Part One here

In the morning it rained. Not so much just felines and co, but elephants and hippos. Susan cursed the longer bus queues and the overcrowding. Not that she needed a seat. After her meeting with Mr Barrington the last thing she wanted to do was sit down. In fact it wouldn’t have surprised her if a severe case of bottom-ache didn’t keep her standing on the bus for the rest of the week. Still she got to work on time and wasn’t surprised to see no sign of Karen.

Karen, as it turned out, was late. Not much later than usual to be sure, but this time she had shopping with her and dripped rainwater all over the office floor.

“Hurry up,” Susan chided the girl from where she stood at the filing cabinet. Filing was a good choice for a woman who couldn’t comfortably sit at her desk.

“Half a mo’” Karen said irritably as she struggled with a sodden umbrella before it occurred to her to hang it on the coat rack. It took her moment to put the shopping bags down and divest herself of the wet raincoat. “Is he in?” she asked nervously, “Did he see me come in?”

“He is, but he doesn’t know you are late,” Susan told her with pursed lips, “Not yet.”

Karen gave her senior a pained look of exasperation.

“He was quite specific last night,” Susan sighed, “I have to tell him.”

Karen gaped and shook her head in disbelief. “You don’t,” she said sharply.

Susan nibbled at her lower lip as a hand strayed to her behind. “Oh I do, believe me,” she replied.

Karen frowned petulantly and made a sulk-face. Then she shrugged, what of it, she supposed?

Twenty minutes later Karen watched petulantly as Susan went to Barrington’s office with some files. She just knew that the conversation would be about her. Sure enough when Susan came out she said Mr Barrington wanted to see her.

After their little chat Karen worked quietly all afternoon and without a mistake. Susan was finally convinced that the girl had turned the corner. A hope that continued the next day when wonder of wonders Karen came in three minutes early, only five minutes after Susan herself.

This newfound conscientiousness held up until the following day when Karen was less than a minute late and Susan decided not to notice. Although the girl didn’t exactly pull out all of the stops, she didn’t actually make a huge gaff or blatantly skive off either.

It seemed that Karen’s good behaviour had lasted about as long as she had nursed a sore bottom, Susan thought dejectedly. Now I have to watch her like a hawk before she drops me in it.

The next day Karen was late again, a mere five minutes, but Susan had to suffer the girl taking an age to make tea and the sitting down with a magazine while she fussed with her nails. Susan sighed heavily; a memo to Sir was definitely called for.

*

“You sneak,” Karen snarled and slammed the memo down on Susan’s desk. “An official written warning, you told on me?”

Susan might have felt guilty about being tell-tale but Karen’s use of the phrase ‘told on me’ sounded childish and it was all she could do not to laugh. “You don’t think Mr Barrington knows? I am only doing my job,” she shrugged.

“I am out of this dump just a soon as I can find a better job,” Karen snapped her fingers, “Just like that.”

Susan shrugged again. Suits me, she thought, but kept it to herself. “Oh really,” she said without a hint of sarcasm.

For the rest of that week and all of the next Karen was the perfect employee. Not particularly effective and she did have to be told things at least twice. But often these were new tasks, jobs she hadn’t been fit for, or had ducked out of before. Not that she had given up the idea about leaving. At least once a day Susan found the jobs page with positions ringed in red.

However, with a girl like Karen it couldn’t last and by Tuesday of the following week Karen was 15 minutes late and was in a paddy about something. She jammed the calculating machine, the hole-punch and an intercom button came off in her hand; all by stomping around and using the equipment like a tantrum-seized gorilla.

When she saw Susan looking at her she just glared back. “Don’t you start, I didn’t get a wink last night and that bastard…” she bit her tongue.

Shocked by the language Susan concluded that Karen had some boyfriend trouble. A guess confirmed when she caught Karen quietly crying in the kitchenette in a rare moment of vulnerability.

“Are you alright?” Susan asked.

Karen straightened up and muttered, “He dumped me,” before resuming her battle face and walking away. Eventually she went to lunch 20 minutes early and did not get back until after two.

“Mr Barrington wants to see you,” Susan said in a neutral voice once Karen finally returned.

Karen sighed and genuine regret hung on her face. “I guess I am going to get the push aren’t I?”

Susan made an attempt at sympathetic face. “Maybe,” she offered. What else could she say?

Karen eyed the door to the office like a devil was about to burst through it and licked her lips. She took an age taking off her coat and shuffling papers on her desk. If she was asked what she was working on she wanted to at least remember some of it. Then finally she adjusted her pullover and smoothed her pencil skirt down. Then taking a deep breath she approached the door to Barrington’s office and knocked.

A thousand years passed before there was an answer and when it finally did, the voice of doom intoned, “Come.”

For some reason Karen’s usual bravado deserted her, and instead of readying a line of cheek, she swallowed hard and wondered if he meant it when he said he would give her three chances.

Barrington looked stern sitting behind his desk and braced a pencil between his thumbs as he regarded her as a headmaster might a miscreant schoolgirl.

“Y-you wanted to… eh… see me Mr Barrington?” Karen suggested hesitantly.

Barrington’s gaze didn’t waver and he indicated a chair.

As soon as she was seated he sighed and put down the pencil. “You recall our last two conversations?”

Karen nodded meekly.

“I told you a couple of weeks ago that I would give you three more chances,” he continued.

“Yes Sir,” Karen agreed.

“You have used up two of them and are now facing… well let’s be blunt, by rights I should dismiss you,” he explained.

Karen felt the heat rise in her face and she averted her eyes. “Yes sir.”

“A pretty girl like you could easily get another job, recommendation from me or not. Notwithstanding that, as far as I was able I would probably give some sort of positive reference,” he went on. “But then I would be back at square one looking for a new girl and no doubt watch her make a muck of it like you have.”

“Yes Sir, please Sir, couldn’t I have one more chance,” Karen wheedled.

“Oh indeed yes, I have already appraised you of that. The same chance I give all you girls. I am not fool enough to think that one seeing to will put paid to your mischief. Never has before,” he rolled his eyes.

“Seeing to?” Karen seized on the phrase, it sounded rude, but nonetheless hopeful. She wondered if he meant what she thought he meant and weighed up whether she would go with him to keep her job or not.

“Yes girl, pay attention. I mean to give you a damn good spanking, then we will have done with this nonsense until next time,” he growled.

“Sp-panking sir?” she lisped and gaped at him, surely he didn’t mean to really…?

“Oh yes,” he said archly, “Ask Susan or any of the other girls in this building.”

Karen executed a small gulp and sat dumbfounded. Not because he had threatened to spank her, but at the idea that the straight-laced, butter-wouldn’t-melt, Susan had actually been spanked. A small smile played out on her cherry-stained lips. Then she tried to focus on her own plight. “I will, I mean… oh God, you won’t really will you?” she blushed.

“Over my knee, bare bottom, spank you until you are singing at both ends so to speak,” he told her and then seeing her violent blush he added, “Your bottom will be as red as your face by the time I am done.”

“B-bare?” she gasped.

“I’ll give you until the end of the day to think about it and if you decide to leave I will send your pay on and we will say no more about it,” his tone indicated that the conversation was over.

“You dirty old man,” she said without conviction.

His eyes flashed and he looked as if he might explode. “That will cost you if you report here after five, but it is your choice,” he snapped.

The air hung awkwardly around them and even Karen thought she had gone too far. But it was clear that the interview was at an end and she got up to leave. As she left the office she was shell-shocked and her face told the whole story.

“Threatened to spank you did he?” Susan said dryly. There was no triumph in her voice and for a second there might have been a hint of sisterly solidarity.

Karen blushed a little more but executed a small nod.

“Are you going to take it?” Susan was curious.

“Oh God, I don’t know, do I?” the girl wailed, resorting to type and the moment of camaraderie was gone.

*

Susan found something to occupy her right through to quarter past five, all the while watching Karen sitting in miserable confusion at her desk. As time got later it got more and more obvious that Karen had decided to keep her job and that Susan’s presence was no longer welcome. In the end the decision was taking out of her hands. Barrington’s office door opened and he called her in.

“Oh Lor,” Karen whispered as she straightened up and reluctantly walked across the office and went in.

“So I see you are still here,” Barrington observed. The old silver fox hadn’t sat down and was instead frowning thoughtfully at her.

“Yes Sir,” she mumbled unable to meet his eyes.

“Do you need any more time to think about it?” he asked.

Karen shook her head.

Mercifully he didn’t wait while she agonised. In a trice he stepped forward and upended her across his lap so that her head hung to floor as he occupied an armless chair by the door.

“Ooh,” Karen exclaimed as she suddenly found herself bottom up across his lap.

“Next time I will have you remove your skirt and underwear to make ready, but as this is your first time I will do the honours,” he warned her.

“Next time?” she squeaked, already disconcerted by this hand at the hem of her skirt as he lifted it along with her slip to reveal her panties.

Barrington stopped and hauled his little employee almost to standing so that he could meet her eyes. “This is not fun for feeble minds you know,” he snapped, “I already told you; I don’t expect to cure you of being a feckless lazy good for nothing after one spanking. If you think if you can take this and then go on as things were then there is no point to this.”

“No Sir, I mean yes Sir ooh…” she flustered.

Barring hauled back over his lap so that her nose almost touched the floor and spanked her once sharply across her underwear. Then after a beat to give her one last chance to cry off he slipped down her pants to reveal her bare bottom.

“Mr Barrington,” Karen exclaimed.

He responded with another brisk spank.

Karen yelped and tried to process the indignity as her eyes danced in her head. Then the spanking began in earnest.

Outside Susan grinned like jackal as she readied herself for home time. There was no mistaking the steady rhythm of a good spanking from within the office, and if there were any doubt, Karen’s steady stream of yelps and squeals confirmed that she was well and truly getting it.

Susan sealed one last envelope and then made a decision. She could wait.

Meanwhile inside Karen’s bare bottom was good and red, with mottled patches extending onto her legs and the rounds of her hips and thighs. His hand hurt well enough, but not half as bad as she had feared. The mortifying indignity was harder to contend with. What was worse was that she could not shake the conviction that she probably deserved a spanking.

“Sir, Sir, I’m sorry,” she wailed and prayed that Susan wasn’t listening.

“I dare say,” Barrington muttered and finally set her on her feet. “Nose to the corner, no rubbing mind,” he ordered.

Karen didn’t need telling twice, although she thought being sent to the corner a bit much for a grown woman. “Yes Sir,” she agreed ruefully.

Barrington watched as she obeyed, satisfied by the way her pert little bottom glowed red like two berries. “Your skirt and slip… they need to stay up,” he warned.

She rolled around and gave him a pout, but thought better than to argue and was a sigh of utter embarrassed misery turned back to face the wall and began to cry.

Outside Susan, suspecting the spanking was over, knocked on the office door with the envelope.

“Come in,” her boss said from within, and she didn’t wait.

In plain sight Karen was well and truly in her place, nose to the corner with a seriously red bottom on show. Susan grinned. “Letter for you Sir,” she said breezily.

“Bitch,” Karen sniffed.

“Oh we have all been there,” Susan giggled.

“Yes and that reminds me,” Barrington said darkly, “’Dirty old man’ was it?”

Karen felt a surge of panic, “No Sir I…”

“Miss Hazelmere, pass me the suit brush in the top draw of my desk will you?” Barrington said sharply.

“My pleasure Sir,” Susan leaned over and retrieved the item.

“You might as well stay for the next part, do her some good and anyway she may need some advice afterwards,” Barrington suggested. “After all, I have a feeling this is going to be a regular event.”

“Yes Sir,” Susan smiled.

“Oh Sir, please Sir, ooh,” Karen wailed.

“No, stay as you are, there really is no rush,” Barrington chuckled.

*

Once her business with Barrington was concluded Susan stood back against the wall to finally see Karen get her comeuppance. Barrington himself hefted the stout Kent clothes brush and patted it against his hand.

“This could take a while,” he said as he regained his seat in the armless chair and beckoned the woe-stricken Karen with one crook of his finger.

“Not in front of her,” she wailed as she turned and saw Susan’s almost smug satisfaction.

“Yes, in front of her and from now on she only has to write a memo to me and you will be kept in after work for more of the same,” Barrington said firmly.

“Oh Sir,” Karen bleated and actually wringing her hands. “It’s not fair.”

Barrington arched one eyebrow in warning.

“Well I don’t mean not fair but… oh please don’t let her…” Karen blustered as she hopped from one foot to the other like a trapped bird.

“Don’t let her what?” he asked sharply.

Karen dipped her head and said nothing.

“Right, over my knee girl,” their boss barked.

“Sir,” Karen groaned and obeyed.

This time her bottom was well arched as if trying to moon heaven. A posture well suited to what came next.

“You remember how this goes don’t you Miss Hazelmere?” Barrington said crisply as he lined up the flat side of the brush against Karen’s very bare bottom.

“Oh yes Sir,” Susan said ruefully.

Raising the brush he brought it down with a crack and Karen yelled. Not for the last time, but no less heartfelt. In moments dozens of spanks had landed and her bottom, only mildly red before, became angry and deep in shade.

“Sir, oh sir, sorry sir,” Karen bleated, scarce able to cope with or comprehend the fire now alight in her seat.

“Ooh, that is tender Sir,” Susan observed with a wince as she pretended some empathy.

“I hope so,” the boss chuckled.

Karen could only add a stream of yelps, grunts and screeches as she bucked and twisted across Barrington’s lap. By then of course her bottom was matt red and somewhat puffed up and welty. Fresh tears too had found their way to her eyes, and while her mind raced in a search for words to make it stop, she could scarce draw a breath.

“Are you sorry?” Barrington asked the now sobbing girl.

“Yes Sir,” Karen said frantically.

“Are you going to behave from now on?” he pressed her as he spanked on.

“Yes Sir, promise Sir,” she wailed and kicked.

“And you deserve this don’t you?” he asked.

“Oh yes Sir,” she yelled, not sure if she meant it.

The spanking halted.

“Then say thank you,” he told her.

“Thank you Sir,” Karen said breathlessly.

“Good girl, now go back and stand in the corner,” Barrington ordered.

Karen nodded in rapid agreement, struggling to hold on as the fire raged in her bottom.

This time she went to the corner without a hint of defiance and even stuck her bottom out in surrender. It took a moment, but the tears that had briefly been under control began to burst forth again and she was ready to indulge herself with a good cry.

Susan nodded in satisfaction and Barrington and her exchanged smiles.

“Glad you took your medicine?” he said to Karen once her crying had finally abated.

“Yes Sir,” Karen said emphatically.

“Good girl, welcome to the team,” he laughed.

“Yes Sir, thank you Sir,” Karen panted.

“Okay off you go. Miss Hazelmere, help her put a wet flannel on it or something.” Barrington coughed as if he was suddenly very conscious of her inappropriate nudity.

“Yes Sir,” Susan smirked.

“I told you she would learn,” was Barrington’s parting words as Susan helped Karen to the ladies’ cloakroom.

Once outside Karen decided against covering her bottom just yet and stopped to massage her rear end with gusto. “Is it always that bad?” she said now smiling through the last of her tears; so glad that it was over, for now anyway.

“No,” Susan assured adding with a wink, “It is usually much worse.”

“I guess I will learn,” Karen said ruefully and rolled her eyes.

Ends