She had expected the spankings of her youth, ones where a defiant girl got two swats on her behind and didn't much care.  They'd done nothing to deter Lucy's wild streak, and at times she'd even challenged her mama to hit her harder.  But that was a time past, and this was nothing like it.  Baron Covington, for one, did not seem to care a whit about modestly and what was proper, and he actually lifted her skirts up and pulled her knickers down, leaving her arse bare to his gaze.<br/><br/>"Wait," she protested, her cheeks aflame.  Whatever was he doing!  This was outrageous!  She lifted her hands to cover her behind, but before she could protect herself, his bare hand landed on her soft flesh.  The crack was loud, the sound seeming to bounce off the walls, and she yelped at the shock of it.  But he didn't stop, instead raining down swats that heated her derriere and her face more than the fire in the fireplace ever could.<br/><br/>She felt humiliated... or at least, that's what she told herself.  What she didn't let herself think about was the fact that the sensation, the burst of pain, wasn't really at all unpleasant.  She ignored that there was another part of her body that was starting to feel rather heated, too.<br/><br/>His query about her contrition made her grit her teeth.  She paused for a long moment, unable to respond as he rubbed the part of her that was sore.  Somehow, the soothing sensation seemed to stroke her core, and she had to force herself to be still and not squirm in his lap or moan aloud.  Not understanding her own reaction, she ached to leave, to reevaluate this situation in a place where she was capable of thought and where her nether regions were on splayed for the view of all and sundry.  To flee from this place and never see Lord Covington again.  She'd not return, not in a thousand years, not even to learn his secrets for Katie!<br/><br/>"I'm certain that you will not find me snooping in your chambers again, my lord," she finally said, wondering if he'd let her up.  Her voice came out like she'd never heard it before, a little breathy, like she was unsure of herself, and that annoyed Lucy to no end.