from whom she wished to escape. When we return, and we will, you will do so with a very warm bottom, assuming I can find my way underneath all that finery.”

  Abruptly reaching out and grabbing her wrist, with a quick jerk he had her across his lap, landing with a squeal. As she wriggled her objection, he fought the layers of clothing, finally managing to push them back from her drawers.

  “Stop it, stop fussing,” he said sternly, landing a quick swat on each of her cheeks. “Your dress is attempting to suffocate me.”

  “Ow,” she wailed, her hand flailing, trying to find its way past the folds of fabric to protect her precious posterior.

  “Charlotte,” he said patiently, catching her wrist, “I am going to spank you, and you will not struggle, or scream out, or attempt to cover yourself. If you do any of those things, I shall cut myself a switch, and I can assure you a stout switch carries a much stricter message than my hand. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir, I understand,” she panted, “but—”

  “No, Charlotte, no argument,” he said firmly. “I shall give you a moment to compose yourself while I organize these endless layers of material. I suggest you take several deep breaths.”

  Though mortified that he was gazing upon her undergarments, she tried to do as he said and took a long deep breath. As she exhaled, he released her wrist; dropping her arm, she curled both her hands around his ankle for support. Her face was burning with embarrassment, and she was beginning to think she’d made a dreadful mistake running from the house.

  When she’d written her note and handed it to Sterling, finding herself draped over her new husband’s knee in the forest was the last thing she’d expected. She thought he’d sweep her into his arms and kiss her, roam his fingertips down her back, whisper in her ear, not throw her over his lap for an unfortunate meeting with his smacking hand.

  Taking another breath, trying not to think about the view being presented to his eye, she did her best to resign herself to her fate, but even though she was anxious about what was to come, she couldn’t deny the tingling excitement that was rippling thro
ugh her body, and she certainly couldn’t ignore the fluttering butterflies that had burst to life in her stomach.

  “Are you feeling a bit better?” Edward asked, sensing she had settled.

  “Yes, sir, but please don’t spank me too hard.”

  “One thing you will learn, my dearest, is that such requests will have no bearing whatsoever on the severity of your discipline.”

  He had managed to gather the folds of material into a semblance of order, and raising his hand he dispatched a series of slow, hot slaps, moving with an artful rhythm from cheek to cheek.

  Charlotte gasped with each swat. Her thin cotton drawers offered little protection, and as his open palm continued to rain its discipline, her fingers gripped his ankle and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  “I suspect your bottom is growing quite pink,” he remarked, not breaking the cadence of his slaps. “I doubt these thin drawers are providing much of a shield, but regardless, I’m going to unbutton the flap and feast my eyes on your naked backside.”

  “Sir, oh, sir,” she whimpered.

  “You are my wife, Charlotte, it is my right, but mostly it will be my joy, and it should be yours too. Do you not wish me to see you without your clothes?”

  “No, I, uh, I don’t know, sir,” she stammered. “I am embarrassed that you will see me here. I thought it would be under candlelight, not in the brightness of the day.”

  “It is much better this way. The beauty of your body is to be admired, not hidden in darkness,” he said warmly, pausing his hand. “Is your skin stinging?”

  “Yes, sir, it most certainly is,” she replied, adding a kick to emphasis her answer.

  “My hand smacking you bare will hurt more, but I must repeat my admonition. No crying out, no wriggling, and no putting your hand behind you. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m going to open the flap now, and behold your naked charms.”

  As she felt his fingers unfasten the buttons, Charlotte took a breath and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she’d worn the regular bloomers, the new, modern kind that simply tied at the waist. The air touched her hot flesh, and had she not needed to grip his ankles she would have buried her face in her hands.

  “My sweet girl, what a lovely bottom you have. Full and round, and yes, certainly pink. Not pink enough, but I shall soon remedy that.”

  Gazing at the glorious sight sent a surge of energy to his cock, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to continue much longer without having to deal with a very stiff erection. He gave each cheek a small pinch, then returned to his work, increasing the pace of his smacks, but holding back on the force. Feeling his hand bounce off her behind was immeasurably satisfying, but the need in his member was growing with every swat.

  “Two more hard slaps to finish,” he announced, and immediately sent his hand upon her skin with a brisk swat, adding a bright red blotch to finish the job. “Now I shall rub you for a brief moment so you will have a small taste of the pleasure my hand can offer.”

  As his soft palm began to smooth itself across her skin, she let out a long breath. His hand did feel good, it felt very good, and she could feel a thick wetness between her legs, and an earnest craving for him to touch there.

  “Sir,” she said in a soft, hushed voice.

  “Yes, my dearest? Does my caressing hand give you comfort?”

  “It feels wonderful,” she replied. “Please, will you, uh…”

  “Will I what? You may ask me anything you wish.”

  “Between my legs,” she mumbled, “can you touch me there?”

  His cock almost burst in his trousers, and he couldn’t prevent the groan that left his lips.

  “Oh, that I could, and I wish to, I very much wish to, but I fear if I were to grant your request, we would never return to the house,” and this is not where I wish to take your maidenhead.

  “Then let us not return to the house,” she begged.

  “We must, and we must stay a little longer, but then we can climb into our carriage and head to my home in London. There, my dearest, I will finish this spanking, and then I will most definitely touch you,” he promised as he raised the flap and buttoned it back in place. “Now then, up on your feet, and let’s straighten out this magnificent dress.”

  He helped her up, the folds of fabric falling around her as he did, but before fixing her clothes, he held her against him in a tender, loving hug.

  “You have had your first experience of my discipline, and my spanking hand is something you will often experience.”

  “It carries a great sting,” she moaned as she sank into his hold.

  “Indeed, a sting that you will sometimes yearn for, and another sting that will leave no doubt that you’ve been punished. You are in need of this, Charlotte, and you know it.”

  “Yes, sir, I do, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” though I do in a most peculiar way.

  “You are a treasure,” he said, smiling, “a precious treasure that must be protected and cared for. Are you ready to head back?”

  “No, but I will, because I believe if I refuse, you will spank me again until I agree.”

  “That is correct,” he exclaimed, releasing her and smoothing out her dress and train. “How quickly you learn.”

  “Perhaps I shall learn so fast and so well, you will no longer need to put me over your knee,” she suggested.

  “You will always need to be spanked, Charlotte. That is just the way it is.”

  Chapter Six

  As the guests escorted the happy couple to their carriage and waved them off, Charlotte settled back and gazed at her new husband. He had made good on this threat and had spanked her, and while initially shocked and mortified, she had found the ensuing heat in her bottom seemed to permeate her entire being, making her yearn to be back in his embrace.

  Standing in the reception room making small talk had been almost impossible, and she’d had a strange but marvelous sensation when her thighs began to involuntarily squeeze together. She’d been so lost in her thoughts, Edward had to remind her to change into her traveling clothes so they could leave.

  Her state had been evident to him, and as the carriage rolled along he was glad he had insisted that her lady’s maid travel in a separate carriage behind them. Normally Helen would have journeyed ahead with Reese to make sure everything was prepared for their arrival, but Charlotte couldn’t face her big day without Helen’s help. Since Edward wanted Charlotte to himself on the short journey, he’d arranged the second carriage, giving the additional expense not a thought, and once they were well on their way, he closed the side curtains and moved across to sit beside her.

  “You need to be in my arms, don’t you, Charlotte?”

  “Yes, I do, so much,” she murmured, nestling against him. “All I want is to be close to you. It doesn’t matter where we are.”

  “I’m sure you will appreciate my home in London,” he said, smiling. “It’s a small house, but I have managed to allocate a room for you, so if you need time to yourself you can have it.”

  “Edward, thank you, that sounds heavenly, but I doubt I’ll need it,” she replied, twinkling up at him. “I can’t imagine ever wanting to be by myself.”

  “I hope I can depend on you to behave appropriately. You will be the lady of that house. We can’t have any of your hijinks.”

  “Hijinks?”

  “I’m very well aware of how naughty you can be. Stories travel quickly through society, as well you know.”

  “Edward, you’re scolding me and I haven’t done anything yet.”

  “Yet? What do you mean, yet?”

  “Just a figure of speech,” she said with a mischievous twinkle.

  “When you smile like that it makes me nervous,” he said with a wry grin. “I heard about what you did with that cream cake when you had afternoon tea with your aunt and her friends at the Langham.”

  A pink blush crossed her face, and she gazed out the carriage window.


  “We’ve reached the outskirts of the main part of the city,” she remarked, ignoring his comment.

  “If you pull a stunt like that—”

  “Edward, I was a young, foolish girl then. Now please stop lecturing, or I will do something naughty.”

  “I believe it was only last year,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “and I’d be careful about making threats if I were you. Don’t forget, I still have to finish spanking you when we arrive at my home.”

  “But you spanked me in the forest,” she protested.

  “And I told you at the time I would finish later, or did you conveniently forget about that?”

  “No,” she sighed, “but I thought you may have.”

  “Charlotte, my dearest, an unfinished spanking is not something I will ever forget. Speaking of that episode at the Langham, my curiosity has been piqued. Please tell me exactly what happened with the cream cake, the whole story. Leave nothing out.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Because I asked you to, and that should be enough.”

  “Oh! Yes, I suppose it should be,” she sighed.

  “Yes, it most certainly should,” he said firmly. “Quite frankly, I would like to know if what I heard matches your version of events.”

  “Very well,” she sighed. “Auntie insisted that she show me off to her friends in hopes of encouraging meetings with their sons and nephews.”

  “I’m quite sure you wanted nothing to do with that,” he grinned.

  “Nothing!” she said earnestly.

  “Go on. You were seated around the table, and…?”

  “It was sooo tedious,” she groaned.

  “But, Charlotte, most things are tedious to you!”

  “True, I admit it,” she said loftily. “Anyway, auntie had excused herself, and when no one was looking I slipped a cream cake into my lap. When she returned, just as she sat down…”

  “Yes, go ahead, just as she sat down, what?”