– Jeremy, my beloved husband, I think you're getting too emotional," Vivian said in as calm a tone as she could manage. – I was too hasty myself when I said those awful things to you on the way home. But, darling, I have had plenty of time to reflect, and I have found that I have behaved unworthily. You are my husband, and I love you. I'm sorry if my bad words have hurt you.
She wasn't going to humiliate herself in front of him, wasn't going to give in to his madness, but the instinct of self-preservation took over reason, and those words full of humiliation came out of her mouth.
Vivian knew the pain of the whip on human skin: when she was a girl of seven, her father's governess had whipped her for the smallest fault or mistake in her writing. The girl still remembered how her skin burned, and the humiliation of the thin whip the governess had borrowed from her employer. And Vivian's father knew how the old woman used her formidable weapon. He knew, but pretended not to notice.
– Apology accepted. But, my angel, I can't just forget what happened. I promise I'll try not to hit you too hard," Jeremy replied curtly. – Get up off the pouffe and turn to me.
– No, I'm begging you! – She exclaimed desperately, barely audible, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, as if she were already trying to protect her body from the blows.
– Darling, don't be afraid, I want your arms, not your back," said Mr. Wington, as if to comfort her. – But if you continue to be stubborn, I'm afraid I'll have to use force, but that will hurt your beautiful buttocks.
With hatred burning in her heart, the girl hastily complied with her husband's order, and soon the first ringing blow of the whip descended upon her uplifted naked tender palms. Vivian was able to withstand it without even crying out, but the subsequent blows made her cry, especially the last one: it seemed that Jeremy had deliberately struck as hard as he could to cause her as much pain as possible.
After the fifth stroke of the whip, the girl's palms, flushed and slightly swollen, trembled with pain, and she brought them up to her eyes, full of tears and fear.
– Please don't fight me again, my love, or I'll have to punish you again," Jeremy said quietly and kissed her lips.
– I promise you will never have to hit me again! – Through tears, Vivian said, humiliating herself again and submitting to his will. "Monster! Monster!" cried the girl within herself. – 'But I beg you: let me see Charlotte and Anthony! They are the only friends I have in this city that is foreign to me!
– All right. But you must be home every night. No sleepovers at Miss Salton's," Jeremy smiled and kissed her again. – But go to bed. I have some paperwork to take care of. I'll wake you when I get back, and you'll have to prove to me that you remembered my lesson.
– Whatever you say, darling," Vivian answered machine-like.
"And even now he won't let me rest! After he has mutilated my poor palms! – Mrs. Wington thought with despair mingled with disgust, and as her husband left the bedroom, she lay down in bed, folded her arms across her chest, and, shutting her eyes tightly to keep back the tears, mentally pleaded: "Heavenly Father, Saviour and Comforter! Comfort me! Give me strength to endure all this for the sake of him whom I love more than myself!"
