Welcome To Corbin's Bend Page 38

  Arthur liked to take his time. In truth, she thought he took perverse pleasure in making her worry, and he was very good at that. Over the last few months, he had her worrying about everything. The doorknob turned, then a key jingled as it revolved the well-oiled tumblers. Seconds later, Arthur stepped inside and dropped his suitcase by the door. He noticed his drink and gave her a nod of greeting. She rarely received praise, but he acknowledged her efforts when she did as he'd asked.

  "Is dinner ready?" he inquired, opening the armoire where they kept their coats. Though they'd selected one of the most expensive units in Corbin's Bend, the place didn't have many closets or cupboards, so they made do with new furniture they'd purchased to serve their needs. They still hadn't gotten around to buying the china cabinet Elly needed to store their fine dishes and delicate figurines she'd collected over the years.

  "Yes, it's waiting to be served. Would you like me to place everything on the table now, or would you prefer to relax with your drink first?"

  He frowned at her. Now what had she done? Then, he pulled a large leather jacket out of the closet. Jerry's jacket.

  "To whom does this belong, Eleanor?"

  She took a deep breath. She'd done nothing wrong. "It's Dr. Douglas' jacket." His left eyebrow arched, which meant she'd provided him with insufficient information. "He's the veterinarian I spoke about earlier."

  "I see. And what, pray tell, is his jacket doing in our hall closet?"

  She drew her lower lip in her mouth and skimmed her teeth over it. Arthur preferred exactness to vagueness, however, informing him their armoire could hardly be considered a closet would not be good for her health, so she focused instead on how to present her afternoon conversation with the vet without drawing attention to her own error in judgment.

  "He believed my sweater wasn't keeping me warm enough, so he lent me his jacket."

  Arthur ran his fingers over the material and examined the lining. "Why weren't you wearing your coat?"

  "Muffin needed to go out, and I thought I'd be fine in a sweater and slacks."

  With a nod, he hung the jacket back in the armoire. "It would appear you misjudged—again. Colorado falls can be bitterly cold, Eleanor, and you need to dress appropriately." Closing the door, he turned to regard her through wintry gray eyes. "Must I start laying out your clothing as well in the mornings?"

  Not wanting him to see her growing resentment, Elly lowered her gaze. "No, sir."

  "You're my wife, Eleanor. Every decision you make reflects back on me, and I will not have you prancing about the neighborhood improperly dressed."

  She met his gaze only briefly, then returned her focus to the floor. "I'm sorry, Arthur."

  "So you say, but I believe you need another lesson. I think wearing an anal plug and a diaper through dinner might serve to remind you your actions have consequences."

  Elly bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying what she thought. Arthur didn't tolerate back talk, but that plug was truly a punishment for her, and he only made her wear diapers if he determined her actions had been childish. Adults knew how to dress appropriately, children needed supervision and reminders. So, he would help her remember she needed to give her wardrobe more consideration by insisting she dress like a child.

  With a shake of his head and a long sigh, he murmured. "Fetch the black plug, lube and one of your bad girl diapers, then meet me in my office. I'll attend to you there."

  "Yes, sir."

  "You might as well bring the paddle down, too. Perhaps a few swats after the plug is inserted will drive in the point of this exercise."

  Elly gazed at her husband. She wanted to protest that she'd pay more attention to how she dressed in the future, but experience had taught her once Arthur decided on a punishment any hesitancy or argument on her part would only make matters worse for her. So, she went upstairs to gather the requested items.

  Elly's tears had dried by the time she set the table. Arthur had been matter-of-fact about her punishment, giving her only three swats with the paddle after he'd inserted that oversized, bulbous octopus head into her anus. She hated that thing, but as he'd so often reminded her, punishments were not meant to be enjoyable. They were intended to teach her a lesson, and he expected her to learn rushing about inadequately dressed was unacceptable at any time.

  Despite her deep-seated resentment of Arthur's strictness, Elly did try to be the wife he wanted, and the last thing she sought was to tarnish his image with her inadequacies. Appearances were of prime importance to Arthur, and she worked hard to make him proud of her, but as of late, she couldn't seem to do anything right. Though he never said as much, she suspected he regretted ever marrying her.

  The bulky diaper forced her to walk like an incontinent toddler, which was meant to remind her when she behaved like a child, she would be treated like one. She recalled the time he had taken this punishment to an extreme after she'd attempted to hide a serving of peas beneath her napkin. In addition to the anal plug and the diaper, he'd insisted she change into a short nightgown and sit at the table with a bib around her neck until he'd finished feeding her two servings of the hated green pebbles. She'd gotten ten swats of his belt over the plug for her subterfuge. His punishment hadn't changed her mind about peas, but she dutifully ate every one she was served whenever he requested them.

  At dinnertime, all the food had to be laid out in dishes before Arthur's place setting. He maintained Elly didn't eat properly, so he made sure her plate contained a proper mix of food groups, and she was expected to eat everything he set before her. He didn't approve of snacking between meals, but she was allowed to munch on carrots or celery in the afternoon if she got hungry. Even though she ate lunch alone, he planned each of her meals, telling her what she should and shouldn't eat. A chef salad with various vegetables and a serving of meat and cheese with a light dressing was scheduled twice a week. All sandwiches were to be made on whole wheat bread, and she needed to consume a minimum of seven servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Anything less, provided she wasn't ill, was a punishable offense. Arthur did look out for her, but sometimes she wished he wasn't quite so regimented about it.

  Elly was laying the bowl of roast potatoes on the table when Arthur stepped into the dining room. She attempted to smile at him, but when her lower lip trembled, she swiveled to return to the kitchen.

  "Eleanor," he said quietly.

  Swallowing, she turned back and met his gaze.

  "You know I don't enjoy punishing you like this, but these lessons do seem to improve your memory and behavior, and as your husband, I consider it my duty to ensure you learn from your mistakes and modify your actions accordingly."

  "Thank you, sir."

  "I doubt you mean that now, but I hope you realize when I punish you, like I did earlier, I'm only fulfilling the vows I made on our wedding day to cherish, protect and guide you. And, later tonight, when we review the reasons for your tardiness this afternoon, I hope you'll accept that my discipline is given with a loving hand intent on making sure you are always the best person you can be."

  Unwanted tears spilled down Elly's cheeks. "Yes, sir."

  "Good. You may finish serving dinner now."

  "Thank you." She returned to the kitchen to fetch the rest of their meal.

  When they'd finished eating, he rose from the table. "I need to do some work. You may remove the diaper and plug, if you wish. After you've completed your clean-up chores, come to my office and we'll go upstairs together. Just make sure Muffin is locked in the laundry room first." At that, he turned and strode out.

  Elly slumped forward with a mixture of relief over her reprieve and dread for what was to follow.

  Chapter 2

  Jerry surreptitiously kept watch for Elly Benson all afternoon, but after he'd seen his last patient and she still hadn't arrived at the park, he decided to take Jack out and wait for her outside. Less than fifteen minutes passed before he spotted her weaving a path toward him. Bundled up all the way to her throat
in a quilted coat, she wore warm, sturdy boots and padded winter gloves. Clearly, she'd dressed for any possibility of inclement weather. Cold would not be an issue today, but she walked as if her bones hurt. When he noticed she carried his coat and Muffin wasn't with her, his heart sank. He realized at once that her husband had taken exception to finding another man's jacket in her possession.

  He stepped over to open the gate for her, but she gave her head a single shake. "I can't stay. I only came to return your coat. Thank you."

  Accepting his leather jacket, he placed a staying hand on her arm. "Were you punished last night because you had this?"

  "No." Her emerald green eyes held his gaze, but he sensed there was more to the story than she was saying, so he raised one eyebrow and waited.

  With a sigh of defeat, she added, "I was punished for not being properly dressed yesterday. And, given the unpredictability of Colorado autumns, I should've known better, as you intimated yourself."

  Though she spoke to him without any pretense of hesitancy or deference today, he didn't particularly care for what she said. "Were you late getting home?"

  A touch of green fire lit her eyes as she stared at him. "What do you think?"

  "I think you're angry enough you'd like to take your frustration out on someone, but you're not sure how, or whom to attack."

  She turned away at his words. "I need to go."

  "How long before you're expected back, Eleanor?"

  Her back stiffened with displeasure, but she didn't yank free of his gentle restraint. "Five minutes."

  "Then stay with me for one more minute." When she didn't take off running, he asked, "Do you object to me calling you by your first name?"

  "No."

  "Then why did you stiffen?"

  She briefly met his gaze. "I prefer to be called Elly."

  Smiling, he bent his head toward her. "Good to know, Elly. So, tell me. Did your husband restrain you last night?"

  Her head snapped up, and she glared at him through eyes alight with unshed tears. "So what if he did? That doesn't mean I'm not submissive to him."

  Jerry promptly released her arm. "Whoa. I never said or implied you weren't."

  "Well, isn't that what everyone else thinks? I'm such a lousy wife and incompetent submissive, my husband needs to restrain me during my chastisements?"

  "No, Elly. No one thinks that."

  "Why not? It's true. Thank you anyway for your concern, but I need to leave."

  "All right. One more second. I'd like you to schedule an appointment at the clinic for Muffin."

  Elly turned back to face him, her bright emerald eyes wide with alarm. "Why?"

  "She's about six-months-old now, isn't she?"

  "She turned six-months two weeks ago."

  "Do you intend to breed her?"

  "No."

  "Then you should have her spayed. It's best to schedule the surgery before she goes into heat and if she's almost seven-months-old, she's due any minute. In fact, she may have already had her first heat and you didn't recognize it. Here." He handed her his card. "Call my office and make an appointment, give yourself at least an hour, which would include filling out the necessary forms and allowing me time to examine her. If you agree, I'll board her and schedule the operation for later in the day, if possible."

  "I don't know. Spaying is a serious procedure, isn't it?"

  He laid a gentle hand against her cheek. "She'll be fine, Elly. I promise. And it's better for her in the long run. Animals that undergo the surgery have shown a 96% reduction in certain cancers, and since little dogs go into heat faster than larger breeds, I suggest we arrange the operation as quickly as possible. I strongly recommend neutering to all my dog and cat owners."

  She gazed down at his business card. "I'll think about it."

  "Fine. Just don't take too long. Earlier the better."

  With a nod, she tucked his card into her coat pocket and painfully wended her way back as Jerry remained behind, his concern for her increasing by the moment. Given Elly's display of temper today, which the lady no doubt struggled to keep under wraps, he suspected Arthur Benson was not a gentle dominant. Abuse might be a strong word and a harsh accusation, but Jerry thought the term applied in this case, even though he had no proof. What he did have, however, was a better picture of her situation.

  Eleanor Benson sought to be submissive, but she possessed a good measure of pride, as did her husband. To Arthur Benson, however, image was everything. The man drove a Lexus and wore tailor-made suits. He took pride in appearances, and anything that fell short of his exacting standards had to be adjusted or repaired, which included his wife.

  Yesterday, Elly failed to dress correctly and report in on time, so Arthur had punished her. Jerry wasn't sure how, but the man had been harsh enough that Elly had difficulty walking. Despite her pain, she'd managed to hold her chin up and her back straight today and didn't look away when he spoke to her. She may have bent to her husband's rules, but he hadn't broken her, yet. However, Jerry feared such an outcome would only be a matter of time, and he wanted to prevent Elly further harm at all costs. Though his deepening feelings for Eleanor Benson were undoubtedly inappropriate, strong emotions didn't invalidate a person's concerns. He needed to talk to Brent. His mentor had more experience in these situations than Jerry did. Maybe Brent could offer a few suggestions.

  After Jerry got Jack fed and settled, he called Brent's office.

  "Carmichael." That was Brent. All business and direct when events required quick results.

  "Brent, it's Jerry."

  "Hi, Jerry." Jerry imagined his mentor tilting back in his chair. "What can I do for you?"

  "I'd like to talk to you about Mr. and Mrs. Benson. Mrs. Benson, actually."

  "What about her?"

  "I've gotten her to loosen up a little, and though I don't have any proof, I think her husband might be abusing her. Yesterday, she sported some serious bruises on her wrists, and today she had difficulty walking. I fear I'm responsible. I tried to keep her talking to me, which made her late, and since she appeared cold, I lent her my coat. I believe Mr. Benson took exception to both those unusual developments."

  "Did she say so?"

  "Not directly, but she did admit she got punished for not dressing properly for the weather."

  "Jerry…."

  "I know. I would have spanked her for going outside with only a sweater on, too, if she'd been mine to take care of, but I wouldn't have made her so sore she couldn't walk."

  Brent Carmichael paused, and Jerry suspected his friend was struggling to be tactful. Brent was naturally protective of the people in Corbin's Bend. No doubt the thought of one of theirs being abused stuck in his craw as well. After a moment, he spoke. "I understand how you feel, but some husbands are stricter than others, and—"

  "Brent, please, I don't need the lecture. Okay? What I want is someone to follow up with her and Arthur to make sure he's not harming her, even if it's unintentional."

  The only sound Jerry heard was Brent's breathing. Finally, the other man said, "All right. I'll suggest Kelli broach the subject with her. As Elly's mentor, I think she's the best choice, but Jerry, you and I need to sit down and discuss the appropriateness of your fixation with Mrs. Benson. I realize you view Eleanor Benson as a wounded animal and want to shelter her under your protective wing. However, Mrs. Benson is neither yours to protect, nor care for, and I suspect your feelings may be interfering with your objectivity."

  "Fine, I'll set up an appointment to talk with you next week, but let me say this. When I asked Mrs. Benson how her wrists came to be so bruised and swollen, she said it was just a simple misunderstanding between her and Arthur. And Brent, putting my feelings aside, what happened to that woman was neither a misunderstanding, nor simple." At that, Jerry hung up. A part of him longed to tell his mentor off, but his rational mind knew the older man was right. If Elly wouldn't speak up for herself, and admit she and Benson had a problem, they could do nothing to help her. And
, though his growing feelings for Mrs. Benson might be inappropriate, they weren't interfering with his objectivity. They had practically eclipsed it.

  Elly was vacuuming the living room carpet when the doorbell sounded. Muffin gave an excited little yipping noise, which meant someone she knew and approved of was at the door. A glance at the clock informed Elly it was after 2 PM.

  "Muffin, quiet." Elly turned off the machine and wiped her hands on her jeans before pointing to the spot Muffin usually occupied when Elly cleaned. "Lie down." Once the dog obeyed, she held up an index finger and gave the command, "Stay." She then went to answer the door. Kelli Stevens, a short, curvy redhead with a touch of gray at her temples, and Elly's mentor, stood outside smiling in her kind and gentle way.

  "Hi, Elly."

  "Kelli. I didn't expect you to visit today. Did I miss an appointment?"

  "No, dear. Of course not. I was nearby and thought we might have a chat, if you aren't too busy."

  Elly glanced back at the living room. Would Arthur approve of her entertaining a guest while she was in the midst of cleaning? Probably not. Appearances. "Perhaps it would be best if—"

  "Only for a moment. I don't want to keep you."

  "It's not that. It's just…." She ran a hand down her jeans. "I'm not exactly dressed to receive company."

  Kelli's smile widened. "You look cute and pretty as you always do, dear, but I don't want to impose. So, if you'd like me to—"

  "Come in," Elly said, opening the door wider so the other woman could enter. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

  "No. I'm fine. Can you sit?"

  Kelli's question would seem odd if it had been asked anywhere else, but in Corbin's Bend, the ability to sit was never taken for granted. Elly wrinkled her nose. "As long as the chair is padded, I'm fine. Let's go into the dining room. Sure I can't get you anything?"