Her Lord's Desire (The Forbidden Saga #3) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,42
not only such a school truly did exist, but that Eleanor’s students were all beautiful young women who were being taught how to be obedient and absolutely submissive to their future husbands. He had seen paddlings, strappings, switchings and even a birching during his time there. He considered Eleanor a highly refined woman, but had quickly realized she was absolutely wicked when it came to dishing out discipline. She had one simple rule and enforced it every moment of every day. Naughty little girls were not coddled. Naughty little girls were bent over, divested of their drawers and had their bottoms roasted until there was no doubt of the sincerity of their contrition.
What had amazed Charles the most, though, was that after causing such discomfort to what he’d learned was addressed as a little one’s derrière, Eleanor was just as quick to offer words of encouragement, as she gently wiped tears off the flushed cheeks of her charges’ sorrowful faces. Charles had witnessed each punished girl wrapping her arms around Eleanor and begging for her forgiveness, making promises to be better behaved. Though the air often rang with the sounds of cries or pleas for mercy not given as naughty bottoms were strictly corrected, the school also echoed with the delightful peals of laughter and giggles. It had all led to his being advised that it was time he demonstrated what he had learned. Clearing his throat, he looked at his audience and told his story.
“Our little Willamena was warned earlier this week that if she didn’t improve her attitude, she’d end the week with a sound caning. If you are accepted for the position of headmaster, Charles, administering the cane will be your responsibility. Do you feel properly prepared?” Eleanor asked, as they discussed it in her office. Charles felt his heart beat faster, but realized he was no longer nervous at the thought.
“I shall do my best,” he said, and smiled. “Of course, I would appreciate any instructions you deem necessary, so that the poor child will feel properly chastised.”
“Believe me, Charles, a caning makes a fine impression on a small bottom, regardless of who wields the rod. Give her twelve of your best strokes just as you practiced earlier. I’m sure that by the time you release Willamena, she will have learned a lesson, regardless of your expertise,” Eleanor assured him as she smiled.
Charles nodded and stood when she did. In his youth, the count of a half-dozen strokes was used to correct a young man’s misbehavior. Eleanor, he had learned, did not follow normal standards. Any girl under her authority who earned correction deserved to be completely and very thoroughly disciplined whether it be by a hand or, as this moment demanded, a cane. As she walked to the door to usher her student inside, Charles remembered how it had felt to use the cane against a pillow Eleanor had placed upon a chair for him to use for practice. He looked at a large urn where several canes stood ready for use.
“Willamena, you may come in now,” Charles heard Eleanor say. He turned to watch as a young woman entered the room, her steps slow and hesitant. He was surprised to see that this woman was older than most of Eleanor’s students. He knew most of her girls came to her at just a few months before or after reaching their majority. While most of the girls were betrothed upon their enrollment, Charles was informed that a select few actually chose the school for themselves. He was learning that, for some inexplicable reason, those women simply understood that they wished to live their lives in submission and obedience to dominant men. They trusted Miss Summers to place them in homes where their wishes could be fulfilled by men she had carefully selected.
As for the woman before him, Willamena appeared to be at least five or six years older than her sister students. Eleanor took the young woman’s arm and guided her to stand in front of Charles. The girl would not look up, her eyes remaining glued to the tips of her boots.
“Professor Lloyds,” Eleanor said using his title to evoke his authority over the poor girl. “This is Willamena Johansson. She comes to us already wed for two years. Her husband has enrolled her with us as he attends to business matters out of the country. It seems that Willamena was quick to forget her place without his presence in the past. She was