From the Top Shelf - Lucy's Bottom Smarts

Last week we found our friends Juliette and Lucy being enrolled as schoolgirls at Carstairs, a private school for girls who have been in trouble with the law. As you may have guessed, Lucy doesn't have long to wait before finding out what a real spanking feels like. But it happens much sooner than she expected.

Lucy woke with a start, her sleep-befuddled brain confused by the unfamiliar surroundings and strange bed. As she sat bolt upright, staring at the sparsely furnished room, awareness came flooding back to her and she buried her head in her hands. Despite the restless night, broken by a series of nightmares, this was no dream and she had not imagined the predicament she was now in.

Juliette's great aunt Elspeth had escorted the two girls from her comfortable lounge, along a corridor to an altogether more austere office where she had introduced them to Miss Parkin. The Vice Principal was a lady of medium height with dark hair, turning to silver. Lucy judged her to be in her forties, but it was difficult to tell. She carried no excess flesh and her figure was obviously still trim. When she shook hands with the girls Lucy immediately noticed her warm, firm grip. It was a trait which normally gave Lucy confidence in a person but, in the present circumstances, she wondered if that strength of grip would be translated into a strong right arm.

Lucy knew that Sebastian had manoeuvred her and in her heart of hearts she also knew that she had known all along that he would. She could not even explain to herself why she had gone along with his game. On a purely practical level, she very much wanted to complete her studies and qualify for her doctorate. She had to admit that she was being given a unique opportunity to research her chosen field. On an altogether different plane, the one which really mattered if she was honest with herself, her experiences over the last few days had wildly excited her and she craved more, like a drug.

She had listen with rapt attention as Miss Parkin gave her introductory lecture. Aunt Elspeth, as Lucy had come to think of the old lady, had made no attempt to explain to her colleague that either girl had special status - just as she'd promised. In fact she had made up a story as she went along, something at least partially true in Juliette's case, alluding to her brush with the traffic warden, but glossing over her subsequent punishment. As far as Miss Parkin was concerned, her two new charges were simply young offenders who had been sent to Carstairs for their own good. She made it clear that she intended to see that they benefited from the experience.

Lucy and Juliette were left in no doubt that Miss Parkin had her own way of doing things, and her own particular line. If the two girls did not toe that line, then they would both find themselves unable to sit down for some considerable time. Lucy felt a familiar butterfly in her stomach. The thought that she might actually find herself on the receiving end of Miss Parkin's wrath terrified her, but at the same time she could not suppress the thrill of excitement as she tried to visualise herself twisting and wriggling under the mistress's firm grip.

Miss Parkin's voice cut harshly through Lucy's fantasy. "And what's more -" she wagged a finger at Lucy, "- each time you receive a punishment for a misdemeanour from a member of staff here, it will be logged as a demerit point or perhaps even several points."

She smiled grimly. "At the end of each term your points will be totalled up and you will be sent away with a suitable reminder to ensure that your stay here remains imprinted on your mind and elsewhere too - for some time to come. Six points will get you a taste of my tawse, ten points the cane and for twelve points you may visit the coppice at the back of the kitchen and gather me a nice bundle of birch twigs. I hope I don't see a potential twelve-point character in front of me, for your sakes!" She smiled at the girls, but Lucy saw that her eyes were cold and the thought made her shiver. She couldn't properly imagine what it must be like to be caned and the birch was just beyond her comprehension. The terrifyingly familiar electric spark of expectation pulsed in her groin.

They were both issued with a uniform skirt and blouse, simple garments clearly intended for utility rather than style, and rather reminiscent of a 1950s school uniform. The outer garments had been followed by the remainder of a basic wardrobe, after which they had been given a brief tour of the building before being shown to their rooms.

* * *

Dressing quickly in the uniform she had been given, Lucy found her way downstairs, following several other girls and enticed by the smell of cooking. Her long journey, late night and sound sleep had combined to make her feel very hungry. Her quest was soon satisfied by the discovery of a large dining room where she found an excellent meal awaited her.

Loading a tray, Lucy looked around for somewhere to sit. She spotted Juliette already seated at a fully occupied table and plainly not wanting to make room for her. After a moment of searching, she managed to find a spare place at a table already occupied by a number of other girls, all around the same age or younger. Diffidently, she approached them. "Hello, my name is Lucy and I'm new around here. Do you mind if I join you?"

The oldest-looking girl in the group occupying the table motioned her to sit. She seemed to be only a little younger than Lucy herself and appeared to have assumed the leadership of the little group. "Hi, I'm Karen. Yes, please join us."

After breakfast, Karen takes Lucy to her first class.

"In here. Just take any seat and wait. Miss Edwardes will be along soon. She takes all new arrivals and juniors for social awareness classes. Be careful of her; she has a pretty short fuse. I have to get to my own class now but I'll probably see you at lunch. Good luck!"

Entering the room, Lucy saw that Juliette had arrived a few moments before her and was already seated with two or three other girls at the back of the room. Lucy, not knowing how close Juliette was to her great aunt, assumed she must have more or less expected the regime at Carstairs and thus was finding little difficulty in settling in. Taking one of several vacant places nearer the front of the room, she sat down and waited as she had been told.

She did not have to wait long. Over the next few minutes several other girls dressed in the Carstairs uniform came into the room and and found themselves seats, mostly behind Lucy. Looking around her she estimated that the average age of the class ranged from perhaps sixteen up to eighteen or nineteen. Apart from Lucy herself, Juliette was probably one of the oldest present. Then the classroom door opened again and a thin, sharp-faced woman of indeterminate age - perhaps forty or a little older - entered the room. The scrape of chairs behind her warned Lucy that the rest of the class, about fifteen girls altogether, was standing up. She did the same and stood by her chair waiting for her next cue. The woman took her time, her gaze traversing the room, assessing each girl in turn.

"I see that we have two new faces with us today. I want to get on , so I will make the introduction a brief one. My name is Edwardes." The voice was clear, the diction perfect, but the tone held unmistakable menace. "The subject we are here to study is Social Awareness. I am here to teach. You are here to learn. Remember that and we shall get along well. Forget it at your peril! Now, you at the back, who are you and why are you here?" The words came out more as a challenge than a question.

Juliette had clearly been primed by her new-found young friends, because her answer came back promptly and smoothly, as if rehearsed. "Juliette Baines, miss, and I am here because I need to improve my social skills and behaviour."

Lucy was so surprised by the glib response that she was momentarily thrown off balance when Miss Edwardes rapped out, "Very good! Now, you at the front. The one who keeps gazing round. Yes, you, the day-dreamer!"

"Er..I..er..my name is Lucy, Lucy Davis and I'm not supposed to be...I mean, I don't really know why-" she was making a wretched mess of it, "- I-I mean I suppose I have to learn Social Awareness too." She would have blundered on had Miss Edwardes not interrupted.

"Enough! You don't know why you are here? You don't know why you need to improve your behaviour? Well I don't care what cock and bull excuse you were going to come up with, I don't want to hear it. You wouldn't be here if you were not felt to be in need of the education which Carstairs offers. We have a very effective way of sorting out trouble-makers here, so you better not have any ideas of becoming one, for your sake! Now be seated, all of you, and we will begin."

The injustice of her savage dressing-down left Lucy speechless and crimson with embarrassment. As she sat down she was aware of some whispering and giggling behind her, instantly silenced by a glare from Miss Edwardes at a point over Lucy's shoulder. Miss Edwardes turned her back on the class and began to write something on the wall board.

"Owww!" Something wet and soggy hit the back of Lucy's neck and she grabbed at the afflicted spot and half-turned in her chair to see where the missile had come from.

"What do you think you are doing?" Miss Edwardes's voice was calm, even patient.

Lucy saw Juliette grinning evilly and with a sinking heart realised that she had fallen for one of the oldest, most childish tricks in the book.

"Well? I am waiting for your explanation!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Edwardes," Lucy began haltingly, realising that she would only look more stupid if she explained that someone had flicked a folded-up pellet of paper, chewed until it was soggy, at the back of her neck. "I-I'm sorry I interrupted you."

"Is that all? Oh dear, so you are sorry. I'm sorry too. Sorry for you, because 'sorry' doesn't cut much ice here. I can see you are determined to play the clown so, for your own good, I think we will have to drive the lesson home right now and nip those ideas in the bud. Come out here." She motioned to the front of the class.

With a sinking feeling, Lucy stood up and took one step forward. Miss Edwardes picked up a spare chair from the front of the class and placed it against the table at the front of the room.

"Hurry up girl and kneel on the chair."

"Please, Miss Edwardes, I don't understand. I've apologised for interrupting; it was an accident. I don't understand what you want me to do." Lucy, although flustered, could feel a tingle of anticipation. She didn't know quite what this woman had in mind for her, but it was obviously going to be no use protesting her innocence. She had a terrible suspicion that she knew what was going to happen, but she could not bring herself to form the words in her mind; to face up to what was to come.

"Since you are new here," Miss Edwardes's voice was silky-smooth, full of menace," for the first and last time, I will make a concession to your inexperience of the routine at Carstairs. Be warned, any slowness on your part to accept punishment with good grace in the future will not be dealt with so lightly." The word 'punishment' confirmed Lucy's fears. She felt her stomach muscles tighten.

"Normally, I would make you kneel on this chair, facing the wall. Then you would lower your knickers to your knees and bend forward, and I would raise your skirt and leather your bare backside with the strap which I keep in my desk drawer for just such a purpose. However as it is your first day here I will be merciful. I will sit on the chair and put you across my knee then give you the spanking you so richly deserve."

Lucy felt the blood rush to her head. This could not be happening to her. "You can't seriously expect me to do that?"

"I assure you that I can and you will - and it had better be quick or it will be the worse for you." Miss Edwardes's voice was like ice.

Lucy exploded. "I will not! This has gone far enough. I have had enough of this nonsense. I want to see Miss Parkin and sort this out right now." She was fighting to control her temper. There was no way this bizarre situation was going to be allowed to continue. She didn't care what Sebastian had arranged; this was going way too far. She had expected discipline, but not to be treated like a small child and punished in front of the class. She turned her back on the astonished teacher and swept out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Lucy knew the instant she left the room that she had made a serious mistake. She had always had a mercurial temper and her anger was replaced by cold logic as soon as it had arisen. No matter how childish it seemed, she was expected to conform to the Carstairs routine and it was obvious from Miss Edwardes's manner that Lucy was not being treated any differently to any of the other girls. She wondered what she could do to rectify the situation. She did not want to blow her chance of success on the project on her very first day. She almost turned back immediately, but her resolve failed her; she just did not see Miss Edwardes giving her a fair hearing.

Reluctantly she decided that the only thing to do was to go and see Miss Parkin, put her cards on the table, and ask for help in sorting things out. Hesitantly, she made her way along the corridor to where she knew Miss Parkin's office was situated. Arriving at the door, she knocked gently and waited. After a few seconds the door opened and Lucy found herself being ushered into the Vice Principal's office.

Lucy speaks to Miss Parkin and tells her the truth about why she is at Carstairs. The Vice Principal isn't sure whether to believe her or not.

"I must say that I have heard some tales in my time, but this is one of the tallest. My inclination is to submit you to immediate and severe punishment without further ado, before you waste another second of my time."

"Oh no, please Miss Parkin, I have told you the truth, I promise!"

"Very well. Never let it be said that I did not give a girl a fair hearing before birching her bottom. " Lucy turned pale. "It will take me some little time to investigate what you have told me with the Principal. I propose, therefore, to write a note to Miss Edwardes, explaining that there is an issue which is sub judice, so to speak, and asking for her indulgence on your behalf in the matter of your precipitate exit from her class."

Miss Parkin picked up a pen and rapidly scrawled a note on a single sheet of paper. She folded it neatly and inserted it into an envelope.

"Thank you, Miss Parkin." Lucy was genuinely relieved to be let off the hook.

"Not so fast, young lady. There is the matter of your interruption of Miss Edwardes's class. I do not entirely accept your explanation of the incident but even if it were true, I am sure Miss Edwardes is quite capable of maintaining discipline in her own class and it would be quite wrong of me to interfere, especially as I did not personally witness the incident. As a condition of my investigating your other claim, I expect you to return to Miss Edwardes's class immediately and make your apologies, accepting gracefully any penalty which she may decide is appropriate. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Lucy understood only too well. She was going to have to eat humble pie, and probably submit to a very humiliating punishment. Reluctantly she nodded. "Thank you, Miss Parkin, I will do as you ask."

"Good." For the first time since the interview began, Miss Parkin smiled. "I suggest you run along to your class right now. Return to my office at 7 p.m. this evening and I will review your case regarding the other matter. Now is there anything else you should tell me?"

"No, Miss Parkin. Thank you but I have nothing more to add."

"Until seven then." The Vice Principal handed Lucy the envelope she had prepared and indicated that the interview was over.

Lucy made her way back to the classroom at a snail's pace. At least she had got a fair hearing from Miss Parkin and it had brought her some time on the main problem. Now she had to face the music on the lesser count. Arriving outside the door, she raised her hand and knocked hesitantly. Instantly, as if she had been waiting for Lucy's return, Miss Edwardes barked, "Come in!"

Lucy opened the door. All fifteen pairs of eyes in the class were on her and there was an air of excited expectancy in the room.

"Please, Miss Edwardes, I have a note to give you from Miss Parkin." Lucy gulped, forming the words with difficulty, and held out the envelope she had been given.

"I see." Miss Edwardes took the envelope from Lucy's hand and, tearing it open, she scanned the single page within, slowly and in silence. Without making any comment on the content she folded the slip of paper carefully in half and tucked it into her bag, which was lying on the table.

"I see," she repeated, locking Lucy's eyes with her own hawk-like stare. "Very well. You have not forgotten, I am sure, that we have unfinished business which must be completed before you can resume your seat? Indeed, you may not wish to sit at all after I've finished with you."

Swallowing her pride, Lucy took a deep breath and stared at the floor. She knew that there was no choice if she was to make a go of things, but she still felt just as she had done when she launched herself into the deep end of a swimming pool for the first time. "If you please, Miss Edwardes, I sincerely apologise and I am ready to accept my punishment for interrupting you earlier."

Having got to the end of that little speech, which she had rehearsed under her breath while making the lonely walk from Miss Parkin's office back to the classroom, Lucy stood, her head bowed, blushing to the roots of her hair at the prospect of her impending humiliation - which was clearly going to be a very public affair conducted in front of the whole expectant class.

Miss Edwardes repositioned the chair she had previously threatened to put to such an unconventional use. There was a buzz of anticipation from the class behind her.

"Silence! The next girl to make a sound will be joining the queue for the use of this chair." Miss Edwardes raised her voice slightly and the classroom was instantly quiet. She seated herself on the chair, shifting herself about on the seat to ensure that it was stable. Then she beckoned to Lucy. "Come here, girl, and place yourself across my knee."

Lucy would willingly have rushed from the room again had she not been so desperate to complete her assignment. Miss Edwardes was pointing at her lap, her mesmeric eyes holding Lucy's in an unflinching gaze. Lucy felt so hot with shame she could melt. Reluctantly she approached the chair and began to lower herself across the waiting teacher's lap.

Miss Edwardes placed her left hand in the small of Lucy's back and pushed her firmly forwards. Lucy lost her balance and flopped right over, her nose inches from the floor, her legs straight out behind her. She felt her skirt being flipped up over her shoulders and she tried to crane her neck round to see what was happening. She saw a sea of expectant faces, Juliette's triumphant grin plainly visible amongst them.

"Eyes front, girl!"

The pressure was momentarily released from her back as Miss Edwardes firmly twisted Lucy's head around to face forwards. Her field of vision was again restricted to a spot on the floor several inches in front of her nose. She gasped in horror as Miss Edwardes's fingers scrabbled at her panties, pulling the flimsy material into a tight twist between her legs, then pulling the waist band up tightly so that the garment was wrenched fiercely into her bottom-crack like a stripper's G-string. Lucy was only too hotly aware that in terms of preserving her modesty, or offering any protection against what was to come, she might as well have been naked. She cringed in anticipation.

"Normally speaking, I would be content to give you just six, although they would have to be six of the very best. But as you have made yourself so very obnoxious, young lady, you shall have a couple extra for your trouble." The quiet voice was probably not audible to the rest of the class, but Lucy heard each syllable very clearly. Miss Edwardes laid her hand softly on the centre of Lucy's bottom and the girl tried hard not to squirm at the touch. The mistress's hand felt frighteningly hard. Then, suddenly, the touch was gone. Risking a quick glance over her shoulder, Lucy was just in time to see Miss Edwardes's hand begin to rise. Then the hand began to descend and she clenched her buttocks and screwed her eyes shut in an involuntary reflex.

As the slap! of Miss Edwardes's open palm on Lucy's upturned bottom echoed round the room, Lucy's jaw dropped open in a gasp of shock. The stinging impact on her left buttock cheek had been much more severe than she had anticipated. Lucy opened her eyes and looked round as Miss Edwardes raised her hand again, and saw that Juliette was clearly enjoying every minute of her discomfiture.

"Eyes front, I said." Miss Edwardes's voice was sharp and the sentence was punctuated by the sound of two more crisp slaps in quick succession.

Lucy rapidly returned to her study of the floor. As the sharp slap! of flesh on flesh echoed round the room, she drew breath in short sharp gasps, her head jerking upwards with each fresh impact. She had no idea that a simple hand spanking could hurt so much but Miss Edwardes's well-conditioned hand was changing Lucy's mind very rapidly. Her bottom was beginning to smart all over and she fought to remain silent as she remembered how Juliette's fortitude had impressed her. It seemed so long ago now that she had thrilled to see Juliette's chastisement, and no doubt Juliette was finding the revenge of their role reversal tasting so sweet.

Lucy's determination not to give her rival any further satisfaction crumbled as a smack across the top of her right leg really stung and brought forth a pained yelp. Miss Edwardes certainly covered her ground well and the sixth smack was every bit as hard as the first as it struck the top of her left leg. Lucy's cry carried real conviction, and she slumped into a posture of resigned submission, her head now hanging down, her arms limp in front of her. Miss Edwardes, a little flushed in the face, paused for breath.

Lucy's shoulders were shaking now, as she sobbed silently under the folds of her skirt. The tops of her legs and the mid-upper curve of her bottom were on fire, and she guessed that the rest of the class would be inspecting a clear pattern of palm prints over the affected area. The humiliation of being so shamefully displayed to the class was greater than the pain of the spanking. Although the fire was spread all over her posterior as a general heat, Lucy could still feel the sting of each individual spank as a sharper, focused, tingle and she was suddenly aware that there was an area between her thighs and the central curve of her bottom which was so far untouched.

Just as this realisation dawned on her, Lucy felt Miss Edwardes lift her right leg slightly, tilting Lucy forward and lifting her bottom another inch. One after another, in rapid succession, a staccato volley of smacks rang out. Lucy's legs shot straight out behind her and her toes beat a tattoo on the floor as she squirmed in a vain attempt to minimise the pain as each precisely targeted slap turned a new, hitherto unmarked, portion of her bottom a radiant crimson.

For some seconds after the final blow had fallen, Lucy's whole body shook as she sobbed, her crimson buttocks squirming in a way that sent Juliette's fingers diving, surreptitiously, to the area of her crotch.

"You may return to your place now. One demerit point will be entered on your record. I have little doubt it will be the first of many!" Miss Edwardes's voice seemed a little higher-pitched than before, as if she were striving to maintain its timbre

Lucy slowly straightened up. Fighting back the salty tears which stung at the corners of her eyes, she reached down and pulled her knickers clumsily back into place. The backs of her legs were smarting fiercely and she winced as the light cotton of her panties chafed at her burning posterior. Avoiding eye contact, she turned to face the class. Her bottom and thighs were only marginally hotter than her face. Sheepishly, she returned to her seat and gingerly lowered herself onto the hard chair.

Her legs were smarting fiercely where the hard edge of the seat aligned exactly with the area Miss Edwardes had slapped so cruelly. Not only that, several of the spanks had been right on the curve of her bottom and the pressure of just sitting was making her feel uncomfortably hot and suddenly she was aware of what she was really feeling!

She had just experienced a good tanning on her, effectively, bare bottom, in public, the very thought of which would have made her want to die as recently as a week ago, and yet, amazingly, her adrenaline was flowing. Her pussy was so wet she would have to change her knickers as soon as class was over.

In their separate ways, both girls were thankful when the morning session broke up and the students were released from class for their lunch break. Juliette went directly to the dining-room, and was made very aware of the air of disapproval from several of the girls in the class, who had obviously detected the source of the missile which had been the cause of Lucy's misfortune

Conversely, as she entered the dining-room, Lucy had to acknowledge several sympathetic gestures from her class-mates, which came as something of a pleasant surprise after the prurient interest they had taken as she had been turned bottom-up to receive her thrashing. The sting in her bottom was receding now, but the sympathy was scant comfort for her burning shame and she blushed ever more deeply at the thought of her public chastisement. Entering the dining-room, she quickly spotted Karen sitting with two other girls from Lucy's own class, and made her way to their table.

"Well, how was your first morning?" queried her new friend. "You look a bit flushed; are you OK?" Then, as Lucy took exaggerated care to lower her still stinging posterior to the seat, "Oh no! You haven't had a good tanning already, have you?"

Dumbly Lucy nodded, fighting back her tears as the three girls huddled more closely around her. Haltingly, she related how she had been set up by Juliette, had fallen into the trap and had then reaped the bitter consequences. "Still," she concluded, "I suppose it could be worse. At least Miss Parkin doesn't seem to be unreasonable. She's promised to review my case after classes this afternoon; perhaps that will change things."

Karen almost choked on her coffee. "You what?" she snorted. "Miss Parkin? Reasonable? Pull the other one!"

"What did Miss Parkin actually say? Can you remember the exact words?" prompted Emma.

Lucy repeated the phrases as best she could remember.

"Oh you poor goose," Karen gasped, struggling to keep a straight face. "You've read it all wrong. You committed two offences this morning; interrupting Miss Edwardes and then leaving her class without permission. When she read that note from Miss Parkin, Miss Edwardes seems to have made it quite plain that you were getting a spanking for interrupting her, and that's all. It doesn't mean they've forgotten the rest of it! You still have to pay the price for leaving the class in a temper. When Miss Parkin said she would review your case, it didnt mean whether you should be punished or not. She meant she would decide at the end of the day how serious your punishment would be!"

Lucy's heart would have dropped to her boots, had she been wearing any. "Are you sure? I mean, you couldn't be mistaken?"

"My poor dear girl, we've all been there, done that - believe me. You will be very lucky to get away with a mere strapping, more likely it will be a full swishing."

Lucy 's eyes widened. "A swishing? What do you mean?"

"She means a caning," explained the enthusiastic Emma. "We call it that because of the sound the cane makes as it comes down on your bottom. It's the last thing you hear before you realise that your arse has just been sliced off with a red-hot knife."

Lucy gulped. The prospect of a caning on her already well-spanked bottom was just too terrible to contemplate.

"Don't you listen, pet," cooed Karen. "Don't even think about it. Just concentrate on how you are going to get your own back on that little bitch Juliette. She got you into this mess, after all."

"It's easy for you to say that now," grinned Emma. "Have you forgotten how Miss Parkin wields that cane? I wouldn't have thought that you could forget after what you got from her last time around. You couldn't sit properly for a week after."

Both girls laughed. Only poor Lucy failed to see the funny side.

Now there are two events for us to look forward to: Lucy's second punishment of the day, and her revenge on Juliette.