In the meantime, here's a tiny taster...
“Miss
Waterford, will you join me in the library?”
Lettie glared up at Mr Andrew Hunter
from the book that she had been pretending to read for the past twenty minutes.
“Whatever for, Sir?” she asked, tilting her head to one side. “Surely you do
not require my opinion on which book to choose? I am certain a man such as
yourself will have all his views on the matter already formed.”
Determined as she was to goad him
into an act of anger or abandonment in the presence of her relations, Lettie
was furious when he kept his countenance and simply repeated his calm request
for her to join him in the library.
“I will not,” she whispered, turning
her face a little to ensure that her family would not see.
Andrew raised his eyebrows and his
expression became almost imperceptibly sterner. “I assure you that you shall,
Miss Waterford. I would speak with you before I leave.”
Lettie considered further refusals
or else leaving the room entirely. For one wild moment, she even considered
throwing her book at his severe, self-righteous face. Instead, she drew herself
up with all of the dignity that she could muster and gave him the most
contemptuous curtsey she had ever given to anyone. “Come along then, if you
must,” she said coldly before turning and leaving the room, with Mr Andrew
Hunter following close behind her.
Though she expected the scolding to
begin the moment that she and Mr Hunter were out of earshot, he surprised her
by walking by her side in silence as they made their way along the corridor to
the library. Only once that door had closed firmly behind them did he speak.
“Lettie, what is the matter?” he
asked softly, his hand still pressed against the smooth wood of the door.
Prepared as she was for a harsh reprimand,
Lettie could for a moment think of no response. Flustered, she turned away and
walked into the centre of the room. “Why on earth should anything be the
matter?” she asked, trying to affect her usual flippant tone but not quite
succeeding.
“Do not toy with me, Lettie. We both
know that you are unhappy: if nothing else, this evening’s miserable
performance has demonstrated that beyond all doubt.”
“How familiar you are,” retorted
Lettie, “to know all my own thoughts so intimately.”
“Do you deny it?”
“You have already declared it to be
so, Sir: I rather wonder at your needing my opinion at all.”
“Have a care, young lady. You are
already due a spanking: do not make it worse for yourself.”
Lettie gasped and span around at his
words, her brown eyes wide and truly looking at him for the first time since she
and Mr Hunter had entered this room. “You have no right!”
“We have already discussed this,
Laetitia. I said that I would chastise you again if your behaviour warranted it
and I must say your behaviour has more
than warranted it this evening.” His voice was calm but firm as he walked
towards her. “Your impertinence, your incivility and your lack of concern for
the feelings of others has been unpardonable and I must confess myself
surprised that you did not know what the outcome would be when I asked to speak
with you.”
“I… I suppose I had believed you
might have… softened towards me in
the ensuing weeks… but I see now that I am mistaken… and that I mean as little
to you now as I did that day at the picnic…” Lettie’s lips were trembling and
she inwardly cursed herself for being so open with a man who was at this very
moment preparing to chastise her. What a fool she was to waste her true
feelings on him!
“Whether or not my feelings have softened would make no difference to my
decision to discipline you, Lettie. And I assure you that I hold you in very high
esteem, just as I did on the day of the picnic. Indeed, you should take my
actions this evening as a mark of that esteem. Now come here.”
Lettie looked at his outstretched
hand with trepidation, her belly clenching and unclenching like a fist.
“Come now, Lettie. I do not wish to
force you again but I shall if I deem it necessary.”
After another moment’s hesitation,
Lettie pressed her eyes closed and, at the same instant, placed her gloved hand
in his.
“Good girl,” he murmured, and Lettie
despised herself for the feelings of pleasure his approval roused within her.
1 comment:
I cannot wait for this book! I love regency era and these two already have great chemistry!
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