A Stern Lord for My Lady by R.R. Vane
Chapter 4
Lady Alicia had already fallen asleep on her belly, with her bare bottom still a delicious shade of deep pink. Bertran frowned a little upon this wife of his, so bold and eager, though she’d been just a maiden. He took hold of a blanket and covered her, loath to hide her wondrous body, but knowing that the royal residence could get chilly, especially at night, even if it was May. He lay beside her, but sleep would not come, and he thought with a smile of how well his bride’s wet sheath had accommodated him. She was fiery and bold, this new wife of his, unlike his first wife, who’d been shy and skittish.
He recalled his first wedding night. It had been far removed from the one he’d experienced tonight. His first wife had been obedient, and willing to do her duty, but it had taken much work from him to get her eager and ready for his first thrust. Even later in their marriage, it had taken considerable coaxing and patience to get her to welcome him between her thighs. This did not happen often – she’d been devout and held all the holy days, which required them to abstain from coupling. Bertran had been barely twenty at the time, and he’d keenly craved frequent coupling. He’d been loyal to his wife though, because he held his honour very dear, and would not break faith with his lady, but sometimes his wife’s austere behaviour had been a trial to him.
He smiled to himself, thinking his second wife could not have been more dissimilar from his first even if he’d wished it. Where his first wife had been sweet and meek, this woman was defiant and haughty. And where his first wife had been shy and restrained, this woman was bold and fiery. She’d ignited like fire, and he’d not even had the chance to caress her as he’d planned. He’d meant to pleasure her with his fingers and mouth, and make her gush and writhe for him in rapture before he took her, but in the end he’d had no need of doing it. She’d been already gushing for him, and, in truth, he’d only begun caressing her. She was a woman who ignited like tinder, this new wife of his.
Again, he smiled, only to have this smile replaced by a frown. If Lady Alicia ignited like tinder for him, what guarantee did he have that she would not do so for other men? She disdained him and what he was – her venomous letter had been more than clear in this respect. Yet, she’d coupled with him boldly. He fell asleep belatedly, with a crease on his forehead, not knowing if he should rejoice in finding a wife who ignited like fire under his touch or bemoan the fact that he’d found a fierce, bold woman who unashamedly revelled in coupling.
She was still asleep when he woke up next morning, with his cock stiff and ready, as it usually was when he roused. He sighed with regret, knowing he would not be able to avail himself of his lady this morning. She must be still sore between her thighs from last night, since he’d taken her maidenhead, and he didn’t want to use her ill. So he pleasured himself, looking at her as she slept peacefully, and thinking of her scrumptious, reddened behind, which must be still somewhat pink from the spanking he’d bestowed upon her yesterday. He made quick work of it, because he was already very much aroused. He wiped the seed that had spurted from his cock with the bed sheets, which were already soiled from their coupling last night. There was some blood on them, but not much. She had been slick and eager, and this had eased his passage. Besides, he already suspected she’d sheathe him better than his first wife. He’d not given her his full length last night, mindful she was still tight and unused to a man between her thighs. But he already had an inkling this woman would be able to take his full length, to the hilt, the next time they coupled.
He watched her while she slept, still torn between joy and anguish. Last night, she’d plainly stated she hadn’t wanted the match, and he assumed she still disdained him, in spite of the fact she’d given herself to him. Would she be loyal to him, to a man she obviously thought little of? He didn’t know. He meant to treat her fair, and be a good husband to her, but would she try to be a good wife in return? She plainly hadn’t learnt her lesson from the humiliating spanking he’d delivered. Did this mean he’d have to spank her even harder when she defied him? And he felt sure she would defy him again. She was not a meek, obedient woman.
* * *
Alicia wokeup with a pleasurable feeling inside her sex. She’d dreamt delicious dreams last night. She’d dreamt of her new husband, thrusting inside her, and then she’d dreamt of his hand, bestowing playful, but stinging spanks on her bottom. She opened her eyes, noting there was a slight discomfort in her behind, but not as much as she’d experienced last night. There was also a discomfort between her thighs, but she dismissed it, understanding it was natural for a newly deflowered maiden to feel thus.
She glanced upon her husband who was fully dressed, and noted he had not waited upon her to assist him. As his wife this was now one of her duties, but he didn’t seem to mind dressing without assistance.
“Good morrow, wife,” he said, perusing her with his hazel eyes.
She’d never thought she’d find hazel eyes so compelling. She’d always been partial to eyes that were blue, or green, but Sir Bertran’s eyes were simply arresting. It was probably because of those gold flecks in them.
“Good morrow, my lord,” she replied, now blushing in earnest.
She was unused to rising late, and it was remiss of her to wake up after her lord husband. Her mother had schooled her well, and she knew her wifely duties. Wives should never wake up later than their husbands, her late lady mother had decreed. What time was it? Well past dawn, for certain. Alicia had seldom woken past dawn, but she surmised it was the sheer exhaustion of the day before that had gotten to her.
“And how are you this morning, lady wife?” her husband asked her, coming to seat himself on the edge of the bed. “Still sore?”
Did he mean her bottom or that place between her thighs? She blushed even more fiercely than before when he pulled the blanket to stare at her upturned bottom.
“Still pink, I see, but not as angry red as yesterday,” he said mischievously, giving her bottom a light pat.
She glared at him, though she’d not felt any pain, but rather an ignoble stab of pleasure in her sex at his touch. In truth, she’d even forgotten to feel angry with him for the burning, humiliating spanking he’d delivered. He had been courteous and gentle with her last night. But at the same time his loving had been pleasurable and hot. Perhaps she had been wrong – he might prove a tolerable husband, after all. And perhaps he’d really meant to spare her the humiliation of a painful switching in front of everyone. He’d only meant to make her pay for the insults her father had most certainly bestowed upon him. Replaying the scene in her mind, she reasoned he had been fair in the way he’d dealt with her. The insults the king had talked about were heinous – another lord knight might have asked payment in blood for such. Still, that didn’t change the fact he’d humiliated her in front of the entire court, to satisfy his pride and ambition. They’d laugh at her for years to come – that was certain. She sighed, deciding to rise, knowing that, soon, the attendants would come to take the sheets away.
“Shall we leave this very morning?” she asked him, knowing this was a decision they should discuss. And if they left, where would they go? To one of his estates or to one of her own estates? Alicia knew her own estates were richer than those a De Morne would possess. So, choosing one of her manors as their chief residence seemed like a more reasonable choice.
He shook his head.
“No. I am needed at Court, so we’ll stay for at least two more months or until I’m no longer needed.”
She heaved a sigh, knowing he had to be present at Court, if his liege lord had decreed it. But that didn’t mean she should be here with him, did it? She despised Court, and she felt out of place among the sycophantic courtiers. Besides, the whole court had witnessed her humiliation. She’d rather be elsewhere.
“It seems to me only you need to be at Court,” she told him with a frown. “I can go to one of my estates, where I’m certainly needed.”
She cast him a defiant look, daring him to set his boundaries. She already knew he’d spank her if she misbehaved. So, it was as good a time as any to test the limits of her new husband. Would he spank her for speaking her mind?
He heaved a heartfelt sigh.
“Queen Eleanor will be here until her son’s wedding in August. She insists you should remain by my side, lady wife. Besides, we’re newly wed.”
He did not seem angry at her for her boldness, which was a good sign. The fiend was maybe not as unreasonable as she’d thought him.
“I just despise Court,” she said with a frown, deciding to test him further.
He raked a hand through his brown hair, and cast her a sympathetic smile.
“So do I, for that matter.”
The fiend seemed reasonable, so far. And Alicia was not as unreasonable as to think they could go against a direct royal command.
“So, I guess we’ll have to stay at the royal castle for the next two months,” she said in a resigned voice.
He shook his head with a smile.
“No, not at all. I have a house in London, didn’t you know?”
She hadn’t, and she found herself smiling at him in relief. A place of her own would suit her fine, as the bedding in the palace would be uncomfortable and cramped. They’d only had use of this bedchamber because it had been their wedding night, but courtiers who remained at Court had to make their bed in the common space, with just a screenfold to separate them from the others who slept in the same room. The prospect of a house seemed mightily pleasing to Lady Alicia.
“When can I see the house?” she asked excitedly.
Again, her husband rewarded her with that smile which made him look impossibly handsome.
“Soon, wife. Today, after we’ve paid our respects to our lieges,” he told her.
Alicia didn’t have time to give her acquiescence. The servants, accompanied by two of the ladies who’d been present at the bedding ceremony last night, came to take away the sheets. One of the ladies, Lady Edith, the one who’d made the ribald joke about impaling, frowned upon the sheets as she was inspecting them.
“So little blood,” she muttered waspishly, closely examining the sheets.
Alicia found herself blushing fiercely, as the lady in question glanced disdainfully upon her, as if she was calling her honour into question.
“More seed than blood,” Lady Edith further commented, making Alicia blush even further.
She felt deeply embarrassed, since she knew too well the whole court would be still having fun at her expense.
“That would be all, my lady Edith,” Sir Bertran said in a cold voice.
Lady Edith seemed to linger though.
“I’m bound to ask, since this is my duty,” the elderly lady said, casting the new husband a shrewd glance. “Are you satisfied with the state of your bride, my lord?”
Alicia thought she would die of mortification.
“Aye, truly satisfied, my lady,” Sir Bertran replied in clipped tones.
Mercifully, the lady Edith took the hint and soon made herself scarce, together with the others. Still, Alicia felt suddenly cross and despondent. She was no longer a maiden, but a married woman, and, as such, from now on, she would be subject to her husband’s rule. The husband in question was eyeing her with a cocked eyebrow.
“Shouldn’t you be getting dressed, wife?” he asked pointedly, gesturing at her nakedness.
Alicia had never been shy, and she’d forgotten her husband’s gaze was upon her when the attendants had entered the room. Again, she blushed fiercely. Her late mother would be tossing in her grave. What could her husband be thinking of her, behaving so immodestly?
“Aye, my lord, it’s high time I got dressed,” she muttered.
She didn’t call for attendance, and she proceeded to do so herself, under her husband’s gaze. It seemed his hazel gaze was watching her every movement. Soon she began to feel aroused by the hungry way she perceived he was perusing her. Did he want to have her again? Alicia already knew herself to be willing - this man’s gaze seemed to kindle a fire between her legs every time he looked upon her. She glanced at him uncertainly, not knowing what he would want of her. He was, of course, within his rights to claim her.
She looked upon him in plain disappointment when he at last told her he had court business to attend to this morning. They would meet later in the Hall, he told her, when it was time to see their monarchs.
