The three of them sat in the conservatory taking tea, a picture of Edwardian respectability to launch a thousand clichés. The Vicar was a strong man with a kindly face and not yet 50. His hostess was Mrs Fortitude a stylish matron who still had the delicate features of a young woman and a handsome one at that. Her second guest was Bella, a beautiful young neighbour from the village.

“Now that you are a widow you must take a firm hand in the home Bella.” Mrs Fortitude said with gravity. “Mustn’t she Vicar?”

“Oh indeed.” The Vicar agreed absently.

Mrs Fortitude pursed her lips and stirred the tea with great satisfaction as she always did whenever she held court. However, Bella and the Vicar took scant notice of their hostess. Instead, their eyes were drawn to the back wall of the conservatory.

“Are they…? I mean have they been there long?” Bella at last found the words.

The vista that was causing the guests such consternation was the sight of Mrs Fortitude’s two daughters kneeling on low stools facing the plain brick wall beside the door leading into the house. As if this was not odd enough, both young women had their skirts and petticoats pinned into the small of their backs without the benefit of bloomers.

Mrs Fortitude for her part paid no mind to the scene. It was a common enough occurrence in the Fortitude household. But at sensing Bella’s interest she turned to regard her two adult daughters’ bared bottoms.

“They have been there since luncheon and will remain at vigil until supper of which they will not partake.” Mrs Fortitude said dismissively.

“Won’t they catch cold without their undergarments?” The Vicar ventured.

“Cold.” Mrs Fortitude snorted. “As you can see their bottoms are far from cold. I scolded them smartly with the flat of a hairbrush directly before brunch.”

“They are rather red in that vicinity.” The Vicar chortled.

“I’ll say.” Bella blushed. “Aren’t they rather old for such correction?”

“Too old?” Mrs Fortitude started in genuine surprise. “Hortense is barely 22 and Frances is little more than a year younger. They can look forward to a firm hand for many a year yet I can tell you.”

“But whatever did they do?” Bella licked her lips to combat the strange dryness of the mouth that was affecting her.

“The minxes took a turn in a carriage with young men to whom they had yet to be introduced.” Mrs Fortitude retorted indignantly.

Hortense shifted a little on her stool at this and turned her head a little. Thankfully her mother did not take note, but the movement afforded the Vicar a glimpse of the young woman’s pretty face from the side. Her cheek to the nape of her neck was violently affected with a crimson blush, as well it should be, he thought.

“Would you not spank your daughter soundly upon her bare bottom if you caught her in similar circumstances?” Mrs Fortitude continued with her theme.

“I scarcely think that likely.” Bella bristled. “Ruth is scarce 18.”

“You were married at 17 and a mother at 18 were you not?” Mrs Fortitude observed.

“Yes but I hardly think…” Bella paused to consider, taking careful note of the miscreants’ pert punished bottoms as she did so.

“That’s what I thought.” Mrs Fortitude said glumly as she saw the light of reason grace Bella’s eyes.

“I do take your point Mrs Fortitude. We have a duty to the young to be firm.” The Vicar said before taking a bite of his cake.

Bella had fallen to silence.

“To become a widow so young.” Mrs Fortitude said sympathetically. “How do you manage being the sole disciplinarian of the house?”

“Well luckily I have no need…” Bella began, but then she remembered a few trifling incidents. “Well in any case I could never do such a thing.”

“Come now were you not spanked at your Ruth’s age?” Mrs Fortitude asked encouragingly.

“No not at all I have never been punished like that.” Bella said emphatically

Even the Vicar looked up at this.

“What? Good heavens. Not even by your late husband?” Mrs Fortitude gaped.

“Certainly not. Frank would never do such a thing.” Bella replied indignantly.

“And what of Ruth? Did Frank never discipline her?” The Vicar asked setting down his cake and teacup.

“Why no he…” Bella considered. She glanced at the two girls in kneeling penitence. Frances was surreptitiously scratching her right buttock as a fly buzzed about her.

“I am sorry to have to say this my dear young Bella.” The Vicar said haughtily. “But your late husband discharged his duty as a father and a husband very poorly, very poorly indeed. As your spiritual leader, I must tell you this plainly. It also seems that your parents were no better.”

“Oh how could you say such a thing?” Bella wailed.

“Can you deny it?” The Vicar all but bellowed.

Bella bit her lower lip and looked down at her lap with a flush. It was all Mrs Fortitude could do not to add her tuppenny’s worth.

“Well. Have you nothing to say?” The Vicar persisted angrily.

“I suppose you are right.” Bella mumbled.

“I know I am right.”

“Oh but please I don’t the how and where of it.” Bella protested.

“Well of course not, how could you?” Mrs Fortitude leapt to her friend’s defence.

“But you agree that you are failing your daughter?” The Vicar asked calmly.

Bella nodded sadly.

“Then my dear we must address this.” The Vicar said decisively. “Mrs Fortitude do you still have that hairbrush to hand?”

“Indeed I do.” Mrs Fortitude said enthusiastically.

“Oh but what are you going to do?” Bella said her eyes suddenly went wide as she wrung her hands.

“It is our duty to address the needs of justice and set you on a righteous path.” The Vicar said pleasantly.

“What do you mean?” Bella asked nervously.

“Oh come now my child.” The Vicar wagged his finger as if to a naughty girl. “You know quite well what I am going to do.”

At this point Mrs Fortitude who had left the table, returned with the hairbrush.

“I am going put you across my knee and give you a long hard spanking upon your bare bottom.” The Vicar said as calmly as if he had offered her more cake.

“But I am 34 you cannot do such a thing, it is not seemly.” Bella wailed.

“You think age a barrier?” Mrs Fortitude said exasperated. “Why no young woman is too old. If my daughters are not yet married at your age, I shall pay them out just the same. Won’t I girls?”

Hortense and Frances shifted a little nervously, but dared not speak or move further.

“Look I really don’t think…” Bella said standing up and looking about nervously as if considering flight.

“Look me in the eye and tell me that it is not deserved and that I have no right to administer it.” The Vicar said sternly.

“Please… I mean not here.” Bella’s mouth hung open and her hands moved unconsciously behind her.

The Vicar ignored her words but sat back with the chair with his legs slightly spaced. Then he beckoned to Bella with his left hand, his right by now holding the hairbrush.

“Nonsense.” Mrs Fortitude said comfortingly. “I will prepare you.”

With that she moved to Bella and turned her about.

“Oh please whatever are you doing?” Bella exclaimed.

Mrs Fortitude turned up Bella’s various skirts one by one and pinned them by turns together with her petticoats. When at last Bella stood with her draws exposed Mrs Fortitude unfastened them and allowed them to fall to Bella’s ankles.

“Oh.” Bella gasped.

“Charming.” The Vicar sighed as her regarded the ample curves of Bella’s by now completely bared derrière.

Mrs Fortitude turned Bella back to face them, although she in fact hid her own reddened face with her hands.

“Now you know you have this coming to you don’t you.” Mrs Fortitude whispered.

“Yes.” Bella squeaked quietly.

Mrs Fortitude led the young mother by the arm over to the Vicar where Bella gratefully flopped over his lap intensely glad not to have to face her self-appointed guardians.

“Such a fine bottom for spanking.” Mrs Fortitude observed with a smile as she studied the smooth split dome as it was served up across the Vicar’s lap.

“Magnificent.” The Vicar agreed. He could not help comparing Bella’s bottom with Hortense and Frances’s own nude behinds lined up a few feet from where he sat. “Should I go kindly? After all this is her first time.”

“I shouldn’t.” Mrs Fortitude scowled. “She is to be spanked for failing in her duty. She must be spanked soundly and for quite a time I should think, or we will be failing in ours.”

“I fear you are right.” The Vicar sighed. “I suggest you have your girls turn about to watch, it will be most edifying for them to know that they will not escape such treatment anytime soon.”

“A capital idea vicar. I always think that a good spanking must be as humiliating as possible for a better effect.” Mrs Fortitude clapped her hands with delight. “Girls turn around at once.”

“Oh, oh, oh please.” Bella cried.

“Shush now it is for your own good.” The Vicar said earnestly.

The girls had turned from the wall both more than a little shame-faced. The younger woman Frances had her chin on her chest and she peeped up shyly through a strand of fallen hair. Hortense glowered and looked as if she had been sucking on lemons, but nevertheless she stole a curious glance at Bella’s exposed bottom served up for her spanking.

Once she was satisfied that the girls were attentive Mrs Fortitude stooped forward to watch the proceedings with her hands clasped together with her index fingers up and pressed to her lips.

The Vicar began the spanking with an expansive sweep of his arm that ended in a flick of the wrist to deliver a firm smack with a satisfying splat.

“Ooh.” Bella squeaked.

All four witnesses watched in varying degrees of amusement as an oval-shaped patch of pink developed on Bella’s perfect white bottom.

Then quite satisfied with the effect the Vicar delivered two more spanks. Bella kicked her heels and gasped at each. Not sparing his arm, the punitive clergyman bare paused before continuing the spanking at a smart pace.

“I must say you do this well Vicar.” Mrs Fortitude exclaimed.

“I get a lot of practice. I have a wife and three daughters.” He chuckled. “But the truth is I rather enjoy it. Is that wrong?”

“And why not indeed.” Mrs Fortitude said firmly. “It is your solemn duty and your task for the day. And a man has duty before god to be happy in his work.”

“There is satisfaction in honest work.” The Vicar agreed nodding sagely.

All this time he had not stilled his arm and the spanking had been applied with vigour. By now Bella was breathing hard and her bottom had taken on a deep crimson hue.

“Please I have learned my lesson.” Bella gasped.

“You clearly have not if you think this correction finished.” The Vicar said dryly, quite vexed at Bella trying to cry off.

“Awww.” Bella yelped rocking on the Vicar’s lap as he hit even harder.

“That’s it Vicar, spank her soundly.” Mrs Fortitude urged.

“This is hot work I should have removed my jacket.” The Vicar muttered as he spanked on.

Bella’s breathing had spluttered into sobs and the first real tear ran down her nose. Although she could not see it, the crowns, hinds, hams and under-bum were all one slightly swollen red circle standing slightly proud of the white flesh around it. The welted edge had taken on a rubbery quality that the Vicar was intent on deepening and extending down her thighs a little.

“It is important that a girl cannot sit for the rest of the day following a spanking.” The Vicar said as if giving a lecture.

Bella broke into loud sobs at this.

“Indeed and much of the days that follow I warrant.” Mrs Fortitude said eagerly.

“My daughters must be made of sterner stuff for I find the effects of a spanking fade quickly after a day or two. For more efficacious corrections, I resort to a birchen rod. Unseats them for a week.” The Vicar said grimly.

“Indeed as I found under my governess’s tutelage. My husband favours a cane, for his wife anyway, I assure you it is effective.”

The spanking had been underway for sometime by now and Bella had fallen to bawling like a child.

“Alright my child, take your place at the wall with the others.” The Vicar said at last.

Mrs Fortitude helped inconsolable Bella to her feet and led her limping slightly to stand next to her daughters.

“Face the wall girls, all of you.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Her daughters said sullenly.

Bella could not yet draw a proper breath to speak but meekly obeyed.

The Vicar and Mrs Fortitude sat in silence for a while studying the three recently spanked bottoms displayed for humilities sake and then fell to talking of the roses for the rest of the afternoon.

*

Later that evening, as promised, Miss Hortense and Miss Frances Fortitude were released from the conservatory wall and sent to bed without supper. Bella had been released a little before that and had been seen home by the Vicar.

“I do hope you have learned your lesson young woman.” He said paternally.

“Yes sir.” She blushed as she walked stiffly beside him back to her cottage.

“Well let us hope so for I will take an interest in you from now on. I hope you take to heart your lesson and realise that no young lady is too old for a good spanking.”

At that moment two parishioners out walking were passing and doffed they hats to the Vicar and the lady. Bella looked around nervously biting her lip afraid that they had overheard.

“I mean what I say, if you don’t take a firm hand with your daughter you and I shall have words again, do not think that I will not birch you soundly next time.” The Vicar scolded.

“No sir.” Bella tucked her chin into her shoulder as if to hide from the shame, wishing that she could fold herself completely from sight at that moment.

“Well here I shall leave you.” He smiled. “A good evening to you.”

Bella waited by her gate until the vicar had gone from sight and then walked with small steps to the door.

“Mother you are late.” Ruth said as she came forward to kiss her mother in greeting. “Are you quite well?”

“Yes.” Bella returned a tight smile.

The evening was lost in a whirl of thoughts and Bella declined her supper that evening and took herself off to bed where she slept on her stomach.

The next morning she observed her bottom in the long glass by her bed. Her buttocks sported two large dark red bruises and she found that sitting was still a trial. She was only able to sit at breakfast with the aid of a large pillow, which drew curious glances from Ruth and their maid.

“Ruth dear I have something to tell you.” Bella said after breakfast.

“Yes mother.” Ruth said attentively.

“I have been advised that I am too lax with you. In short I have concluded that in future if you play me up as you did Saturday last, I will take measures with you.”

“Measures mother? Whatever do you mean?” Ruth’s forehead crinkled up into a frown as she puzzled her mother’s words.

“Well I have resolved to spank you whenever you play me foul or let yourself down.” Bella waited for the storm.

Ruth sat open mouthed but did not speak.

“Well what have you to say?”

Ruth took on a pensive demeanour and stood up. Bella watched as she paced around the room with her hands crossed in the small of her back as she had since she had been a child when she wanted to worry a problem out.

“How is this to be achieved?” Ruth enquired at last.

“You will submit young lady or I will summon the maid or the Vicar if I have to.”

“The Vicar?” Ruth gaped. “No matter. That was not my meaning. Of course I shall submit, what else can I do in good conscience. No I mean how is such a thing done?”

“Oh I see.” Bella herself turned pensive. “Well, I shall turn up your things until I have quite bared your bottom. Then I shall spank you soundly and at length with a hairbrush or some such. Then you shall go to the corner until released.”

“I see. Will this take place in my room?” Ruth did not meet her mother’s eye but chewed nervously on the inside of her mouth.

“Not necessarily.” Bella considered. “Perhaps on occasion, but I think in the main I shall spank you here and put you in plain sight for all to see.”

“So the maid shall see?” Ruth’s jaw dropped. “Not before company surely.”

“Well unless you vex me overly, we shall confine it to lady visitors and married gentlemen only.” Bella suggested with a frown.

“Oh my.” Ruth’s visage went quite pale and then flooded with peony as she considered such circumstances as she may find herself. Then at last she sighed. “Oh well it is only fitting I suppose. All my friends are spanked and worse. Margaret Bellamy is not only spanked before company, but is made to stand so with naked posteriors before her brothers.”

“Oh that does sound grim.” Bella sympathised forgetting for a moment that she had resolved to play the stern mother.

“Oh that’s nothing. She much prefers that to being taken to her room for a lengthy dose of her father’s strap.”

“Yes well I may have to enlist some aid there if you that needful. I doubt if my arm could do justice to such an operation.”

“Aid? You mentioned the Vicar before? Has he had a hand in this? Nelly Smith has had some dreadful thrashings since the Vicar intervened in their family.” Ruth said chattily as if discussing some dress patterns. Then added in a whisper. “Nelly thinks that the Vicar may have gone so far as to take her mother’s draws down and spank her naked behind as well.”

Bella blushed at this intelligence and could not meet her daughter’s eyes.

“Oh.” Ruth clapped her hand to her mouth as realisation dawned. “Poor Mama. Is it my fault?”

“No the fault was mine.” Bella conceded.

“Gosh does it hurt?”

“Oh yes.” Bella said ruefully.

*

With the maid’s assistance in applying some ice and a long walk, Bella’s sore bottom was greatly eased by the evening and she could sit, if somewhat gingerly, in an easy chair.

Ruth had been restless all day since that morning’s conversation and she paced the room as if wrestling with a new puzzle.

“Mother.” She said at last.

“Yes dear.”

“I rather have something to confess.” Ruth said as she fiddled with her hair.

“Yes.” Bella looked up and smiled.

“Yesterday I was out with Nelly Smith and…”

Bella put her book down sensing some great revelation was coming.

“Well… we decided to pick some apples.” Ruth pouted. “But as it happened it appears that the apples belonged to Farmer William and he… well he caught us and we had to run off.”

“They happened to belong to Farmer William? Did you know this before you picked them?” Bella asked.

“I suppose.” Ruth kicked up one leg and was rocking her ankle back and forth on her toe anxiously as she spoke.

“So you were stealing?” Bella pursed her lips.

“Scrumping certainly.” Ruth said indignantly. “Everybody does it.”

“I see.” Bella nodded decisively. Then she picked up a small bell and rang for the maid. “Mildred please bring a box of pins and the large hairbrush from my room.”

“Yes ma’am.” The maid said slightly puzzled.

“What are you going to do Mama?” Ruth asked.

“I am going to smack your bottom.” Bella said crisply.

“Oh gosh.” Ruth sucked in her cheeks.

Once the maid returned with the brush and the pins, she was allowed to watch while Bella turned her daughter over her knee and set about raising the hemlines of her skirts. The petticoats and slip followed, each being neatly pinned to the small of her back.

“That’s how my mother used to do it ma’am.” The maid observed with some amusement. Although when she said ma’am it came out mum. “Only she would cut a thin switch from the apple tree.”

“How apt.” Bella pursed her lips. “Next time you go scrumping young lady, that is a method we shall adopt with you.”

“Yes Mama.” Ruth murmured. Then as she felt her bloomers being parted and her bottom bared to the draft, she gave a little gasp.

Once Bella had pinned the underwear all the way back to expose as much flesh as possible Ruth was sent bare-bottomed to the corner.

“Oh must I Mama?” Ruth wailed.

“You must.”

Meanwhile at the Fortitude household, John Fortitude was discussing discipline with his wife.

“So my dear you spent how much did you say on that hat?” John asked as he loving fondled his cane.

“More than was permitted certainly.” Mrs Fortitude admitted.

“I see.”

“Please John I am sorry let us not argue the point. I deserve to be soundly thrashed.”

John had never received one jot of prevarication from his wife once he had resolved to discipline her. Not in 25 years of marriage.

“Then my dear kindly bare your bottom and place yourself across ottoman with your splendid derrière quite decidedly turned up for correction.” He gestured to the scroll-ended leather seat. “Two dozen shall make you tender your regrets.”

“Oh but John you gave me two dozen the time before last on account of dirty silver and last time it was a full 30. You said…”

“Oh thank you my dear, now I recall, I promised you 36 if you required correction before this month was out.”

“Yes dear.” Mrs Fortitude agreed as she took her place and presented her full matronly rear to her husband.

“You’ll not sit until Thursday by the time I am done I’ll warrant.” He said tartly.

“Oh Saturday at least my love, today is Monday.” Mrs Fortitude pointed out.

“I am so cruel?” He frowned.

“I deserve it.” She breathed.

The first stroke cut her deep and she gasped. The pain rolled on and on so that her eyes watered a little.

“One.” She hissed at last.

“A little late coming my dear.” John said with a tight smile. “We don’t want extras do we?”

“I don’t want extras dear. I couldn’t say what you want.” She grunted.

“Impertinence.” He snapped slicing the cane down across his wife’s bottom. “Don’t count that one.”

“No dear.” She groaned breathing heavily.

The third stroke, that is to say the second official stroke came tight to the fold where her thighs met her arse.

“Yeee!” Mrs Fortitude shrieked. Then after a pause for breath. “Two sir.”

Her pale bottom carried three plum coloured ridges he observed. Tender I’ll be bound, he thought. Then added a fourth.

“Gaaaah!” Another long pause was followed by the count.

“I think I shall pour myself a scotch and take a cigar.” John said. “It could be a long night.”

Back at Bella’s cottage, Ruth had been in the corner for almost an hour.

“Alright let’s have you across my lap darling.” Bella said tenderly.

The maid, who had not been dismissed, sighed in expectation as Ruth took up position. Bella grimaced as she felt the weight of her daughter press her bottom further into the chair. This might hurt me more than it will you, she thought grimly.

“Will it hurt dreadfully Mama?” Ruth asked apprehensive.

“Oh yes darling dreadfully. Otherwise there really is no point.”

“Yes Mama.” Ruth sniffed as her mother patted her bare bottom with the flat of the hairbrush.

Bella brought the brush down with a mild splat.

“Eeee!” Ruth squealed loudly.

Bella jumped.

“Did that hurt darling?” She gasped.

“Eh… no.” Ruth admitted. Then looked sheepishly around at the watching maid and blushed profusely. “Sorry I thought it would.”

“Ma’am you need to do it much harder.” The maid suggested.

Bella nodded and spanked again. This time there was a more satisfying splat and Ruth squirmed a little.

“Better?”

“Yes Mama. That is to say worse.” Ruth said miserably.

Bella spanked again and then after a pause, struck thrice more. Ruth squirmed a little but made no obvious sound. By now, her bottom was quite pink and Bella had begun to derive some satisfaction from the operation.

“Ruth please keep still, you know you quite deserve this and I mean to spank you soundly.”

Then Bella was transformed and set about spanking her daughter with a passion. In moments the girl’s bottom was a strong red and she was breathing heavily. The maid licked her lips and began rubbing her thighs in an agitated fashion as a result of her growing excitement.

“Please Mama I am quite reformed really I am.” Ruth wailed.

Bella said nothing but spanked on all the harder as she closely watched the smooth spheres of her daughter’s neat bottom redden ever more. It was like turning white billiard balls to red ones as an ancient alchemist might, she thought. Indeed Ruth’s bottom having begun as smooth and white as a porcelain statue had now taken on the appearance of a delicate red fruit, perhaps like the apples she had stolen.

“Mama.” Ruth spluttered as the first tear rolled down her cheek.

“That’s it ma’am you are making headway.” The maid urged Bella on as if she were watching a race.

Bella needed no such commentary but spanked on delivering pistol shot blows to Ruth’s resilient behind.

Ruth wailed and sobbed as each blow struck home and was now quite beyond any hope of mercy.

Then little by little Bella came back to herself and eased the pace of the spanks to steady firm blasts.

“I trust you will never steal again.” She said.

“No Mama.” Ruth sobbed.

“Will you?”

“No Mama I swear.”

“Swear is it. I shall be most harsh with you if you break that promise.”

“Yes Mama. Please I’m sorry.” Ruth hiccoughed.

“Alright let’s get you back in the corner.”

“Please Mama no.”

“Hush now it is done in quite the best houses. I am only sorry there is no one to see how sorry you are. Mrs Fortitude will be proud of me.”

“Yes Mama.” Ruth looked daggers at the maid who was watching with a smug smile unhindered on her face.

Bella stretched and sighed as she sat back to admire her handiwork. It was so hard being a widow. Then she grimaced as her bottom was troubled by her shift in the chair.

Ends.