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Chapter 3
Lucy couldn’t stop the embarrassing dance as her bottom wagged up and down, swaying from side to side like an out of control metronome as she fought to cool the fire her headmaster seemed determined to stoke higher with every stroke. She’d wanted to protest her guardian’s statement that her father had been lenient… he’d often taken her across his knees. But she had to admit, he’d never, ever produced anything close to the raging inferno that was burning across her buttocks.
Lucy finally collapsed, her hand pulling free of her sister’s as she sank to the floor. She cupped the punished skin of her bottom in her palms as she continued to beg for mercy. “I’m sorry, please, I-I can’t take another. Sir… please, I’m begging you.”
“Keep your hands off your bottom,” Thorne said as he reached down and unceremoniously hauled her up by her arm. Lucy tried to pull away even though her sister was again reaching for her hand.
“No, please. You-You’ll skin me alive!”
“Rubbish! You still have four strokes to go, and now I fear you have earned extra, Miss Furniss. You are behaving as a child. Return to your position immediately, or I shall have to call for help in restraining you.”
His words pierced her cries, causing Lucy to struggle to compose herself as much as possible. It was horrid enough being caned and seen half-undressed by this man. Knowing that her brother-in-law was also witnessing her chastisement as well as her state of undress was causing her great shame. She sobbed, but the threat of additional witnesses did what even the threat of more strokes was unable to accomplish. Releasing her abused buttocks, she resumed the familiar position of miscreants everywhere, head down, bottom bared and lifted, stomach twisting while waiting to receive the next biting strike of the viper. She heard her sister whisper for her to be brave, and Lucy wished she could emulate Louisa’s acceptance of the horrid discipline. She couldn’t find the strength or bravery and instead buried her face in her hands, her cries echoing around the room as Thorne finished her dozen.
“Bottom pushed out if you please,” Thorne ordered as he swished the cane several times in the air. When she didn’t instantly comply, he pressed the end of the devil’s implement into the previous stroke, tapping it sharply. “I said, bottom well out, young lady.”
Lucy sobbed into the scratchy fabric of the settee, trying to bring her bottom into the position he’d ordered. She heard the cane swish once more through the air, and then her head reared back as she conveyed the agony of the extra stroke in one long drawn out scream.
As with her sister, Thorne had placed the additional, extremely hard stroke to cross her bottom on the diagonal. Apparently believing her behavior warranted even further correction, he walked to her other side. “Again, Miss Furniss. Lift your bottom and submit to your discipline.”
One more… she could take just one more, she told herself. Gritting her teeth, Lucy forced her bottom up. Thorne tapped the cane across the painfully raised skin and then lifted his arm. As the stroke landed to cross all previous lines, Lucy collapsed onto her stomach, her hands reaching back to cover and rub at the fire in her throbbing backside once more.
“Lucille Furniss, get your hands off your arse,” Edward stated firmly, as if not believing she had the audacity to try to rub away her punishment after being reminded earlier. “Present yourself properly until you are released, or it will be another round of the cane.”
Lucy pulled her hands away from her welted skin only to claw at the fabric of the settee as she pushed herself up. She continued to sob as both men looked at the tangible evidence of consequences the two had earned for their actions.
“You may now rise,” Thorne dictated after the hand of the large clock on the wall completed three full revolutions around the twelve. “Place your noses against the wall.”
Lucy was grateful for Louisa’s assistance as she helped her to stand. Her legs a bit wobbly, she managed to follow her twin the short distance to the wall. Stepping forward, she gave a sob as she pressed her nose to the flocked floral wallpaper. She had just closed her eyes when they flew open again as she felt her skirt being raised. Whipping her head around, she met the eyes of her headmaster.
“You were proud of your plan to deceive this school’s faculty, and you’ll keep your skirts well up to display how that pride earned you a crimson X across your buttocks,” he informed her, pulling her skirt and her petticoats to her shoulders. “Keep them high, is that clear?”
Putting her hands up to accept the bunched fabric he pressed into them, she managed to answer, “Yes, Headmaster Thorn.”
With a final adjustment to pull the halves of her bloomers even further apart and another admonishment to push her punished bum out, Thorne finally seemed satisfied and left her to her shame. Tears slid down her face, her shoulders shaking with her soft sobs, her humiliation doubling as she heard her guardian instructing her sister to hold the skirts he’d obviously rolled up for her. She couldn’t hear what else he said as it was muffled, but she heard Louisa’s soft sob and her heart broke anew as she wished she’d never involved her twin in her own misdeeds.
* * *
Their sobs filledthe air and their bodies continued to shake and quiver. Edward gave a small grin as he stepped away from his wife, rubbing the thumb and index finger of his right hand together. He’d wondered if he would find his wife in the same condition under this punishment as he always found her under his. His fingers had itched to discover the truth throughout her caning, but he’d managed to control himself until the proper moment presented itself for him to ease his curiosity. Sharing his wife’s bottom for punishment with another man after her marriage was one thing; sharing the intimate details of her body’s response was quite another. Her soft gasp as he’d slid his fingers between her legs after lifting her skirts to her shoulders had his cock stiffening. The easy slide of finger against thumb had provided the answer to his question.
He turned to see Thorne lifting the cane back into its place on the wall. The headmaster turned with a sigh and then grinned.
“You’d be quite amazed at how even the stubbornest pupil’s legs begin to shake when they see one of these being considered,” he said, swiping his hand at the racks holding a dozen canes behind his desk. “Even though I know they can very seldom focus on the lecture I’m giving as their minds are consumed with the question of which one of the many options I will choose to enforce the rules of this establishment, it really doesn’t matter. In the end, I make sure the lesson is learned.”
Edward smiled, looking back at the two women at the wall. “I have absolutely no doubt that you do.” The men sat, neither feeling the need to converse further as they both listened to the sounds of the small, feminine cries, as well enjoyed the view of a pair of very well-punished heart-shaped bottoms peeking out from parted bloomers.
Fifteen long minutes passed until Thorne sighed. “You may lower your skirts and turn around.”
The twins immediately dropped skirts to cover their bottoms, their hands slipping beneath to readjust their bloomers. Their faces continued to show their embarrassment, as both burned as brightly red as the multiple rows of weals covering their aching bottoms.
Lord Wintercrest reminded them sternly that they owed their headmaster a sincere apology and proper words of gratitude for his concern for their welfare. “After all, if Headmaster Thorne didn’t care about his students, then he certainly wouldn’t take the time to discipline them would he?” His question was met with Lucy and Louisa exchanging a glance that flirted on disrespectful, but they both made a proper apology as Edward stood between them. When they were once again silent, he added his own words of appreciation, thanking Thorne for his time and attention.
“Rest assured, Monday will find a much better-behaved and far more prepared student in Lucille. I thank you for allowing my ward a chance to retake her exam and spare her the further shame of expulsion from your institution. We all appreciate your mercy and concern for her future.”
Thorne accepted his thanks. “I, too, hope that your ward will be able to pass the final examination. However, she is dreadfully lacking in mathematical skills. Perhaps you’ll allow me to offer some assistance?”
“Please do,” Edward said.
“Thank you,” Thorne gushed. “While waiting for your arrival, I spoke with our mathematics professor, who has graciously offered to forgive Miss Furniss her deception, and I am pleased to say, also offered your ward the opportunity for tutoring. Regular hours are ending now, but Professor Lloyds is waiting to hear if you feel he could be of service.”
