“I wish I had.” Edwin was smiling though, he was no longer angry over the incident and he could certainly see the humor in it. Even admire her ingenuity a little now that it was past and she’d been duly disciplined for it. He knew that she ended up truly regretting it. “After that I decided we should go on our honeymoon immediately, take some time to get to know each other again. I haven’t had to spank her since. Although,” his tone dropped conspiritally, “that doesn’t mean that I haven’t.”
“No details,” Hugh muttered again.
"I can't believe little Nell is all grown up and married," Wesley said shaking his head, ignoring Hugh. "It seems like just yesterday she was tagging along behind us, de
manding that we join her tea party." He sent Edwin a sidelong glance. "Although she always had been more interested in your company than mine or Hugh's."
"Was she?" Edwin couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.
"Of course," Hugh said rolling his eyes. "Growing up it was Edwin this and Edwin that."
"You never told me that."
"You never noticed all the times that we left you to entertain her and made our escape?" Hugh and Wesley exchanged grins as Edwin frowned, casting his mind back.
He supposed he had noticed, sort of. But he'd never felt as though he'd been ditched by his friends, on the contrary he'd often been quite content to share in Eleanor's adventures. Not having any siblings of his own it had been a wonderful new experience to indulge a little girl on occasion - and since he wasn't her real brother he hadn't felt any of the frustration with her that Hugh often had.
"Worked out well for me," he said rather smugly, thinking of how she'd turned into a beautiful, passionate young woman. He eyed the box that Wesley had brought for him. Hugh looked at it, but rather than following Edwin's thoughts to his sister, Hugh's thoughts obviously went to his own bride and he let out an impatient little sigh. Edwin grinned. "Only a week to go Hugh and then you'll have your own bride well in hand."
"It can't come soon enough," said Hugh rather morosely, shifting in his seat. The movements of a man who hadn't been with a woman since he'd begun seriously courting.
"That was definitely one advantage of a quick wedding," Edwin muttered, and then raised his voice as Hugh shot him a look. Wesley covered his smile with a quick sip of port. "How is Miss Chandler?"
"Quite well," Hugh smiled as his eyes unfocused, the lines of his face softening and Wesley and Edwin exchanged amused glances.
“Have you met her?” Edwin asked Wesley.
“Very briefly. She seems like a well-bred kind of lady,” said Wesley. His tone wasn’t condemning exactly, but it didn’t seem entirely approving either and Hugh scowled at him.
“Exactly the kind of lady I want,” said Hugh. “No matter how much Edwin might enjoy spanking my sister I certainly don’t want to spend all my time disciplining my wife.” He shook his head at his friend. “I don’t see the appeal at all. I’d much rather have a sweet, loving wife that doesn’t cause me any trouble.”
“Just like your mother?” teased Wesley.
“Better her than Eleanor,” Hugh retorted. “I got quite enough practice having to dole out her punishments. I’ll do so when needed with my wife, but it’s not something I want to have to do on a regular basis.”
“It’s a very different prospect punishing a wife than a sister,” murmured Edwin.
“How would you know, you don’t have any sisters.”
Wesley raised his hand. “I have to agree with Edwin. There’s an entirely different element when you’re spanking a lady that you’re sexually attracted to. Or birching her.” He grinned and turned his head towards Edwin. “Have you tried a riding crop?”
“No details!”
“Now that’s an idea.”
“Does that mean you’re planning on spanking your wife?” Hugh asked Wesley in an obvious ploy to turn the conversation to something else.
He snorted. “I’ll not be taking a wife anytime soon.”
“But when you do,” Hugh persisted.
“Doubtful. That’s not what wives are for. I’ll have a wife for the heirs and a mistress for the spankings,” Wesley said grinning. “I can’t imagine too many well-bred English wives actually enjoying a good bottom warming.” He looked curiously at Edwin who grinned and winked. Hugh heroically pretended not to see this exchange. Wesley sighed. “And the only one who might have is already married.”
“Don’t make me pour this on you,” Hugh said, threatening Wesley with the glass of port in his hand. Edwin snorted and reflected that he was very glad Wesley was home. Things just hadn’t been the same without him.
As the other two exchanged various threats and insults, Edwin let his mind turn to his wife and he wondered how she was settling into the household upstairs. In another quarter of an hour he would join her and see what he could do to help. Perhaps they could browse through the book that Wesley had brought.
******