Catherine's Letters

by Aubourg, Jean-Philippe

  I was immediately alert. Why would Miss Prior be sending Molly to my room at this time of night?

  ‘She asks can you come with me to her room, if you please, Miss Catherine.’

  I was intrigued and somewhat flustered, but tried to regain my composure. ‘Very well, Molly. Please tell Miss Prior I shall be with her directly.’ I expected Molly to leave, taking my message back to Miss Prior, but she did not move.

  ‘I’m sorry, Miss Catherine,’ she said, a shake now noticeable in her voice. ‘Miss Prior was very clear about what I was to do. She said I was not to come back unless you were with me.’

  I was dumbstruck! What was I to do? Take orders from a servant? Surely Miss Prior could not expect such a thing! However, Molly seemed certain of her instructions, and it appeared easier to go along with her than to try and argue the point with the simple girl. ‘Very well,’ I said, ‘lead on with the candle.’ Closing the door of my room behind me, I walked down the corridor, following the flickering light.

  Miss Prior’s room was on the floor above mine, at the opposite end of the hall. Up to this point I had never been summoned inside, and I freely admit to some feelings of trepidation as Molly and I approached the door. We stopped outside and Molly knocked three times. From within, Miss Prior called us to enter. Molly turned the knob and I followed her inside.

  The room was furnished sparsely but tastefully, with a brass bed dominating it, while a small dressing table and chair occupied one corner. The only other items of furniture were a wardrobe and a small armchair, in which Miss Prior herself was seated. She stood as we came in and I closed the door behind me. Molly placed the candle on the bedside table.

  ‘Thank you for joining us at short notice, Catherine.’ Miss Prior was still fully dressed in her simple but severe black dress. ‘I am sorry to have to call you at this hour, but then I am sorry to have to call you at all. Nevertheless, I feel this is a matter which must be dealt with at once.’

  My heart sank. I judged from the tone of her voice that I was in trouble, but the reason for Molly’s presence I could only guess at.

  ‘I would ordinarily deal with this in the normal course of the day, but, given that it involves young Molly here, I felt it best that it be resolved at a time when she can be with us without arousing suspicion or interruption from other members of the household.’

  My heart was already pounding, and I realised to what Miss Prior was referring. I desperately prayed that I might be wrong, but my hopes were immediately dashed.

  ‘It has come to my attention that you took it upon yourself to whip Molly.’ Miss Prior’s accusation was made bluntly and without emotion. She continued without giving me the opportunity to answer, had I been able to find the words. ‘Indeed, you not only whipped her, but forced the poor girl to strip naked. She tells me it was the most humiliating and painful experience of her life.’

  I cast a sideways glance at Molly, who was staring at the floor, her face red and her fingers intertwined in front of her. She had clearly sought Miss Prior as an ally, hoping she would take her side. But I was not prepared to yield without stating my case, as frightened as I was of Miss Prior’s authority.

  ‘But,’ I began, my throat dry with apprehension, ‘I was merely following your example, Miss Prior. The girl was obviously in need of tuition and discipline, and I applied both of these in the manner in which you taught me.’

  ‘I see.’ Miss Prior’s tone was cool and detached. I could tell I had not convinced her. ‘And are you, a girl of 19, whose education is not yet complete, the mistress of this house?’

  I was nonplussed by the question. ‘Why, no, miss,’ was all I managed to reply.

  ‘Then it is clearly not your place to be handing out floggings to the staff!’

  ‘No, miss.’ My answer came with a sob, and I could feel tears prickling in my eyes. I expected to be sentenced to a punishment to be delivered in the school room the next day, and so was completely unprepared for Miss Prior’s following announcement.

  ‘So, Catherine, since you saw fit to flog Molly in your bedroom, for exceeding your authority in such a brutal fashion you will now be thrashed in mine.’

  I stared at her, my mouth agape in horror. It was not only the thought of a whipping from her which terrified me, frightening though that was, but that she had pronounced sentence in the presence of a servant, and a lower one at that! Can you begin to imagine my shame at that moment, Connie?

  ‘Oh please, Miss Prior,’ I whimpered, ‘do not speak to me in such a way in front of a housemaid! Please wait until you have sent her away!’

  ‘Sent her away?’ repeated Miss Prior, in a voice which made my blood run cold. ‘I will most certainly not be sending her anywhere for the foreseeable future! No, it is only right and fitting that Molly should be a witness to your chastisement, since it was against her that your crime was committed.’

  I was flabbergasted. ‘But, miss! You cannot! Please, you cannot!’ I begged. But I knew it was in vain, and that I must surrender to my inevitable fate. Even now, Miss Prior was pulling the cane from underneath her coverlet.

  ‘Remove your slippers and dressing gown, Catherine,’ she ordered. With a heavy heart, I obediently stepped out of my footwear and slipped my gown off my shoulders. I expected to be told to raise my nightdress and bend over, so was horrified at Miss Prior’s next instruction. ‘Now remove your nightdress.’

  ‘But Miss Prior!’ I wailed. ‘I cannot! I am naked underneath! Molly will see me!’

  ‘As you saw her, Catherine. Exactly as you saw her! Now will you do as you are told, or do I have to undress you myself, like a naughty child?’ I hesitated, and this was my undoing. ‘Come, Molly, help me get this wicked girl into a suitable costume for her punishment.’

  Miss Prior stepped toward me, and without thinking I took a pace back. I immediately found my wrists being seized from behind by Molly. For a small girl, who must have been poorly fed in early life, she had a remarkably strong grip. It was one from which I could not escape, and I found my hands being held tightly behind my back.

  Miss Prior approached me from the front, stooped to take hold of my hem, then stood up again, pulling the garment up to my head. A couple more tugs, and it was over, and I was spun around by my shoulders. She took my wrists from Molly, dragging the crumpled nightdress over them, and then my hands. I was turned back to face her, now presented in the shame of Eve’s costume.

  My first instinct was cover my spot and breasts with my hands, but Miss Prior quickly smacked them away with the tip of her cane, to leave me exposed in the most humiliating way possible. ‘No false modesty, Catherine,’ she chided. ‘You certainly did not allow Molly any.’ I turned to look at the serving wench, who was still blushing, but now also wore a look of smug satisfaction.

  ‘Do not blame Molly for telling me of your secret,’ Miss Prior said, flexing the cane as she seemed to read my thoughts. ‘It was as much your own carelessness which is to blame for your discovery.’ I stared blankly at her, failing to understand. ‘I am a creature of habit, Catherine. I always leave my martinet with the thongs to the left, so the handle is to my right hand. You replaced it in reverse. Likewise the cane, which is always hung with the straight rod toward my seat, not the crook of the handle, as you left it.’

  My heart sank, Connie. I had been undone by my own lack of attention to detail. ‘Once I knew my precious tools had been moved without my authority,’ Miss Prior went on, flexing the cane again in a most menacing fashion, ‘I set out to find by whom. When I saw Molly’s eyes were red from crying, and that she moved uncomfortably, as if her bottom were sore – a sight I am well attuned to, I can assure you – it was simply a matter of persuading her to tell me the whole story. She was reluctant at first, but the threat of more punishment from myself, and the promise of half a crown for telling the truth, soon had her talking. And I must say it was no surprise to learn that you were the culprit, Catherine!’

  I believe at this point I blushed to the roots o
f my hair, ashamed not only at what I had done, but also, rather strangely, at being discovered so easily. I knew then that I must be punished, and that the punishment would be both justified and cathartic.

  Miss Prior took one of the pillows from the head of her bed and placed it in the centre of her coverlet. It was clear what she meant me to do. ‘Place yourself in the correct position,’ she said curtly.

  Painfully aware of my nudity, I clambered onto Miss Prior’s bed, grateful at least that I would be lying face down, and therefore partially hidden from view. The thought of my exposed and vulnerable bottom, however, gave me no comfort whatsoever. Placing my loins on the re-positioned pillow, and my head and arms on its fellow, still at the head of the bed, I awaited my painful fate.

  Miss Prior approached me and tapped my bottom twice with her cane. ‘A most prettily presented target,’ she said, as if taunting me, ‘and one which shall be striped before very much longer. But first it must be spanked, in order to teach Catherine the full error of her ways. Molly, my dear, you may proceed.’

  I twisted to see the maid stepping up alongside Miss Prior. With horror, I saw she was rolling up the right sleeves of her dressing gown and shift. Surely I would not be subjected to such an humiliating ordeal! To be spanked by my governess would be unpleasant, but in the natural order of things. But for a lady of such social standing as myself to be physically punished by a kitchen maid! Oh Connie, it would be shame beyond belief!

  ‘Miss Prior! No! She must not spank me! She is just a maid!’ I pleaded in shock and surprise.

  ‘Do be quiet, Catherine!’ Miss Prior told me, her tone showing she would brook no disobedience or debate. ‘Your elevated social position carries responsibility. You may be a lady, but you are a lady who suffers from the sin of pride. A little abasement at the hands of this simple but modest girl is just what is required.’

  With a sob, I sank my head into the pillow, as Molly’s hand, hard from all her manual labour, stroked my soft, bare bottom, feeling how plump the flesh was, teasing me before she began to hurt me.

  She lifted her palm away and I closed my eyes and held my breath. Seconds later, and my bottom shook with the impact. The pain followed closely, albeit not as excruciating as I knew a spanking from Miss Prior would have been. As Molly landed her second spank I hoped that, aside from the shame, I was actually being let off quite easily by taking part of my punishment from her.

  But although I had no reason to believe the girl had ever handed out a spanking before that night, I was surprised at how efficiently she learnt to perform the task. My poor bottom was soon smarting, and I gasped and whimpered with every fresh slap of Molly’s hand.

  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,’ sh
e 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.