A Fresh Start in Kirkham: a nineteenth century western romance

by Susan Thomas

  This was the moment where, if he was going to, her nightdress would be lifted. She tensed ready for stubborn refusal. John Spencer did nothing of the kind but simply picked up the paddle and moved behind her. Cecelia felt this moment to be the most humiliating of all. This moment of submission to punishment had in it the acceptance of having done something wrong (which none of us like doing), an acknowledgement that John Spencer had an authority to punish her, and worst of all the knowledge he was going to make her bottom smart. The thin material of her nightdress was probably not even affording her much modesty.

  "Due to the seriousness of the situation, with a lunatic on the loose, I shall give you nine. You will find that an adequate chastisement and you'll not sit comfortably for several days. I hope that your punishment will teach you to heed my words."

  Cecelia felt her heart rate increase to the point where surely it must be audible to Mary. She was now trembling terribly and her eyes prickling with incipient tears. She wanted to beg not to be spanked. She would promise anything if only he would let her off, but the next second the first swat hit her bottom dead center.

  Cecelia's eyes opened wide with the shock of how much it hurt. Her cry rose like a musical scale and she squeezed hard on Mary's hands. She tried to stand but Mary's hands gripped her firmly. Pulsing heat engulfed her bottom and her eyes filled with tears.

  "Oh, please," she begged, "do we have to do this?"

  "Yes, Cecelia, we do. We do not know where, when or who this person will attack. You must be obedient in order to keep you safe. Much as we like Alice I am sure she would prefer her mother to us."

  Cecelia felt ashamed and then Mayor Spencer unleashed the second swat. Cecelia tried to jerk her hands away when it landed and her cry was far louder than the first time. Mayor Spencer grimly noted the effects that his first two swats had on his guest.

  "I know it hurts Cecelia but it is for your own good."

  "Yeow! No, no, no, no... oh! Ow, it hurts," was Cecelia's reaction to the third. She babbled away gripping and re-gripping poor Mary's hands in an effort to deal with the heat of her spanking. Only three down and six more to go. The tears flowed faster at the thought. The fourth swat connected with Cecelia's soft bottom with a huge crack. Cecelia pulled hard against Mary's hands, but the older woman was strong, and held her fast, but the screech Cee gave was so loud that Mary's ears rang with it.

  "I'm sorry Cecelia, I know this is hard but you deserve your punishment."

  Cecelia was panting with the sheer heat and throbbing of her spanking. Her face was wet with tears but she had no heart to argue. She knew she could have waited. Mr. Garrett would have been alright for another hour or two. The fifth swat powered down flattening the cheeks of her bottom and stoking the terrible burning heat that had engulfed both cheeks on the first swat.

  Cecelia was ashamed of her reaction to each swat. Each produced a loud wail or screech. Each sent fresh waves of tears flowing down the wet cheeks of her face. Each made her pull hard at Mary's captivating hands. She knew she was getting a hard spanking because she was not eighteen or nineteen, but a grown up thirty, with responsibilities, who should have known better. She tried hard to accept her punishment in a spirit of penitence but she couldn't because it hurt. Each swat piled fresh heat to the furnace and sent fresh waves of throbbing through her bottom.

  Mayor Spencer had only paddled three women before Cecelia. Mary, his beloved wife. Emily, his equally beloved but extremely mischievous adopted daughter and the surprising Beth who had turned out to be Emily's twin sister. He had come to love Beth too, even more so because she brought Arthur with her. Thus, he forgot, just for a moment, that he wasn't spanking one of his loved ones but a near stranger. So, it was he that applied each swat with love, a heavy heart and a strong arm.

  "Now Cecelia, your punishment is almost done. This will be that last one and I hope you will take its lesson to heart."

  Cecelia braced herself and then the paddle smacked hard against her bottom. She screeched hard when it landed feeling as if it was driving her into the desk. Her bottom briefly went numb and then a burning throb erupted re-igniting the previous swats. She pulled hard against Mary's hands but Mary let go this time and Cee stood upright, her hands rushing around to clasp her bottom while the tears of her punishment flowed unchecked down her face.

  Chapter Seven

  After a sleepless night, Cee was still sore and tender the next morning. Her first punishment spanking was accompanied by the discovery that it lacked the wonderful erotic element of spanking as part of making love. The realism of morning, however, told her that even after a spanking like that she was much happier here in Kirkham than under the control of the McMorrans. She realized that Mayor Spencer cared about his family (and that was generously inclusive) and his community whereas the McMorrans were totally focused on their own interests.

  Cee left Alice with 'Granma Spencer' and walked to the surgery. There was some mail for her to sort out and she sat very carefully to do it. Dr. Davies spotted her care.

  "Ah, I see that Mayor Spencer carried out his promise. Not too sore I hope, and further, not thinking of leaving?"

  Cee blushed. "I am sore I will admit but I'm not thinking of leaving. I just have to get used to a different way of doing things."

  It was a quiet day at the surgery and Cee persuaded Dr. Davies to join her in getting some supplies ordered. They were busy at that work when Carl Hartman appeared. It was obvious he was not there as a patient and Cee immediately left and went out into the back to enjoy some sunshine. However, she could still hear the conversation through the open window.

  "Dr. Davies, you asked my permission to court my daughter Marta and I promised to give it thought. It seems to me that my girls and Paul Hoffman do not understand obedience as my generation does. However, after talking with my old friend Hoffman, I have decided that you may court Marta. Indeed, she is anxious for you to do so."

  Dr. Davies sprang to his feet and, taking hold of Carl's hand, shook it vigorously. "Thank you, Hartman, thank you. She is a wonderful young woman."

  Carl was embarrassed by Dr. Davies' emotion but reassured that the doctor did indeed care very much for his daughter. He returned to his farm to find his family making a pretense at working but in reality, waiting on him. He made them all sit down, as if for a meal, and began to speak in his thorough and slow way.

  "I left early this morning to visit the Hoffmans. This time I spoke also with Paul as well as my old friend. Hoffman agreed with me that for Paul to marry Matilde would accomplish all that we hoped for. Paul was most anxious to court Matilde..."

  There was a little cry of pleasure from Matilde and her mother reached out and held her hand.

  "I have agreed that he may join us on Sunday for lunch and afterwards walk with Matilde..."

  There was another little cry of delight which made everyone smile.

  "... but there will be no marriage until Matilde is eighteen. There is to be no argument about that Matilde."

  "No Papa, there won't be. Oh, thank you so very much."

  "I then went straight to town and spoke with the good Dr. Davies. I gave him permission to court Marta and he was overjoyed. I have also invited him to lunch on Sunday and he too may walk with Marta. Marta and Matilde, mind my words now: I expect you girls to behave properly during this courtship. I want no shame brought on our family."

  Both girls promised faithfully that they would behave most correctly during their courtship; their sisters looked starry eyed, and began to plan what they would wear as bridesmaids.

  Feeling almost light headed with pleasure, Marta hitched her horse to the small cart and set off on her egg round. She began with the more distant houses with the intention of then driving into town for the customers there before returning home. Her third call of the morning was the home of Miss Gloria Tannock. Once again, the new housekeeper, Mrs. Hoctor, came out, but this time she did not seem so affable.

  "Are you the girl that was helping Dr. Davies
before the new nurse arrived?"

  Marta was surprised at both her manner and the question. "Yes, it began when my father was terribly injured and I nursed him and assisted the doctor."

  "Will he marry the new nurse do you think? They're a similar age and it would be a sensible marriage, wouldn't it?"

  Marta thought this question also very odd but her pleasure won out. "No, today my father has given permission for Iestyn to court me. He is coming to lunch on Sunday. I think Mrs. Masters has an interest in someone else."

  The look that came over the housekeeper's face unnerved Marta and chills went up and down her back. The woman grabbed hold of Marta's arm and her grip was harsh. Marta cried out, "You're hurting me. Let go."

  "Listen to me. The doctor is not for you. The nurse must marry him. She must not look at anyone else."

  Marta was frightened and bewildered. Why was this woman behaving so strangely? However, she was not so frightened as to be mouse like. She wrenched her arm from Mrs. Hoctor's grasp and shouted at her. "How dare you treat me like this. Who I marry is none of your business. I deliver eggs and that is all. If you object to Dr. Davies courting me, speak to my father, although what possible reason you might have I cannot think. Now do you want any eggs or not?"

  The housekeeper seemed to go very still and her face went blank. Marta was about to leave when she seemed to come to herself and said, "Eggs? Oh yes, of course. I'll have a dozen."

  Marta counted the eggs into a bowl provided and put the money into her purse. All the way into town she puzzled over the woman's extraordinary behavior. In town, the talk was all about the attacks but Marta wasn't too worried by them. She, and her sisters and mother, lived out of town and there was her father to protect them. The attacks may have been on women but they were all at night and all in town. Marta had no fear that she would be a victim. She returned to the farm and Matilde came to help her tend to the horse and put the cart away. The two sisters hugged each other with sheer delight and discussed what they would wear on Sunday. It was then Marta remembered the extraordinary behavior of the Hoctor woman.

  "Do you know that Miss Tannock?"

  "Yes, sharp lady with a simple sister. We don't often see either of them in church."

  "Well, she has a new housekeeper. She was very pleasant the first time I met her but she was really odd this time when I went there. Told me I wasn't to marry Iestyn because Mrs. Masters should. She grabbed hold of my arm really tight. It hurt and I had to pull her off. Then she went all still, and after, she was just sort of normal and bought a dozen eggs."

  Matilde laughed. "I should think living with old Miss Tannock and her simple sister would make anyone odd."

  Both girls giggled and went on to talk about other things.

  ---oOo---

  Samuel Hoctor came across to the surgery to speak to Cecelia. "Cee, do you think we might take the girls and eat together at Marie's this evening? I know Mayor Spencer is eager for you to be guarded at all times, but you'd be with me. I will carry a revolver."

  "You'll have to speak to the Mayor about it. He was very displeased with me yesterday because I went to see Mr. Garrett on my own."

  "I did send my man over to you but he got distracted by another customer and didn't go. He didn't tell me either or I would have made another arrangement. Was Mayor Spencer very upset?"

  "He was upset with me because I chose to go and see Mr. Garrett without an escort. He felt I should have stayed where I was. I am in his house, and under his authority and I disobeyed him so..."

  "Oh, no! He gave you a spanking, didn't he?"

  "Yes, he did! Used a paddle and it really hurt; I'm still very sore."

  "Oh, Cee, I am so sorry. That's my fault."

  "No, it's not. I could have waited to go to Mr. Garrett but I didn't. I thought I knew better. I have to get used to a very different way of looking at things in Kirkham but I don't want to leave. It isn't what I am used to but I like it here."

  Samuel looked at her hard. "You're a good woman, Cecelia Masters. Oh, I am not going to use the McMorran name I know it's hurtful to you. This is a town where people can start afresh, leave their past behind and become the person they really always were."

  "I know there is a reformed outlaw here, a former prostitute, and a respectable wife and mother who was once an outlaw's woman. They have cast off their past and made a new future. To do that, conventional morality has had to be cast aside. If they can do it so can I. How were you disreputable, Sam?"

  Sam looked at her and realized his last comments had been spoken out loud. He laughed shakily.

  "I wasn't. Just meaning why shouldn't I think of getting married again."

  Cecelia became rather shy. "Who were you thinking of marrying, Sam? I can tell you Marta is already spoken for."

  "Is she! Dr. Davies I hope."

  "Yes, but you haven't answered my question."

  "Why you of course. I know we have only known each other a short time but..."

  "Yes, I know what you mean. I had no intention of ever marrying again. I'll be honest my husband was not a good man and my marriage was hell except for Alice but..."

  "Cecelia, I am so happy you feel the same way, but let's take it slowly. The girls get on well and that is important of course. However, if we go carefully we can succeed I am sure."

  Naturally John Spencer gave his blessing to Sam taking Cee and the girls to Marie's. Sam was as ever the gentleman and did nothing that might be regarded as improper. When he escorted Cee and Alice back to the Mayor's house he looked as if he might kiss Cee goodnight, but John Spencer came to the door like a strict father, and he left without doing so.

  Later that evening the figure in black reappeared not once but twice. Mrs. Craddock was hurrying to check her elderly mother had everything she needed when a black hooded figure rushed at her with a knife raised high. This time the figure in black had met its match. Mrs. Craddock had a basket of goods and deliberately included was a small pot of pepper. Mrs. Craddock stood her ground and threw the pepper into the eyes of the attacker. She then kicked out and connected with a knee. Had either Henry or his deputy been nearby the attacker would have been detained. As it was, by the time help came, the figure had disappeared into the night. No one felt able to reprimand Mrs. Craddock given her spirited defense and, with her husband away working in another town, Mrs. Craddock escaped any disciplinary action.

  Later still, Mary Spencer caught a figure dressed in black peering through the windows of her living room. She shouted for John who, rather than running to her, leaned out of an upstairs window and saw the figure running off. He fired two fruitless bullets into the night.

  The next day Henry, whose patience was wearing thin, spent the day recruiting more volunteers. No attack had taken place after midnight so Henry organized a patrol system covering the hours seven o'clock to midnight. Each patrol consisted of two armed men and had a beat which overlapped with another patrol; the overlapping areas were the ones Henry felt to be high risk. He also had a guard put on John Spencer's house for that full five hours.

  There were no attacks that night, and the patrols were repeated the following night, but again there was no sign of the figure in black. Henry changed tactics. Guards were positioned throughout the patrolled areas but each one was hidden and stationary. He repeated this tactic for two more nights but of the attacker there was no sign. The town council took the decision that whoever it was had likely moved on, and the patrols were made to stand down, but women were warned to stay inside during the hours of darkness.

  That night, for the very first time, the attacker entered a property and was again successful in inflicting real injury. With her husband still away, Mrs. Craddock had made sure to visit her mother before it got dark. She returned to her own house, and was relaxing in an easy chair before getting ready for bed, when she suddenly found the figure in black in the room with her. There was a hideous screech and the attacker was on her, slashing and stabbing with her knife.

  Mrs
. Craddock was made of stern stuff. She fought back as best she could despite her wounds. She kicked and grabbed at the knife arm and at one point held that arm still enough to rake her nails down the attacker's forearm. She heard a vicious voice shout, "Bitch," and then received another blow. This time she managed to grab at the hood and partly pulled it off revealing a woman's hair. The attacker screeched her unearthly cry and disappeared as abruptly as she had entered. She was able to tell Henry that whoever it was wore a black face mask so that only the eyes showed.

  There was huge excitement in Kirkham when it became known that the attacker was likely a woman. Henry and Liam Ahearn now had something to look for: an arm with scratches caused by brave Mrs. Craddock's nails. They began a tour of the town asking every girl over thirteen, and all women, to roll up their sleeves. The women were anxious to help. They made it easy for Henry and Liam by gathering in groups with their sleeves rolled up. By evening every female in Kirkham over the age of thirteen had been checked and not one had a scratched arm.

  "That can only mean one thing: the attacker is coming from one of the outlying houses or farms. The trouble is," he told Liam, "I was born and raised in this town. My father was one of the first men here and I know everyone. I cannot think of one woman that'd do this. Not this. They may get a bit bitchy at times, and have their little spats, but not this kind of thing."

  "Henry, I think we need maybe to talk to Dr. Davies. This woman is not in her right mind. She's clearly insane and he visits the outlying farms in his work. Maybe he's noticed a woman with very odd behavior. He's a medical man after all so he'd have real knowledge."

  ---oOo---

  The head of the detective agency shook his head at his rich client. "I am sorry Mr. McMorran we have found no trace of your granddaughter or her mother. We have checked everyone who knew her when she trained at the Boston hospital. They are all still in the New England area if not Boston itself. Mrs. McMorran was a regular correspondent until your son's death. Then she wrote informing them of her widowhood and they have not heard from her since. We have found no one who has moved far away from Boston. I have sent my agents to check in her home town and yours. It is far more likely it is someone she knew there."