Page 30 of The Taking of House Westwood

“Sophie,” Arnaud growled. “Is there something else more interesting to you?”

She shook her head, and turned her gaze reluctantly back to the poor woman.

“Bend over, Tani,” the Lady said. “No. At the waist. Put your hands on your knees.”

Tani turned her head. “But Mistress, the belt—”

“Just do it, girl.” The Lady took her crop in hand, whisking it through the air.

“Yes, Mistress.” Tani bent over, and Sophie could see the stiff belt dig painfully into the firm belly. Tani gasped as the leather creaked.

“That’s better, girl. You know the penalty for questioning me though.”

The crop whistled down, snapping across the center of both proffered cheeks. The flesh bounced, and Tani whimpered, clenching at the smart. The cleft shrank to a thin line, then yawned open, the strong thighs shaking.

“What’s all this trembling? This is a mere tickle compared to what your devoted driver has given you.” The Lady glanced up at Escott, winking.

“I’m sorry, Mistress. It—” Tani swallowed a sob.”—it hurts.”

“As well it should, Tani.” The Lady traced the darkening welt with her fingers. “We can’t let you go soft on us, can we?”

“No, Mistress.”

Escott leaned close to the miserable woman’s ear, his voice a whisper. “What do you say, Tani?”

Sophie could hear the poor woman sniffling. “Th-thank you, Mistress.”

“My pleasure, girl.”

Sophie wanted to look at anything but the abuse of the poor woman, but she felt Arnaud’s hard gaze upon her. Her eyes moved to the pommel on the Lady’s horse. Did the rope look like it had loosened?

“Such cheeks,” the Lady breathed, palming both of Tani’s buttocks, caressing the burning flesh. “I wonder what Lucien would do with these if you were to go up for a term?”

Tani began shaking all over, her thighs working together. “Oh Mistress, please no! I’ll do anything. Please!”

“Tani!” Escott laid a hand on her back. “Be still.”

“Relax, girl.” The Lady stroked a palm over the curve of Tani’s hip. “Your services are too valuable to let you go to the intake. Lucien has more than enough bottoms to ply his trade on as it is.”

Arnaud turned his horse, bringing it over to stand in front of the bent-over Tani. “Farrier says he’s got four women for Lucien’s intake this fall.” His lips turned up at the corners of his mouth.

Tani sighed as the Lady eased the broad buttocks apart, exposing the dusky bottom hole to the sun. “Four is it? Who’s being sent up I wonder?”

Arnaud lifted a hand from the reins. “I believe Lord Galdan’s daughter-in-law is one of them.”

The Lady smiled, shaking her head. “I knew she’d be sent up, eventually. Galdan says she gives his son nothing but fits. She’s been recalcitrant with providing him an heir, as well! Even Galdan’s patience has limits.”

Arnaud shook his head, scowling. Sophie looked away again as the Lady played fingers through the humid cleft of Tani’s buttocks, the nails lightly scratching at the shrinking anus.

The rope was definitely loosening from around the pommel. Her eyes darted to Arnaud then back again. She thought she might just be able to do it. Sophie took a small step toward the Lady’s horse.

“Easy, Tani,” the Lady lilted, her tone soothing. “Just a little something for your troubles now.”

Sophie winced as the Lady’s long-nailed fingers stroked through the dark split of Tani’s sex, her fingers glistening as she spread the moisture up on to the anus.

“Stay still, girl,” Escott murmured, his hand rubbing lazy circles on Tani’s tense back.

“You know.” The tip of the Lady’s finger circled the moisture into the delicate skin of Tani’s anus. “Sandra was rather disapproving of Farrier’s man, Lucien. I still wonder why. I find him delightful.”

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