Catherine's Letters (20 page)

And whatever Molly lacked in finesse and strength, Miss Prior allowed her to make up for in duration, the smacking of my bottom going on for at least twice as long as I would normally be able to endure. After at least a quarter of an hour, during which I distinctly remember hearing Molly begin to huff and puff, so exerting was she apparently finding her work, Miss Prior finally called, ‘Enough!’ I was left to try to recapture my breath and composure. I knew I would need both for my forthcoming caning, to be applied not by the novice hand of Molly, but with Miss Prior’s cruel expertise.

After two or three minutes, my breathing had become more normal. It was then I felt the rod on my bottom once again, making me wince as it tapped the sore skin. ‘Now, my girl,’ said Miss Prior, with a solemn tone, ‘you have earned 12 strokes.’

‘Twelve! Oh no, Miss Prior, please! I cannot take 12 strokes!’ I honestly believed, Connie, that I would die from such a wicked beating!

‘It will be 12, and if you wish us to believe you are the young lady of breeding you claim to be, you will take them with the minimum of fuss.’

Clearly there was to be no escape. I simply closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, as I sensed Miss Prior raise the cane. There was a pause, then it flashed across its target. I howled in agony as I felt the weal being drawn, and the pain coursed through me. ‘One, Miss Prior,’ I was finally able to sniff.

The second excruciating stroke landed just above the first, drawing from me the same response before I was able to count, ‘Two, Miss Prior.’

On and on the caning went. Miss Prior was as ruthless and efficient as ever, and in between my screams of pain I believe I heard Molly gasp in astonishment. I guessed that, much as she may have wished some form of revenge on me, she could not have known it would be this severe, and might even be feeling somewhat guilty. For this reason, I resolved to take my punishment as bravely as possible. I bore the girl no real ill-will, and did not want her to feel she was in any way to blame for the fix I found myself in. As always, Miss Prior was correct. It was my fault, and mine alone.

I counted each stroke as it came. Oh Connie, I have never felt such agony! I thought I must surely die or, at the very least, faint from the pain! But I did not, and I believe there may even have been a note of pride, or at least relief, in the voice which finally declared, ‘Twelve, Miss Prior!’

‘Well done, Catherine. I don’t think you need me to tell you that was the most severe caning you have yet received.’ The cheeks of my face, already wet with tears, flushed with pleasure. To satisfy such a hard taskmistress was an achievement in itself, and somehow her words seemed to make the whole ghastly ordeal worthwhile. But the night’s events were not yet over. ‘Catherine, would you please remove the pillow and roll onto your back.’

‘Miss?’ I asked, bemused by her new instruction. I was also aware that it would leave my burning bottom pressed to the coverlet, and my most personal charms exposed to Miss Prior and Molly. I therefore hesitated, and another light flick of the cane to my buttocks soon reminded me of the need for unquestioning obedience.

I lay on my back, trying not to move and so irritate my flaming skin. I looked up to see Miss Prior and Molly staring at my nakedness. Miss Prior seemed to wear an expression of admiration, Molly one of bemusement. This changed to shock at Miss Prior’s next sentence.

‘Now, Molly, please remove your gown and shift. I want you as naked as Catherine, as quickly as possible.’

‘Naked! Me! But why, miss? You told me I was not to be punished if I did as you said. And I have, miss, I have!’ The poor girl obviously thought she had earned another whipping, and was distraught at the prospect, but Miss Prior acted quickly to quell her fears.

‘Come now, Molly, the last thing I intend to do is to punish you. Unless, of course, you now decide to disobey me. Do you want your bottom caned like Catherine’s?’ Molly shook her head dumbly. ‘Very well then, remove your clothes.’

Still trembling, Molly did as she had been bid, and once again I was able to admire her plump breasts and thighs, as she quickly attained total nudity. She eventually stood beside the bed, her bubbies uncovered, but both her hands shielding her spot.

‘Now,’ Miss Prior told the trembling maid, ‘be so good as to climb upon the bed and crouch between Miss Catherine’s legs.’

Molly and I both stared at Miss Prior. I am quite sure neither of us knew precisely what her eventual aim was, but, given what she had encouraged Lady Elizabeth to do to me in London, I imagined nothing decent could be intended by such a position. Molly probably realised this instinctively, but nevertheless Miss Prior’s attitude was sufficiently menacing to persuade the girl that no other course of action was open to her.

Gingerly she climbed upon the bed and knelt between my outstretched thighs. She had to rest upon her hands, of course, treating Miss Prior and myself to a tantalizing glimpse of the wiry red hair which guarded her lady’s place.

She crouched with her face inches above my most private place, a position which was evidently a source of much embarrassment to the poor girl. But for myself, Connie, I must confess to feeling a certain degree of excitement, especially if I divined Miss Prior’s intentions correctly. For a moment I did not dare to hope that I had, but let out a gasp when her next words confirmed that I had been right.

‘Now, Molly,’ she declared, as if doing nothing more sinister than giving riding instruction, ‘in the spirit of reconciliation, I want you to gamahuche Miss Catherine until she spends.’

‘What? You mean you want me to – to kiss her down – down there? Oh no, miss, I can’t do such a thing! I would die of shame, for sure!’

‘Do not be so dramatic, Molly!’ Miss Prior snapped. ‘You will not die simply by giving your mistress pleasure. On the contrary, I believe you will soon grow to enjoy it. Now, are you going to do as you are told?’

‘Oh miss – I can’t!’ The girl’s face was a picture of misery as she looked up to implore release from her task. But she could not see Miss Prior, as she was now standing too far behind her. I could see her, though, and I also saw the cane being lifted, and flash down across Molly’s raised buttocks.

She squealed in agony as it landed with a crisp crack. The stroke had been equally as hard as those which I had taken, but had caught her without warning. Before she had the opportunity to recover her wits or even try to escape, two more strokes whipped across her defenceless bottom. Miss Prior moved around to face her. ‘So, would you rather receive more of the same, or will you perform the more pleasant task of kissing Miss Catherine’s spot? I will continue to offer you the choice, but you will receive three strokes every time you refuse.’

‘Please, miss, don’t make me! It’s so embarrassing!’ Miss Prior’s expression remained unmoved, and she turned to deliver the next set of three. The prospect was all too much for poor Molly. ‘No! Don’t cane me again, miss! Oh dear! I’ll do it! I’ll do it, only please don’t use that horrible cane on me again!’

‘Good, I’m glad you have come to your senses. Now I’m quite prepared to believe you have never before entered into the act of gamahuching – although goodness only knows what really goes on in the servants’ quarters after dark – so I shall instruct you. To begin with, lower your head and poke your tongue out.’

Molly obeyed. I had been silent throughout her caning, but now my breathing grew heavier as her mouth closed in on my nether lips. ‘Keep going,’ Miss Prior intoned, ‘until you make contact with Miss Catherine’s spot.’ I saw Molly close her eyes, and she began to whimper, but still moved her mouth closer to its target, afraid of receiving more cane strokes.

Then her tongue touched me. At first, it tickled the little hairs around my font, and then it pressed against my most soft, sensitive flesh. She trembled and moaned, as did I, although I believe with far greater pleasure than she, but Molly did not shy or flinch. ‘Very good,’ said Miss Prior, ‘now you must begin to move it up and down.’

Molly did so, by moving her head in little nods. Miss Prior wanted her to do more than that. ‘Not just your head, Molly, move your whole tongue. Wiggle it, like you would around a tasty morsel of meat.’

I blushed at the crude simile, but was even more shocked at her next instruction, directed as it was toward me. ‘You may assist her a little, Catherine. Please use your fingers to present her with your most private flesh.’

I was appalled at what I had just been asked to do, but a flex of the cane and a threatening look from Miss Prior soon had me behaving myself. With shaking hands, I reached down and carefully pulled apart the lips of my sex. Molly gasped when she saw what was thus revealed, but only broke away from her task momentarily, before her tongue was once again busy, but this time on my innermost parts.

I lay back, enjoying the sweet girl’s attentions. There was no other sound in the bedroom now, apart from the clumsy but effective lapping of Molly’s tongue, and my breathing. Even the presence of Miss Prior and her cane seemed to have been forgotten by both of us.

Every now and again Molly would touch nub of my spot, and my heart would leap. Then my crisis was upon me. Oh Connie, if only words could express my feelings at that moment! It was the finest spend I have yet experienced, and seemed to go on for ever! I threw my head back upon the pillow and called out long and hard in my ecstasy.

When I had finally recovered myself sufficiently I looked forward to see Molly, her head now raised, and once again an expression of bewilderment on her pretty face. She seemed to believe she had hurt me in some way! I quickly reassured the simple girl that she had done nothing of the sort – in fact, quite the contrary – and sat up to kiss away her anxious tears. I was quickly rewarded when a smile flickered across her sweet mouth.

It was only now that we remembered Miss Prior. The governess had hung her cane on the back of her chair, and now placed her arms around Molly. She also kissed her, and directed her to the wash stand, where a bowl of water had been poured so that she might wash her face. Then she was told to replace her night clothes. I rose, believing that this order applied also to me, but was motioned back onto the bed by Miss Prior. I lay there, still naked, as she spoke to Molly.

‘You have done well,’ she told her, ‘and have earned this.’ Another half a crown was pushed into the maid’s trembling hand. ‘Now go back to your room, disturb no one, and tell no one of this incident. But from now on I wish to see that you and Miss Catherine are nothing but the best of friends.’

‘Yes, miss,’ said Molly meekly, dropping a curtsey as she did so. Taking up her candle, she went to the door and let herself out.

I was puzzled as to why I had not been sent away with her. Was I to receive my own lecture on manners and domestic discipline, which would have gone over poor Molly’s head? I prayed that there would be no further punishment for me. I was, therefore, relieved to see a soft smile playing about Miss Prior’s face when she turned to look at me again. ‘Now, Catherine,’ she said, ‘it is time for bed. Please, help me undress.’

I was startled, and somewhat shocked to be asked to perform such an intimate task, especially since I myself was in such an indecent state, but still rose quickly to do as I was bid. I unbuttoned her high-necked dress, and helped pull it down her arms, then held it as she stepped out of it. I unlaced her corset, noting her great sigh of relief as the constrictive garment was removed. She sat on the bed, so that I might remove her house slippers, then she herself unbuttoned her chemise.

She stood and asked me to pull it from her shoulders, baring herself from the waist up. She turned to face me, presenting me with a fine pair of breasts, not quite so big as either mine or Molly’s, but possessed of large and somewhat unusually erect nipples. I blushed and turned my face away, anxious not to be caught staring.

But Miss Prior did not seem to care. Indeed, she stripped off her drawers and peeled away her expensive stockings, almost as if I were not even in the room. Finally she stood before me. I looked at her cautiously, and found her smiling back broadly.

‘Well now, Catherine,’ she said, ‘now we are no longer pupil and teacher, charge and governess. Stripped of our clothes, we are merely two women, sisters in the flesh.’

‘Yes, Miss Prior,’ I mumbled, unsure of the point she was trying to make.

‘As were yourself and Molly when she also removed her clothes this evening. I hope you have learnt an important lesson tonight. Discipline and pleasure for their own sake are wrong. If you feel you must punish a girl, do it for her sake, not for yours. The role of disciplinarian carries with it responsibility. Do you understand?’

I did indeed, Connie. ‘Oh yes, Miss Prior!’ I cried. Suddenly the dam of my emotions broke, and I burst into tears. Miss Prior immediately wrapped me in her naked bosom. ‘Come, Catherine, let us go to bed.’

I did not resist as she led me to her bed, blew out her candle, and pulled me between the crisp, clean sheets.

Despite not being in my own bed, I slept well. I believe it was the emotional fatigue of the past hour’s activity. But there is one more strange incident to report, Connie. As dawn was beginning to creep through the blinds of Miss Prior’s window, I awoke. At first I believed I was still asleep, and dreaming of the events of the night before, but I soon realised that the pressure on my spot was real. I looked down to see my own naked body, the covers and sheets having been swept back, and Miss Prior’s head between my thighs, her tongue flickering about my secret place.

I was powerless to resist, so did not call out. She was far more expert than Molly or Lady Elizabeth, and I was soon panting out my second spend of the night, my cries of pleasure meeting the new day, along with the early morning bird song.

As my breathing returned to normal, Miss Prior released her grip upon my legs and moved back up the bed to embrace me. She kissed me on the mouth, tenderly sweeping back the hair which had fallen around my face. She calmed and soothed me for some minutes, before telling me to get dressed and return to my own room.