The Farmer's Reluctant Bride (2 page)

He dipped down going through the
front door to his cabin so she wouldn’t knock herself out on the doorframe,
then he dumped her, none-too-gently, right down on the floor on her butt. He
turned quickly and closed the door, and set the bar across so she wouldn’t be
able to open it easily.

Hank heard a scuffling and turned
just in time to see Mandy heading toward the back door. She was moving fast but
Hank had longer legs. He caught her around her waist just as she opened the
door. Mandy let out a frustrated screech.

Hank held tight to her with one arm
and closed the back door with the other. He barred that door too, thankful that
he had the extra security of the bars. With that done, Hank turned to deal with
his new bride.

“What the—,” Hank started, then
burst out laughing. He had let go of Mandy when he was securing the back door
and she had taken that opportunity to try to find another way out. She had
pulled a chair over under one of the small windows in the cabin and was at the
moment stuck trying to climb through it.

“Seems you’re in a bit of a
predicament, little missy.” Hank watched her struggle for a moment, then walked
to the side of her and proceeded to plant three hard wallops to her backside.
She cried out. “Now that I have your attention, you listen to me, young lady,
and you listen good.”

“I am going to get you out from
this window and then you are going to settle down. The first order of business
is a bath. I’ll get that set for you and you’re going to get cleaned up. Is
that clear so far?” Hank’s question was met with silence. He delivered one
solid swat to her seat.

“Say ‘Yes sir’,” Hank prompted.

“Yes sir.” Mandy’s reply was soft
and whispery, but Hank heard it.
Good enough for a start
, he thought.

Hank gave one hard yank and Mandy
tumbled down from the window into his arms. Even with the smell, Hank couldn’t
help but enjoy the feel of holding her. It had been some time since he had been
with a woman. He couldn’t wait to take her to his bed and fully make her his
wife. But he would have to wait.

He had to tame her first.

*  
*   *

Hank planted her firmly in one of
the chairs at the table and, taking both her hands in one of his, he used his
free hand to lift her chin until her eyes met his. He saw both anger and fear
in those eyes. He wished she didn’t feel either. This was going to take some
time. Good thing they had a long cold winter ahead of them. Hank would have all
the time he needed to teach her how to be a good wife. And all the time he
needed to show her that he would be a good husband to her. Strict, yes—he
wouldn’t put up with any shenanigans or misbehavior or disrespect from her—but
loving and fair and kind.

“I’m going to set up the tub and
ready a hot bath for you. I have to go out to the barn and tend to some chores,
which will give you time to bathe and have a little privacy. I expect you to be
done and in your nightclothes by the time I come back in.” Hank noticed that
she was looking everywhere but at him.

“I’ll fix us something to eat and
take care of the tub. I want you in your nightclothes because I expect you to
get straight to bed after supper. It’s been a very long day.” She still wasn’t
making eye contact. “Mandy. Look at me.” Mandy met his gaze, but she did so
reluctantly, a fact that was not lost on Hank. Boy, she was a stubborn one!

“If I come back in and you haven’t
bathed, I will take off all your clothes and put you in that tub and scrub you
from head to toe myself.” That got her attention, Hank noticed.

She stared at him wide-eyed.

“Then, after I’ve dried you and put
you in your night dress, I will put you over my knee and give you a sound spanking
on your bare backside for not doing as you were told. Am I making myself clear,
young lady?”

Mandy nodded slowly.

“Good. I’ll heat the water then.”
Hank turned toward the pump in the kitchen. “You stay put.”

When the bath was ready, Hank left
for the barn. The doors were unbarred now, but Hank figured it was getting late
and getting dark. Plus she seemed to be settling a bit. Which was good. Maybe
she just needed a little time to get used to her new home and to him.

Once everything had been tended to
in the barn and all the animals settled for the night, Hank made sure things
were locked up tight behind him as he headed to the cabin. He sincerely hoped
that when he got inside, he would find Mandy sitting by the fire and combing
the tangled knots out of her hair. He sincerely hoped that she had done as he
had told her to do. It would be a good sign for their marriage.

And Hank was tired. He didn’t
really want to have to bathe her, nor did he want to wrestle her over his knee
to punish her. But he would do both those things if he had to. He always kept
his word. The sooner Mandy learned that about him, the better off she’d be.
Hank had never made an idle threat in his life. Nor an empty promise.

He opened the door to an empty
cabin and a cold unused tub full of bath water.

*  
*   *

When Hank left the cabin to take
care of the evening chores, Mandy quickly gathered her bag and a few food items
from the kitchen and headed for the back door.

Peeking through that door, she
didn’t see hide nor hair of Hank. But she did see the corn field. Thinking she
could disappear into those rows and he would never find her, Mandy bolted for
the corn. She had to get away.

One minute Hank was kind, but the
next he was either threatening to wallop her or actually doing so. Mandy
absentmindedly reached behind her to rub her sore behind at the thought alone
of how much Hank had already spanked her in the short time since they had met.
That couldn’t be a good sign. Would he spank her all the time? Mandy didn’t
want to stick around to find out.

She had paid very close attention
to the landmarks on their trip back to Hank’s farm. She decided that she could
just retrace the route back to where the pastor and his wife lived and beg them
to take her in. She’d tell them how he beat her and she just couldn’t remain
his wife. As long as the marriage wasn’t consummated, she could get an
annulment. Mandy knew that for certain.

Then she’d figure what to do and
where to go from there.

Crouching in the rows of corn,
Mandy tried to get her bearings. She figured that she’d have to at least go
into the rows far enough to not be seen from the outside edge where she had
entered, so she continued further in and farther from the cabin. The sun was
setting and it was cooling off considerably. Mandy shivered. She wished she’d
thought to grab one of the blankets she’d seen folded on a trunk at the foot of
the bed.

But then she admonished herself.
That would have been stealing and she didn’t want to steal from Hank. She just
didn’t want to be married to him, that was all. She didn’t want to be married
to anybody.

Mandy looked about her and realized
she couldn’t see the edge of the cornfield anymore. That was good. Now which
way to go to get out on the other side? It made perfect sense to Mandy to just
keep going the way she had, away from where she’d entered, and eventually she’d
have to come out on the other side—right?

It was almost full dark now. This
was a different kind of dark than in the city, and that was the only kind of
dark that she was used to. This farm life sure was different. And darker.

Mandy nearly jumped out of her own
skin when something scurried across the tops of her feet and she felt fur brush
against her calves. She screamed and jumped and then fell right back on her
behind!

She cried out again when her sore
backside landed hard on the ground between the rows of corn. She jumped quickly
back up, her heart pounding in her ears, and spun around, certain there was
someone right there behind her! No beside her! No behind her again! Then she
saw them. Glowing bright green in the pitch black of the corn rows, Mandy saw...the
eyes of the devil himself!

She screamed again, scared out of
her own skin, dropped her things and ran for her life.

Hank had just saddled and mounted
his horse, figuring Mandy couldn’t have gotten that far on foot yet, when he
heard her scream. Sounded like it had come from the corn. Hank headed toward
the corn field and it was only a minute later that she screamed again.

She was in the corn rows. In the
dark.
Probably scared out of her wits
, he thought. He rode up to the
edge of the corn field that was closest to where he had heard her and
dismounted, dropping the reins and swatting the horse on the rump. The obedient
horse headed for the corral as Hank ruefully wished his new wife could be half
as compliant as his horse.

“Mandy!” Hank called out. It would
be better if she could follow the sound of his voice and find her way out on
her own. “Mandy!”

“Hank?” She wasn’t that far away
from the edge. He could tell by the sound.

“Yes.” Hank called back. “Can you
find your way out?”

“I can’t see anything. I’m scared,
Hank. Please!” She sounded like she was headed toward hysterical.

“Okay, Mandy, it’s okay.” Hank
assured her. “You just stay put and I’m coming to get you. Don’t move, is that
clear?” No answer.

“Mandy, answer me.” Hank was a bit
firmer. “Can you hear me?” He needed to hear her voice answering one more time
to be sure of her location and to let him know that she was okay.

“Yes.” There it was. And as he
headed toward her voice, there she was.

*  
*   *

As soon as Mandy caught sight of
Hank, she raced toward him and threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as
if her very life depended on it.

She felt him reach down with one
arm and scoop her up under her legs, lifting her up and holding her close to
his chest, while speaking to her in a soothing and calm voice. Before she knew
it they were out of the corn. Only then did Mandy feel like she could breathe
again. Hank set her on her feet.

“My bag!” Mandy cried. “I dropped
it in there. It has all my things in it.” At the look on Hank’s face at this
proclamation, Mandy quickly looked down at the ground.

“And just what were you doing in
the corn field with all your worldly possessions, might I ask?” Mandy looked up
at Hank to find him staring her down with his hands on his hips. But it seemed
he didn’t need an answer, because he didn’t wait for one.

“You just wait right here, young
lady. I’ll venture in the way we came out and see if I don’t find it.”

Mandy watched as Hank went back
into the corn rows and it was really only a minute before he reemerged with her
bag. He didn’t give it to her, though. He just grabbed her upper arm and led
her back to the cabin. Once inside, Hank pulled her right straight to the
corner next to the water pump.

Mandy looked at him questioningly.
Hank didn’t even speak. He just took her by the upper arms and turned her so
that she faced the corner. Mandy fought back her tears. She was fairly certain
that that was just about her last chance to get away and regain her freedom.
Even if Hank did not exercise his rights as a husband tonight, he would do so
very soon, she was sure. And now he would also probably be keeping an extra close
eye on her, knowing she meant to run away.

“I have to go out to the barn and
settle my horse. Again.” Hank paused. “I’ll fix your bath when I get back.
Again. You will stay in this corner until I say otherwise. Is that clear?”

Mandy nodded but that wasn’t enough
for Hank apparently.

“Say yes sir.”

“Yes, sir.” When she heard the
cabin door open and close behind her, Mandy wrapped her arms around herself for
comfort and cried for all she was worth.

*  
*   *

When Hank came back in from the
barn, Mandy was still hiccoughing and sniffling, trying to get a hold of
herself. Hank knew it wouldn’t be the end of her crying tonight. He was sure
that she would be crying almost as hard when he walloped her hind end after her
bath, as he had assured her he would. He knew that she had been through so much
already, but he couldn’t go back on his word, especially not so early in their
relationship.

If there was one thing Hank knew a
woman needed it was a firm consistent hand. He couldn’t say he would do
something and then not do it. Mandy needed to rely on him for many things—food,
shelter, clothing, protection—and also, even if she didn’t know it, she needed
to be able to rely on him to discipline her. It was for her own good.

Hank still couldn’t believe that
she had ventured into the corn rows at dusk. It was a dangerous thing to do. He
had to remind himself that she was really a city girl. She’d most likely be
more than able to handle all the household chores—cooking, cleaning, laundry—but
he’d have to teach her all the farm chores that she’d be expected to do after a
time. And he’d need to acquaint her with all the dangers that farm life
presented.

Hank used a bucket to empty some of
the cold water from the tub and proceeded to heat water to add to what
remained. It would make for a warm and comfortable bath. He had for a moment
considered bathing her in the cold water, but then decided against it. It would
have added to the lesson she needed to learn, but Hank wasn’t sure if the cold
water would get her as clean as the warm water. And she really needed to get
clean. If it happened again, when she was bathing on a regular basis, then he
wouldn’t hesitate to drop her into a tub full of cold water to help her
remember who was in charge and whom she needed to mind.

Plus Hank planned on bathing after
she was in bed and he didn’t relish the thought of a cold bath. He hadn’t had a
chance to bathe before heading out this morning like he had hoped to do. It was
just luck that his new bride was filthier than he was and didn’t seem to mind
much.

Hank smiled to himself as he looked
over to where Mandy stood with her nose pressed into the corner like he had
told her to do. She was still sniffling a bit and had her arms wrapped around
herself, like she was trying to comfort herself. Hank felt his resolve crumble
just a bit at the sight. She had to be frightened, after all; he was a stranger
to her and this whole world was a bit foreign. According to the pastor, she had
never been out west and had never been on a farm.

He went over to her, turned her
around and put his arms gently around her. He was wholly surprised when she
actually let him. She still kept her own arms wrapped tightly around herself,
but as Hank drew her toward him, she leaned her face into his chest and cried
onto his shirt. Hank rubbed her back soothingly.

“It’s okay now, sweetheart. You’re
alright, you’re safe.” Mandy tried to stop crying so she could speak.

“I..I..w..w..was so sc..scared in
there.” She was having trouble speaking through her sobs. “I heard noises and...and...I
saw the devil’s eyes!” Hank smiled a little in understanding.

“That was just a critter you saw. I
know it was scary, but all sorts of critters are in there at night and they
have beady little eyes that glow yellow in the dark. Does that sound like what
you saw?” Mandy leaned back to look at Hank with eyes as wide as the supper
plates, and still glistening from her tears.

“Yes! That’s exactly what I saw.
That was just a critter?” Mandy sounded incredulous.

Hank was enjoying every minute of
this exchange. She was talking to him, she was letting him hold her and comfort
her and she was showing a little bit of herself to him. The little bit that
Hank was seeing, he was liking. He was liking a whole lot. She was sweet and
trusting.

“Yes’m. Just a critter. Those eyes
can look awful scary at night.” Hank didn’t want her to feel foolish. If you
didn’t know what you were seeing, those eyes could look evil. With that being
said, though, Hank went back to being stern. That bath water wasn’t going to
stay warm for long. He needed to get on with it, get her bathed, spanked, fed
and into bed. “Time for your bath.”

Mandy looked at him with shock. “You...you’re
still going to do what you said before?”

“That’s right, little girl. You are
in desperate need of a bath and you’re going to get one right now.” Hank turned
her around and started in on the fastenings at the back of her dress. Mandy
immediately tried to pull away from him. Hank was a step ahead and had her arm
before she got very far.
Enough
, he thought.

“Mandy, I want you to understand
something right now.” Hank turned her back around again to face him. Mandy
stood still, not fighting him at all but trembling just a bit. “When I tell you
to do something, I expect you to obey me. I expect you to do as you’re told.”
Hank paused when Mandy’s eyes left his and looked down. One strong hand
immediately came up to her chin and lifted her face to his.

“Look at me,” he ordered. She did. “And
when I tell you that I am going to do something, you best be sure that I am
going to do it. A man is only as good as his word.” Hank let go of Mandy’s chin
and turned her around again. He continued to undo her dress fastenings.

“Now I’m going to put you in that
tub and give you a good scrubbing from head to toe. When I’m satisfied that
you’re clean, then we’ll see to your spanking.” Hank stopped talking while he
focused on a particularly troublesome hook. “There. Got it,” he said, satisfied
with his efforts. He continued. “Then supper. Then bed.”

“But,” Mandy sounded desperate, “you’re
taking my clothes off. You’ll see me without my clothes on! It isn’t proper!”
She tried slapping his hands away from her as he began to pull the unfastened
dress off her shoulders.

“Raise your hand to me again, young
lady, and I’ll be using my belt on your backside instead of my hand, as I
planned.” Mandy had been just about to push his hands away again. She stopped.
“And we’re married, I need to remind you. I’m your husband and I have every
right to see you without a stitch of clothing on.” Hank had the dress off then
and reached for her pantaloons, pulling them down and off as Mandy stood
silently, seemingly resigned to what Hank had decided to do.

When Hank pulled Mandy’s chemise
over her head and she stood before him without a stitch of clothing on, it was
then that he realized his mistake.

She was absolutely gorgeous. And his
body immediately responded as any warm-blooded man’s body would.

Damn it
, Hank thought,
cursing himself silently. Why hadn’t he anticipated this?

*  
*   *

Hank seemed to be doing something
behind her, so Mandy waited patiently for him to tell her that she could get
into the tub. She was cold without any clothes on and starting to shiver. Even
though the tub was right in front of the fire, and therefore so were the two of
them, it was still chilly—especially if a body had not a stitch of clothing on!

“Um...Hank?” Mandy’s tentatively questioned
him. “May I get in the tub now? I’m a bit cold.”

“Of course, darlin’.” Hank responded
almost as if he had forgotten she was there. It seemed a bit odd to Mandy. “You
just get yourself right into that tub of water and start in to washing
yourself. Soap’s right on the stool there, next to the tub.”

Mandy didn’t waste one second doing
just that. And she had no intention at all of questioning Hank’s decision to
let her wash herself, rather than him washing her like he had said he was going
to do. Maybe he had forgotten, but either way, Mandy figured the faster she got
to it the better, just in case he had forgotten. She could be done before he remembered
that’s what he had promised her.

Maybe he’d forget about the
spanking too. A girl could hope.

As Mandy worked the lathered bar of
soap over her body, she turned to look over her shoulder. Hank had pulled out a
chair from the table and sat behind the tub holding a large bath sheet. He had
been staring at the floor with a pained expression on his face, but met Mandy’s
eyes when she turned to see him. He smiled at her.

“Don’t forget to wash that hair of
yours, too. Best you soap it twice.” Then he looked back down. Mandy wondered
if he was hurting in some way. Maybe he had an injury that couldn’t be seen,
something that acted up from time to time. He seemed to be in pain. She turned
back around and concentrated on finishing up.

When Mandy had finished washing
herself from head to toe and to Hank’s satisfaction, he held up a large bath
sheet as she stepped out of the tub and proceeded to wrap her up in it. Hank
guided Mandy to the hearth.

“You sit here a moment and dry off
a bit. It’s warm by the fire.” Hank picked up Mandy’s satchel. “Is there a
nightdress in here?”

Mandy nodded.

Hank brought the bag to her and she
pulled out her nightclothes, then closed it again quickly.

“Tomorrow you can take your things
out and put them away. I’ve made room for you in the cupboard by the bed.”

Mandy looked at him in surprise.
“Thank you.” His thoughtfulness was unexpected. He could go from stern and
dictatorial one minute to thoughtful and kind the next.

Hank took the bag from her and
placed it on the trunk at the foot of the bed. “I’ll get supper together while
you finish drying off and get into your nightdress.” Hank didn’t say as much,
but it seemed that he was letting Mandy have a little privacy to finish up. He
was already busying himself in the kitchen and pulling dishes down from the
shelves next to the kitchen window.

When she was dry and dressed, Mandy
went to her satchel and pulled out her brush. She sat down again by the hearth
to comb the knots out of her hair and enjoy the warmth of the fire. When she
was done, she went back to her satchel to put her brush away. Hank took the
bath sheet and hung it across two chairs to dry.

“I’ll be taking a bath myself after
you’re in bed.” He didn’t look at Mandy as he said this, but then he raised his
eyes to her. “Dinner’s just about ready. Nothing fancy, I just warmed some
leftover stew.”