A Maid for All Seasons, Volumes 1 and 2, Deluxe Revised Edition

“So, Miss Carlson, you are still of the opinion that your father treated you badly?” “No, sir, he … um … it could have been a lot worse.” She looked an apology at Michael, and he patted her hand. “You are quite correct, señorita, much worse.” He consulted his memo pad. “And your friend Miss Vandergelt has not been a model prisoner since her outburst in court yesterday, and has earned a session over the block.” “Please no!” “Quiet!” The Commandant shot her a steely glance and Ally bit her lip, then he turned to Lisa. “It is a pity she did not listen to your father when he tried to help. I see she has been most obstinate, even refusing a task set for her by Matron. She finally agreed to work, but not before being persuaded that she had no choice.” He turned to Ally. “Matron tells me that you would not scrub the cooking pots.” “But I did, sir … señor.” “Only after a good paddling.” He nodded to the guard, who plucked a three-foot cane from the rack and bent it like a rapier. “Now you will be punished for your disobedience and for wasting so much of Matron’s time.” “No! Please, señor! Por favor …” Ally fell to her knees and sobbed, and Michael leaned forward and raised a finger. “Commandante, I beg one more chance to redeem my daughter’s friend. The girl is foolish and arrogant and has much to learn of the ways of the world, but I would be very grateful if you will allow me to punish her for disobedience here and now.” “You wish to cane her?” The Commandant raised a blond eyebrow. “I don’t believe that will be necessary.” Michael rose from his chair, strode over to Ally and grabbed her arm, and she gaped when he yanked her to her feet. “Yesterday I offered to spank your bottom in public, young lady, and you refused. If you had it to do over again, would you still?” “N-no, sir.” “Why?” “It was horrible, I … she beat me!” “Show us.” Michael released her arm. “What?” “Show us where she beat you.” “No! She … on my … I can’t!” “Ally, unless you cooperate, in a very few minutes your bare bottom and all its intimate secrets will be on display just like those other girls, and if you think Matron paddles hard, I’m sure it holds no candle to her caning skill. Now turn around and show your bottom to everyone.” “But … I …” Ally licked chapped lips and gazed at Michael for a moment, then looked at the jailer, who smirked and cracked her cane against the block. Ally turned and pulled up her shift, and her muslin panties swelled when she bent. Rough, red fingers fumbled for the strand that held the garment in place, and Michael grabbed her by the shoulder, flicked the string, and the drawers tumbled in a heap at her ankles. A hot pink rash dotted with blue bruises covered both round cheeks. Lisa drew a ragged breath, and Ally sobbed into her fist. Michael shook his head and smiled ruefully at the Commandant. “The señora has a heavy hand with a board.” He bowed to the guard, who blushed and examined her cane. The Commandant waved a hand. “But the girl did her work only because of that, and she must still be punished for disobedience.” Michael nodded energetically. “I quite agree, but she is a spoiled, pampered gringa, and I doubt that her bottom ever felt so much as her mother’s hairbrush when she was a child and it would have done her the most good.” The Commandant smiled and rubbed his jaw. “She is such a tender ass, if her hair do but tickle, she must be scratched.” Michael’s eyes widened, and he inclined his head and smiled. “Most apt, jefe, most apt. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was it not? You would have played Lysander or Demetrius.” The man scowled and shook his head. “They said I was too tall and must play Theseus. And you?” He laughed when Michael pointed to Ally’s bare, sore behind. “Nick Bottom the Weaver, of course.” “At your service, Your Grace.” Michael smiled and bowed. “Was this a professional production?” “While I was at school in England. I think I got the part only because my voice was loud enough to be heard through the papiér maché ass’s head.” The Commandant grinned and nodded, then sat in a chair. “Since you know something of asses you may show me what you can do with this one.” Michael nodded and sat on the block, and Ally clutched at her dress and stared over her shoulder when Michael pulled her across his lap. He grabbed her right hand and held it against her back while his eyes searched the ceiling. “Oh, fair Hippolyta, something, something,” he intoned. “And won thy love doing thee injuries.” He smiled at the Commandant. “Did you ever wonder what sort of injuries Theseus referred to, jefe?” The man slapped his thigh and laughed. “Only the sort I myself made on the bare behind of my Hippolyta when she would not learn her lines. She was a skinny, horse-faced senior at the women’s college in Vera Cruz, with the attention span of a gnat and a bottom like Venus Callypygos. I think she took the role only to attend the cast parties.” “Or to try the patience of the implacable Theseus?” Michael smiled and the Commandant nodded, his eyes far away. “But she learned her lines? Conned them by rote?” “With persuasion, señor, only with persuasion.” Michael nodded and twisted his right calf around to pin Ally’s thighs between his legs, and she squealed. “No don’t please!” The Commandant chuckled. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” “One play at a time, please.” Michael winked, then glanced at the ceiling and frowned. “Now shall fair Hermia learn the law of Athens.” He raised a hand over the bended cheeks, straightened his back and looked at the Commandant. “Extremely stretched and conn’d with cruel pain, to do you service.” The Commandant sat bolt upright. “I will hear that play, for never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it.” “Yes, my lord.” Michael slapped hard and Ally screamed. Lisa flinched and grabbed Beth’s hand while Michael gritted his teeth and spanked, raising his arm high and bringing it down fast and sure. The young woman shrieked and scissored her calves, and faded paddle marks turned crimson. Shrieks turned to wails and she swiped at tears with her free hand. He pushed on her back to bend her even more and her bottom rounded and stretched, and Michael painted scarlet blossoms on her under-cheeks and thighs. Finally he stopped and patted Ally’s vermillion behind, and looked at the Commandant. “Fifty,” Beth whispered to Lisa. Chair legs screeched when the Commandant stood and yanked at his tunic. He swaggered over and palmed Ally’s swollen bottom, then glanced at the guard. She leaned over to test the hot flesh with her fingers, and nodded to her boss. He returned the nod, and looked at Michael. “I think the cane would be superfluous at this point, señor.” “Thank you, Commandante.” He spread his arms. “So good night unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends.” Michael held out his right hand and the Commandant squeezed it, and then smiled an apology at Michael’s wince. “And Robin shall restore amends.” Michael withdrew from the handshake and lifted Ally from his lap. The guard put down her cane and replaced Ally’s drawers while the girl sobbed and shook. Beth pulled Lisa to her feet, and the Commandant turned to Ally. “Señorita, I hope you will take this lesson to heart and be on your best behavior while you remain in Santa Teresa.” “I will, señor, I swear.” She sniffled and nodded hard, and cast furtive glances at Michael. “Good. And so it is finished.” He smiled, then frowned and shook a finger in her face. “Unless Mr. Swayne, into whose capable hands I am giving your parole, decides that you should have more of what he just gave you, you spoiled, insolent child.” “No! I mean, no señor, never, but I … I can go with him? Out of here?” “Yes, if you behave correctly.” He glanced around. “May I offer a cognac?” The banker hurried over and grasped the Commandant’s hand, made his excuses in Spanish