God's Loving Embrace

Part Twenty-Three

"Of course Sir, you always know best...our idea of caring is a little different, I suppose...I offer them love, support and understanding if and when I can, and you...imprison them and brainwash them and silence them...as you say, you know best."

Harry bit his tongue. He kissed his wife and daughter and left them to rest, furious about such impertinence but unwilling to rise to it, to give Brogan the satisfaction of baiting him like a lovesick boy. He sent the night nurse in to put the baby down and asked Miss Howard to attend to his wife. She asked him what his wishes were.

"She needs a proper night's sleep with no distractions as far as possible." He replied, his expression hard as he took his inevitable revenge. "Put her in her sleeping gown for the night Miss Howard...she deserves the rest. Express some milk for the baby later...there will be no need to disturb my wife until the morning. She will no doubt appreciate the chance to sleep in God's loving embrace."

'The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.'

Psalms 34:17

Chloe Ford tried to concentrate on her studies. She was doing her best, but it was never good enough, not even for her. She did not know why. She knew her duty. She had faith, and she respected her parents, and she knew that she was so fortunate to attract such a wealthy and important man as Kieran Radcliffe. She could not blame him for growing impatient. He wanted to marry her and he did not want to wait much longer, even though Mr Munroe cautioned him that she needed more time. So he had employed his own guardian to look after her, as he would have done anyway when they were married, as Miss Harris had the Munroe children to care for and had failed to make fast enough progress with Chloe, and Mr Radcliffe decided that Chloe needed closer attention, one to one. Hidden beneath her velvet covers, in a world of her own with Pastor Winstanley's recorded voice, she wondered who it would be and what she would be like. The next person to touch her would be her guardian for the foreseeable future, and probably on into her marriage, if she was ever considered worthy of that honour.

"Sit quite still, Miss Chloe. Maidens never move without permission during study periods as you very well know." A voice said, as the lesson abruptly stopped and Chloe started at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. "Nothing should ever surprise you, dear. If you are studying properly you should not even notice. From this moment on, do not even think of anything else. Let me do all your thinking for you, so that you can concentrate on your wedding and your duty in God's loving embrace."

Miss Scott did not need to introduce herself. Chloe could not respond, but even without her muzzle she doubted if she would have been able to find the words to do so. Her old mentor, a guardian with a reputation that certainly exceeded hers, and once even her friend, a person she turned to for advice. For the very first time, as the stark realisation of who her guardian was hit her, Chloe knew that she really was marrying Kieran Radcliffe. Miss Scott would not give her any other choice. It all became slightly surreal for her. She was guided to her room as usual, and undressed ready for her bath, until she was standing before Miss Scott naked apart from her mittens and muzzle. Miss Scott did not say anything for some time. She just stood there, as still as a statue, staring at her nervous charge.

"I am going to beat you for moving when I ended your lesson, Chloe. It is a relatively minor infraction, but you know as well as I do that it is unacceptable. You know better and I will not tolerate such behaviour. Enough is enough, my girl...whatever you have been, you are a maiden now and so help me God I am going to make sure that you are a good one."

For the second time in her life, and since her maidenhood truly began, Chloe endured a severe beating at the hands of her guardian, and it was all the more painful at the hands of her former mentor. Miss Scott knew her better than anyone else. Better than her parents. Daphne Scott knew what Chloe was, how good a guardian she was, and almost instinctively Chloe knew that her former mentor knew exactly how she felt. But that did not matter. Miss Scott was her guardian and she would force her charge to embrace her future. Her blows, dozens of them, were delivered with some harsh words because no maiden could disrespect her destiny in God's love. Chloe needed to drive out her sins and learn her place.