Walker's Rules Read online

  “Yes.”

  “This is where you tell me why,” he said softly, not about to let her get away with a one-worded answer like that.

  “Because I rode out to get my locket after you said not to.”

  “Because you risked your life foolishly, Jessie,” he corrected her. “What you did was dangerous, and this switching is to help you remember that the next time you are tempted to do something so foolish.” He didn’t wait for her to comment, but picked up the first switch and laid a stripe across her cheeks.

  Jessie gasped in shock at the fiery line of pain that spread across her bottom. She tried to get up, but Walker was prepared for her to do just that, and he gently pushed her back down and brought the switch down again and again. “Owwwww!” she wailed. “OWWW! Walker, stop it! It hurts too much!” she cried out, unable to keep herself from thrashing about on the bed to try and evade the stinging welts popping up all over her bottom cheeks and upper thighs.

  “Are you sorry now you rode out of here like that?” Walker asked, deciding he would be lenient with her if she said ‘sorry’.

  “No! I’m sorry you are switching me, though! I wanted my Mama’s locket!” she tearfully insisted. It was the wrong thing to say. Walker commenced switching her sensitive skin once more, and this time he didn’t stop until the switch went limp and she was a fiery mass of welts.

  “Are you ready to say ‘sorry’ yet, Jessie?” Walker asked the weeping woman, praying she was ready to be sensible.

  Stubbornly, Jessie shook her head. She wasn’t sorry, and she never would be. Did she regret worrying Walker? Yes… but she wasn’t sorry!

  “I guess you need this switching more than I thought,” he picked up the second switch, and he concentrated on making her sit spots his target. By the time the second switch was done, Jessie’s pretty bottom was striped with lines from the tops of her cheeks down to her knees, and she was sobbing so hard she didn’t even realize when the punishment was over. Walker knew she’d had enough, even if she wouldn’t say she was ‘sorry’. He tossed the switch on the floor, and gently pulled her gown down to cover her. When she didn’t move, he felt like kicking himself. Had he gone too far? Cursing under his breath, he turned down the covers, and then gently and carefully picked her up and carried her to the rocking chair in the corner of the room. He held her on his lap and comforted her as best he could. Spanking a wife was one hell of a lot different than correcting one of the boys given to his care. He felt like he’d wounded her to the very core of her being, and it made him feel small, even though she needed and earned the spanking.

  Jessie never realized that a switching could hurt so very much. Walker had given her a chance to say ‘sorry’, but she just couldn’t take it. She knew he didn’t understand that, and she knew that was why he spanked her so long and so hard. “I couldn’t say ‘sorry’,” she whispered. “I couldn’t. This locket is the only thing of Mama’s that Snake didn’t destroy!” she told him. “I can’t be sorry for going after it, Walker. It’s all I have of her.” Another few seconds passed, and she added, “I’m sorry I worried you so much…”

  Her even breathing told Walker that she finally cried herself to sleep. Walker was careful as he stood and carried her to his bed and gently laid her down. She moaned in her sleep, and quickly turned to her side to ease the pain in her backside. Walker removed his boots, and lie down on the other side of the bed, wanting to be close by if she needed him during the night. She might have earned the switching, but he was the one who felt punished.

  Chapter Six

  Jessie woke to find herself spooned against Walker, his arm wrapped around her protectively. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, if you discounted the fact that her backside ached from the switching he’d given her the night before. The fabric of his pants made the welts from the switch itch and she wiggled a bit to try and free herself.

  Walker woke immediately and was shocked to realize he’d fallen asleep in the same bed as Jessie. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep in here, Jessie,” he stated, his deep voice full of embarrassment. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right, and I meant to sleep on the sofa in my study.”

  “It’s all right, Walker. I needed the comfort,” she admitted, “and I appreciated the fact you didn’t leave me alone when I was so upset and in so much pain.” She then smiled and added, “You were tired out, and it’s not a big deal to me. I know your intentions were strictly honorable. You’re not the kind of man who would take advantage.”

  “Thank you, Jessie.” He returned her smile with one of his own. “I do have a bone to pick with you, however. Why didn’t you tell me what you said after I stopped switching you the first time I asked? I can’t fault you for not being sorry you got your locket back, but I would have stopped the switching if you’d admitted to being sorry for worrying me. I was looking for some remorse, and I thought you were being stubborn. I honestly feel like spanking you for letting me wear you out so thoroughly with those switches.”

  “You want to spank me because you switched me too long?” Jessie looked at him in disbelief and then burst into giggles. “What a silly thing to say, Walker!” She laughed even harder.

  Walker grinned sheepishly, and then said, “It does sound silly, doesn’t it? I just want you to know I wouldn’t have been so hard on you if you’d said that the first time I asked, Jessie. I hated being so rough with you.”

  “I only focused on what you asked me, Walker. And I can’t ever be sorry I went after my locket.” Her green eyes implored him to believe her.

  “It’s done now, Jessie. Just don’t ever do something so dangerous again,” Walker warned as he got out of bed. “Stay in bed if you want to, Jessie. I don’t much imagine you’re going to feel like doing anything today.” He’d seen her welts last night, and promised himself he wouldn’t be so harsh with her if there was ever a ‘next time’. Her skin was fair, and the lesson would be extremely painful to live with for a day or two.

  “I’m not weak, Walker, and I’m not one to take to my bed because I was switched.” She also didn’t want Billy to be upset, and if she stayed abed, he would be. “I’ll be down shortly to give Mrs. Gibbons a hand in the kitchen.”

  “I know she would appreciate the help,” Walker agreed. He grabbed some clean clothing and then left for the bathing room to shave and clean up. Jessie obviously needed some privacy, and so did he!

  * * *

  “Are you okay, sis?” Billy whispered in her ear as she was dishing up the scrambled eggs she’d cooked.

  “I have a sore backside, as promised.” She smiled for Billy’s benefit. “But Walker wasn’t mean to me,” she told her brother. “I’ll be fine in a day or two.”

  “I hate that,” Billy commented, his cheeks red with anger.

  “I hold no grudge, Billy,” she said calmly. “I earned the spanking, and if I’m not mad over it, you shouldn’t be. Besides, we need to discuss a few things about that bank in town. Now, I have plans for that man!” she said matter-of-factly.

  Billy grinned. “I was sure you would.” He chuckled. “What are you going to do? Open a bank and put him out of business?”

  “Why not?” She smiled. “I’m not going anywhere for at least a year, and I need something to do that won’t get me into trouble. I’m going to offer Angie a job, provided she is educated enough to handle it. Are you behind me?” she asked. “After all, I’ll be using money that was left to both of us.”

  “I’m okay with it. Have you told Walker yet?” he asked.

  “Told me what?” Walker came up behind them.

  “No, I haven’t told Walker yet.” Jessie smiled at her brother, and then looked at the big man to say, “We need to have a talk after breakfast, Walker, or whenever you have time today. I have some business matters to discuss with you.”

  “Business matters?” Walker looked at her in obvious surprise.

  “Now isn’t the time,” Jessie cautioned him. “Besides, I’m hungry,” she announced.

 
Walker realized that he would be wasting his time; Jessie wouldn’t talk to him until she was ready. Breakfast was good, and Mrs. Gibbons was in a great mood, laughing and cheerful, and teasing the boys a bit. Angie came downstairs with Andy, and Mrs. Gibbons greeted her cheerfully and even coaxed a smile from her. Jessie got up to fix a plate of food for Angie, and she sat on her chair and dutifully ate, even though Walker could tell that she was finding it difficult to pretend that everything was ‘all right’ when it wasn’t. He could tell that she grieved for Thomas and he felt bad for her.

  While they were eating, someone knocked on the front door, and Walker went to answer the summons. When he returned, he said, “I need to ride into town. We’ll probably have another boy coming to live with us,” he announced, wondering where they would put him, but not about to turn him away.

  “Walker, my time is up today,” Jeremiah said. “I want to move on now.”

  Walker looked at the youngster and said, “Where do you plan to go, Jeremiah?”

  “I’m going to head for California and find my Pa,” he said immediately. “I’ve saved up the money you paid me, and if I am careful about what I spend, I’ll have enough. If I run low, I’ll find a job on a ranch and work a month or two and then move on. I really want to leave, and see if I can find Pa, and learn what has happened to him.” He was earnest, and Walker knew he wouldn’t change his mind.

  “I’ll make sure the Judge okays it while I’m in town, Jeremiah,” he promised. “I don’t see as there should be a problem.”

  “Ed and me are going with Jeremiah,” Jake spoke up. “You’ve been good to us, Walker, but we’ll be less likely to get in trouble if we stick together. I want to see the ocean,” he explained. “Reading about it is not enough anymore. I want to see the ships… and maybe sign on.”

  “You need the room for other kids who need you, Walker,” Edward spoke up. “If we all stay, then you won’t be able to help them like you helped us. We’ve been studying on this for a spell, and decided to wait until Jeremiah could come, too.”

  Jessie could see that Walker was stunned. He didn’t know what to say. She decided to speak up and give him time to gather his thoughts. “It sounds as though you have been planning this for a while. Aren’t you going to miss Mrs. Gibbons’ cooking?” she teased a bit, trying to lighten the tension in the kitchen.

  “Yes, ma’am, we will sure miss your cooking, Mrs. Gibbons,” Edward said with a huge smile. “We’ll miss everyone here, especially you, Walker.”

  “You helped us all, and we can repay that now by doing the things you taught us.” Jake looked at the man he practically worshipped. “You let me stay on and you paid me a fair wage, while helping me grow up. I appreciate that more than I can tell you.”

  Walker found his voice. “You know you boys will always be welcome here. I expect to hear from all three of you, hear me?” he said sternly.

  “Yes, sir,” they all answered.

  “You three can get packed up, but don’t ride out until I get back. I want to get the Judge to sign Jeremiah’s release. Billy, that means you take charge now, and see that the chores all get done. Lee, Denver, you follow Billy’s orders.” The two boys nodded. It was Walker’s Rules, and they knew that he was serious. They all got up and left the table, and Walker told Jessie and Mrs. Gibbons goodbye after asking if they needed anything from town. Mrs. Gibbons gave him a small list, and Angie said she didn’t need anything. Jessie didn’t either.

  Once the boys and Walker were out of the house, Mrs. Gibbons turned to Jessie and asked curiously, “Are you having trouble sitting, dear?” When Jessie’s pretty face turned red, she said, “Oh, don’t be embarrassed, dear. It isn’t as though Angie and I haven’t been in your situation a few times, too. Isn’t that right, Angie?” she spoke to the quiet woman.

  Jessie was surprised when Angie actually smiled and nodded. “I still remember the worst spanking that Thomas gave me. It was right after we were married. I was so happy to be out from under Papa and Mama’s rules that I plumb forgot I was supposed to be a married woman with responsibilities. I was so sick and tired of cleaning and doing laundry all the time at my folks’ place that I just refused to do those things in my own home! The Reverend and his Missus came by for a visit… I wasn’t home, but out gallivanting… and Thomas couldn’t find an empty chair for them to sit down. The dishes were piled high in the dishpan, and there wasn’t a morsel of food for Thomas to offer them refreshment! He was embarrassed, and I got quite a scolding when I got home. I sassed him and told him he wasn’t my Papa, and he got mad and stomped out of the house and slept in the barn that night. I behaved like a child and didn’t cook him supper the next few days, and we weren’t talking to each other. The final straw came come Sunday when we were trying to get dressed to go to church… and Thomas’ Sunday shirt was dirty and he had nothing to wear. He looked at the messy bedroom, and all around our home, and then he said that we were going to have a different kind of ‘meeting’ than normal for a Sunday morning. He pulled me over to the bed, sat down, and then turned me over his knee and spanked me with his hand until I was crying like a baby, and he told me to gather up every stitch of dirty clothes and towels in the house, and the pile was huge. Thomas took a slat from a crate and gave me ten spanks with that slat before I washed each piece of laundry that day!” Angie shook her head. “I didn’t sit down for a good week after that lesson, and I never let my laundry pile up or the house get messy after that.”

  “Oh my goodness!” Jessie exclaimed. “Ten swats for each piece of laundry? How did you bear that?” she asked.

  “I begged and pleaded and promised him I would be good, but he was firm. The worst of it, though, was that my Mama and Papa and brothers and sisters came by after church to see if we were ill… One of the reasons Papa approved of Thomas was because he was a church goer, too. Papa didn’t want us missing church without a good reason. Thomas made me tell Papa why I was doing laundry on the Sabbath, and why I was being paddled with the slat. I was so embarrassed. Papa gave me a stern look and said, ‘You were raised better than that, daughter.’ He approved of Thomas’ punishment, and they went right on home. It took me all day to finish up our laundry!” she smiled sadly. “Thomas was firm, but I needed a firm hand to settle into our marriage. I loved him so much,” she ended on a whisper, her eyes filling with tears.

  “Of course you did, honey.” Mrs. Gibbons patted her shoulder comfortingly, and then shared a story that had both Jessie and Angie laughing at her antics as a new bride.

  It was a strange day. Jake, Edward, and Jeremiah rode out after lunch, and the new boy, a thirteen-year-old by the name of Sam tried to sit his chair without squirming and letting on he’d been strapped per the Judge’s stern order. He was caught stealing an expensive knife, and Walker wasn’t sure how he was going to deal with a young criminal. Sam was stubbornly silent, and the looks he leveled on anyone who spoke to him were nothing short of hate-filled. Still, Walker was going to do his best to reach the boy and turn him around.

  Billy earned praise from Walker on his first day of being in ‘charge’ of the other boys. Lee and Denver said that Billy worked with them, and did his best to include Sam. Walker was pleased when Billy said he was just doing things the same way Jake did.

  * * *

  Jessie stayed busy all day, helping Mrs. Gibbons with meals, baking, and cleaning the large house. What she didn’t do was sit down at all… except for meals, and that was only because she didn’t want Billy to be upset. She was sore and in pain, and after the supper dishes were all finished, she excused herself to go to bed early, claiming she was tired out from working all day. She wasn’t tired, she just wanted to remove her clothing and lie down on her tummy and give her feet and legs a rest. Hopefully she wouldn’t be as sore the next day. A glance in the full length mirror in Walker’s room told her the welts from the switch were still red lines that covered her backside and thighs, and they looked angry and swollen. She truthfully felt like crying and wished for
some salve to apply that would help them heal more quickly.

  Walker knocked gently on the door before opening it to walk in. “I’m going to get a few… Are you crying, Jessie?” he asked in concern, and then walked over to the bed to look down at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she whispered, embarrassed to admit she was pouting over the switching.

  “Now, don’t fib to me or I’ll have to spank you,” he warned.

  “No! I would just die if you did that!” Jessie said, horrified at the idea of more punishment to her sore bottom. “Walker, I am so miserable right now. I am so sore!”

  “Let me see,” he said, tugging the sheet and blanket down before she could stop him.

  “No! That would be too embarrassing!” She scooted away on her hands and knees, trying to escape to the other side of the bed where she hoped he couldn’t reach her. It didn’t work. He merely grabbed her ankle and pulled her back, and her nightdress slid up as he pulled her close. He finished tugging it up over her bottom and Jessie heard him whistle.

  “I was too harsh on you, Jessie,” he said with regret. “I won’t ever do this to you again,” he promised, leaving the room quickly.

  She didn’t know what to think as she pulled her gown down and settled on her tummy once more, with the blankets covering her. It was good that Walker knew now how sensitive her skin was, but to walk out like that? And, he forgot whatever it was he came for! Less than a minute later, he was back and carrying a tin of ointment. Just what she’d been praying for! Jessie held out her hand, anxious to get some relief, but Walker shook his head ‘no’.