Page 89 of The Duke's Indecent Match
“But it will hurt.”Lady Astrid was making all of Kalina’s points for her, so she kept her mouth shut.
To her fascination, a hot red blush spread over Tiffany’s cheeks.
“Well, it depends on how he does it.It can hurt, but…” Tiffany shrugged.“And I do not believe Nathanial would be the type to want to harm her, even if he does feel as if some punishment might be justified.”
“She has a point,” Delilah murmured, drawing everyone’s attention to her.
Mei’s eyes had gone very wide.Apparently, Lady Astrid was not the only one who was surprised, though Mei sat quietly listening in much the same way Kalina was.
“It can be not altogether unpleasant.In fact, it can be very pleasurable, eventually, and especially as she is the one asking for it… Sometimes, such things can make men more amenable to conversation afterward.”
“You and Zachary…” Lady Astrid looked utterly aghast.
“Yes.In the past.Though I very much feel as though he is the one in need of a spanking now.”Delilah sniffed haughtily, but real hurt lurked in her dark eyes.
Still, Kalina laughed along with the others.The idea of Delilah spanking the upright Duke of Grafton was certainly an amusing mental image.
“How can a spanking be pleasurable?”Lady Astrid demanded to know.
“It is like a balance against the pleasure.It stings, but with the pain there comes a rush of…” Tiffany waved her hands in front of her, as if at a loss for words.
“I think I understand,” Kalina said softly, thinking of how she felt when Hereford’s teeth dragged over her nipples or when his finger had slid into her bottom.Pain but also pleasure, twined together.Discomfort that she bore for him, which added to her overall ecstasy.
“Well, I am sure I do not,” Lady Astrid huffed, but it was clear her curiosity had been piqued.She looked at Delilah.“But what about you?You’ve taken up with Conyngham; do you engage in such activities with him?”
“Oh, no.”Delilah laughed.“Conyngham is just a bit of fun.He’s easy to be around and quite skilled when it comes to pleasure, but we are not like that.”
But she had been ‘like that’ with Grafton.Kalina could only imagine it would be a while before Delilah opened her heart to another man.
The conversation wound onward, Lady Astrid skillfully deflecting any questions about her own experiences and who they may have been with, while Tiffany and Delilah compared notes about what kind of spankings they enjoyed.Mei and Kalina listened with wide eyes and open ears, and the thought turned round and round in Kalina’s head.
What if she asked her husband to spank her?
33
Nathanial
His wife was distracted.Nathanial studied her out of the corner of his eye as they approached Lord and Lady Styx in the receiving line.The hosts were currently greeting the Earl and Countess of Spencer, but their eyes were already on Nathanial and his wife, alight with eager anticipation.No one could blame them, as there were several events this evening, but Hereford and his wife had chosen theirs.
Like with the Darnings, it would add to Lady Styx’s cachet.
Since she greeted them with true warmth, just as Lady Darning had, Nathanial did not mind at all.This particular ball had been his wife’s choice, and so far, she was proving adept at knowing where she would be the most welcome.
“Your Grace.”Lady Styx curtsied.“It is a singular pleasure to welcome you to our house.”Rather tall with bright red hair, her freckles should have been unfashionable, but she’d always defied Society and embraced them rather than trying to downplay them.Her husband was her equal in height, with olive skin.Like her, he eschewed Societal fashion and had chosen to grow his hair long—all of it.His beard touched the top of his cravat, and his mustache covered most of his face.Though he had drawn his hair back in a queue to keep it out of his face, his disdain for current fashions made him a match for his wife.
Their dramatically styled clothing suited them perfectly.
“Thank you for having us here this evening.”His wife smiled genuinely, holding out her hand and exchanging cheek kisses with Lady Styx, who beamed widely at the affection.There were plenty of others in the receiving line who would note her closeness with a duchess—one who had not always been welcomed by others before attaining her title.Lady Styx was being rewarded for her offering friendliness before it had benefited her personally.
“Congratulations on your marriage,” Lord Styx said, with utter sincerity, looking at Nathanial.“I believe you have a rare find indeed.”
Considering Lord Styx had a reputation for liking very few people other than his own wife, Nathanial found himself rather bemused by the compliment.His wife had garnered more allies than he’d realized among thetonduring her time in it, regardless of her father’s family’s lack of approbation.Personally, Nathanial valued Lord Styx’s opinion far above the Earl of Stilton’s.
But his impression remained, as the Styx’s moved on to the next guest in the receiving line… his wife was distracted by something.Lost in her own thoughts.But by what?
He had not seen her after the tea this afternoon.Had one of her friends said something to her?Or had something else happened that was causing her distraction?
Why was she not focused on him the way she had been before?
