Josh was sitting on a barrel when Sarah came into the backroom. He had a ruler in his hand and it made her breath catch. If she had to have a spanking she just wanted a hand spanking, not something that would hurt as bad as the ruler. She decided to try to improve her chances of a small spanking.

“I just went to the newspaper office.”

“It’s too late for that, Sarah. Take down your bloomers and come over my lap. I’ll lift your skirt when you’re in position.”

Knowing it would do no good to argue, Sarah did as he said. She stood next to him, and then lifted her skirts enough to pull down her bloomers. She lay down over his lap, and grasped the shelf to keep herself steady. She’d received several spankings back here, and she hadn’t liked any of them. She was sure today would be no different.

He lifted her skirts quickly, baring her bottom, then he wasted no time. The first strike of the ruler stung, and Sarah gasped. He spanked her quickly, the ruler falling harder with each strike.

She counted five, ten, fifteen slaps and still he didn’t slow. Usually he stopped around twenty or so, but at twenty, he kept going, and she cried out.

“Josh!”

“Sarah!” The ruler came down again and again. “You lied to me!”

“Joshua, please! I’m sorry that you’re upset, but you need to remember that I was keeping a promise.”

“I told you, this is for lying to me about going to the newspaper office.”

She gasped. “You already knew!”

“Yes, before I came back, I went and asked Corbin if you’d been in there earlier, and he told me you had. Something about a book that you needed from Ruby, and she had to ride out to Dawn and Rob’s to get it. We know you ladies are up to something.”

Smack, smack, smack. “We want to know what it is.” Three hard strikes landed and she cried out again.

“No! You’re just being mean. Stop it! It’s enough!” Five more this time, all in the same spot. Her bottom burned.

“What is the spanking rule, Sarah?”

“That you’re in charge.”

“That’s right.” Four harder slaps. “Tell me what you had to run and tell Ruby, and then she had to run and tell Dawn.”

He rubbed the ruler against her burning buttocks. “Tell me now and I stop. Don’t tell me and I give you twenty-five more swats, and if you don’t tell me after that, then I’ll probably spank you again tonight, at home. I won’t tolerate deception, Sarah.”

In for a penny, in for a pound. Ruby’s words echoed through her mind. “I can’t tell you what I said to her. Just know that I went to the newspaper office to talk to Ruby, that’s all.”

Without saying a word, Josh delivered twenty-five more swats, varying the landing place while Sarah held firm to the counter, her eyes welling with tears. When he was done, he set her on her feet then turned her toward him.

The scowl on his face let her know he hadn’t enjoyed spanking her. “Sarah, I don’t like this. I don’t like you keeping secrets, and I don’t like to spank you so hard. You know that.”

“Yes, Josh, I know.”

“We’ll talk about this at home, after the kids are in bed.”

She nodded, and then wiped away her tears as he stood and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

He always ended a spanking with those words. He’d told her it was so she would know how much he cared for her, how much he needed her in his life. The fact that he spanked her didn’t change his feelings for her. All the MacAllister brothers disciplined their wives with spankings, it was understood from the beginning of their relationships.

His declaration of love was to remind her of his love for her. It did just that, but it didn’t make getting spanked any easier.

“I love you, too.”

He kissed her lips gently, and then went back to main room. She could hear him moving toward the front door, opening it and welcoming someone inside.

Sarah pulled up her bloomers, then went to the bathroom and washed her face, wiping away the last of her tears. She knew that Ruby would now be in trouble, since she was sure Josh had told Corbin about the fake book. That meant it would trickle to all the sisters-in-law, and probably every last one of them would be spanked by the time the night was over.

She tried to remind herself that this would turn out to be a good thing, that in the long run their husbands would be happy. She just wished that happiness had come before she was spanked.

Ruby made it to Rob and Dawn’s place in record time. Still, when she reined in out front and called Dawn’s name, she was shocked that it was Ben that stepped out of the door, Win right on his heels.

“Hello, Ruby,” Ben said softly. “Fancy meeting you here. What tears you away from the newspaper office this fine April afternoon?”

“Ben, Win, hi. How are two of my favorite brothers-in-law?”

“We’re fine,” Win said, leaning against the post. “You didn’t answer Ben’s question, though. Doesn’t Corbin need you at the newspaper office? Isn’t he meeting with Mr. Tucker about advertising for the new store? I just approved the loan for it early this morning.”

“A loan for advertising?” Ruby laughed, trying to cover her nerves. “Win, we don’t charge that much.”

Ben narrowed his eyes at her and she smiled. “He means for his new business. You wouldn’t happen to know why my wife went to Denver today, would you?”

“Me? Denver? I didn’t go to Denver.”

“That’s not what I said, and you know it. My wife went to Denver, unannounced, and she brought our son out here.”

“My wife went with her,” Win said. “And she brought our children out here, too. Now usually when she goes, she leaves the children with the housekeeper, who watches over things. So I have to wonder exactly why she changed things up.”

“And, I’m wondering why they went and didn’t tell us,” Ben said. “But none of you seem to know. I asked Dawn the same question. And Sarah. Now I’m asking you, again.”

Ruby shrugged her shoulders. “Not a clue. Sorry. I just came out to talk to Dawn for a minute, to get a book, for Sarah.”

“A book for Sarah,” Ben said. “You rode all the way out here at noon, while you should be at work.”

“Actually, it’s about one thirty. Not noon.” Ruby looked behind them, hoping Dawn would come out. Instead it was Rob who stepped outside. He nodded at her, and then Dawn stepped up beside him, standing close to her husband. She grimaced at her and Ruby knew she’d just received the third degree from the MacAllister brothers standing on the porch. She also knew Dawn had kept the secret, just like they’d all agreed upon. It was a good thing, but it meant Dawn would be spanked, just like she was sure Sarah had already been spanked, and she herself would be spanked when she got back to town. She was sure by now Corbin had talked to Josh, and knew the book story was fake.

“May I talk to Dawn, please?”

“Of course,” Rob said. “Win, Ben, come out and see our new filly. She just arrived this morning.”

The men started toward the porch and Ruby rushed to Dawn. “Well?”

“I told them nothing, and now my husband is furious with me for lying to his brothers. He said there’s no way I could keep the children and not know what the ladies are doing in Denver.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Dawn shrugged her shoulders in resignation. “It won’t be the first time I’ve been spanked, and I’m sure I will be, right after you all leave. I could tell by the set of Rob’s shoulders that this put him in a spanking mood. He doesn’t take kindly to lies.”

“Neither does Corbin. Now I have to ride back into town and tell him why I lied about having to come out here and get a book from you.”

“A book? What book? No one said anything to me about a book.”

“It was the excuse I gave Corbin. I wanted to get here before Ben, to warn you he might come because he found out about the trip. I didn’t expect Win to tag along.”

“Who we need to warn is Vanessa and Harmony. The men are planning on intercepting the stage before it gets to town, so they can talk to them before you or Sarah do.”

“No!”

“Yes.” Dawn cleared her throat, and Ruby knew that meant the brothers were coming out of the barn, and headed their way.

“I’m leaving before they can ask me anymore questions. I stink at lying.” Ruby mounted her horse quickly. “Plus I have to go and deal with my husband.”

“Thanks for sticking around to support me, coward.” Ruby started to turn the horse, who startled nervously when Ben ran up and grabbed the bridle.

“Wait. We’ll all ride back together.”

“Well, I’m sorta in a hurry,” Ruby said. “Corbin needs me before three.”

“Then we’ll hurry,” Win said, mounting his horse. “And we can talk.”

His voice sounded friendly as always, but Ruby knew she was about to undergo an interrogation. She just hoped she could make it through without spilling the beans.

Dawn ushered her youngest son, Seth, out the door, he was ten-years-old now, and always raring to go. “You stay with everyone else now, don’t go past the trees, understand? Mark, make sure you keep an eye on everyone while I talk to your father.”

With Win’s four children, Ben’s one and four of Dawn and Rob’s, three from her previous marriage and one with Rob, things had been hectic today. Her son Anthony was old enough to work at the stables in town, and Frank was in the fields with the other hands. She was thankful for Mark, though, who was old enough to work, but stayed behind today so he could help out with the younger children. She was grateful her older boys called Rob dad, and he never once called them anything but his sons.

“Yes, ma’am,” Mark said, winking at her. He nodded at Rob, who nodded back.

He was old enough, Dawn knew, to know that his father, who had raised him but was not his biological father, was angry with his mother, and they needed to talk privately.

“If you’re going to spank me, do it now.”

“No, I’m not going to spank you with three sets of kids here. What I do want to know, though, is why you lied to my brothers.”

Dawn said a silent prayer in thankfulness for the man she’d married. Tonight, when everyone had gone to bed, he would spank her, she knew. She was just glad he wasn’t doing it now.

“I made a promise.”

“You promised my brothers’ wives that you’d lie to their husbands, to cover up what they’re doing?”

“It’s not like that.”

Rob sat forward, his blond hair was getting long, and it hung down into his eyes.

“We need to cut your hair. Shall I do it now?”

“No, right now I want you to answer my question.”

Dawn sat own in a chair opposite him. “May I ask you a question?”

“Yes.”

“If you’d made a pact with someone, would you keep it?”

“You know I would.”

“Yes, I do know that. And that’s what I’m doing. Keeping a pact. It’s for nothing bad, I can assure you of that. They’re not out robbing banks or anything. They just had something they had to take care of in Denver.”

“Why didn’t you tell Win and Ben that?”

“Because they wouldn’t have let up on me. They would have kept hounding me until I told them exactly what was going on, and I don’t want to do that.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

He gave her a cockeyed glance. “Excuse me?”

“No. I’m sorry, Rob, but I can’t. I made a promise.”

He watched her for a few minutes, and then he stood. “I appreciate your sticking to the promise you made, but you still flat out lied to my brothers and told them you had no idea what was happening. If you’d told them what you told me, I’d be fine with it. But you didn’t.”

“I know.” Her voice was soft.

“Tonight, after Win and Ben pick up their kids, and ours are in bed, you and I will visit the woodshed. Twenty swats.”

“Twenty?”

“Now it’s thirty. Don’t argue with me, Dawn, because I can easily make it forty, or fifty. You lied, and this is the punishment.”

He left without waiting for an answer and Dawn could already feel the ache in her behind, growing stronger as the clock ticked away the minutes left in the day.

“So, how’s your day been, Ruby?” She turned to Win and smiled her best smile.

“Fine, just fine.” She tightened her grip on the reins, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“That’s good. Ben and I are a little concerned because we know you ladies are up to something. Not that we think it’s anything bad.”

Ruby turned to Ben when he snorted out a “Yeah right.”

“No,” Win said. “I’m sure it’s nothing bad. But whatever it is, it’s something you think you have to lie about. That concerns us.”

“And you want me to be the first to break the code of silence, is that it?”

“It would be nice,” Ben said. “We’d like to know what’s up.”

“Sorry, I don’t know anything.”

“Liar.” There was humor in Win’s voice. “You know everything, you all do. Give it up, Ruby, ease our worry.”

“I’m sorry, guys, but there’s nothing to tell. As far as I know, Vanessa and Harmony went to Denver to shop.”

“Without asking for money,” Win said. “Or telling us. Sorry, but neither of us believe that.”

The horses plodded along, and the three rode in silence. Finally, Ruby said. “I’m sorry you don’t believe us. They really are shopping.”

“For what?” Ben pulled his horse to a stop and the others pulled up and turned back toward him. “Harmony wouldn’t go to town without asking me for money, I know she wouldn’t. She always asks for money when she goes shopping. Sometimes I don’t think the amount I give her matches what she spends, but…”

“Oh my,” Win said. “We never thought of that. If we give them money to shop, and they’re not spending it, they’re saving it. Have you ladies been hoarding money to buy something big? What are they buying?”

“Ladies’ things. That’s what we do on shopping trips.” She edged her horse around Ben and took off at a gallop, ignoring his calls to hold up. She didn’t hear them tearing after her, but she urged Sissy to go faster just the same. They were getting too close to the truth, and she didn’t want to be the one to spoil everything.

When she was back in town, she bypassed the newspaper office and went directly to the stables. Once there, she dismounted and gave her horse’s reins to the stable hand, her nephew Anthony, Dawn and Rob’s son.

“Thanks, little Tony.”

“Aunt Ruby, I hate it when you call me that.”

“I know.” She ruffled his hair and he pushed her hand away.

“Quit.” He looked around to see if his co-workers had noticed, then leaned toward her. “Uncle Corbin’s looking for you.”

Her eyes widened. “He is?”

“Yup. He was here about ten minutes ago, to see if you’d come back. And he asked me the strangest question.”

“What was that?”

“He asked me to notice if you had a book with you when you came back.”

Ruby tried not to look nervous, but she could tell from the look on Tony’s face that she’d failed. “It’s nothing, don’t worry.” She couldn’t ask her nephew to lie and tell his uncle that yes, she had a book with her. It was tempting, but she would never do that.

“So, do you have a book?”

“No. But he won’t put you on the spot, I’ll tell him.”

“Okay.” Tony looked uncertain, then hugged her and led her horse into the stables.

Ruby knew there was nothing for it but to go to the newspaper office and confess to her husband that she’d just gone on a made-up errand in an effort to keep his brothers from finding out the truth about where their wives had gone.

When she got there she found it closed, which puzzled her. It was the middle of the afternoon, and Corbin never closed that early. There was a sign on the door, though and she stepped closer to read it.

“It says I’m across the street, at the general store if someone needs to send a telegram, or conduct any other business.” She jumped at the sound of Corbin’s voice and turned to him.

“Hi.”

He gave her the smile that she loved, the one that made her body shiver with desire. “Hi, baby, no book?”

“No, no book. I lied.”

“I know, and I’m very happy that you decided to tell me the truth. That doesn’t change the fact that you lied, though, and that we’re going inside now so I can spank you.”

She took a step toward him. “Corbin, couldn’t you overlook this transgression, just this once?”

“No.” He pulled her close and gave her a kiss. Even after almost thirteen years of marriage they still loved each other very much, a fact that she adored. But she wasn’t too fond of the spanking aspect of their relationship, not in the discipline sense, that is. She loved it when they were making love, loved the intensity of it. But she didn’t like being spanked because she’d been bad. Even when she knew she deserved it, like she did right now.

He walked around her and unlocked the door, opening it for the both of them and ushering her inside. He locked it behind him, then pointed toward the back.

“You know where to go.”

“Yes.” And she did. Before they were married, Corbin had spanked her quite a bit in the back of the offices, in the rooms where he lived. They kept them now, even though they had a huge house. Sometimes they would use them for privacy, like now. Ruby started back toward them, knowing she wouldn’t enjoy this visit near as much as she’d enjoyed the one they had just last week, where they’d closed up shop and made love, then lay there for an hour, holding each other and talking.

She walked into the back room and stopped, turning toward him. “So, this is going to be hard, isn’t it?”

“No, not since you fessed up. You’re still going to get spanked, just not as hard as I’d planned. You should be glad you told me the truth.”

“Oh, I am. If it’s going to save my behind, you can be sure I’m thrilled I told you the truth. Doubly sure of it.”

“That’s a good thing to hear. Now, you know the position I like you in when I spank you when you’re wearing pants. Get into that position. Then drop those britches. You know I want a bare bottom.”

Ruby walked to the back wall. The area there was bare, except for a small chair in the corner. She stood near the wall and undid her pants, dropping them and her bloomers down to her ankles. Then she put her hands against the wall and walked backwards until she was bent over.

“Very good. Should I use my belt, or my hand?”

“Hand.” She inhaled sharply.

“I think belt.”

“No.” She stood and turned toward him. “You said you’d go easy, since I told you the truth when I came back. Please, Corbin.”

“Yes, I did. But ten swats with the belt will leave an impression on you not to lie to me anymore.”

“This is not fair. Ten?”

“Would you like to go for fifteen?”

“No!” She lowered her gaze to where he was unbuckling his belt. “Corbin, please.”

“Fifteen. Stop arguing with me and turn back around.”

She thought about arguing, and then decided it would do nothing but get her more swats. So she turned around and got into the same position, holding her breath while she waited for the first strike. Maybe he would be nice and make it quick. She hoped so. There was nothing she hated more than a drawn out spanking.

Sometimes he did that, though, to reinforce his point about her misbehavior. When the first strike didn’t come immediately, she knew that’s exactly what was happening.

“Corbin, please, can we just get it over with?”

“No. Just hush and wait.”

Ruby hated this almost as much as she hated standing in the corner after a spanking. The waiting was horrible. If he would just spank her now she could handle it. But waiting was awful.

After a few minutes she stomped her foot. “Corbin!”

“If you’re not careful, I’ll take it up to twenty. Do you want that?”

“No.”

“Then you be quiet and wait. You know the rule.”

Oh, yes, she did. Spankings were on Corbin’s terms. They’d agreed upon it when they married, and she’d never said anything about them since then, although doing so now seemed like a good time.

She opened her mouth, and then shut it again. Best not to bring this up while he had the belt in his hand. Plus, she knew this part of their relationship was not negotiable.

When he touched the leather to her behind it was just a tap, and she knew that one wouldn’t count. Another soft tap landed, and then another. And then there was a harsh slap, the sound of the leather hitting her behind echoing in the mostly empty room.

“Ouch.” She inhaled sharply when a second slap landed.

“You lied to me.” A third and fourth came one on top of the other.

“Corbin, I’m sorry. Ow!” Five, six and seven were hard, and she’d barely recovered her breath when eight and nine came. Then, he gently rubbed the leather against her burning bottom.

“You know, if you’d been a good girl, this would be the last one, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, Corbin.” He continued to rub her, and then suddenly he struck again, the strike harder than all the others.

She inhaled sharply as he rubbed the leather against her bottom again. The hard part about having her hands against the wall was not being able to grab anything, to try and take the edge off the spanking. Sometimes grabbing something took her mind off her bottom.

“Five more.” His voice was deep.

“Yes.”

“Will you lie to me again?”

“No.”

“Will you tell me why the ladies are in Denver?”

“No.” She sucked in her breath as the leather moved away from her behind, and then came back, in an almost gentle caress.

“Fine, I guess I can respect that. Are you ready for five more?”

“No.”

“Fine, we’ll make it ten.”

And he started to spank her again, the leather coming down hard on her tender flesh. He passed five, went to six and she bit her lip. There was no sense arguing with him. He was going to do what he wanted, what he felt needed to be done to punish her for lying to him.

She knew it’d been wrong, but she felt like it had to be done. When he reached ten, he caressed her bottom again.

“Corner.” She obeyed the command instantly, knowing if she didn’t the belt would meet her behind again, and who knew when the spanking would stop.

When she stood in the corner, her pants still around her ankles, he came up and caressed her hip. “You stay here until I get back. Then we’ll discuss your lying to me, and I might add to the spanking. Understand?”

“Yes.” He walked out and she knew better than to disobey him. She would wait as long as he said. And hopefully the spanking was over.