on. You’re being reassigned.”
The maid stared at him for a moment, as if struggling with what she’d heard. “Reassigned?” Her voice was tight. “Did I do something wrong, m’lord?”
“You’ve done nothing wrong, Betsy,” he said. “But in light of the changes, I believe Lady Penelope would best be served by a minder rather than a maid so close to her age. I’m bringing in a governess. Her name is Winifred Ryan.”
“Winifred Ryan?” Betsy shook her head. “I know of her. She’s nurse to that doctor in the village.”
“Yes,” Alton said.
“M’lord,” Betsy said. “You don’t want that for Lady Penelope. A governess is strict. What she needs is…”
“You forget your place!” Alton’s tone turned icy, and Betsy backed away with a curtsey. “I know what my wife needs.”
“Yes, m’lord,” she said, her voice quavering. “Of course you do. Begging your pardon.”
“Granted.” He sighed. “I know it’s disappointing, but this is for the best. Now go downstairs and the head of my staff will give you some other duty to fill.” He inclined his head toward the door. “Go on, now.”
Lord Westcott glanced at his pocket watch, relieved to have that bit of unpleasant business out of the way. He knew that Penelope had grown quite attached to the young maid, but in his role of guardian it was necessary to make decisions for her that she may not like. He prepared himself for his wife’s disappointment, and was not surprised when she reacted with shock to the news when he broke it to her later that day in the parlor.
“A governess?” she asked. “To replace Betsy?” Penelope’s eyes teared up. “But my lord, I adore Betsy!”
“Yes,” he said patiently. Penelope, he thought, looked perfectly delectable in a cream-colored frock accented with a light pink sash and matching hair ribbon. “I know you adore your maid, but this is best for you, Penelope.”
“No!” she said. “I don’t want a governess! I want Betsy.”
“Penelope, are you or are you not my little one?”
She’d caught her lip in her teeth, and he could see she was trying not to cry.
“I am,” she said.
“Then you will accept my decision. And you will not argue. The governess is coming today.”
“I don’t like this decision!” she cried, and with that Lord Westcott knew he’d have to enforce his authority in a way she would understand. Pulling Penelope across his lap, he flipped up her skirt, pulled a slipper from her kicking foot and began to spank her lower nates.
She was soon wailing as the spanking heated her bottom, and her husband only stopped when she was thoroughly reddened. When he raised Penelope to her feet, he realized that the governess had arrived, and was standing in the doorway, watching.
“Nurse Ryan,” he said.
“Lord Westcott.” The governess strode into the room without asking his leave and stopped just in front of Penelope. She stared down at the young woman for a moment before looking down at Alton, who was still sitting in his chair.
“Well, it seems that I’ve found myself in the employ of a man who shares my particular method of handling bad little girls.” She returned her attention to Penelope. “And just what did you do to warrant this spanking?”
Penelope looked at Alton, obviously stricken. But he remembered his promise to help establish Nurse Ryan’s authority and nodded at his wife to answer.
“I… I argued with him,” she said, rubbing her sore bum.
“And what cause would a proper young lady like you find to argue with her papa about?”
Papa? Penelope looked first at the nurse, then at Lord Westcott.
“Yes, I believe it is time you address me properly,” her husband said. “If you feel you can.”
Penelope managed a smile. “Of course I can,” she said. “But a governess?” Her eyes welled with tears. “My maid…”
“…understood completely.” Alton finished Penelope’s sentence for her and then took her hand, placing it the
The maid stared at him for a moment, as if struggling with what she’d heard. “Reassigned?” Her voice was tight. “Did I do something wrong, m’lord?”
“You’ve done nothing wrong, Betsy,” he said. “But in light of the changes, I believe Lady Penelope would best be served by a minder rather than a maid so close to her age. I’m bringing in a governess. Her name is Winifred Ryan.”
“Winifred Ryan?” Betsy shook her head. “I know of her. She’s nurse to that doctor in the village.”
“Yes,” Alton said.
“M’lord,” Betsy said. “You don’t want that for Lady Penelope. A governess is strict. What she needs is…”
“You forget your place!” Alton’s tone turned icy, and Betsy backed away with a curtsey. “I know what my wife needs.”
“Yes, m’lord,” she said, her voice quavering. “Of course you do. Begging your pardon.”
“Granted.” He sighed. “I know it’s disappointing, but this is for the best. Now go downstairs and the head of my staff will give you some other duty to fill.” He inclined his head toward the door. “Go on, now.”
Lord Westcott glanced at his pocket watch, relieved to have that bit of unpleasant business out of the way. He knew that Penelope had grown quite attached to the young maid, but in his role of guardian it was necessary to make decisions for her that she may not like. He prepared himself for his wife’s disappointment, and was not surprised when she reacted with shock to the news when he broke it to her later that day in the parlor.
“A governess?” she asked. “To replace Betsy?” Penelope’s eyes teared up. “But my lord, I adore Betsy!”
“Yes,” he said patiently. Penelope, he thought, looked perfectly delectable in a cream-colored frock accented with a light pink sash and matching hair ribbon. “I know you adore your maid, but this is best for you, Penelope.”
“No!” she said. “I don’t want a governess! I want Betsy.”
“Penelope, are you or are you not my little one?”
She’d caught her lip in her teeth, and he could see she was trying not to cry.
“I am,” she said.
“Then you will accept my decision. And you will not argue. The governess is coming today.”
“I don’t like this decision!” she cried, and with that Lord Westcott knew he’d have to enforce his authority in a way she would understand. Pulling Penelope across his lap, he flipped up her skirt, pulled a slipper from her kicking foot and began to spank her lower nates.
She was soon wailing as the spanking heated her bottom, and her husband only stopped when she was thoroughly reddened. When he raised Penelope to her feet, he realized that the governess had arrived, and was standing in the doorway, watching.
“Nurse Ryan,” he said.
“Lord Westcott.” The governess strode into the room without asking his leave and stopped just in front of Penelope. She stared down at the young woman for a moment before looking down at Alton, who was still sitting in his chair.
“Well, it seems that I’ve found myself in the employ of a man who shares my particular method of handling bad little girls.” She returned her attention to Penelope. “And just what did you do to warrant this spanking?”
Penelope looked at Alton, obviously stricken. But he remembered his promise to help establish Nurse Ryan’s authority and nodded at his wife to answer.
“I… I argued with him,” she said, rubbing her sore bum.
“And what cause would a proper young lady like you find to argue with her papa about?”
Papa? Penelope looked first at the nurse, then at Lord Westcott.
“Yes, I believe it is time you address me properly,” her husband said. “If you feel you can.”
Penelope managed a smile. “Of course I can,” she said. “But a governess?” Her eyes welled with tears. “My maid…”
“…understood completely.” Alton finished Penelope’s sentence for her and then took her hand, placing it the
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