“Enough! You’re lucky I’m going to wait until tomorrow to discipline you but if you’d rather take your strapping tonight, I can do that. Now be still and let’s get this done. Kara will be waiting for me.”
“Kara? Why Kara?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Because she should have told me about the selenium before things got so far out of hand. You could have died tonight, Rowan. Even if you don’t care about yourself, think what that would have meant for my son, for the people of the settlement, for Kara and Charlie. I thought you were getting it earlier, but I don’t think you are. Well, tomorrow I’ll make sure to drive the lesson home.”
“What are you going to do to her?”
“I’m going to strap her behind just like I’m going to do yours tomorrow. If her father were here, he’d take care of it, but he’s not and as I’m now responsible for their family as the leader of this village, it’s up to me to discipline her.”
Rowan had stilled, her eyes wide on his. “It’s my fault, punish me. She had nothing to do with this, I promise.”
Silas released her wrists and moved off of her. She remained as she was, and when he took a pillow and slid it beneath her hips, she didn’t fight him. He spread her bottom cheeks apart, brought the tip of the thermometer to her back hole and slid it in. She tensed for a minute but he could see she was trying to relax and take it. Her lying here like this, exposed and open for him hardened his cock. But there were other things to get done tonight and she needed to rest.
Once the thermometer was in place, he sat down and turned to her. “Kara needs to learn not to keep deadly secrets. Her decision to do that had nothing to do with you. You are not responsible for the choices Kara or anyone else makes. You’ll take the punishment you’re due and you’ll not interfere in the discipline of others in my village, is that clear?”
“Does she know?”
“I’m sure she has some idea.”
They remained silent and after a few moments, Silas removed the thermometer. Her temperature was back to normal and he relaxed a little, only realizing the extent of his worry for her then.
“Get some sleep, Rowan. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Tell her I’m sorry.”
He nodded, picked up the strap by the door and left the house. It was full dark now and there were few villagers out of doors. He did not look forward to what he had to do but he also knew it had to be done. Silas appreciated Kara’s affection and friendship with Rowan, but she needed to remember that some secrets could not be kept.
It only took one knock before Joe Lynn opened the door. Her expression was grave and he glimpsed Kara sitting on the edge of the couch deeper in the room. Both women eyed the strap in his hand and Joe Lynn moved aside to let him in.
“Where’s Charlie?” Silas asked.
“Asleep in the back room,” Joe Lynn said.
“I’ve got some business with Kara.”
“I heard what happened,” Joe Lynn said. “Is Rowan ok?”
Silas nodded.
“She realizes her mistake, Silas,” Joe Lynn said.
He looked over Joe Lynn’s shoulder at the girl who now stood waiting, biting her lower lip, her eyes watery on the thick strap he held.
“Come here, Kara,” he said.
Without speaking, she walked slowly to where he stood.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Tell Dr. Stone?”
“I could understand why she was doing it. They’re going to take her babies away, Silas. Then after that’s done, they’ll take her back too.”
“Did you know what could happen with the selenium if she took the wrong dosage?”
Kara lowered her lashes and a tear fell to the floor. She nodded. “I knew. I saw that she was in pain a few times and I knew. I just… I guess I didn’t want to believe it.”
Silas nodded. He hated this, hated what he had to do, but it had to be done. When he took her arm, she didn’t resist. “Let’s go out back. I don’t want to wake your brother.”
She nodded, keeping her head down, trying to stifle her tears as he led her out back to the woodshed at the far end of their garden. Once inside, he switched on the light and decided on a spot. “Put your hands on the stool there and raise your skirt, Kara.”
“How many?” she asked, barely able to meet his gaze.
He’d only had to punish her once before and that was more than half a year ago. “Twenty,” he said, gesturing for her to get ready.
Kara bent and put her hands on the low wooden stool but made no move to lift her skirt.
“Bare,” he said.
Her hands trembled when she reached back and raised the skirt up to bare her bottom. Once she had replaced her hands on the stool, Silas pushed it farther up her back and pressed on her low back. “Like that and don’t clench.”