The Farmer's Reluctant Bride Read Online Free

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