by Paul Markham
By the time Fiona had concluded her narrative, it was the passionate woman in Agnes who had scored a points victory over the Rectory daughter and who had decided to go ahead. Agnes' view of Fiona had been re-written from start to finish by the time the dialogue ended, but the changes were far from negative. That having been said, it was Fiona, rather than Agnes, who won the blushing surprise competition in the final moments, when Agnes asked her, somewhat timidly, if she would chaperone her at The Bamboo Suite during the following week. The blushing simply intensified when Agnes went on to ask if Fiona would 'take care of the other details as well'.
Both young women were fully aware of the implications of this request and these were then discussed in some depth. The question of propriety in physician/patient relationships was an obvious problem, yet both of them knew, first and foremost, that theirs was not to become a full-time relationship; rather, a very special shared experience, one that might even be shared in the opposite direction at a later date. Secondly, they realised that, if they were to discuss this with their peers, the laughter that would greet their proposals would, in any case, soon drown out any ethical discussion. The one area in which Fiona did hold back was in the actual administration of discipline. She then explained why she had found the anonymity of the person who had applied the discipline so helpful. She also told Agnes, with a wicked glint in her eye, of something that would surprise her very much indeed.
Having made a telephone call to The Bamboo Suite to confirm her intentions, Agnes walked round to the surgery five days later and set off, on foot, with Helen for Lower Blenheim Street where, just under fifteen minutes later, the door opened unbidden to admit them to the light and airy reception area. The day was less bright than it had been at the time of the first visit, but meteorology was the last subject on either woman's mind.
The registration and consent process was as well-oiled as any such procedure at a clinical establishment. Once the signatures of Agnes and Helen were on the sheet, along with those of two independent witnesses, namely Fiona and Sophia, and the substantial fee had been settled discreetly, the two women were taken upstairs and along a corridor adjoining the drawing room. There were two doors on either side of the door at the end of the corridor. Helen took out a plastic card and swiped it down a scanner set over the lock. The door opened noiselessly and the three women walked through into what looked very like a well lit air-lock. The outer door closed behind them and simultaneously, an inner door opened, admitting them to a spacious room in which autumn colours were the theme, reflected in the thick carpet and in the hangings in front of the ultra-efficient three-quarter depth double-glazed windows, between which a dried flower arrangement stood in simple elegance on a modern coffee table in light wood, with a satin finish.
Fiona shivered, unobserved, as the familiar scene met her. Agnes looked around at the strange, but comfortable room. In the centre, positioned half way across the mid-line of the room, was a strange-looking padded structure which, at first sight, bore a loose resemblance to a hinged ironing board, but of more substantial proportions. The two halves of the device, which stood approximately 2 foot 6 inches above the carpet and the axis of which appeared to be pivoted around a sturdy wood-encased pillar, leaned out from the vertical plane, forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees. At the base of the near section, there was a brass catch and, on either side of this catch, there was a recess cut into the frame. There were also 1inch strips of triple-layer mid-brown velvet dangling on either side of the crisp, freshly-laundered single-piece cover that adorned the entire frame on both sides. Closer inspection by the very curious Agnes revealed that the nearer portion of the frame consisted of two separate segments, that appeared to be hinged at the top, using a mechanism similar to that found in expanding joiners' rulers. Fiona smiled at Helen and the gesture was acknowledged with a hint of a smile.
Examination of the front portion of the frame revealed to Agnes that it had what appeared to be retractable arm rests on either side, the outer end of each featuring a strip of velvet, once again, with two strips of Velcro sewn into them approximately six inches from the end of the support.
Overcome with curiosity Agnes walked around the frame again, before moving to the side of the room to peer behind the nearer of two doors. Upon opening it, she found herself in a windowless dressing room, where a single piece cream-coloured smock was hanging wrapped in polythene on a coat hanger. It did not take long for Agnes to find the corporate logo, in its usual place. She then examined the garment and, finding it to be exactly her size, proceeded to investigate the detail. It was a very simple garment, the only unusual feature being the slit that ran down each side, starting just above hip level and extending down to the hem.
Looking to the side, Agnes found a small chest of drawers, in the same American white oak as the desk in the reception area. Cautiously, she opened the top drawer and found a selection of knickers and panties, all in her size and in a variety of styles and colours, each wrapped in semi-transparent tissue. She smiled and then moved down to examine the contents of the next drawer, which turned out to be bath and hand towels, shower caps and various soaps and shampoos. Again, she smiled, realising once again that quality costs.
Moving on, she peered at the mirror in the door to the shower room cabinet, which she opened, revealing a range of hypoallergenic creams and sprays. She shivered for a moment as she recalled what she had accepted for her discipline... 24 hand smacks on each buttock, to be followed by 12 strokes with a two-inch soft-leather strap and an optional 4 strokes from the cane. She knew it would not be easy to see this through, but thus far she was determined to do just that.
Walking back into the main room, Agnes found Fiona and Helen in what could, under different circumstances, have been taken for a conspiratorial conversation, so hushed were the tones. However, the warmth of their smiles told a different story and it was only a matter of moments before Helen announced that, if Agnes was happy, the session would begin, with the anonymity option she had exercised, in exactly ten minutes, by which time it would help if she were in position and ready.
Agnes shivered again and blushed slightly, thankful that she had had the foresight to offer her stressed digestive system a little pharmaceutical assistance in maintaining an artificial calm. Her mind was whirring and her thoughts were becoming more and more confused as Fiona walked to the door adjoining the shower and changing room door and closed it behind Helen as she exited into the ante-chamber leading to the second main corridor.
Fiona held out her hands and Agnes, beginning to realise just how a number of schoolgirls amongst her ancestors must have felt in those bygone days when this sort of thing happened as part and parcel of the normal educational system, accepted the reassurance gratefully. She leaned against her friend and, for a few moments, they stood together, Agnes enfolded in Fiona's arms.
It was no more than a couple of minutes later when Fiona nudged Agnes gently and led her towards the changing room.
"Do you want me to help you, Aggie?" she asked, kindly.
"No thanks, Fi," Agnes replied, but I'd like your advice on these preparations in the medicine chest.
Under expert medical guidance, Agnes selected a mildly anaesthetic gel and a cold cream, which Fiona took back into the main room, along with a packet of cotton wool balls. These were placed on the small table just behind a mysterious, narrow, floor-to-ceiling panel, situated directly opposite a matching panel located between the doors leading to the changing rooms and the exit anteroom.
Agnes undressed slowly, undoing her blouse with greater care than usual and stepping daintily out of her underskirt. She unzipped the knee-length flared maroon skirt and slid it down her legs. She watched her every movement in the full length mirror and, as recommended in the literature she had been given, slipped her French knickers off and placed them in a plastic bag, which she then placed in the corner of the room. For a few minutes, she showered carefully, neglecting no part of her anatomy. Her hands lingered a
little longer than usual on her bottom, as she felt its shape and tried to visualise how it would look in half an hour's time. Again, she shivered with that strange mixture of nervousness and excitement that certain people feel when contemplating the imminent administration of discipline.
Stepping carefully out of the shower, Agnes dried herself with meticulous care, before stripping off the polythene wrapping from the smock, which she then donned. She looked intently at her side image in the mirror, then turned and lifted the rear hem of the split lower portion of the smock. She looked at the firmness of her size 14 buttocks and blushed, trying not to giggle and think of the usual clichés that run through one's mind at such times. Happily, she convinced herself that her bum did not look big when thus attired.
Having checked that all her clothing was neatly hung up and that the damp towelling had been placed in the laundry basket, Agnes put the polythene from the smock in the waste bin before opening the top drawer and removing a pair of full-sized plain white cotton briefs that looked extremely comfortable. She removed the tissue, closed the drawer with her hip and then stooped to slip the garment up her legs and thighs and onto her bottom. She felt a frisson of pleasure from the coolness of the fabric and flexed and parted her knees slightly so that she could adjust the knickers for her comfort. Having ensured that everything was as it ought to be, she raised the hem of the smock once again and turned to view the bottom that would soon be gazed upon by eyes that had never before seen her and that she would never recognise as belonging to a person who had applied discipline to her.
It was a gentle tap on the door from Fiona that brought her back to the reality of her situation, reminding her that she had only four minutes in which to get into position.
Hastily, Agnes left the changing room and made her way across to the folding frame device. Seeing her confusion and loss of orientation, Fiona guided her to stand behind it, her feet in the recesses provided at the end of the frame. She then stooped and brought the two strips of padded velvet across Agnes' lower legs and secured them with the Velcro fasteners. Agnes was beginning to tremble, but experience rightly reassured Fiona that this had as much to do with anticipation and excitement as it did with healthy fear. Fiona walked round to the front and asked Agnes to bend forward and place her arms where they would be most comfortable. This Agnes did, in mute, bewildered compliance, whilst her friend adjusted the padded arm-rests and secured the forearms in position with the Velcro fasteners on the strips of padded velvet. In true physician style, Fiona checked the peripheral pulses and felt the firm, albeit accelerated heartbeat of her excitedly anxious friend.
Fiona smiled and stooped to whisper to her friend. "Which side do you want me on, Aggie, here or behind?"
For a moment, Agnes was confused. "What do you mean, which side? There's only one room."
"Ah," replied Fiona, "we didn't tell you about that, did we? Well, Aggie, trust me, please and just tell me if you would rather I was here or behind you, or even in the ante room!"
"Nooo," pleaded Agnes, "stay here with me. Can you watch from behind please. I might get embarrassed if I can see you fully."
Fiona smiled and stood up, looking intently towards the back of the room. She turned momentarily to stoop and kiss her friend on the shoulder, then nodded almost imperceptibly towards the back of the room. A tiny red light flashed just below the light fitting and there was a gentle whirr as electrically-operated roller blinds began to descend behind the vertical blinds at the opposite end of the room, creating an atmosphere similar to that experienced during a total eclipse of the sun, with the exception that there was no chilling sensation... at least, not thermally.
Agnes closed her eyes and struggled to contain her emotions as the moment drew nearer and nearer. She was puzzled by what was happening, but so intrigued that this was the sentiment that dominated her thoughts and body. She watched as the roller blinds ran their full course and the room lights dimmed slowly. She also caught sight of Fiona disappearing behind her at exactly the moment when the narrow vertical panel opened, along with a matching narrow ceiling panel linking the two sides of the room. For a ghoulish moment, Agnes' mind wandered into the wildest fantasy as curtains appeared simultaneously from both sides of the room. As they reached the frame, the mechanism continued to draw them across, dividing Agnes' waiting shape into two halves. The sense of detachment that this produced in Agnes was something she could never have imagined, but when a click heralded the raising of a 12 inch square area of carpet in front of her, her astonishment knew no bounds, for there in front of her was a monitor on which she found herself looking down on her own lower half, bent across the frame in expectation of something she could not even imagine. Without any obvious intervention, the lens appeared slowly to be zooming in on her bottom. Briefly, she caught a glimpse of the top of Fiona's luxuriant hair and saw her turn fleetingly to smile at her. It was probably this simple gesture that prevented her from succumbing totally to panic.
Eventually, the image became fixed and Agnes watched in complete fascination, heavily laced with apprehension, as a pair of fairly narrow, white gloved hands appeared in the field of vision. One of these, rested in the small of her back, depositing a soft leather strap with a bound leather handle. This strap folded itself across her back whilst the hand made sure it was firmly in place. The other hand moved to the seat of the smock. There was the briefest of gaps between the tactile and visual inputs, the combination of which set Agnes' mind into feverish activity. She had decided not to think actively any more, but passively, not conjuring up ideas of what was to happen, but responding to them. Gradually a very soothing sensation took root in her mind and she gave in to it, relaxing and feeling the tension easing gradually out of her muscles. A warmth of mild euphoria seeped over her as the hand slid softly across her seat, feeling out the profiles of the buttocks and hips.
It was a while before Agnes became aware that the hand was no longer touching her bottom and the only pressure she could now feel was that of the strap laid across the small of her back. She looked intently at it and began to find her mind filling with thoughts that were very different from those that she had imagined that she might feel under such circumstances. Her buttocks twitched involuntarily as the hem of the smock was lifted slowly and was then attached carefully to two clips that were attached at exactly the correct height on the curtains. Agnes tensed and watched the muscle movements on the screen, rippling across the cotton.
A few seconds later, a hand re-appeared in the small of the back and the second hand moved to the centre of the left buttock.
Behind the screens, Fiona smiled to the 26-year old girl, with her mid-back length jet black hair, as she stood, poised to begin the discipline. She nodded very briefly to her and was acknowledged with a brief smile before the young lady, in her smart uniform tunic, turned her attention to Agnes' bottom and patted softly in the centre.
Agnes closed her eyes as the gentle patting soothed her, briefly, but opened them abruptly as the first sharp smack landed in the centre of the bouncing cheek. She gasped momentarily, then closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, to see when and where the second smack would land. It was probably no more than five seconds before it was announced by a short series of warning pats on the right buttock, symmetrically opposite the site where the first smack had landed.
Both the first two smacks were of similar intensity, as were the next ten, which were delivered with almost military timing and precision, covering a band extending over two hand-widths right across the centre two-thirds of each buttock. Just over two minutes after the spanking had started, Agnes was beginning almost to get into a routine and to be adapting to the rhythm when there was a brief pause. She realised that the hand had moved, once again, from the small of her back and that something else was happening.
Behind the screens, once again, Sarah looked at Fiona for her signal and, when it was given with the briefest of nods and a hint of a smile her gloved fingers slipped inside the knicker w
aistband and the garment was rolled down to form a thick line at the base of the cheeks. The gloved hands probed with exquisite gentleness, to dislodge the fabric from between Agnes' thigh tops, after which the garment was rolled down to mid-thigh and left there. Again, the reassuring hand was moved into position over the strap, whilst the spanking hand returned to its task.
There was no mistaking the fact that the next 18 smacks were considerably more intense than the 24 initial smacks. In fact, Agnes was beginning to struggle as the first 12 were administered, but then she became aware of a strange sensation, borne of a mixture of the semi-erotic experience of watching her own bottom being bared and spanked, combined with a new and totally unexpected sensation that seemed to create a powerful feeling that had all the hallmarks of intense sexual pleasure, yet was not overtly sexual. She struggled in vain to put a name to this feeling, but she did find that the more widely-spaced second batch of smacks, lasting just over two and a half minutes, was nothing like what she had expected.
There was a longer pause at the end of the second batch, during which Agnes noted the change in the colour of her bottom and the way in which her body was responding to this new form of interaction. She was thinking deeply about how she wished it were Fiona who was doing this, yet the unknown element albeit against the background of Fiona's reassuring presence added a distinct element of spice to the scene.