“That’s good.” Her voice was small, almost frightened. Like she doubted my word. Had she been mistreated? Is that why she’d come west to marry Coleton?
“You’re running from cruelty, aren’t you love?” I spoke softly. My words were for her ears alone. Whatever she told me I would share with Roscoe later, but for now, I wanted her to feel safe enough to open up to me, and keeping my voice low would help with that.
She was silent for a moment, then she shuddered.
“Tell me,” I urged.
Hesitantly, she did. Fury rose within me as she told me about her useless brother gambling away their fortune, running up huge debts, and selling her to Mr. Yates to pay them. The intensity of my anger shocked me. How dare she be married off to someone who would abuse her? Her body shook as she told me about her past and I held her close, kissing her temple tenderly.
“Shhhh now,” I whispered. “You’re ours now. Mine and Roscoe’s. And we won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.”
But even as I held her, uneasiness nagged at me. We were a long way from Philadelphia. But it sounded like Elise’s brother was a very desperate man. And desperate men often did desperate things, especially when they had a wealthy backer. I knew why Mr. Yates wanted Elise – she was beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. But now she was ours, and Mr. Yates couldn’t have her. We would make sure of it.
7
ELISE
Already, Emma was turning out to be a very good friend. She’d helped me get ready for my wedding this morning, helping me dress in the cream satin gown I’d brought with me, and weaving wildflowers into my hair. She had talked while she’d worked, telling me how she met her husbands, and kept me entertained with stories of her family, her children, and life with her men. I was nervous, but she put me right at ease.
“They’re good men, Shane and Roscoe,” she had assured me. “If you do your very best to please them, they will make you happy. I’m sure of it.”
I hoped she was right.
Emma didn’t complain about the food I wasted in my feeble attempts to help cook breakfast this morning. Nor did she mention Roscoe carting me off outside and punishing me. I am sure she heard it all: the scolding, the spanking, my cries. Even if she didn’t, the tears that wet my eye lashes and my red face would have given it away. Especially when I sat down gingerly on my tender bottom. But Emma didn’t say a word. Instead, she was kind.
I couldn’t believe I was riding in a rickety buggy to my wedding day, where I would be wed to not one, but two men. It was like a dream. A very unexpected dream. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d planned my wedding. My whole life, all my schooling, had prepared me to be a high-society wife. I’d gone to finishing school. I’d danced with all the gentlemen at my debutante ball. I’d learned how to manage the household staff, and when Father had died and it had become my responsibility, my training had stood me in good stead. But as John had gambled away the money, the servants had left, one by one, until only Cook remained.
The marriage I was riding to now was very different to the big wedding I had imagined.
My heart pounded as we stood in front of the preacher and Roscoe took my hands. Officially, it was Roscoe I was marrying, because he was the eldest of my two men, but I would belong to both of them. My mouth was dry and my pulse raced as I repeated my vows. I faltered slightly at the ‘honor and obey’ bit. Was I prepared to obey these men for the rest of my life? They’d both already shown me what would happen if I didn’t, and I didn’t much care for it. My bottom still tingled from Roscoe’s harsh wallops this morning. I’d only known these men for one day and already I’d been on the receiving end of two spankings. Both of them had hands as hard as boards.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emma give me an encouraging smile and I forged ahead with my lines. It was a bit late to back out now, even if I wanted to. Standing next to Roscoe, Shane grinned. My insides flipped. He obviously didn’t care if my words were sincere or not; he’d already proven that he knew how to deal with wayward women. I remembered the way my lady parts had throbbed and how my juices had made my thighs slick in response to the spankings my men had delivered. My mind didn’t like being punished, but my body betrayed me. Even when I had cried afterwards, the telltale feelings of arousal ripped through me and I felt protected. Safe. Cherished. And those were the things I wanted most of all.
Once the vows were said, Roscoe captured my mouth with his as he slid a simple gold ring onto my finger. Sparks ignited around me as he claimed me with his lips, exploring my mouth with his tongue. I felt his fingers entwine in my hair, pulling my head in closer. He kissed me with so much passion I was dazed, lost in his embrace.
Around us, Emma, Kane, Ian and Shane clapped as Roscoe showed me that I was his. I couldn’t wait for Shane to show me I was his, too.
There was no reception afterwards like there would have been had I married in Philadelphia. Instead, Kane and Ian returned my rented buggy and took Emma home, and my new husbands took me straight to the hotel.
“Come on my love,” Shane whispered in my ear, bending so close to me I could feel his
