One morning, just after breakfast, I was in the hail, fixing on one of the panels a number of Eastern weapons; when a young girl came in, bringing me a note from one of my neighbours, who had left it at the lodge with orders that it should be taken to me at once. The girl, named Anna Lee, was sixteen years old; she was a friendless waif who had been left in the village by a band of gypsies, five or six years previously; and she would have been sent to the workhouse, had it not been for the charity of my lodge-keeper, Mrs. Grove, who took the deserted child into her cottage, and had kept her ever since. The note required an answer; so, telling the girl to wait in the hail, I went up to the library to write a reply. I hastily scribbled a few lines, and then I went back to the hail, gave the note to Anna, and told her to take it to its destination without delay. She went away, and I finished arranging the trophy of arms; then I went to the little table on which I had placed my watch before beginning my work. I looked about carefully, but the watch was not to be found.
It was a massive, old-fashioned, gold lever, which had belonged to my father, consequently I valued it very highly.
As no one had been in the hall but Anna Lee, I felt quite certain that she had stolen the watch. I was very angry, and at once made up my mind to go after the girl, hoping to be able to catch her before she had time to hide her booty; so without saying anything to my servants, I started off. Hurrying down the avenue, I passed through the lodge-gates out on to the road, and looked up and down it, but the girl was nowhere in sight; so I thought I had better go back to the lodge and speak to Mrs. Grove.
She received me with great respect and ceremony, ushered me into her neat little sitting-room, and made me sit in the best chair, while she stood before me, waiting to hear what I had to say.
Mrs. Grove was about forty-five years of age; a good looking buxom woman, whose husband had been lodge keeper; and on his death I had allowed her to remain in charge of the lodge, as she was quite capable of performing all the duties of lodge keeper, with the assistance of her grown-up daughter.
Mrs. Grove had been born and brought up on the estate, so she was devoted to me, and to everything connected with Oakhurst.
I told her what had happened, and asked her to keep an eye on Anna's proceedings, and if possible, find out what she had done with the watch.
The worthy woman was quite concerned on hearing of my loss, and she was furious with Anna, who was, she said, a naughty, troublesome girl in every way. Then, she went on: "Anna may not have hidden the watch anywhere as yet; perhaps she has got it on her person; so when she comes back I will search her, and if I do find the watch, I will give her the soundest birching she has ever had in her life - and she has had many a one from me."
I smiled at the emphatic way she spoke, thinking to myself that if the watch was found on Anna, she would get her bottom well warmed.
Mrs. Grove continued: "If you have time, sir, I should like you to wait and see what happens, and if I have to birch the girl, I should very much like you to be present. I think it would be a bit of satisfaction to you to see her well whipped for all the bother she has given you."
I was rather surprised at Mrs. Grove offering to let me see her birch the girl, but I was delighted with the offer; for since I had become a "lover of the rod," I had often had a wish to see a girl birched, and now there was a chance of my wish being gratified. It would be deliciously exciting to watch a bottom, that I had never seen before, reddening under the strokes of a birch-rod wielded by a buxom woman. My cock began to stiffen at the thought!
I said that I would wait and see the affair out, whatever happened; then I added: "I have no doubt that Anna is the thief, but if she has not got the watch in her possession when she comes back, we can do nothing. We cannot birch her without proof that she has stolen the watch."
"No, sir, I suppose not," said Mrs. Grove in a tone of regret.
She had hardly finished speaking, when we heard the outer door opened, and then closed, as the girl entered the cottage. Mrs. Grove called her, and she came into the little parlour, jauntily, but when she saw me, she started and looked rather uneasy for a moment; then she informed me that she had delivered the letter.
Anna Lee, as I have before said, was a little over fifteen years of age, a well-grown sturdy wench, not bad looking, but her face had a saucy expression; she had a dark, olive complexion; black hair; and bold, black eyes; very white teeth and red lips. She was supposed to have gypsy blood in her, and she certainly looked as if she had. She was neatly dressed in a cotton frock, with a white apron, and on her head she wore a linen sunbonnet with scarlet ribbons.
Altogether she was a nice morsel for the birch. She took off her bonnet, and was about to quit the room, when she was stopped by Mrs. Grove; who did not waste words, but at once came to the point. She said: "You were up at the house a short time ago. The master's watch was stolen out of the hall. I believe you stole it. I am going to search you."
So saying, she caught hold of Anna, who was so taken aback that she never even denied the charge, but stood perfectly still during the whole time she was being searched. Mrs. Grove first felt in the girl's pocket; then she passed her hand down the girl's arms to see if the watch was hidden in her sleeves; then unfastening the front of her dress, she thrust her hand down her bosom, but she did not find the object of her search. So I began to think that Anna had not got the watch on her person, and consequently that I should not have the pleasure of seeing her bottom whipped.
But Mrs. Grove had not finished her search; and much to my surprise, she put both her hands up under the girl's clothes, and after a little groping, cried out in a tone of triumph, "I've got it, sir!" at the same time producing the watch, which Anna had managed to stow away in some of the mysterious recesses of her underclothing.
The culprit, thus caught almost red-handed, did not say a word. She turned a little pale, a sullen expression came to her face, and she stood twisting the hem of her apron between her fingers.
"Now, you hussy!" said Mrs. Grove, "you shall catch it! I'll make your bottom smart, you horrid young thief."
Then, going to the door, she called out to her daughter: "Come here, Fanny, and bring the rod with you."
The girl's black eyes flashed, and she darted a look of hatred at Mrs. Grove, saying, sullenly: "It is not right that I should be flogged before a gentleman."
"Hold your tongue, you bad girl! You ought to be publicly flogged in the middle of the village!" said Mrs. Grove angrily.
At that moment, Fanny came into the room, carrying in her hand a formidable looking birch-rod, which she placed on the table. This rod was much longer, and bigger in every way than the one I had used on "Frank."
Fanny was about twenty three years old; a tall, strapping, broad-shouldered country lass, as strong, as an average man.
Her mother briefly told her what Anna had done; adding: "I am going to flog her soundly. Take her up, and mind you hold her fast."
Fanny glanced at me, blushing a little, but said quietly: "All right, mother; I'll hold her tight. This will not be the first time I have hoisted her for you." She seized Anna's wrists, turned half round, and swung the big girl easily up on her broad back; then slightly separating her feet, and bending well forward, she brought the culprit's body into a curved position, with her bottom well thrown out, at a most convenient angle for receiving the punishment.
Mrs. Grove stepped forward, and rolled the girl's skirt up to her shoulders, doing the same with her petticoats arid chemise, which, though coarse, were clean; then she carefully pinned up all the garments in such a way that they could not fall down while the culprit was being birched.
As Anna wore no drawers, she was now naked from her waist to the tops of her stockings. For her age, she was remarkably well developed; her bottom was broad and fleshy - there was plenty of room for the birch to play on - her thighs were large, and she had rather thick legs, which were encased in white cotton stockings, gartered above her knees with black ribbons. Her skin, clean, and wholesome looking, was of an olive tint, rather coarse in texture, but quite smooth; and I at once noticed that both of her round, plump buttocks were marked with faint, pink lines, evidently the traces of a flogging which had been inflicted not many days previously. Mrs. Grove rolled up her sleeve, displaying a muscular arm; then, taking up the rod, she lightly touched the girl's bottom with the end of the twigs, pointing out the pink marks on her skin, saying: "There, sir. Those are the marks left by a birching I gave the wicked girl, only three days ago, for being saucy to me." A slight shudder passed over the culprit, as she felt the birch touching her bare flesh, but she did not utter a word.
"How many strokes shall I give her, sir?" asked Mrs. Grove, as she drew the rod through the fingers of her left hand, so as to separate the bristly twigs.
My eyes were fixed on the girl's fat bottom. I was greatly excited, and I had a stiff prick, so that it was as much as I could do to preserve a calm, judicial demeanour while I replied to the question.
"I think that eighteen strokes will be sufficient, if you lay them on well."
Mrs. Grove smiled, saying: "Never fear, sir. I will lay them on in a way that will astonish her. She is going to get a birching such as she has never had in her life before."
Anna moved uneasily on her "horse's" back!
Raising the rod high in the air, the woman laid on the first cut with considerable force. Anna's plump flesh quivered involuntarily, and long purplish streaks at once showed on her olive skin: she gave a convulsive start, contracted the cheeks of her bottom, threw back her head with a jerk, and drew her breath through her teeth sharply, with a hissing sound. Again and again, the stinging rod swept through the air, falling with a loud-sounding "swish" on the culprit's writhing bottom; the sharp pain seemed to take her breath away; she gasped, and made a gurgling noise in her throat; clenching her teeth so tightly that I could see the outline of her jaws through her cheeks, while the tears streamed from her eyes, but she did not scream.
Swish! Swish! Swish! She could no longer suppress her cries, and a long, shrill shriek followed each slashing cut as it scored her red buttocks.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Mrs. Grove birched slowly, pausing between each cut, so that the culprit felt the full sting of the stroke, before the next one was applied. She roared, and begged for mercy; and she struggled and plunged so violently, that Fanny, strong as she was, staggered once or twice. Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Her bottom was rough with weals, scarlet in colour, and speckled with livid dots.
Screaming loudly, and entreating to be let off, she drew up her legs, and kicked them about in all directions, and arching her loins, she twisted her body from side to side, so that I occasionally caught sight of her small cunt, which was just beginning to be fledged with curly, black hair; and I noticed that the little, pink lips were gaping slightly, as if mutely sympathising with the smarting bottom.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! The rod rose and fell, slowly and relentlessly; the girl's shrieks became piercing. She struggled hard, kicking vigorously, and a few small drops of blood appeared on each cheek of her crimson bottom.
Swish! The last cut fell on the quivering flesh of the shrieking girl: and Mrs. Grove, putting down the rod, wiped her hot face with her apron. Then she unpinned the girl's clothes, letting them fall down over her scarified bottom; which had looked very much like a great plum pudding.
Fanny let go the victim's wrists, and she stood on the floor, crying, twisting herself about, and actually dancing with the smarting pain of her well-birched bottom. Mrs. Grove smiled grimly, saying: "There, Anna, I don't think you will steal anything the next time you are sent to the house on a message. Go away."
The sobbing girl, with pain-drawn, scarlet face, trembling lips, and cheeks furrowed by tears, limped stiffly out of the room, with her hands pressed to her sore bottom.
I glanced at Fanny, noticing that she was smiling, and that her eyes were sparkling; but when she saw me looking at her, she became grave, and blushed; then taking up the rod, she hastily left the room.
Mrs. Grove turned to me, saying: "Well, sir, I hope you are satisfied with the flogging I gave Anna. She will remember it for some time. She won't be able to sit down comfortably for days."
I was now more excited than ever, and I had some difficulty in preventing myself showing my feelings, but I told Mrs. Grove, as calmly as possible, that I was perfectly satisfied, and also much obliged to her for the trouble she had taken. Then I left the lodge, filled with an intense desire; for, strange to say, I had been more inflamed by the sight of the whipping I had just seen inflicted, than I ever had been when whipping "Frank." The punishment had been so severe; the agonised contortions of the girl's naked body had seemed to me voluptuous: the quivering of her flesh; and the appearance of her blood-spotted bottom; the occasional glimpses of her little gaping cunt. All these things had set my blood on fire; my cock felt as if it would burst, and my balls ached. I hurried back to the house, went up to my bedroom, shut myself in, without taking notice of anything, and threw myself into an easy-chair; my tool still in full erection.