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“Like that argument will help us,” Lydia laughed, feeling a tingle of excitement through her growing apprehension.

They all knew what would be waiting for them when they arrived. They had taken their controlling, over-protecting,overbearing husbands and hoodwinked them. Ezra was going to be furious with her when she told him the truth about where she had been, but with everything from the past finally over, she did not want any loose strings fraying about. The plan was worth it, no matter the consequences.

There they are,” Lydia said, peering out the window as the carriage drew up Frampton Drive.

Alice and Barbara each looked. There, already standing in the drive at the front of their house was their husbands. Even from the distance, Lydia could see the anger and worry marring their handsome faces, but as the three women looked back at one another they burst into laughter. Their men were some of the fiercest nobles in England, and they could throw all the temper tantrums they wanted, but they were also wrapped tightly around their fingers.

To their surprise, their husbands allowed the carriage to come to a complete stop and politely helped each of them out.

“Did you enjoy your little adventure today, my little dove?” Ezra asked warmly, taking Lydia’s hand as she stepped down.

“It was successful,” she replied, giving him a cheeky smile.

Ezra’s blue eyes went dark right before he yanked Lydia toward him and tossed her onto his shoulder.

“Good,” he growled, laying a firm spank across her backside without delay, “Because it was the last one you will ever have.”

Pleasure bloomed through the pain in her left cheek, and she smiled wickedly.We’ll see about that,she thought, as Ezra started carrying her toward the front steps.

“I’m going to spank you until you are red, you hear me?” Lydia heard Ambrose say to Barbara as she watched them from her new view.

“You can try,” Barbara smiled, then gasped as Ambrose pulled her to his chest; his mouth clamping down on hers.

“Home.Now,”Duncan demanded.

He too had his wife flung over his shoulder, stalking away from the rest of them and toward the waiting carriage.

“Good luck, ladies!” Alice called over Duncan’s shoulder.

“The three of you will need it,” Ambrose agreed, hauling Barbara to their own carriage. “You aresopaying for doing this to me. Do you have any idea how worried I was?!”

“That is what I was hoping for,” Lydia heard Barbara say tauntingly before Ambrose deposited her into their own carriage.

“Ezra, I am not going to leave again,” Lydia sighed as he carried her inside. “Youcanput me down, and I will follow you.”

“Where did you go?” he demanded, ignoring her as he took her up the stairs.

“I had to serve an eviction notice,” she replied.

Ezra stopped so fast he swayed, and he shifted her in his arms so he could look at her.

“I will explain everything,” Lydia promised, cupping his cheek. “But first, keep taking me upstairs. I am suspecting a punishment of some sort is waiting there for me.”

Though it was obvious Ezra was still furious, a devilish grin spread across his face as arousal flickered through his eyes, and he resumed climbing the stairs.

“Damn right there is.”

EPILOGUE

Four Months Later

“It is a gorgeous piece,” Tabitha Perth, the mother of Lydia’s new brother-in-law praised, pointing a finger at Lydia’s choker. “Wherever did you get it?”

Lydia blushed as she fought the urge to touch the sterling silver collar that laced around her throat. Ezra had made true on his threat of a collar and leash, and now she wore the collar every day.

“I had it made for her,” Ezra said, placing a hand on Lydia’s shoulder as she joined them.

Lydia looked up to see the utter love and possession in his eyes and felt herself grow warm.