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travel interests but other than that, I was supposed to be seen and not heard while growing.”
    “Your father threatened to take a cane to your sister. Was that a common event in your household?”
    She blushed furiously at the topic. “That is a rather unseemly subject, my lo-, uh Andrew.”
    “No topic is off-limits between a husband and his wife. Answer the question, Cecilia.”
    She nodded and averted her eyes. “I was paddled a time or two while growing up, but Papa never used the cane on me. Elizabeth earned herself a thrashing or two, though.”
    “Well, I am a firm believer in delivering a sound thrashing when it’s needed. It appears your father was lax in the application of the cane where your sister is concerned. The old idiom ‘spare the rod, spoil the child’ seems fitting in this case. You will find I am not so careless. In the future, if you violate the rules we’ve just discussed or any rules I decree from now on, you can expect to feel my guiding hand on your naughty backside, or any other implement I see fit to use to make my point clear. Do you understand?”
    Cici paled, and her eyes were round as saucers as she looked at him. He would spank her like a naughty child? Papa hadn’t found cause to discipline her since she was still in pinafores. Of course, that had been Elizabeth’s fault as well. It seemed every time she got in trouble, her sister’s hand was involved. Look at her current predicament. Did wives really get spanked? Good gracious, this was unheard of!
    “Fear not Cecilia, if you are a good girl and behave as a lady should, you have nothing to fear.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and then took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Let me show you to your room so you can rest or refresh yourself. You have about forty-five minutes before you are to greet the staff. That reminds me, I am a stickler for punctuality so please try to be on time.”
    He led an overwhelmed and shocked Cici to her chamber and summoned her maid with the bell pull. “I will collect you when it’s time.”
     
    Chapter Five
    D ue to her overwrought nerves, Cici was unable to rest. Instead, she washed the road dust from her face and hands, changed into a fresh gown suitable for dinner, made the necessary adjustments to her hair and then waited for her new husband’s return. As she waited, she replayed his words over and over in her head. He planned to spank her, with implements. Oh dear, whatever could he have in mind? Would he do it over her drawers and petticoats as Papa had? Papa had used a strap on her during all her punishments and though painful they had not been unbearable, and Cici had returned to her regular activities the following day. With Elizabeth, that had not been enough to curb her rebellious ways and he had progressed to a cane. She remembered her sister being incapacitated for several days after those harsh punishments.
    “Cecilia!”
    Startled, Cici jumped as her husband’s deep voice penetrated the silence of her chamber.
    “My Lord.” She breathed, placing a steadying hand against her chest beneath which her heart was racing. “I didn’t hear you return.”
    “I see that, although I knocked and called your name several times. What had you so lost in thought?”
    “Just ruminating, My Lord.” She wasn’t about to reveal that she was thinking about him spanking her.
    “Are you certain? I expect you to tell me if something is bothering you.”
    “Yes My Lord, I am ready to meet the staff,” she said as she moved to stand beside him and be escorted to meet the staff.
    He frowned down at her. She was obviously upset about something and withholding it from him. He determined to nip this behavior in the bud straightaway. “Not quite yet, my dear. It seems we need to take care of a few minor details before we proceed downstairs.” She watched as he crossed to her dressing table and pulled out the bench. “Come here, Cecilia.”
    Her hand rose to her