His Spoilt Lady by Vanessa Brooks Page B

previous
night.
    “No, I was
about to say, when I first kissed you on the balcony.”
    Linnett looked
very nonplussed. “But I kicked and punched you after that kiss!”
she insisted.
    John grinned.
“Yes, you were as surprised as I at your response to that kiss…
which made me realise that you were not the wanton that I took you
to be. You were as attracted to me as much as I was attracted to
you.”
    Linnett nodded.
“I was so confused by that kiss, because I disliked you so much...
and actually, I think I was a little afraid of you as well.”
    John raised an
eyebrow. “Afraid, hmm, was that before or after our...disagreement
in the coach?”
    Linnett flushed
a deep shade of red. “Before actually….. I hated you afterwards!
However,” she added impudently, “I now think perhaps I might have
misjudged you slightly. You might be... just a man after all and
not the tyrant I thought you to be.”
    “What!”
exclaimed John in mock surprise “Can I believe what I am hearing?
My wife does not believe me to be a tyrant? Oh, but now I must
prove her so very wrong!”
    Linnett giggled
and hit him playfully. “I admit,” she told him, “I may have
misjudged you, but you did give me just cause, treating me so
abominably.”
    John nodded
sagely. “Ah yes, the spanking.... you so richly deserved!”
    “I most
certainly did not!” squealed Linnett.
    “Oh, but you
most certainly did, young lady, and I will admit that I enjoyed the
exercise immensely, so much so, I thought it most kind of you to
give me cause to indulge once again!
    “So now,
Linnett, I propose to repeat the process. Come and lie over my lap,
there’s a good girl, and let’s get this over with.”
    John watched,
amused, as Linnett’s face flushed bright red and she bit her bottom
lip before she began to move surreptitiously away from him towards
the edge of the bed. Linnett guiltily recalled the damaged shirts
in the chest; oh what on earth had she been thinking of and what
was she to do now? Before Linnett could even formulate a plan,
John’s hand shot out and gripped Linnett’s wrist firmly.
    “Did you think
for one moment that I would let that nasty little prank go
unpunished, my dear?” he asked her with one eyebrow raised. When
there was no reply, he shook her wrist. “When you threw water over
me today, I let your behaviour go without dealing with you because
of the shock you experienced, leaving your father and your home. I
realise now that was the wrong thing to do. You thought me weak
instead of kind, didn’t you? If I had dealt with you as you
deserved this afternoon, you wouldn’t have dared to ruin my shirts.
And then there was your unladylike behaviour over dinner
tonight.”
    Linnett looked
up confused. He explained, “Your comments about Lord North, my dear
-- I will not have my wife repeating common street gossip. You
embarrassed the captain and his officers, Linnett, and I will not
tolerate such bad manners. Well now, what have you to say for
yourself?” John’s voice was as steely as his arctic grey eyes.
    Linnett gulped
and stuttered an inaudible reply; it was difficult to talk, her
mouth felt dry, and her stomach curled tightly, she was so nervous.
Where was her gentle lover of only minutes before?
    John’s arm
suddenly shot out again, grabbing hold of Linnett, and before she
realised what he was about he had tipped her across his knee.
    “Linnett, you
are my wife now, and you will learn to respect me as your husband.
I shall teach you how to behave as my wife. Every time you behave
like a child or disobey me in any way, I shall be forced to take
you in hand and you will end up as you are now, across my knee, and
Linnett believe me, you will soon learn how I wish my wife to
behave.”
    John lifted
Linnett high over his knee so that she was forced to place both her
hands on the cabin floor to support herself. “Please don’t do this,
John, not now after we shared so much, I am so...o...o sorry about
your shirts,