Catching Betsy (Mail-Order Grooms Book 2) Page 8

  Roderick read the note slowly, then folded it and placed it on his dresser. “I know the feeling, darling, as I feel the same about you. But I don’t believe I’m the target. He’s only trying to scare and intimidate you further with this. You’re the subject of his thoughts and the person who’s in danger.”

  “You don’t know that for sure,” she responded firmly. “This could be a serious threat against you.”

  “It could be,” he admitted. “Who knows how his loony mind is working?” His jaw clenched. “I guess my having words with him yesterday helped absolutely nothing.”

  “What can we do now, Roderick? It’s only getting worse, and now I’m even more scared.”

  He rubbed his chin. “One thing is to make sure you’re safe in your cabin. I don’t think he’d be so brazen as to break in at night while your pa is there, but I’m going to hire the carpenter to reinforce your windows and doors.”

  “But what if he goes after you?”

  His eyes slowly turned to stone. “I hope he does. It’ll give me an excuse to kill him.”

  Chapter Nine

  Roderick and Betsy continued with their courtship, taking care to remain vigilant for any more signs of Johnny’s harassment. Like before, Roderick reported the letter to the marshal and, like before, the marshal said he could do nothing to help them.

  Roderick scarcely spent a moment out of Betsy’s presence. When he wasn’t around, he made sure she was with her parents or the Harringtons for the sake of her safety. As they spent more time together, it grew more difficult for Roderick to keep his desire for her at bay. She was so perfect and innocent, and a primitive part of him wanted to destroy that and show her what it meant to be loved as a woman. Still, he never engaged in anything sexual with her, wanting to protect her reputation as he’d promised Mr. Harrington. He knew that he wanted to marry her, but until it was official, he planned to keep himself from taking her into his arms passionately.

  Conversation between them flowed easily, for the most part. The one subject that proved difficult was the place where they would live. Several times Roderick brought up the possibility of them moving to New York together, but Betsy always managed to steer clear of any discussion at length about that topic. He knew the thought of moving was uncomfortable for her, but he didn’t realize how much she feared it until the day he proposed.

  One of their favorite things to do together was something simple: a picnic. The wide-open space among trees and grass was something Roderick didn’t often get to enjoy in the bustling city life, so he made good use of it. They relaxed together one chilly spring day, having just finished eating sandwiches out of a basket that Betsy had packed for them.

  Roderick had memorized every word he planned to say to her. He would tell her of his love for her and how she had made him feel alive and complete in a way he’d never felt before. Then he would ask her to marry him and present her with the diamond ring he was keeping in his pocket. Though he was certain she would say yes, he still felt nervous. He wanted to say everything right, and he wanted the moment to be special for her.

  Before he could give his speech, however, Betsy plucked a blade of grass from the ground and traced it over his arm, tickling him. He moved his arm away, but she continued to tease him, making his arm feel like ants were crawling all over it.

  “You’d better stop that or I won’t give you the present I brought today,” he warned good-naturedly.

  She grinned at him. “You don’t like this?” she asked, continuing to slide the grass over his arm.

  He tried to slap it away. “No, I certainly don’t. It itches.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, still not making any move to stop. Her eyes danced with glee over the fact that she was bothering him.

  “You’re a brat, you know.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I know. And you’re a gentleman, too mannerly to stop me.” Her voice had a certain challenging quality about it that made him lift his brow. He took the blade of grass out of her hand and tossed it aside.

  “If you recall, my being a gentleman won’t prevent me from disciplining a deserving brat.”

  She waved her hand dismissively. “Those spankings barely hurt.”

  He laughed. “Darling, if you want a session over my knee, you don’t need to goad me. You need only ask. I’d be happy to oblige.”

  “Will you oblige if I ask you to kiss me?”

  He coughed a laugh. She never failed to delight him with her candor and cheek. She scooted closer and gazed up at him, her eyes full of pleading that made his heart travel somewhere up near his throat. Her lips looked full and sweet.

  “Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” she asked. “We’ve been courting for a whole month.”

  He smiled. “Is that so long?”

  “Yes,” she said, a whine in her voice.

  “Very well.” He leaned down as though to do immediately as she asked, watching her eyes close in anticipation. As soon as she was no longer looking, he took firm hold of her arm and tossed her over his knees.

  She yelped in mock indignation as his hand came down in swats on her seat. “This is what happens to impatient little brats. They get spanked,” he said.

  She giggled gleefully and squirmed, obviously enjoying every bit of the impromptu punishment. “Then kissed?” she inquired hopefully.

  He laughed. He couldn’t imagine a more delightful creature existed anywhere in the world, and he considered himself very lucky to have found her. After a few more firm swats, he placed her right side up, and in another swift motion laid her on her back on the picnic blanket. He placed one palm on either side of her, leaned down, and kissed her.

  It was the most exciting kiss of his life. When his lips first pressed against hers, the world seemed to stop. He heard no sounds, felt nothing other than her supple lips. She was subdued and in awe, which he knew by the way her lips parted and the gasp that followed, giving him opportunity to explore her further. When he deepened the kiss and slid his tongue inside to meet hers, she moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

  Eventually, he ended the kiss and pulled away slightly. Smiling down at her, he said, “Spanked and kissed—anything else you want, little lamb?”

  Her eyes were glazed with desire and she stared at him with such adoration that Roderick would have given her anything she asked for. “You. I want you,” she said softly.

  He sat down and pulled her into his arms. All of the words he’d planned to say left his mind. Instead, he said what he felt in the moment. “You have me, darling. Forever, if you want. Will you marry me?”

  Her hazel eyes sparkled. “Of course I’ll marry you, Roderick!”

  He kissed her again, and after that he reached into his pocket, drew out the diamond ring, and slipped it onto her finger. “That makes me happier than you’ll ever know.”

  “Believe me, I know. If you feel half as happy as I do, then you’re over the moon.” She held out her hand and moved it in a slow wave, causing the diamond to sparkle in the late-afternoon sun. It was a very expensive ring, the very best that he could afford. “It’s so beautiful. Are you sure you want to marry me, Roderick?”

  Her question caught him off-guard. He frowned at her. “Why would you ask something like that? Hasn’t my affection for you been obvious from the start?”

  She nodded. “Yes, you’ve been very good to me. Only, I sometimes wonder…” Her voice trailed off.

  He hugged her. “What do you wonder, darling?”

  A pink blush crept up her cheeks, and her words tumbled out quickly. “I wonder if you will get tired of me and realize you want someone more sophisticated.”

  “What?” he exclaimed. “That’s not going to happen. Besides, I think you’re plenty sophisticated.”

  “You know what I mean, though. I’m a country girl. I look at catalogs and see what the fancy ladies in the big cities wear. I read about the rules for etiquette. It’s a different life here than what you’re used to, and the women yo
u’re used to are different too.”

  “Betsy Blake, I could easily worry about the same thing in reverse,” he said, his voice stern. “Stand up.” He stood and helped her to her feet. Standing to his full height gave him a more authoritative appearance, since he was nearly a foot taller than she was. He frowned down at her. “I’m different from all the men you’re used to. I could wonder if you’ll get tired of me and decide you want a cowboy.”

  Understanding seemed to hit her then. “I never thought of it that way. Don’t worry, I’ll never want anyone other than you, Roderick.”

  He palmed her face and ran his thumb along the soft skin over her cheekbone. “And I’ll never want anyone but you. We’re different but compatible, as a wise woman once told me.”

  She smiled. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, brat.” He pulled her into his arms for a hug and held her tight for a moment. Releasing her, he said, “You would fit in just fine in New York. I can already see it now, you becoming the lady of the house and charming everyone with your kindness and wit.”

  She stared up at him. “What do you mean, lady of the house. You… you want to move back?”

  “I think so, yes. I’m used to drawing up designs daily, meeting with potential customers, and spending time in my library researching. I feel a bit idle and useless here, like I’ve been on vacation and am now ready to get back to work.”

  “But this is my home. My family. Everything is here.” Her eyes flashed with fear that compelled Roderick to comfort her.

  “I understand, honey, but I don’t know how to make a living here. There’s not much use for architects in such a small town.”

  She pulled away. “You could do something else,” she suggested. “You could wrangle cattle for Mr. Harrington. He’d give you a job.”

  He shook his head. “I’m no cowboy, darling, as you well know.”

  “Roderick, I don’t think I can move away,” she said, sounding panicked. “I’m afraid.”

  He moved forward and took her into his arms, but her body had stiffened. “I would take care of you. I’d help you get accustomed to life there, and we could visit here once a year or so.”

  She shook herself out of his grasp and took a step back. Her eyes flooded with tears. “Just like you can’t fit in here, I wouldn’t be able to fit in there. I know it.”

  “All right, darling. I’m not going to force you into anything. We’ll work it out.”

  But she was past the point of listening to reason. She took another step away and shook her head. Before he could say another word, she turned from him and fled into the thicket of trees on the other side of the clearing. Alarm gripped him. It was already late in the afternoon and he’d always escorted her home before the sun went down, a result of a promise he’d made to her father.

  As soon as he recovered from his initial shock, he took off after her. “Betsy, you stop right now!”

  She didn’t pay him any mind. He lost sight of her several times through the thick trees, which necessitated him stopping and relying on the sounds of her footsteps crackling against the branches on the ground to know her location. She had the distinct advantage of being able to set and know her own path, which caused her to gain distance at first. Roderick struggled to stay on her tail in between dodging bushes and felled logs.

  “What’s the plan here, Betsy?” he called out, fear of losing her to the forest making him very angry. “This is dangerous, and you can’t run from me forever.”

  “Leave me alone,” she screeched back at him, sounding far away.

  “Like hell I will!” He continued his pursuit. Though his occupation required little physical labor, he was an excellent runner due to his frequent exercise, and he slowly he began closing in on her.

  He was faster, stronger, and more determined to catch her than she was to run away. When she was within his reach, he grabbed her arm and brought them both to a halt. He held onto her firmly but not tight enough to cause pain as she tried to wrench her arm free from him.

  “Settle down, Betsy! You could have been hurt or lost out here! What were you thinking, running from me like that?”

  They were both breathing hard. Betsy stopped trying to pull away. With tears streaming down her face, she said, “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

  “That’s fine by me. I don’t want to do much talking either.” He proceeded to walk with her at a quick clip in the direction from which they’d come. It wouldn’t do to be trapped in the middle of the forest when dark overcame them.

  After some time spent in silence, Betsy seemed to come to the same conclusion about being stuck in the woods overnight. She let out a little wail. “It was foolish of me to run, Roderick.”

  “I’ll say,” he growled. He was struggling to get a grip on his temper. He’d never felt so angry and disappointed with Betsy. She’d put herself in real danger, and all because she couldn’t handle staying to have a conversation with him.

  She knew him. She knew he was reasonable and would listen to her concerns. She knew he would do whatever he could to make her happy. And yet she’d chosen to abandon him for the forest. Worse than his disappointment over her response to their difficult conversation was his dismay over what could have happened if he hadn’t caught her before nightfall. He wouldn’t have been able to guide them out of the woods without the sun to help.

  “I’m sorry,” she wailed, stumbling to keep up with his march toward civilization.

  Good, he thought. She understood the gravity of what she’d done. That meant he wouldn’t need to explain the punishment before he meted it out.

  They reached the place where they’d picnicked. He breathed a sigh of relief, even as his mood soured from seeing the place where they’d just shared a moment of pure happiness before it fell apart. Though they were still a fair distance from town, they were within sight of the path leading to Main Street. After that, it was only another mile before reaching the Harringtons’ ranch where the Blakes’ cabin was located.

  Roderick picked up the blanket they’d been relaxing on before and carried it to a large, sloping stone that came up to his thighs and would be waist-high to Betsy. Without a word, he took hold of her arm, led her to the stone, and bent her over it. The soft cushioning of the blanket would prevent her front from being scratched against the rough surface. He had no desire to cause her pain anywhere but on her bottom. That he would tan properly.

  She offered no resistance at first, seeming to understand both that it would be of little use and that she was deserving of punishment. He lifted her skirt and petticoat and draped them over her back, bringing to his view the white drawers held to her slender waist by a thin blue ribbon. He placed his hand on her hip, feeling through the fabric to the soft curve of her flesh that rounded over her hip bone. Finding the end of the ribbon, he untied the bow. His other hand palmed her opposite hip. Hooking his thumbs under the waist of the material, he pulled outward, loosening the drawers completely. She gasped, knowing he was about to bare her bottom.

  When he released the material, it dropped all the way to her ankles, revealing her unclothed bottom and legs. There was a chill in the air, causing gooseflesh to appear over her white flesh. Her thighs trembled and she let out a sob, clearly humiliated and cold as a result of her undressed state in preparation for punishment.

  He didn’t like that she was cold, even temporarily, and he considered clothing her again and disciplining her over her skirts. Then he thought about how cold she would have been if she’d been lost for the night in the forest, where temperatures could drop to below freezing. He decided to continue on with the bare-bottomed punishment as planned.

  Stepping away, he leaned against a tree with his arms folded in front of his chest, observing her and giving her some time to catch her breath and for his anger to cool. He would be firm, but he didn’t want to be too harsh with her. Already she was enduring more punishment than she’d likely ever received, being bent over and exposed in such a compr
omising position. Her legs were parted to shoulder width, a good stance to receive discipline, and he could see the soft dark curls of her sex peeking between her legs.

  “Roderick?” Her voice was meek. She looked back at him over her shoulder but remained in the same position.

  “Turn your head forward and be silent, Betsy,” he said. She obeyed with a sniffle.

  Finally, Roderick pushed himself away from the tree, turned around, and found a young, sturdy branch. Using a knife from the picnic basket, he cut it down. It was about the length of his forearm and the width of his smallest finger. He proceeded to remove the leaves and scrape off the knots. By the end of his whittling, the switch was smooth. He whipped it through the air as he strode the short distance to Betsy, producing a satisfying whistle.

  Placing a steadying hand on her back, he tapped the switch on her bottom. “Have you ever had a switching before?”

  She shifted on her feet nervously. “Y-yes, when I was a child, but not…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Not on your bare bottom,” he guessed.

  She sniffled and nodded.

  “No child deserves a punishment this harsh. But you’re a grown woman, and I expect you to act like one. Is running away acting like a grown woman?”

  He watched as a shiver caused her body to jerk suddenly. “No,” she whispered.

  “Quite right. Now, honey, I’m not trying to humiliate you. However, I do believe you deserve to feel the full sting of this punishment, which is most effective on your bare skin. That is why I have undressed you.”

  “I-I understand,” she said with a sob.

  “Good. Let this be a lesson to you.”

  He brought the switch across the center of both cheeks. A split-second later, she emitted a shriek and would have stood from her bent position if it weren’t for Roderick’s hand on her back pinning her in place. He watched as a single, thin welt appeared on her tender white cheeks.