The Smeaton party was not nearly as big as the Ellington one the previous evening, which Lady Smeaton was not happy about, Belinda was sure. There was a great deal of people there but, many of them had attended the party the night before.

In attendance, Belinda was not happy to see, were the Duke and Duchess of Melbourne, standing with all the friends who had been with them at the Ellington party. These people seemed to spend a great deal of time together. She had never had any sort of friends in her life, not even when she was a child.

A footman passed with a tray full of wine glasses. She took one, holding it tightly as if it were a lifeline. “How long do we have to stay?” she asked.

“We just arrived,” he said. “Relax and enjoy yourself, Belinda. I promise you, with every fiber of my being, that I will not take you into the Smeaton study and spank you.”

“That’s so wonderful to hear,” she said.

“Unless you misbehave,” he said. “Then you know what happens.”

She didn’t answer. Instead she studied the group of people they were walking toward. Clarissa and Andrew were amongst them, and they were all laughing and joking with each other.

When they joined the group, Belinda noticed that Clarissa looked the other way. Belinda followed her lead and did the same. It was Charlotte who welcomed her first.

“I love that dress, it’s such a beautiful blue,” Charlotte said. “Jonathan, you will love the items that Belinda bought this afternoon. She bought some beautiful things, and I have to say I was quite jealous.” She nudged her husband. “I loved one of the designs that I saw, but I was not given permission to buy a dress today. Of course the seamstress is open tomorrow.”

“A bigger hint was never dropped,” Dalton said with a laugh. “Darling, do you want a new dress?”

“Yes,” Charlotte said with a laugh. “And I would like matching shoes, a hat, and a reticule, please.”

“You’ll pay for that later,” Dalton said. The whole group laughed. Well everyone except Belinda, until she remembered Charlotte saying that Dalton spanked her, and she had smiled. Smiled. Why would someone smile if they were talking about being spanked?

“Well, I’d like one, too,” Gabby said. “Fergus?”

“You, too, will pay for your new dress.” He put his arm around her waist and drew her close for a kiss. Belinda felt a stab of jealousy as each man, except Barton, followed suit with approving a new dress for their ladies.

“You have several new dresses,” he said, and when he tried to pull her in for a kiss she turned her face, which brought several oohs, and oh mys from the people gathered around them.

“You’d better approve that dress, Jonathan,” Charlotte said. “True you purchased several new things today, but I think more is needed.”

“Perhaps you want to give her your dress,” Dalton said to Charlotte. “Stop trying to spend Jonathan’s money. I think you helped quite a bit this afternoon.”

Alice’s mouth dropped open. “You went shopping without us?”

“I went shopping with Belinda, yes,” Charlotte said. “Jonathan wanted to buy her some dresses.”

“Sounds interesting,” Alice said. “I’m sorry I missed it.”

As she spoke, Belinda remembered that Alice was the woman who had made contact with Taylor’s spirit at the Stanhope house party a few months back. She didn’t say anything, because she was afraid it would upset Clarissa, and she knew what happened when she upset Clarissa.

She made a mental note to talk to Alice later, when she could, hopefully, get her alone. The woman didn’t exactly seem to be interested in talking to her, though, because when Belinda caught her attention, she turned away.

They all thought badly of her, and who could blame them, really. She wondered if they knew about her punishment that afternoon. Something told her they did, but she wasn’t going to ask questions to find out. The less she thought about the afternoon spanking the better things were to her.

“So is there an afternoon shopping expedition?” Belinda looked at Carin, who had asked the question.

“Of course,” Charlotte said. “It’s something we all do very well, don’t you agree?”

The ladies laughed, except for Belinda, and the men groaned.

“One dress and the accessories,” Buxton said. “I think we all agree on that.”

Belinda noticed that not one of them invited her, as she was not part of their group. That was fine, she decided, since she’d spent quite a bit during the shopping expedition this afternoon, and there were more things yet to come.

Jonathan just didn’t know it yet, and she didn’t plan on telling him.

“Tomorrow’s not a good day,” Gabby said. “Remember we have the meeting for the Mission House. It starts at one and I have a feeling it will last most of the afternoon.”

“True,” Charlotte said. “The next day I’m interviewing new nannies. George seems to go through them like water. How about Monday next?”

They all agreed that was a good time, and then, to Belinda’s surprise, Clarissa said, “Of course you’ll join us, Belinda. I think Jonathan has it in his coffers to buy you one more gown.”

“Thank you,” Belinda said, shocked at the duchess’ invitation. “I would love to join you, if that is all right with everyone else.”

The ladies all murmured their approval. Belinda felt accepted, a feeling she wasn’t used to experiencing. And then she thought about the plans she already had for tomorrow, and she wondered if she would even be a part of this group come Monday next.

The music for dancing started, and Belinda glanced once more at Alice. She whispered in her husband’s ear and they nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

“What are you looking at?” Jonathan asked her, his head tilted in her direction.

“Not a thing,” she said. “I just wanted to know if you wanted to dance, or go into the card room.”

“Cards is always good,” he said. He offered his arm and she took it. As they walked through the crowds, people started to whisper and gossip. She heard, and she was sure Jonathan heard, the word whore. She pulled back, but he patted her hand and led them into the card room.

Several people followed them into the card room and took positions near the wall.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she whispered in Jonathan’s ear. “There are different people here tonight, and they are not happy to see me.”

“Bugger them,” Jonathan said as he neared a table with two empty seats. “Playing blackjack?” he asked.

“Not with her,” a woman said, pointing at Belinda. “You can sit. She can go.”

“On the contrary, I would not want to sit with so ugly a spirit,” Jonathan said. He pulled a wad of bills from his jacket pocket. “I’ll take my money elsewhere.”

The woman, whom Belinda recognized as Lady Sage, a friend of Lady Millage, whose husband had been one of Belinda’s lovers, waved her hands.

“Come back, come back.”

“No thank you,” Jonathan said. “I’d rather enjoy my evening rather than look at a shrew like you.”

Eventually they took up at a table where they were, indeed, playing blackjack. Belinda lost a great deal of her hands, but Jonathan raked in quite a bit of blunt, which didn’t surprise her. She’d heard he was good at winning money, and she could see now that it was true. No wonder he hadn’t objected to her buying so many dresses. He spent a lot of time at his club, which meant a lot of time at the tables.

As the night progressed they were laughing and drinking, and when they decided to leave, his pockets were much fuller than when they’d arrived.

“Should we tell your friends we’re going?” she asked, hoping that would mean she could make contract with Alice.

“Not in the least,” he said. “They’re either dancing or playing cards. I’d like to get this money out of here early before someone unsavory figures out I have it.”

He called for their carriage, and when they were safely inside she did something she hadn’t expected to do. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“For defending me against Lady Sage. She rather thinks I’m a bitch.”

“I would say the same of her,” he said. “She obviously has no manners. You, at least, have those.”

She sat back in her seat. “That doesn’t mean I’m inviting you to my bed.”

“I had no thought that it would,” he said. But then he continued, “There will be time for that soon enough. Trust me.”

“When did they start arriving?” Lord Buxton examined the papers in his hands, and Jonathan could see he was fighting to keep the laughter inside.

“Today,” Jonathan answered. He jumped from his chair at the club and took the papers from Buxton. “Look at this: one thousand pounds for new furniture for the library, five hundred for a new wardrobe, and five thousand pounds for a new necklace. On top of that she visited her dressmaker and ordered five new frocks, all of them in red, to the tune of eight hundred pounds. Five more frocks. She is spending my money all over town.”

Sitting around the table, the close-knit members of the Rakes Club all burst into laughter.

“It’s not funny,” Jonathan said.

“I’ll pay them for you,” Andrew said, reaching for the bills. “The only reason you are in this situation is because of Clarissa’s call for aid.”

“The money is not the point,” Jonathan said. He pocketed the papers and sat back down. “I can afford it. The point is she is making a laughing stock of me all over town. There’s no telling how many merchants she’s visited in the last week. The bills will keep coming in. How many more will there be?”

“I would say quite a few,” Essex said. “Perhaps you should rein her in before she bankrupts you.”

Jonathan ran his hands through his hair and then gulped down his brandy, raising his glass to let the server know he wanted another.

“I take it the, um, tea went well?” Ellington took a drink from his own cup.

“Yes,” Jonathan replied. “I think your idea was right on track. It has been five days now and she’s yet to say a bad thing about anyone. She’s been very well behaved in that respect.”

“I think the punishment was as hard on Clarissa as it was on her,” Andrew replied. “She was very uncomfortable with the entire situation.”

“Why?” Ellington asked in a lower voice. “She’s seen women spanked before.”

“Yes, in the confines of a Club meeting,” Andrew signaled for another drink. “She’s never seen one for punishment. She was uncomfortable watching it, even though she knew the reasons why.”

“Belinda had to know the woman she’d been tormenting was watching,” Jonathan said. “That’s what made the message valuable. It would have been much less effective if I’d done it with no audience.”

“Maybe she’s learned her lesson,” McIntyre said. “What you need to do, Jonathan, is put your foot down. Go to her house and tell her that she has a certain amount of money to spend, and no more. Explain the, consequences, if she goes over the limit. Then take her to your bed.”

“What?” Jonathan paused in the process of taking a drink. “Have you lost your mind? She’s not really my mistress.”

“For all intents and purposes she is,” McIntyre replied. “She’s used to her protectors expecting such things from her. Maybe she’s trying to get your attention.”

“Maybe she’s trying to get back at me,” Jonathan replied. He didn’t want to tell them that he hadn’t been in Belinda’s bed yet, that she’d told him it would be a cold day in hell before she’d allowed him to take her.

“She’s a comely woman,” Ellington replied. “I don’t think taking her to your bed would be that much of a chore.”

“No, it wouldn’t be a chore, it would be a delight,” Jonathan said. “But part of me can’t help but think that she acts the way she does because society sees her as nothing more than mistress material. I think that makes her angry, and makes her lash out.”

“Society already thinks she’s your mistress,” McIntyre said. “They don’t know whether or not you take her to bed. Maybe she misses physical contact.”

“And she’s spending all my money to get it?” Jonathan shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. I think she’s angry with me over the tea incident, and this is her way of showing it.”

Jonathan knew that was what Belinda was doing. She’d been very docile all week, accepting of every outing he wanted to attend, and sweet to every person she talked to. She’d even gone up to Clarissa at the Worthingham party and hugged her. Her attitude had changed so much that people were talking about it at parties and other gatherings.

Gentlemen had patted him on the shoulder and cheered him on for “taming the Lady Brat.” Jonathan knew that it was just the calm before the storm, and that Belinda was planning something more than spending all his money.

He also knew that he wasn’t going to like whatever she had planned.

Around him, his friends discussed possible solutions. Jonathan pursed his lips and decided that it was time he and Belinda had a talk, a serious one.

“I’m off,” he said, finishing his brandy. “I’ll see you tonight at the theater.”

“Maybe she’ll wear one of her new red dresses,” Essex said. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“No, no, over there, near the window,” Belinda said, putting her hands on her hips as the workmen carried the heavy mirror to the other side of her bedroom. Her maid worked nearby, unpacking boxes of new frocks that had just been delivered.

“How much did that cost me?”

Surprise lit her face as she whirled toward Jonathan’s voice. He hadn’t ventured past the study since the horrible tea incident.

“Darling,” she said, crossing to him quickly and kissing his cheek. “Only a little bit. Don’t you love it? It’s full-length and made with beautiful maple wood. It completes the room, I think.”

“Along with the new bed,” Jonathan replied, his eyes trailing to the new four-poster that took up much of the far wall.

“Well,” Belinda said, lowering her eyes. “The old one was rather used.”

She smiled shyly and then turned to the workmen.

“Perfect!” She clapped her hands and giggled. Then she turned to Jonathan and batted her eyes. She smiled as he handed each man some coins as they left the room.

Her giggles stopped, however, when he turned to the maid and threw his head toward the door in an order for her to leave. Merry scurried out the door and Belinda sighed.

“Am I to be punished?” she asked.

“Should I punish you?”

Belinda rubbed her behind. She’d felt the spanking from the brush for several days, and she didn’t want another one. She shook her head.

“I’m only doing as I’ve always done. The men who have protected me always lavished me with gifts, and gave me a very generous allowance. If you can’t afford me, perhaps you should let your friends know that we are no longer involved, and I can search for another man who can afford me.”

Or I can just pack up and leave, as I plan to do. She didn’t want him to know that was her ultimate plan. She was spending money in order to get his attention, to get him to let go of her. But so far it didn’t seem to be working.

“Is that what your worried about, that I can’t afford you? Well, I can, Belinda. I will pay the bills. But from now on, you are limited to five thousand pounds a month.”

“What? I cannot live on so little.”

“You can and you will. I know this house is paid for, so you have no expense there. I will pay your food, coal and other household bills separately. The five thousand is for clothing, furniture and other things. You will stick to that amount.”

Jonathan crossed the room and lay down on the bed. He bounced on it a bit and then pushed himself into a sitting position, propped against the headboard with his feet crossed at the ankles and his hands hooked behind his head.

“Very good choice, my dear. How much is this going to cost me?”

“Quite a bit, since you’ll never use it in the manner to which you obviously want to.” She trained her eyes to his crotch.

Her anger rose when Jonathan laughed. He continued to laugh, then took a deep breath.

“Five thousand, Belinda, and not a pound more. Do you understand me?”

“And if I go over, you’ll spank me again?” She put her hands on her hips.

“There are other ways to punish you.”

Her eyes widened.

“Five thousand, Belinda.”

“We’ll see,” she said with a laugh.

“Yes, we will,” he responded. Then he put his hand on his crotch. Her eyes drifted down, and he couldn’t help but feel power over her.

“You know the other evening you never did tell me about your first experiences with cock.” He moved his hand, as if he were planning on taking out his prick.

“I told you, there will be no physical contact between us,” she said.

“I haven’t asked you to touch me,” he said. “I just want information about your previous lovers. Tell me about your first one.”

“Never,” she said. “But I will tell you about Taylor. He was wonderful.”

“He was old,” Jonathan said. “Tell me, when you fucked did you come?”

“You’re so vulgar,” she said.

“I’m going to take that as a no.”

He stretched out on the bed and Belinda looked away. “You need to leave.”

Once again his hand went to his crotch, and he could swear her eyes widened in need.

“I won’t ask again,” she said.

“No, you won’t,” he replied. “Since I paid for this bed I think I’ll stay right here.”

“You haven’t paid for it yet,” she responded.

“Neither have you.” He popped the top button on his trousers, and her screech made him laugh.

“Is that a wail of desire?” he asked.

“It’s a yell to tell you to get the devil out!”

“You know what’s under here,” he said. “When I leave, I’m going to go home and play with it. Make it hard, stroke it, feel the tightness in my sac. You’ll be thinking about that while I do it. You’ll wish I’d stayed so you could take it in your mouth, in your quim.”

“You wish those things to be true, but I can assure you they are not,” she said. The look on his face said he could hear the way her voice shook, hear that she was not telling the truth. She desperately wanted to touch him. It had been far too long, and she enjoyed sex immensely. Something told her he would be the perfect lover. She could tell from the outline of his cock that he was long, that he would fill her totally and send her over the edge, something very few men had been able to do.

“Please leave,” she said.

“You know you want me, and I know you want me,” he said. “Will you be thinking about me? You say no, but I know you will. You want my cock? You want to fuck? You want to come?”

Without waiting for an answer he stood. “The play starts at eight tonight. Be ready at seven. And we’re having dinner after at the Buxtons’ house. Wear one of your new dresses.”

“How long do you intend to keep me prisoner?”

“Prisoners don’t get new furniture. And I intend to keep you close to me until I think you’ve been cured of being a brat. Then I will set you free, since you seem so certain that you are a prisoner.”

He swatted her behind as he walked by. Belinda saw it coming and tried to move away from it and failed.

“See you tonight, Lady Brat.”

She screamed after he’d shut the door. She knew that some members of society had given her that nickname, and she hated it. Her eyes narrowed. If he wanted a brat, he would get one.

“Merry!”

The maid entered and curtsied.

“Lay out my newest dress for tonight.”

Merry’s eyes bulged out. “But, madam, when his lordship left he specifically told me no red.”

“I don’t care what he said. You are my employee and will do as I say, or you will be gone. Make sure the dress is ready after my nap. Take it and go.”

When Merry was gone, Belinda lay down on her new bed in the same spot Jonathan had laid. It was still warm from his body. She’d been good all week, and it had gotten her nowhere. It was time for the old Belinda to return. Perhaps if she was bratty enough he would release her and she could leave town. They would all be happy then. And she could try and start a new life.

Jonathan checked his pocket watch. It was almost thirty minutes past the hour. If Belinda didn’t come down quickly they would barely make the opening curtain. Not that he cared. He’d seen the play before, and was only attending because it was expected of him.

Sometimes he got sick of doing things that were expected. It would be nice to be able to enjoy himself with his friends and not have to make public appearances.

A noise on the stairs caught his attention. He looked up from his seat and fought back a smile. She really was beautiful, even in red. This dress, though, was provocatively cut, and was not meant for the place where they were going.

“I’m ready.”

“For what?”

“The theater, of course.”

He nodded and grinned.

“Very well. Let’s be off before we’re any later.”

When he was at the doorway, Belinda put her hand on his arm.

“How do you like my new dress?”

“It’s exquisite, although it’s more suited to other pursuits.” He surveyed the low cut dress and tight bodice.

“If you don’t like it, I will change.”

“Nonsense, we don’t have the time. Besides, everyone’ll notice you. Wasn’t that your intent? Or were you thinking that you would wear something I wouldn’t approve of and I would cancel our outing, or go without you?”

Jonathan fought back a laugh as she stiffened. He’d known that was what she had in mind.

“Sorry, luv, but I really want to see the play. And I don’t want to be any later.”

He took her hand and led her toward the door. He helped her into the carriage and took a deep breath. He knew she was up to something, he just wished he knew what it was, and if it was going to come tonight, or if she was teasing him and making him wait, as he had done to her this afternoon.