The first splat made both the waiting girls start a little. It was to be a hand spanking then, they both realised, but there was no doubt from the sound that the Laird’s hand was striking bare flesh. The chestnut-haired Mairead sucked in her lower lip to chew on and stole a glance at Anne. The red-head was even more nervous than her if anything and was actually wringing her hands.

“The embarrassment is the worse thing and that could be even worse,” Mairead said unconvincingly. “I remember the time before last when he had three of us arse up together for a good leathering.”

A girlish yip from inside the room made both the waiting girls look up nervously. The spanking had a regular rhythm now, but was showing no signs of stopping.

“I-I wasn’t there that time,” Anne said quietly. Her English accent seemed more pronounced somehow.

“Oh, that’s right,” Mairead agreed, “It was Susan Shaw with Caitlin and me.”

Their conversation was interrupted again by a squeal from within.

“Oh Sir,” they heard Caitlin yelp.

Mairead rolled her eyes expansively and nodded to the door. “I guess his lordship’s dander is up right enough,” she shrugged, “But fair enough I ‘spose. This your first time?”

“No I… once before, the week I came,” Anne whispered shyly.

“They always do that, spank a girl the first week I mean. Especially the outsiders like yourself who don’t know our ways,” Mairead hoped to sound encouraging.

“I only dropped a dinner plate for heaven’s sake, they could just have docked my wages,” Anne said defensively.

“Only dropped a dinner plate you say, what one of the antique ones, so it was you,” Mairead was wide-eyed now. “You were lucky you didn’t get a leathering for that and even luckier your wages weren’t docked. I expect the plate was worth a year’s salary.”

“B-but a sp-spanking,” Anne was incredulous, “I am 24 for heaven’s sake.”

Mairead shrugged again. “I’m 25 me sel.” Her Scottish accent was getting more opaque by the moment.

Anne put it down to nerves.

“Caitlin’s 28,” Mairead added.

“Do all the girls get sp-punished by the Liard?” Anne asked.

There was decidedly wet wail from inside and the crisp spanks sounded louder if anything.

“Spunished?” Mairead laughed, “I should say they are. All the unmarrieds anyway. I know for a fact that the Laird takes his leather to the cook’s backside and she’s ancient, near 40 at least.”

“But we only…” Anne began

“We were only caught smoking,” Mairead shrugged. “Fair cop. Fire hazard see.”

Inside the room the spanking stopped abruptly and they heard Caitlin’s high chuckling-wail that ended in a sob. A moment later the door opened and a very woeful looking Caitlin emerged from the inside.

“He’s really on form today,” Caitlin said ruefully with tear-rimmed eyes. Then she added, “You’re up next Mairead.”

Anne noticed that the tall blonde was rubbing her behind with one hand and still held her knickers in the other. She remembered that part. Spanked girls had to go without underwear for the rest of the day and worse, they had to hang them on their own labelled peg in the servant’s hall.

Then as Caitlin walked away with careful steps, Mairead went in.

“Good luck lass,” Caitlin called back.

Anne hugged herself and as the first spank landed from within she felt like crying. It wasn’t fair, she hadn’t done anything. Well nothing much. What was the big deal about smoking?

When she had taken the job she had been told about the discipline, but it had all seemed distant somehow.

“Is that legal?” She had asked.

The human resources lady had shrugged. “No one has ever complained. Its nearly triple wages, so I am not surprised.”

The money was good, it was true, and a spanking was no big deal, she lied, but she hated everyone knowing about it. If the truth were told she had been more intrigued than anything, a medieval Scottish lord and dark customs in a remote corner of the Highlands. But… if only… She looked desperately about her for some salvation. Then she spotted the fire alarm.

‘A fire hazard see.’ Mairead had said.

“Ow.” It was a long drown out yelp from within.

Taking a deep breath Anne made her decision and grabbed at the little metal hammer next to the ‘break glass’ sign. It had broken easily and then all hell broke out.

*

“What’s all the hue and cry,” the cook said in a bored voice as she extinguished an illegal cigarette.

“Fire alarm,” the rather harassed maid panted as she ran on her to muster station.

“Damn,” the cook muttered and hastily extinguished her smoke.

Then after making sure both the cigarette and any naked flames in the kitchen were out, she too followed.

By the time most of the household had assembled in the yard the fire brigade and the local constable had arrived too.

“Does anyone see smoke?” The Laird asked anxiously.

Several people craned their necks and began to scan the castle towers.

“I don’t smell anything my lord,” someone said. “Shall I do a check?”

“No Tam,” the Laird rasped, “Let the brigade handle it.”

After several long minutes the section leader emerged from the main door to the castle.

“Well?” The Laird asked. He was frowning so much that his reddish eyebrows, normally equidistantly spaced above his deep grey eyes, came sharply together in something close to a mono-brow.

“Nothing my lord, just a broken alarm outside your study door,” the section leader spoke with a heavy local burr and looked almost sorry there was no fire to put out.

“You mean a fault?” The Laird said sharply.

“Eh… no my lord, it was broken by hand. Someone had even cleaned up the glass so it wasn’t obvious at first.”

“I see,” the Laird said in a ponderous tone.

“If someone hadn’t taken the time to collect the pieces of broken glass then I might have said it was an accident but…” the man continued.

“You think it was deliberate?”

“Aye, a prank mebbe.” The section leader shrugged. “It’s not my concern, but I’m glad it’s a quiet day. It’s a long way out from town to get here and as you know as a heritage building you get priority.” He let the disapproval written on his face finish the sentence for him.

“Yes of course, thank you, I’ll look into it,” the Laird said pointedly.

“All this hue and cry for nothing,” the cook spat in disgust, “the lunch will be ruined.”

“Yes thank you everyone back to work now,” The Laird dismissed them.

Then he ran his eye over his assembled staff. Mairead’s spanking had been aborted by the alarm, but she looked miserable enough on it. She was blushing furiously and looking at the floor as she rubbed her bottom through her skirt. Her knickers were still in her hands, albeit balled up discreetly; the cause of her blush no doubt as she hadn’t had time to hang them up yet. Saved by the bell weren’t you lass, he thought dryly. Then he saw Anne, the English girl. She was looking rather sheepish, pensive even.

“Where exactly was the alarm set off from?” The Laird called over to the section leader who was packing away some gear onto the engine.

The man looked at a colleague who answered, “Just along the hall from your office Sir, the nearest one to it I would say.”

The Laird nodded thoughtfully and tried to gather in Anne’s eyes with his gaze.

“Anne, do you know anything about this?”

“I-I… no Sir.” Her face contradicted her words.

“I’ll make you eat saddle soap for supper if you’re lying to me girl,” the Laird growled, “And I’ll tan your arse until you can’t sit down for a month.”

Anne swallowed and for a moment latched on to some hope. Maybe she would be forgiven if she confessed.

“I might have… well I…” she spluttered.

“You broke the alarm?” The Liard accused.

“Yes Sir,” Anne whispered.

There was a shocked hush.

The Laird drew in his breath through his nose and said, “I see.”

“I was… scared about the spanking Sir, I couldn’t help it. What with everyone knowing and…” Her voice tailed off. There was not a drop of sympathy to be had from those still around to hear.

“Right my girl,” the Laird barked, “It’s time you learned to take a licking. Drop your under things and bend over.”

“But… here Sir,” Anne gasped in wide-eyed horror.

“You heard me,” the Laird said angrily.

While Anne hugged herself nervously and backed away in a tight little dance one of the grooms came over and handed the Laird a taws in anticipation of his next order.

“Thank you son,” The Laird murmured as he took it. “Girl, bend over I said. You can grab your ankles as well.”

Anne’s face was beyond a blush and had taken on a purple hue now. But seeing the storm brewing in the Laird’s eyes, she reached under her skirt to slip her knickers down and then did as she was told.

“Spread your legs a little and grab your ankles,” the Laird said as he flipped the skirts over the small of her back.

The grooms and the assembled fireman nudged each other and laughed. Anne could have died.

“Now you little coward, it’s one thing to duck a spanking, but quite another to cause such a… a…”

“Hue and cry my lord,” the cook supplied, she was really beginning to love that phrase.

“She’ll be crying alright,” the Laird barked as he looked over Anne’s offered bare white bottom, “Although her behind will be quite another hue by the time I am through. Do you hear me Anne?”

“Yes Sir,” Anne said miserably.

The leather landed with a sharp crack that gave Anne a challenge to keep hold of her ankles and not topple forward.

“How do you like the taws lass? Bet you wish you had stayed for a little spanking now?”

“Yes Sir,” Anne wailed.

The tang of the first swipe had not yet finished with its burn as another splat landed and then another. The leather sand in her bottom as the first tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry Sir, I’m sorry,” she managed through gritted teeth.

“I know lass,” the Laird said quietly. “I have to admire your initiative at any rate.”

“Yes Sir,” Anne gasped.

The follow up slam of leather made her hop. Looking down she saw a small puddle where her tears had collected on the flagstones. Just a small one, but enough to permit her reflection to stare back at her accusingly.

“Do you like working here lass? The Laird said conversationally as he blasted another slice of taws across her by now scarlet bottom.

Anne thought about it. She realised that she did. Even the strange customs and the spankings were exciting somehow, it as if she was somewhere that cared about itself and knew that it mattered; knew that she mattered.

“Yes Sir,” she said in a wet voice.

The Laird stuck her bottom again and then again.

“This is deserved don’t you think?” He said adding yet another swat.

“Yes Sir,” she wailed, crying aloud for the first time. It was true she realised.

“You pull another stunt like that and it will be much worse next time,” the Laird rumbled as he lay on the last few strokes.

“Yes Sir,” Anne said miserably and breaking to hard sobs now.

“Right, get up and go and stand in the corner by the door,” the Laird ordered. “Not that way, here in the courtyard. And keep your skirts up.”

Anne gaped at him but didn’t argue.

“Oh and Anne, tomorrow you may come and take your spanking.”

“Yes Sir,” Anne groaned.

Ends.