Her Shaming

Set against a medieval backdrop, Raoul, lord of the castle, and Bess' husband, is shocked when he finds out his wife has not only disrespected him, she has also deceived him.

Raoul's problem is he cannot appear to be weak in front of his people as they must have a strong leader who abides by the customs. Bess' disrespect means a regular spanking will not suffice and a more severe punishment is called for.

Which will win through - his love for Bess or the need to make a public spectacle of her shaming?

Sample text:

He took her by the arm, gently, and guided her up the stairs to the small room where he had imprisoned her after she ran away from him. There was just enough light to see by. She cast one last look at his profile and fancied that his expression was sad more than angry.

The first thing she did, by the faint light that came through the window bars, was hang up the gown she’d been wearing so as to prevent it from being crumpled and spoilt. She was now in just her tunic. She used the chamber pot, having found it by feel, then lay down on the straw pallet because there was nothing else to do.

Staring up into the blackness she puzzled over what to her was a contradiction. Raoul didn’t want to punish her publicly, of that she was sure. He was a private person and he loved her. Why then, since he made the rules, didn’t he do what he wanted? Why did he always have to be trying to please his raggle-taggle people?

She couldn’t help wondering and worrying about what exactly her punishment was going to consist of. She thought it unlikely that Raoul would spank her with his hand before an audience. It was the sort of personal punishment that belonged in the bedchamber. Would he use his belt? God forbid; it hurt like hell. Or worse?

She fell into a troubled sleep in which people jeered and spat at her and someone whose face she couldn’t see stripped her naked.