by Maggie Ryan
“Open your mouth, Missy, and give me your gag.” Lucy’s face flamed as she opened her mouth and tried to spit out the wad of cloth. Her mouth was so dry and it took several moments before she worked it from her mouth. Mrs. Bremmer stood to the side, but didn’t return to her seat. “Go ahead Lucille. You may speak, but mind you remember your manners, or that gag will be returned.” Lucy nodded and cleared her throat.
“Yes Sir, I’m… um, I’m sorry Sir. I… please Edward, please don’t punish Louisa. It was all my fault. It was my idea, and I know I’ve disgraced this house and you. I… I know I deserve to be punished, but I beg you to forgive Louisa and release her from further punishment.”
Edward found himself surprised at both the words and the obvious sincerity in which they were spoken. He felt a bit of pride at her acceptance of total responsibility, but also knew the plan would not have been put into place without his wife’s acceptance.
“That’s quite commendable, Lucille, and I must admit I am surprised to hear you ask for leniency for your sister while admitting your need for punishment. However, you both are equally guilty and will equally share in your punishment.” He lifted his hand in warning as he saw her open her mouth to speak. “I’m warning you for the last time, Lucille. Do you wish to have your gag replaced or do you want to be a good little girl and remain silent unless asked a question? I can tell you that you will find it extremely difficult to catch your breath during your birching, and a gag will only cause you greater discomfort.”
Hearing his words and terrified that they would prove true, Lucille gave a soft sob and said, “I’ll be good Sir. Please… please don’t ga… gag me again.”
“I believe the question was, can you be a good little girl and remain silent, Lucille. Unless you wish the gag replaced, answer me properly.”
Louisa knew without looking at her sister that Lucy’s face would be red with shame and anger. She also knew from experience that her husband was beginning Lucy’s training at this very moment. She wished she could offer her sister support, but knew she must remain still and let the events unfold as her husband/Papa dictated.
Lucy gave a soft sob and conceded, “I… I can be a go… good lit… little girl, Sir.” Edward was extremely pleased, as her first defense began to crack.
“Very well, I will give you the benefit of a doubt, but know your gag is ready to silence you if you fail to keep your word.” She nodded slowly, her body trembling; she was truly sorry for her idiotic scheme.
Edward saw Mrs. Bremmer slip the gag into the pocket of her apron and withdraw several large pins. He nodded. “Mrs. Bremmer will prepare you both. Louisa, you shall go first to demonstrate for your sister what behavior is expected.” Louisa remained silent but when she felt herself being pressed forward, she obediently removed her hands from her head and placed them on the edge of the desk in front of her. Lucille watched in embarrassment as Mrs. Bremmer quickly and efficiently rolled up the voluminous skirt and petticoats and had them pinned at Louisa’s shoulders in just a few minutes. The folds of the garments fell to either side of her sister’s body, effectively framing her small bottom, still covered by her bloomers. Lucy gave a small gasp as she watched Mrs. Bremmer reach around Louisa’s waist and untie the ribbon. She soon had the last covering drawn down Louisa’s legs and gave her a sharp order to step out.
Lucy’s eyes grew large as she saw the condition of her sister’s bottom. It was glaringly obvious that Louisa had received far more than the dozen cane strokes at the school earlier in the day. Her bottom was swollen and bruised and the backs of her thighs had obviously been attended to as well. Lucy shuddered and looked away, as if to spare her sister the shame of her position. She turned her attention back to the desk when Edward rose from his seat. She swallowed hard as she watched him begin to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. As his strong forearms came into view, she remembered feeling the same sense of doom when she had seen her father do the same before punishing her or her sister. Her heart began to pound even harder as she realized this was real, and her very first birching would indeed happen in this room, given by this man and witnessed by both her sister and the housekeeper. Tears begin to well in her eyes and her legs began to tremble.
Edward was well aware of Lucy’s emotions, as he motioned for Mrs. Bremmer, who led his wife around the desk to him. “This isn’t your first birching, now is it young lady?” Edward asked her, as she came to stand beside her husband.
Louisa flushed hotly, knowing her sister was able to hear every word and see every action. However, she also knew it could become even more horrendous if she failed to respond to her husband’s question. “No, Sir… it’s not my first.”
“I would have thought you would have learned to be better behaved by now, my dear. I suppose your last birching didn’t make the impression I intended. You will discover this one to be far more difficult to endure.” He watched her briefly close her eyes, and saw a tear slide down her cheek.
“Ye - yes sir.”
Edward nodded and motioned to his desk. “You may present yourself for your birching, Louisa. Lucille, you shall come around and watch so you will know the proper position I expect you to maintain.” Mrs. Bremmer pulled Lucy around to stand behind the desk, though off to one side. Lucy watched as her sister bent over the desk and reached out to grip the opposite edge with her hands. The stretch required pulled the skin of her bottom tight, and Lucy heard her give a soft moan. Lucy was horrified to see her sister spread her legs wide apart and tried to turn away as Louisa’s womanly charms were opened to view.
Edward was watching Lucille and was quick to demand, “Open your eyes, Lucille. You are to learn from this and be able to mimic the position exactly. You are to be open for your punishment; nothing is to be hidden. Sin is done in darkness, and if you don’t want to feel the shame of exposure, don’t do the sin.” He saw her face flush hotly, and knew his words would remain with her always. He continued, “Turn away or close your eyes again and you shall earn additional strokes.” Lucy gave a soft sob, but nodded, her hand pressed to her mouth. Louisa remained in the horribly shameful position as Edward walked to the armoire and returned with the two heavy birches.
“Present your bottom, and request your deserved chastisement Louisa.”
Lucille’s ears rang as she heard her sister say clearly, “I’m sorry I was naughty, Sir. Please may I have my birching?” Lucille couldn’t believe the words or accept the fact that her sister willingly turned her heels out, went up onto her toes, arched her back and lifted her bruised bottom as high as she could. It appeared as if she were begging for her birching! Edward saw his ward’s eyes locked on the presented bottom, and he gave a small smile. He laid one birch onto the desk, and lifted the other.
Lucy flinched and stumbled backwards as the first blow landed against her sister’s proffered bottom. Louisa jerked but remained silent, and lifted her bottom for the next stroke. Lucy wasn’t even aware that she was moaning, as Mrs. Bremmer held her steady to witness her sister’s punishment. Edward laid five quick, hard strokes onto the little bottom and then laid the instrument across his wife’s back. Louisa was crying softly but only moved enough to place her feet flat onto the floor, keeping her stance wide.
“Th… thank you si… Sir,” she managed to whisper.
Edward nodded, but didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to Lucy, even as he picked up the second rod. “Mrs. Bremmer will prepare you and then you shall present yourself and ask for your punishment, Lucille.” Lucy began to sob as Mrs. Bremmer pulled her back around the desk and bent her over it. She began to squirm as she felt her dress and petticoats being lifted and rolled and then pinned to her shoulders. She felt her drawers being lowered, and though she stepped out of them when told, she couldn’t stop her hand from going back in an attempt to shield her nakedness from the housekeeper. For that she received a quick swat and felt her hand forcibly removed from her bottom. “None of that now Missy; you keep your hands off your bottom and in front of you gripping the desk. Do it
now or do you need a spanking first?”
Lucy sobbed and heard herself begging, “Please… oh, please no. Please, I’ll… I’ll die!” Mrs. Bremmer shook her head as if exasperated. “Nonsense. There isn’t a soul alive that doesn’t think they will die under the birch, but I assure you that you shall live. Now, make your request to his Lordship, and I suggest you do so quickly and properly unless you’d like to learn how it feels to undergo the birch two days in a row.”
Lucy laid her head down on the desk and found her sister watching her. Louisa’s eyes were glistening with tears but she gave Lucy a small nod of encouragement. Lucy desperately wished she could grip her sister’s hand as they had during the awful caning but found herself gripping the desk edge as ordered. She moaned as she saw Edward move to position himself behind her. She closed her eyes against the humiliation of her position even as he ordered,
“Lucille, spread your legs wide. Your heels are to be turned out.” She sobbed and forced herself to open her legs a few inches. “I’m not telling you again, young lady. You witnessed the proper position, and now you are required to offer yourself to your discipline. Do it now Lucille.” This was a hundredfold worse than being bent for the cane earlier. The room seemed thick with tension, and Lucy felt things she had never before experienced. Her heart was racing in her chest, her face hot with the shame of all that was happening. She had just seen her twin, a copy of herself, open her legs and her sex to the room, her bottom willingly lifted for the cruelty of the birch rod and then… then heard that same punished sister actually thank her husband for the lesson. Lucy had never been more confused in her life, and certainly never before as terrified at what was about to happen to her. She began to cry harder but when she felt his hand touch her inner thigh to pull her legs apart, she quickly spread her legs wide in order to have the hand removed. “That’s better. Now, heels turned out and ask for your chastisement.”
Lucy heard herself speak as she tried to remember the words her sister had uttered. “Oh please Sir, I’m so sorry… please, I don’t think I can do this. I beg you, please spare me this shame.”
“I will not tell you again, young lady. Look deep inside yourself, Lucy and I know you will find you not only deserve this shame and the pain that you will feel; but that you need it to be able to forgive yourself.” Lucy’s eyes were clenched shut as she broke into huge sobs. Mrs. Bremmer shook her head in displeasure, but Edward simply waited; the birch still at his side.
In just a few moments, he heard, “I’m… I’m sorry I was… was disobedient. Please… please bir… birch me.” She sobbed and tensed for the first stroke.
It didn’t arrive, and she heard him speak, “That is incorrect Lucille. You must apologize for being naughty and ask for ‘your’ birching. After all, you are requesting my attention to your bottom, and need to make your desire for correction clear. You must also rise up on your tiptoes and lift your bottom for me. The lesson will only be effective if you properly submit to your punishment.”
She was more mortified than she had ever been in her life. Baring her bottom for the caning this morning seemed like nothing when faced with not only opening her body to this man but to actually be forced to ask for correction, and a birching at that! She had seen Louisa’s position, and blushed even more hotly remembering all she had been able to see of her sister’s charms. She knew he could easily see every square inch of her most intimate places, places she never even thought about, and were now on display to her brother-in-law as well as his horrid housekeeper. She wanted to jump up and flee, but knew she would be easily caught. She also felt incredibly guilty to have caused all of this horror.
She found she just wanted the ordeal to be over. Choking back a sob as she forced herself up onto her toes, she cried, “I’m… I’m sorry I was naughty Sir. Please… may I have my… my birching?” Evidently he was pleased with the request because before she could take another breath, she heard the swish of the birch and then the first explosion landed across her upturned bottom. The second stroke landed before she found enough breath to scream in agony. Her cries echoed around the room and as the third stroke painted its angry lines against her skin, her hands released from the desk and flew back to cover her bottom. Edward barely had time to check his swing and the birch landed on the backs of her thighs, barely above her knees. Lucy screeched and flew off the desk, her hands cupping her thighs as she bounced up and down. Edward saw Mrs. Bremmer quickly step around the desk, and watched as she physically forced the young woman back over the desk.
Lucy continued to struggle and kick out until Edward said, “Settle yourself, Lucille. You have earned a good birching, and shall receive your due. Get back into position or those strokes won’t count and will be given again.”
Lucy heard him, but couldn’t wrap her mind around the threat. Her bottom burned, and the backs of her thighs felt as if she had sat on hundreds of nettles. “Nooo, please… no more Edward. I… I can’t!” Edward heaved a loud sigh and looked over at his wife, who had obediently taken her first set in silence and was even now in the proper position waiting for him to continue her punishment. He realized that Louisa was yet untrained, but obviously far more learned in how to comport herself during chastisement than her sister. He took a deep breath and stepped to the desk. He motioned for Mrs. Bremmer to release the struggling girl, and though she looked as if she were prepared to actually sit on Lucille if needed, she stepped back. Edward took Lucy’s arm and helped her to stand. She was sobbing, her face streaked with tears, though Edward knew she had not been truly harmed.
She looked up to see him staring at her and she sobbed harder, “Please Edward. Please… I’m so sorry and I’ll never disobey you again. Please, please don’t spank me any more.”
Edward kept his voice firm as he responded, “I appreciate that you’re sorry for your actions, Lucille, but I am not anywhere near done with your discipline. I am not spanking you Lucille, you are being birched. You will not die from your birching but since firm discipline seems to be something that is sadly lacking in your childhood, I will give you a choice.” He watched as her eyes lit with hope and he smiled knowing that his own wife wished he offered her choices in anything other than strict obedience. He gentled his voice and continued, “You have only received three strokes. You have two more to go in this first set. The choice is this. You will either place yourself back into position and ask for your birching to continue, or ask that I apply your intended strokes to your sister’s bottom after she has taken the remainder of her own count.”
Lucy heard her sister gasp though she didn’t speak. Lucy looked over at the prostrate girl and saw the marks from the birch, vivid across her bottom. She also saw that her sister remained in position as if simply waiting for her turn. Lucy looked down to see Louisa’s eyes tightly shut but saw a small tear leak from her clenched eyes. Knowing that Louisa was in this position only due to Lucy’s forceful nature, she could not extend any punishment to her beloved twin. Sobbing but determined, Lucy lay herself across the desk, took hold of the edge and once again spread herself open and lifted up onto her toes.
Even as Edward stepped back, he heard her say, “I’m sorry Sir. I’m sorry I was naughty and that I have delayed my punishment. Please… please, Sir continue m… my birching.” Immensely satisfied, Edward did just that. After two hard strokes had been given, Lucy felt the birch rod being placed across the small of her back.
“I’m very proud of you little one. You may lower yourself until your feet are flat on the floor, Lucille, but keep your hands on the edge of the desk and be prepared to lift that naughty bottom again.”
Lucy sobbed at the fire in her bottom, but gratefully lowered her feet to the floor, allowing her legs to close in an effort to retain her dignity. Edward simply smiled as he walked back around the desk and picked up the birch lying upon his wife’s back. She was soon in the proper position and struggling to accept her next set. Lucy sobbed as she heard the birch fall onto her sister’s bottom five times and t
hen was begging for mercy as she was given her second set. Edward allowed the girls a few moments before picking the birch rod up off Louisa’s back for her third count of five. Lifting her bottom high when instructed, and forcing her legs open for the third time, Lucy felt as if Mrs. Bremmer had been wrong. Surely it was possible for someone to die from such a horrific thrashing. Lucy was sure there was not an inch of skin left intact on her bottom, every bit of her bottom felt as if she were sitting in a roaring fire and yet, when Edward quietly told her to present herself, she had done so and had indeed lived through not only her third but fourth set as well.
After each girl had been given twenty strokes, Louisa finally joined in her sister’s pleas for mercy and begged her husband to stop. The desk surface was slick with the girls combined tears when Edward stepped behind his wife once more. Her bottom was a poor sight to behold. Every inch was covered with welts and more welts. The rod had caught her across the backs of her thighs, which caused her to wail the loudest. He picked up the birch, which was beginning to loosen in its bindings and said,
“How many extra strokes did you receive from the cane Louisa?” She sobbed but choked out,
“One, Sir.”
Edward nodded and lightly drew the rod down across her welted bottom. Louisa shuddered knowing what was coming and fearing the pain. “Extra strokes mean you haven’t submitted yourself properly, by admitting your need for chastisement, my love. I will double your extras so that you might learn a proper lesson. Rise up and present your bottom for your extras Louisa.” Louisa forced herself up onto her toes, though she was thoroughly exhausted. She felt the tips of the rod trail down her bottom and touch the pouch of her sex. She shuddered in humiliation knowing the switches would be coated with her own dew and that her husband would have his evidence of her arousal. She could practically see his smile and then the tips disappeared. She braced herself but remembered to round and soften her bottom for the stroke as required. She discovered it was unnecessary as the stroke landed not on her bottom but between her legs. She screamed loudest of all and her hands released the desk of their own accord. She was about to straighten until she felt his hand hard against the small of her back.
