Captive Fox
Part Three

by Bluebonnet





Disclaimer: Yeah, right, they're mine--NOT!

Rating: NC-17, although not in this part.

Keywords: Sex and discipline, need I say more?

Spoilers: Who knows? Who even cares?

Summary: In a land where women rule and men are chattel, young Fox Mulder is about to become Lady Dana Scully's most prized possession...



Fox was awakened very early in the morning by an odd sensation between his legs. It felt like feathers caressing him, and he giggled before opening his eyes. When he did, he saw wisps of Dana's red hair tickling his sex.

"What are you doing?" he giggled again. "That tickles!"

"I'm playing with my new toy," she told him smugly. "I rather like your body, Fox. You're quite beautiful."

Fox was embarrassed at her praise, but felt himself growing more aroused, and for a moment he was frightened. Would she take him into her woman's sex this time? Would this be the pain that boys were warned about when they lost their virginity? But it hadn't hurt last night, it had been wonderful. His toes tingled when he remembered the sensation. Maybe spilling his seed into Dana's mouth didn't count as losing his virginity. Maybe that hurdle was still to be jumped.

"Dana?" he asked tremulously, reaching down to gently push her away from himself. "When is it going to hurt me? Can't we just get it over with?"

She laughed aloud, and he felt his face flush with anger. She was actually laughing at his fear! Humiliated, he turned on his side, facing away from her, and closed his eyes. He opened them again with a loud yelp when her hand smacked his bottom.

"What was that for?" he demanded, rubbing at the red mark she'd left on his cheek.

"General insolence," she replied, rising from the bed and pulling the bell to summon a servant. "I won't tolerate this attitude from you, Fox, especially not in the morning. I want you sunny and cheerful in my bed when I awaken every day. It's a husband's job to please his wife."

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his eyes on the floor. A familiar sense of failure crept in. "I guess I haven't done my job very well so far, have I?"

Dana softened at his wistful tone. "You've done all right," she said, ruffling his hair. "The first time is always frightening for a man, but I promise you, Fox, the fear of pain is merely something fathers pass on to keep their sons pure until their marriage. I'm not going to hurt you." She grinned impishly. "Well, not in that way, at least. But I will spank your bottom if you're not suitably covered by the time the bath water arrives. I don't want the servants gawking at you whilst you're in my bed chamber."

She tossed him a robe, which he donned quickly, hoping to avoid further punishment, and was covered in the nick of time. He was still tying the sash around himself when a knock sounded.

"Enter," called Dana, and the door opened to reveal six servants lugging huge buckets of steaming water.

Fox felt their curious eyes upon him, and kept his own gaze fixed studiously on his bare feet until they left. So intent was he on ignoring everyone else in the room that he didn't realize Dana had approached him until she was tugging at the sash, and his robe fell to the floor.

He gasped and tried to turn away, but Dana was too quick for him. She soon had him pinned against the wall, her hands running up and down the length of his chest. He felt his breathing grow heavy as his sex began to awaken and press into her belly.

"Dana... I... really think we should... get in the bath..." he panted, trying desperately to avoid the probing fingers that were drifting lower, lower and twining in the hair surrounding his manhood. He winced as she tugged at the sensitive hairs, and she smiled.

"You're right," she agreed, wrapping her fingers firmly around his sex and beginning to back toward the tub. He had no choice but to follow, as she had the most sensitive part of his body held captive.

She helped him climb into the tub, and then he was horrified to see that she climbed in with him. He had never shared a bath with anyone in his life, and certainly not a woman!

"There's not really room--" he began, but she stopped him by devouring his mouth with her own.

Fox had never been kissed like this--oh, he'd been kissed before, of course. A few stolen pecks behind the barn with one of the housemaids, and then there had been the little girl who lived on the neighboring property when they were both kids, but he'd never felt his head swim and his body go weak the way it was right now. Her kiss was hypnotic.

"Please... Dana..." he moaned, and she smiled against his lips.

Suddenly, without speaking a word, she shifted position, and he felt her raise herself a little and grasp his sex, and then she was--oh goodness, she wasn't--she was--she was sitting on him--no, she was slipping him inside herself... this simply couldn't be, it simply wasn't done, it was horrible, it was... it was... wonderful...

Fox felt his dizziness increase as his manhood was engulfed by her smooth woman's flesh. Dana was moving up and down, stimulating nerve endings he hadn't known he possessed, and he cried out his pleasure as she increased her pace.

"Oh please, please," he whimpered, not knowing what he was pleading for, not knowing exactly what was happening, but only knowing it had to be the most incredible sensation of his life, this couldn't possibly be legal, this thing that felt so good, and then she was leaning forward, kissing him, her tongue darting into his mouth and claiming him possessively.

Without warning, she drew away from his mouth, threw her head back and emitted an animal sound of pure pleasure. At the same time, Fox felt his seed begin to spill from his body into hers. He pushed against her over and over again, convulsing in the throes of his pleasure, until he was completely spent. Breathlessly, he collapsed against the back of the tub while she lay softly on his chest, her head nestled beneath his chin. He felt her kiss on his shoulder, and sighed contentedly. Being married wasn't so bad. Not bad at all. A bit embarrassing, perhaps, but blissful, nonetheless.

"Fox, wake up." He opened his eyes to find her patting his cheek, the water grown quite cold in the tub. He shivered.

"You fell asleep," she smiled, "and I decided to let you have a little nap. "You must be exhausted after last night and this morning."

Fox averted his eyes, discomfited at her reference to their lovemaking activities, and climbed from the tub. He glanced at himself, still sticky with the remnants of their passion, and bit his lip. He didn't want to complain, but he certainly didn't relish the thought of getting dressed while still covered with the evidence of being taken so thoroughly.

She seemed to read his mind. "It's all right, I've already rung for more water," she told him, and laughed when he darted beneath the covers at the knock on the door.

"Come in," she called, and the same six servants entered, bearing more water.

Fox buried his flaming face in his hands, knowing all the servants were aware of what had happened, knowing that while their eyes were on their task, their smirks were directed at him. After behaving so wantonly, giving himself up completely to his new wife's sexual demands and enjoying her attentions like a backstreet slut, he now had to be stared at by the servants, people he knew for a fact gossiped outrageously. His humiliation was complete.

When the servants had at last departed, Dana ordered Fox into the bath while she stepped behind the screen to dress. Emerging a few minutes later, she was surprised to find him still huddled in their bed.

"Do you refuse to obey me already, husband?" she inquired curiously. "Was my crop on your backside not enough persuasion?"

"They all know," he muttered stubbornly, his eyes trained on his clenched hands. "They were all laughing at me."

"Know what? That I made a man of you last night, and again this morning? That I made you moan and scream with pleasure at my touch?"

He bit down sharply on his lower lip, but gave no answer. She crossed to the bed and lifted his chin with her fingers.

"Are you ashamed of being my husband, Fox?"

He shook his head wordlessly. He wasn't ashamed, but how could he explain to Dana his feelings--that it seemed impossible to face the servants, direct them in their household tasks, when all of them knew what had happened to him last night.

"What happened between us is perfectly natural," she continued. "Of course they know. Every person who knew we were to be married yesterday knows that today, you belong to me completely. They all knew that last night I would take you to my bed and teach you about becoming a man. You surely were aware of this, Fox."

"I was so... so... shameless!" he whispered, casting his eyes down again. It was too difficult to look her in the eyes after he'd screamed out his abandon in her arms.

"You were beautiful," she told him firmly, "and very pleasing to me. That should be all you think of."

"Yes, my lady." He squared his shoulders, reminded of his duty. He was being silly. Every man who had ever married had gone through this--losing virginity did not kill a man. Indeed, Fox could now testify that it was not painful in the least.

"Now, climb into that tub and wash yourself, and then present yourself to me for your punishment."

Startled, his head jerked up and two pleading hazel eyes met hers. "Pun-punishment, my lady? But why? What have I done?"

"Disobeying and arguing," she informed him. "I intend for us to go riding this morning, and I don't like to be kept waiting. After your actions of yesterday, I'd think you would be more careful not to anger me, Fox. Now, if you're not finished with your bath and leaning over this bed in ten minutes, I'm going to add five extra strokes for every minute you're late."

Fox was out of the bed in a flash, racing across the room in such a hurry that his foot tangled in the sheet and he tripped. He righted himself hurriedly and slipped into the tub, reaching for the washing cloth and cleaning himself faster than he ever had before. He didn't know how many strokes Dana intended to give him for his disobedience, but he was certain that he didn't want any extras added.

Dana kept her eyes trained on the clock on the mantle, and was pleased when Fox presented himself to her in just under the allotted ten minutes.

"Very well done," she said approvingly. "Now, bend over here," she instructed, pushing him down over the footrail of the bed. It was a high bed, and the footrail was the perfect height for Fox to lean over while being punished. It put his shapely bottom well within her reach.

His nose pressed into the rumpled coverlet, Fox awaited his discipline with a small sigh. He closed his eyes while she positioned him to her satisfaction, and then held his breath. He hoped she wasn't using the crop this time.

"Ouch!" he yelled when the first blow hit. She was only using her bare hand, but in his haste he hadn't dried himself adequately, and the sting of her palm on his still-wet buttocks was incredible.

There was no pausing between blows this time, no quizzing him about future behavior. His mistress was merely punishing him for his disobedience and general attitude this morning, and Fox soon lost count as smack after smack hit his sensitive bottom.

"Please! Please, I'm sorry! Oh, please stop..." he wept, but she continued on and on. His feet danced but he dared not rise from the position in which she had placed him.

After several steady minutes of spanking, during which Fox swore to himself that he would not beg her to stop, he finally broke down. "I'll be good, please Dana, I promise I'll be good!" he wailed, clutching desperately at the coverlet with his fists.

At last she stopped, rubbing her hands soothingly over his tortured flesh, and he buried his face in the covers to hide his sobs.

"There, now," she murmured. "You'll learn, my sweet Fox. You'll learn to obey me."

Giving one last light smack that took him by surprise and elicited another yelp, she bade him dress and join her at breakfast.

Once he was alone, Fox surveyed his damaged behind in the looking glass. The welts from last night's punishment were still faintly visible, and his entire bottom was a frightening scarlet color from this most recent spanking. With a shudder, he reached for his clothes and began to dress. He certainly didn't want to give his wife reason to be displeased with him again so soon. He had no doubt that her words were true--he would lean to obey her quickly. He had been married less than twenty-four hours and already he had been punished severely on two occasions. If she was going to be this unbending as a wife, he would learn to obey or she would end up killing him, he reflected.

He winced as his breeches aggravated his sore behind with every step he took. And he was supposed to go riding after this? Maybe she would let him ride face down over her horse again--at least his bottom wouldn't be slapped against a hard saddle that way. On the other hand, she might decide to spank him further, simply for her own amusement.

A man's lot in life, he mused in frustration--there was no way to win.

Fox ate breakfast quickly, not wanting to sit in the dining room chairs any longer than was absolutely necessary--they had no cushions, and the hard wood was torture on his sore bottom. As soon as his lady beckoned, Fox bobbed up from his chair, ignoring her satisfied smile, and followed her out the back door toward the stables.

He stopped short when they reached the back courtyard of the mansion. A construction project was taking place, and Fox paled when he realized just what was being built.

"Should be ready by this evening, my lady," called one of the workers cheerfully, and Dana nodded.

"For you," she smiled, and Fox shot her a sour look, for there, next to what he was certain was a perfectly adequate stocks, another was currently being constructed.

"I--I--" he stammered, and she took his hand, leading him gently toward the stables.

"Behave yourself, and you will never end up there," she promised him. "I only use the stocks as a particularly harsh punishment, although I do believe Mother is rather fond of them. Walter is quite well acquainted with his own."

"Wonderful," Fox muttered under his breath, and she turned back to him with a warning look.

"What did you say?"

"N-nothing, my lady," he replied hastily. "Are you certain we must ride? I don't have my horse, and I haven't ridden anyone except Samantha in years. Perhaps I could walk..."

She laughed as they disappeared into the stables.



"Why do I have to wear these?" he scowled, staring at the high heeled boots she presented to him.

Dana sighed patiently. She'd arranged a ball to present Fox as her husband to all their friends and neighbors, and their guests would be arriving in less than one hour. Now Fox was being difficult.

"Because, I like you in them," she countered firmly. "They make you even taller, and the taller a man is, the more attractive a woman finds him."

"I thought you didn't like other women looking at me," he objected, still staring at her with crossed arms, refusing to accept the boots.

"You're wrong. I enjoy other women looking at you. I am the envy of the village because you belong to me--I want them all to see how beautiful my husband is, and how desirable. And how obedient," she stressed, shoving the boots at him.

Swallowing hard at the look in her eye, Fox accepted the boots, sitting reluctantly in a chair to slip them on.

"It's bad enough I have to wear pants so tight I can barely breathe," he grumbled. "And this shirt is cut so low it leaves nothing to the imagination. I feel like a whore."

He stopped when he felt her presence beside him, felt his breathing suddenly become labored. He kept his eyes down, working more quickly at donning the boots.

"You are not a whore, you are Lord Scully the Younger, and everyone in the region knows you have had an excellent upbringing. There is nothing about your clothing that is inappropriate, Fox. It is common for a married man to wear clothing that is more revealing, and pleasing to his Lady. You will dress as I command," she stated calmly. "You belong to me, and you will obey me. If I hear one word of complaint out of your pretty lips tonight, I'll turn you over my knee and give the guests a show you'll never forget."

He felt his face pale at her words. "You--you wouldn't really--would you?" he gasped, and she smiled.

"Don't tempt me. I've put up with your temper and your insolence for a week of marriage, and as I recall, you have not yet completed an entire day without having your pretty backside punished. I'm quite sure other husbands don't give their wives this much trouble. I doubt very much if Walter gives Mother such difficulty."

Fox made a 'hmph' sound behind her back as he tugged on the boots. Walter had been punished just the day before, and Dana well knew it. Lady Maggie, who was a doctor of some renown in the land, had come home from visiting a patient to find her husband preparing to go riding alone.

Both Walter and Fox knew it wasn't safe for a man to be away from his home without his wife or some other female escort, and just as at the Mulder estate, riding out alone was forbidden, but Walter had apparently been sneaking off on his own quite often, of late. He'd told Fox he just enjoyed the time for quiet reflection, but after having been locked, naked, in the stocks for the afternoon and receiving twenty lashes from Lady Maggie's switch, Fox thought it too high a price to pay for reflection. Fox had received ten lashes from Lady Dana for his complicity in the matter, but had been grateful that he hadn't been required to spend the rest of the day on display for all the servant girls who chanced to happen by. He shuddered at the memory of what poor Walter had been forced to endure.

The female servants always seemed to know when a man was being punished in the stocks behind the mansion, and managed to find many reasons to visit--some of them were even bold enough to stroke their hands over the punished flesh of the unfortunate man, and Fox had shivered when he saw one particularly nervy maid grope poor Walter all over before Lady Maggie had laughingly ordered her to move along.

When Lady Maggie had finally released her husband and led him, thoroughly chastened, into their bed chamber, Fox knew Walter's days of "quiet reflection" were at an end.

He stood up, wobbling a bit in the boots before he regained his balance, and waited while Dana examined him critically. He towered above her, and she looked him up and down with a gleam in her eyes. Fox sighed, reasonably certain his clothing wasn't going to survive the night--the minute Dana got him to their chamber after the party, she was bound to rip his garments right off him. She seemed to enjoy doing that. He had gone through at least four shirts since becoming her husband, and had only managed to save his best pair of breeches by disrobing more quickly than she could strip him.

"You will deplete your fortune paying for my replacement clothing," he had teased, and she'd laughed happily.

"Perhaps I won't replace it at all," she had returned, a wicked sparkle in her eye. "Perhaps I prefer you unclothed."

His face had lost its mirth then, for he was assailed with a vision of poor Isaac, Lady Fowley's servant who had been stripped and chained, left to die in the rain. Dana thinking he had been embarrassed by her playful comment, had merely changed the subject, and Fox had quickly put Isaac out of his mind. The man was safe now.

"You look beautiful, Fox," Dana said approvingly, giving him a final inspection. "Now remember, you know most of these people, but don't let the strangers intimidate you. I know you are shy, but all you have to do is smile and look nice, and you do that very well. I will take care of the conversation."

He graced her with a curve of his pretty lips at the compliment, accompanied by one of his attractive blushes, and she grinned. He was so timid, her Fox. She smacked him playfully on his tightly clad behind. "Let's go, Sweetheart."

They entered the ballroom a short time later, and Fox was relieved to see Lord Walter already in attendance. He felt as if the older man was a kindred spirit--they were both newly married, even if Walter had been married before, and both were Scully husbands; the Scully women had a reputation for fiery tempers that was more than justified.

"Hello, Fox," Walter greeted him when they approached. "Lady Dana," he bowed politely.

"Walter, what is the matter with you?" Fox asked curiously, noting the way the elder Lord Scully's face was flushed and he seemed to be squirming in his breeches. He was perversely happy to see the other man wearing boots as uncomfortable as his own.

Walter's face flushed even more, and Lady Maggie laughed. "My disobedient little husband had a taste of my hairbrush before he dressed for the party, Fox," she informed the group, and Fox winced as he heard a servant giggle as she passed by. He hated the way everyone in the house was privy every time he or Walter received a punishment.

Walter gasped as Maggie rubbed his backside, the wool pants rough on his already sore skin. He had made the mistake of arguing with her over the boots, pitching them across the room and flatly refusing to wear them.

"I'm tall enough," he had declared, and seconds later found himself face down on the bed, his breeches being yanked down to encircle his knees.

"All husbands are the same height when lying on a bed about to be punished," Lady Maggie had declared, swiftly grabbing up her wooden hairbrush. "And you, my dear, seem to be particularly slow to learn that I will not be crossed!"

"Ow!" he yelled, instinctively grabbing for the brass rails of their bed. "Maggie, please! I didn't mean it!"

"You will address me as 'my lady' when you are being punished," she informed him.

"Yes, my lady!" He clutched the brass tightly, refusing to allow his hands to drift down to cover his bottom. He had made that error several times when they had first been married, and soon found that it only gained him a more severe spanking, accompanied by an evening spent with his hands tied to the bed.

After several more hard smacks, observing the bright red color that his bottom had taken on, Maggie stopped.

Walter breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she had not kept on until he was crying--he didn't want to greet their party guests with a tell-tale red face and damp eyes. It would simply be too humiliating.

"Now, finish getting dressed," Maggie had ordered, and Walter had meekly obeyed.

"Please, Maggie," he whispered now, wincing as her hand tortured his sore backside, and she smiled indulgently.

"Dana, our guests are beginning to arrive. Fox, Walter... all you two have to do is stand around and look pretty." Maggie started for the front entrance, fully expecting her family to follow, and they did, her daughter striding along with confident steps and the two men bringing up the rear more carefully.

"I see you had to wear the boots, too," Fox whispered, and Walter nodded miserably.

"I hate them. "I'm always afraid I'm going to fall and break my neck, but Maggie insisted."

Fox smirked. "Is that why she warmed your backside?" he grinned, and Walter answered him with a scowl.

Suddenly, Fox froze in his tracks, his face a mask of sheer terror. Walter followed his gaze and was shocked and annoyed to see Lady Diana Fowley entering the great hall. He hadn't realized that Lady had been invited to the party.

Fox felt a comforting squeeze on his hand and looked down to see his wife giving him a reassuring nod.

"Why did you invite her?" he hissed into her ear, and gulped when he saw Dana's face darken momentarily.

"I had to, in order to be polite," she informed him. "You have nothing to fear from her as long as you stay by my side. I'll protect you. You will not question my judgement, Fox."

"Yes, my lady," he murmured, chastened, and privately resolved to stick by Dana's side like glue all night long. He didn't want Lady Diana to have any chance to get near him--she'd proven herself completely unscrupulous in the past, and now that Fox was no longer a virgin, he wouldn't put it past her to go as far as rape, if she got the chance.

"Ah, here's the newest Lord Scully." Diana's voice was low and sultry as she moved down the receiving line, and Fox kept his face carefully neutral when she reached up to touch his cheek and then trailed her fingers down the open neck of his shirt. His face flamed when he realized the shirt was cut almost to his navel--he felt practically naked, and his skin crawled under Diana's touch.

"Congratulations, Dana dear," Diana purred. "He is lovely. You did quite well for yourself."

"Thank you, Diana," Lady Dana replied dryly. "Perhaps you should take a husband of your own. Then perhaps you would find yourself less inclined to touch another Lady's property."

Diana ignored Dana's jibe. She looked Fox up and down deliberately, smiling when his flush deepened. "How fortunate for you to have captured such a beautiful, passionate creature. I do envy you, Dana."

At last she moved on, and Fox wilted visibly. Dana took his trembling hand in hers and made him look her in the eyes.

"She won't touch you again, I promise. I shouldn't have let her take such liberties with you, but I didn't want to cause a scene, and after all, she didn't hurt you."

"I feel like the loosest of men, trussed up in these clothes and paraded in front of everyone like this," he whispered, near tears. "Can't you tell everyone I don't feel well, or something? I hate social occasions anyway, and now I feel filthy! Please, Dana, can't I just--"

Dana gave him a warning glance and turned to greet the next of their guests, but Fox was not mollified. He stood silently beside her while the rest of the guests arrived, speaking only when directly addressed, and then answering in short, surly responses. He could feel the anger coming off his wife in waves, but was too far gone in his own discomfort to care. After all, she'd only been joking about spanking him in front of everyone, hadn't she?

When the last of the guests had appeared to arrive, and the big front doors were swung closed, Dana turned to Fox with blood in her eye.

"Come with me," she commanded coldly, and turned to stalk toward the library.

He stared after her for a few seconds, frozen in place, until Lady Maggie gave him a gentle shove.

"You'd better do as she says, Fox," she warned him. "My daughter is not to be trifled with. I'm surprised you haven't learned that yet."

"Yes ma'am," he muttered, quickly making his way toward the door through which his wife had disappeared.

He entered the library, his heart in his throat, and looked around warily for his wife, then jumped when the heavy door slammed shut behind him. He turned just in time to see her twisting the key in the lock, and swallowed hard. She appeared prepared to kill.

"I'm sorry, Dana," he began contritely, but she interrupted him.

"Save your abject apologies, Fox. I am not interested in your excuses for treating our guests so rudely. Get over here." Dana sat down on a massive sofa and patted her knees. "I warned you this was going to happen if you didn't mend your attitude."

"But Dana... we have guests out there..." he whispered, gesturing toward the door in horror.

"Exactly," she agreed. "And if you don't want them to get an eyeful while you get your bottom blistered, you'd better get over here. Now!"

He scurried to her side at the rough command, and closed his eyes helplessly while she unfastened his breeches and lowered them. She pulled him down over her knees and he braced himself against the floor.

Dana rubbed her hand appreciatively over his smooth buttocks, then raised it above her head and brought it down sharply right in the middle.

Fox bit his lip to keep from crying out, mindful of the party going on in the next room. He kicked and squirmed over the lap beneath him, but knew better than to try and escape his punishment--that would only lead to something worse, and he had no desire to further enrage his wife.

Finally, when silent tears were rolling down his face and he sagged bonelessly against her, Dana took pity on Fox and relented. She pulled him against her for a comforting hug and kiss, and then helped him to stand.

"Adjust your clothing and meet me in the great hall," she instructed, dropping another kiss on his deliciously bared chest. "And don't keep me waiting, Fox," she warned.

"No, ma'am," he promised instantly. "I'll be right there." He swiped at the tear marks on his face for a minute, and finally gave up. Everyone would know what had just happened to him anyway, there was no point in trying to hide it.

Fox gasped in pain when the wool breeches scraped across his reddened behind, and he surveyed his erect sex with a humiliated glare. Everyone would be able to see that, too, with the tight pants he was wearing. Nothing at all would be left to the imagination, he realized shamefully.

Finally, stifling a heavy sigh, he started for the door. With every step the wool of his breeches rubbed his bottom uncomfortably, and he knew he was going to be reminded of this spanking for the rest of the night.

He was just about to emerge into the party when the door was thrown open unexpectedly. To his horror, he saw Lady Diana Fowley standing in the doorway, eyeing him hungrily.

"Well what have we here?" she said with a wicked grin. "A Fox in a cage, with no one around to protect him."

Fox swallowed hard and took a step backward. Diana shut the door behind her and locked it, slipping the key into her pocket.

"Lady Fowley, I need to get back to the party," he said, trying hard to keep his voice from quavering. He feared Diana, and had always known she was an unscrupulous sort. "My lady is waiting for me."

"Not just yet," she smirked, taking a threatening step toward him. "You and I have a little business to finish first. You see, when my servants captured you last week, they were supposed to bring you straight to me. I know you, Fox, I knew you would try to run, and I knew you'd go to your cousin Jake's estate--knew you'd run right into my arms, so to speak. If my servants had obeyed me, you'd be my husband now, not Dana's. They've been suitably punished, and now I intend to have my turn with you; your pretty flesh will be mine before I'm done. All of it."

"Lady Fowley, please," Fox began, backing up as far as he could and feeling pure fear invade him when his back hit the wall. There was nowhere else to go, and Lady Diana was advancing quickly.

Diana gave another evil smile, and pulled a small whip from her pocket, uncoiling it as she approached him.



In the great hall, Walter watched curiously as Lady Diana entered the library from which Dana had recently emerged. Fox was still inside.

"My lady--" he began, turning to Maggie, but stopped when he realized she was deeply in conversation with Dana and another doctor from the next village over. The three women were discussing the merits of performing certain types of surgery, and Walter didn't like to interrupt.

"Lady Maggie," he whispered, touching her arm to gain her attention, but she merely gave him a sidelong look and he clamped his mouth shut. Maggie didn't like to be disturbed while conversing with other women, certainly not with the affairs of a simple male.

Desperately, he glanced toward the library door again. It had not opened. He crossed the few steps toward the door and quietly turned the knob, confirming his fears--Lady Diana had locked herself inside with poor Fox. He stood in agonized indecision for a few moments, then made a hasty choice. He couldn't disturb Lady Maggie, but he simply could not bring himself to leave Fox at Lady Fowley's mercy--the woman would tear that poor, innocent boy to pieces.

He crept up beside his wife, trying once more and failing to gain her attention. At least, not knowing what else to do, Walter unobtrusively slipped his hand into the pocket of Lady Maggie's suit, feeling relief when his fingers closed over the skeleton key he knew she carried. This key would open any door on the estate, and it never left Maggie's possession. Just as carefully, he removed his hand, bringing the key with it, and started back toward the library, unnoticed by the ladies.



"You're very insolent, Fox," Lady Fowley commented, flicking the whip through the air and watching with satisfaction as he cringed. "Insolent boys deserve to be punished. If you were my husband, I'd keep you naked and chained to my bed."

Fox winced again at the memory of Isaac, and wondered briefly if that poor man had been forced to share Lady Diana's bed before he had fallen out of favor.

"A man's only function is to provide his wife pleasure, and to give her daughters," Diana continued. "Lady Dana gives you far too much liberty."

"I--I--" Fox was so terrified, and so focused on the whip, that he didn't see Walter sneaking up behind Diana, a heavy vase clutched in his hands, until Walter brought the vase down with all his force on Diana's head.

Lady Fowley crumpled to the ground, an expression of surprise still on her face, and Walter grabbed his almost incoherent son-in-law.

"Let's go before they find us!" he hissed, jerking Fox away from the wall and dragging him toward the door.

"But--what--how did you get in here?" Fox demanded, stepping over Diana carefully, half afraid she would wake up and grab him. "The door was locked!"

"Lady Maggie has a skeleton key," Walter explained quickly. "I slipped it from her pocket when she was preoccupied. If we're lucky, I can return it before she notices."

Their hopes of a speedy escape were dashed when the door, which had been partially closed after Walter entered, swung suddenly open. The party noises had gone completely silent, and every guest in the house had his or her eyes squarely on the two Lord Scullys. Walter and Fox had eyes only for their mistresses, who stood before them wearing identical expressions of fury.

"Looks like your luck has run out, boys," commented Maggie Scully, lightly slapping at her thigh with a riding crop.

Fox noted with distress that Dana held the same crop she'd whipped him with on their wedding night.

"Please--we can explain," Walter began, but stopped when his wife gave him a withering look.

"I've had just about enough of your explanations, Walter," she informed him coldly. "I think an evening in the stocks might be just what the two of you need."

End chapter 3