Page 8 of Desire and Discipline

Priscilla

Joseph looked so contrite, Priscilla would have felt sorry for him if she did not still have some lingering anger.

She knew he was correct in that most members of the ton would have found his actions very respectful.

In fact, they would think her disrespectful for pushing herself into an arena where wives did not often go.

She was aware of the many marriages where the husband kept a mistress or a lover—and often the wife did as well.

It was not only an accepted practice, it was encouraged.

Now that she was a wife, she’d heard all sorts of conversations she had not before and was aware not all ladies enjoyed the marital bed the way she did.

Privately, she thought that must be the fault of their husbands, but the ladies seemed perfectly happy sending their husbands to other women for pleasure.

Priscilla was not.

Neither were any of her friends.

She knew what most of the ton would think, what her mother would think.

Her mother would be horrified at the idea of Priscilla doing anything so gauche as punishing her husband.

Her mother’s idea of a proper wedding night discussion had been to tell her to lie back and think of England and it would be over quickly enough.

Joseph had made their wedding night, and every other night they shared a bed, glorious.

She still felt lucky he was her husband.

She still loved him. While she was hurt and frustrated, she was not unaware that most husbands of their station would not only have expected her to turn a blind eye, they would never have apologized for any of their actions.

He’d kept a secret. She understood the reasons for it, even if she did not like it.

“The most important part of engaging in this kind of play is communication,” Catherine said serenely, as if Joseph was not standing there, hangdog and unhappy.

“Something you will both need to work on. If you are hiding your desires from each other, you will both be unhappy. Having an interest or desire for something does not mean your partner must indulge, but from what I have seen, partnerships work best when you are honest with each other about what you want. You may find yourselves even more compatible than you ever imagined.”

She raised her eyebrow as she looked back and forth between Priscilla and Joseph, and they both nodded their understanding, Priscilla meeting Catherine’s gaze while Joseph continued to stare at the floor.

“Now, Joseph, with the understanding that Priscilla does not think any less of you, do you agree that she will be your disciplinarian this evening?”

“Yes,” Joseph replied in a low voice, still not looking at either of them.

Apprehension and excitement flittered through Priscilla. She had the feeling this night would either make or break their marriage, and she was terrified it might be the latter… but if she walked out of the room now, she doubted she would ever find the courage to walk back in.

“Priscilla, are you able to let go of your anger in order to pay proper attention to Jospeh as you discipline him?” Catherine asked.

“Yes,” she answered firmly. The hard edge of her anger was long gone, and the rest was already dissipating. His sincere apology had even soothed some of her hurt.

“Good. Joseph, strip.” Catherine looked at Priscilla, who had startled at the order, as Joseph began to untie his cravat.

“He does not strip all the way with me, just down to his small clothes. Most of the implements we use work best skin to skin, but Joseph has never been open to stripping fully with me. Instead, he strips down to his small clothes and, when needed, he will uncover his buttocks and only his buttocks.”

The reassurance was kindly meant and another relief to hear. Even though Joseph had been keeping secrets from her, it did sound as though he had done his best to be respectful of their marriage, far more so than many would have. From now on, though, she wanted more.

She would demand more.

The sense of power that rushed through her at the thought made her shiver.

She did not even mind Joseph stripping down almost bare in front of another woman.

There was a flash of jealousy, but Catherine did not seem interested in him.

She was studying Priscilla. And Joseph was not looking at Catherine.

He was still hanging his head… though another jolt of jealousy hit her when she saw he was erect.

Was that because of Catherine?

Moving over beside Priscilla, Catherine murmured in her ear.

“You will take the lead this evening. I will be the voice in your ear, assisting and guiding you, but this will be a passing of the reins. I can see much potential in you, and I do not think you will need me for long… but as I am more experienced in this venue, I am at your service.”

“Thank you,” Priscilla murmured, resolving at that moment not to cause a fuss about the bulge at the front of Joseph’s smalls.

“Tell him to get into the position you want him. I recommend bent over the couch if you would like to spank him or standing braced against the wall if you would like to use the flogger.”

Although her fingers twitched at the mention of the flogger, which she was very interested in, Priscilla did not feel ready to jump immediately to such an implement when she’d never held one, much less swung one. But she needed to do something. Say something. And Joseph was standing there waiting.

She cleared her throat.

“Joseph, I want you to place yourself over the couch… for… and prepare yourself to be disciplined.” She was amazed her voice did not squeak but hated the way she sounded so uncertain.

“Yes, my Lady,” he said, turning to move toward the couch.

The feeling of power, of control, that filled her made her entire body throb as she watched in surprise.

“He has always refused to call me ‘my Lady,’” Catherine murmured in her ear. “And he has never begun one of our sessions aroused. In case you were wondering.”

Priscilla had been. The thrill that went through her at Catherine’s words was one of pure excitement.

Joseph

He could not hear what Lady Cross was whispering in Priscilla’s ear, no matter how he strained his. It felt as if his heart was pounding in his chest so hard, he could feel the beating against his skin.

While the guilt of his secret no longer dogged him, shame still did.

Not shame from his desires, though there was some of that mixed in, but shame because Priscilla had been utterly correct in all of her statements, as had Lady Cross.

Joseph did not like to think himself the kind of man who could be easily swayed by the opinions of others, but he had to face the fact he had been swayed by his assumptions of their opinions, which was even more embarrassing.

Yes, many men would consider his desires unnatural…

but those closest to him had never given him any indication they looked down upon the other men in the Society who had the same desires.

He’d kept his secrets out of fear rather than giving any of them, including Priscilla, the chance to accept him.

Some of that fear lingered, as did his aversion to the idea of Priscilla being part of these endeavors, but he also was honest enough to recognize how unreasonable that was. Especially since she had specifically stated her interests.

Wives are not supposed to…

But then, husbands were not supposed to want what he wanted, either. Now that the hypocrisy had been pointed out to him, he would not stand for it. He would find some way to work through it—for her sake and also for his.

Part of him liked Priscilla’s involvement very much, despite how his mind struggled.

His cock was achingly hard, rubbing against the soft fabric still restricting it, aching for her touch.

He had never had this kind of reaction to Lady Cross.

He’d never even been this eager for Mrs. White when they’d been lovers.

Perhaps it was because he’d never seen Priscilla like this before. Perhaps it was because this side of her was so different from what he knew of her. It did not really matter why. All he knew was the effect it had on him was shocking.

As he bent over the couch, his backside facing the two women, his stiff erection rubbed against the arm, and he bit back a groan.

Bracing his forearms on the seat of the couch, he took a deep breath for courage.

He was not sure whether it helped or hindered that he could no longer see the two women.

“Very good,” Priscilla said, her voice a little higher than normal, a little uncertain, yet excited. It did not matter that she did not have the same confidence as Lady Cross; he still felt a large flush of warmth at her praise. His anticipation heightened, though he tried to push some of it back.

This was her first time. Even with Lady Cross guiding her, he should not expect too much from her. Yet that did nothing to dampen his rising excitement that it was Priscilla behind him. Now that he was mentally accepting her in that position, his reactions were growing in leaps and bounds.

There was a soft murmur of sound, then Priscilla cleared her throat.

“Bare your backside for me.” This time, her voice was not as high, though she still did not have the confidence of Lady Cross. His cock jerked against the arm of the couch. Reaching back with one hand, he bared his arse, wondering what she was thinking… how she was reacting.

Not being able to see her expressions was a blessing and a curse.

“We are going to start with a spanking.” A soft husk had entered her tone, one he’d heard often in the bedroom when she was aroused, which of course made his own arousal surge. She also sounded more confident now, surer of herself.

The soft shush of her skirts against the carpet approached, the fabric brushing against his legs as she came to stand beside him. He turned his head, trying to see more of her, but in this position, he could not see much more than her face unless he twisted fully around.

A soft hand came to rest on his buttocks, stroking them, and he let his head drop back down with a sigh at her touch. She rubbed her palm across his skin before lifting it again.

The sharp crack with which she brought it down made him jerk in surprise.

“You should have talked to me.”

Though there was heat in her words, it was carefully controlled, making it clear that she had spanked him with deliberate intention. The spot stung deliciously, and his dick throbbed in response. Her hand came down again on his other cheek, matching the spot.

“You should have trusted me.”

Yes.

Another stinging swat, right next to where the first hand landed.

“I do not want a marriage full of secrets and lies.”

“I’m sorry, my Lady. I will not do it again.” He could not hold back the response, even though he was not sure if she wanted to hear it from him.

“No, you will not.” This time her low, confident tone reached right through the center of him, and he shuddered at the hot need that curled within, his hips moving to rub his cock against the chair.

Her hand came down again and again, stinging his skin, heating it with every slap of her palm against his flesh. The heat was growing inside and out, tightening his balls and heightening his senses. Knowing it was Priscilla applying the discipline made it all the more intense for him.

My wife is punishing me.

It felt wrong. Taboo. And so very good.

When she stopped, he whimpered, but then he heard Lady Cross approaching him.

“Here, dear, try it with this,” Lady Cross said in an approving tone. “It will save your hand the trouble.”

“Thank you,” Priscilla replied primly, as if Lady Cross had just handed her a cup of tea.

Joseph might not be able to see it, but he knew that whatever the Lady had just given his wife, it was hardly as innocuous as Priscilla made it sound.

A moment later, when hard wood crashed against his already sensitive flesh, he groaned at the bite of the paddle.