Gynecocracy

CHAPTER 6

It was almost luncheon time when I awoke in the darkened room and I had not been awake many minutes before Mademoiselle and Alice came in. Alice was dressed in a suit of pyjamas, and Mademoiselle looked rosy and flushed, love sick like a bride, but without the calm satisfied look in her eyes which your properly used bride may be always supposed to possess. Indeed, her eyes were restless and wandered, but she bore other indescribable symptoms of having lately experienced the greatest possible physical and sensual enjoyment without, however, any psychological gratification. Of course, I could not tell how they had spent the morning. I guessed they had not been to the schoolroom, and indeed afterwards discovered that to be the fact. They had been in Mademoiselle's boudoir, and Alice, with her masculine artificial implement, had been playing the lover to Mademoiselle's heart's content.

"Now, Alfred," said Mademoiselle to Alice, "just dress yourself in trousers again. Julia is in the secret, and I have a shrewd suspicion that Beatrice is too. But even if they all were you should be compelled to wear trousers to punish your pruriency; just as Julia must wear petticoats."

Alice put on the underskirt and linen one, and was fumbling with the drawers, when Mademoiselle declared she must indulge in another look at her pretty bottom.

"Come," she said, seating herself in her great armchair and gathering up her skirts, making a lap between her shapely legs, "lie down here a moment in my lap." Alice, becoming red, walked over to Mademoiselle, and she proceeded to play with her as a cat does with a mouse. She turned up her skirt, examined and stroked her, and then, as if some sudden impulse carried her away, gave her with her arm tight about her waist a sound spanking.

"You have had your punishment for wearing trousers this morning and I have just reminded you of the birching I felt it my duty to give you. This afternoon you shall have your fun."

"You have amusement all day long, Mademoiselle. Have you ever been birched?" she asked, looking into her face with a delightfully saucy air. "If not, I propose that Julia and I give you a licking just to show you what it is like."

Mademoiselle certainly changed colour.

The idea of birching her asphyxiated me.

"Ah, ha!" shouted Alice. "I believe you would like it. I believe you would agree with me that after all, the birch is the next best thing to the masculine rod itself!"

"Alfred," answered Mademoiselle, now really rosy, "behave yourself."

I could see she had touched her; but if she was annoyed, amusement at Alice's triumphant air and tones afforded her a ready cover for its concealment.

Mademoiselle got up in a moment or two.

"I will not be tantalised for nothing," she said. "Lie on your back on the bench, as Julia did. I shall make you kiss my bottom, for your impudence."

Alice demurred, but quite uselessly. Mademoiselle was aroused and inexorable. She had to put herself in position, and I envied the squeezing she got, evidently only from her back.

Her countenance had changed when she got up.

"I do not like kissing you behind."

"Then hold your impudent tongue, or, next time this occurs you will not be allowed to get up until you have inserted it where it will indeed be punished!"

I was glad to see Alice taken down a peg or two, and to find Mademoiselle able to hold her own, as indeed, at all times and in all places she always did with a wit and self-possession peculiarly French.

In the afternoon, Maud, Beatrice, and Agnes were in the schoolroom where I went from luncheon which Mademoiselle had had served to herself, Alice, and me in a private room. Agnes instantly hailed questions upon me.

"What did she do to you, Julia? We thought we should never see you again. Where were you whipped? Let me look. What were you made to undergo and is Lord Alfred really a man? We waited and waited and waited and when Mademoiselle did not appear and twelve o'clock came, Elise took Bee away, and locked her up in some black hole. She is blinking like an owl at the light-that's why; but how tired you look, Julia? And I am sure Beatrice has had no lunch."

"Indeed I had, Agnes!"

"Oh, only the potato parings, and what was left on the servants' plates!"

Beatrice flew at Agnes, who, with a burst of laughter, made off.

"I wish you two would not play the fool," said Maud deprecatingly. "You will only let us all in for it if you do."

Beatrice did look queer in her youth's clothes-an Eton jacket and trousers. What a bottom she had!

She carefully averted her eyes from mine which she was determined not to meet. Her hair had been rolled up and she looked shamefaced to the last degree.

"Isn't she a great, big, rollicking tomboy?" enquired Agnes with intense glee and stealing up behind her.

Agnes, in the excess of her spirits, brought her hand smack down upon the redundant hemisphere which protruded at the base of Beatrice's jacket.

Beatrice turned round furious and Agnes would have received condign punishment from her had she not seen Mademoiselle standing stern and silent at the door. They were nicely caught in the very act.

"Upon my word," remarked Mademoiselle. "Lord Alfred, the very moment we open the schoolroom door the need of a tutor becomes apparent. I will leave you to deal with this."

"Certainly, Mademoiselle; only too happy."

Agnes had seated herself at the table and looked very crestfallen.

There was a rocking horse in the room-a great big one.

"Master Beatrice," ordered Alice, "mount that horse. We will deal with you presently, Agnes."

"Oh, I can't-I won't!"

"Have you a cane, Mademoiselle?"

"To be sure."

"Now, Master Beatrice, consider this little fellow. He will sting more"-swishing it through the air-"than your sister's hand."

The saddle was an old one, with a big knob in front and it was high at the place Beatrice would be wedged in between, and I knew where she would feel the pressure, especially if anyone was so ill-natured as to rock the animal.

Mademoiselle had seated herself comfortably in her armchair, and calmly awaited the progress of events.

The sight and swish of the cane appeared quite sufficient motive to Beatrice.

She mounted reluctantly and immediately put one hand on the saddle to relieve the pressure on the sensitive regions of her body.

"Julia," said Alice, "take her handkerchief and tie her hands behind her."

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Beatrice piteously, becoming white, red, blue, and green all at once. "Oh! The saddle hurts me."

"You do not suppose I desired you to get up there for your own amusement, do you? Do as I tell you, Julia."

So I was compelled to tie her hands as directed. She was almost in tears. When I had tied her hands Alice put her foot on the rocker and set the animal in violent motion.

Beatrice exclaimed loudly, turned very red, expostulated, threatened, and implored by turns. She was compelled to make the most ridiculous efforts to avoid falling off. That necessity made her squeeze the beast with her legs.

The rough usage they met with and which the nerves and regions between encountered made her positively glow with shame.

The combat in her countenance between shame, vexation, and sensuality was ludicrous to behold.

Mademoiselle laughed till the tears ran down her face and until her sides must have ached.

Alice bade me keep the horse going. I had had my turn of punishment in the morning and could now thoroughly enjoy the events of the afternoon free from all apprehension on my own score.

I rocked the horse with my foot as if it were on the pedal of a wheel, holding my handkerchief in one hand and my gown up daintily with the other.

Beatrice's oh's and ah's continued at each fresh jolt, and I could not avoid smiling and occasionally causing her a slight jerk by pressing the rocker down before the swing one way had been accomplished, upon which occasions I saw an angry red spot steal into her cheeks.

Indeed, before very long, I heard her suggesting:

"Gently, Julia! You may stop. No one will notice." And again: "Won't you catch it for-?"

With a smile I cut that short. It only required a little harder pressure of my foot than usual and the breath was jolted out of Beatrice's body and she found frantic efforts necessary to retain her equilibrium.

Alice then sat down and ordered Agnes to stand before her. She did so not very readily, obeying evidently only because she could not help herself.

"Do you know, Miss, the punishment a young lady deserves, who behaves herself during lesson time in so disorderly a fashion?"

"What is that to you?" said Agnes, pertly. "You are not my governess."

"Insubordination, in addition. Very well, Miss, you will have your bottom soundly birched."

Agnes flushed. "I won't!" she said.

"I think," said Maud, "it is a shame a man should use my sister so! I wonder, Mademoiselle-"

"Hold your tongue, codger."

I was afraid Beatrice would contribute her pipe next and so pressed my foot down strongly and suddenly. My pulses leapt and bounded; and, amid all my delight that these girls were going to catch it, I did not forget to rock Beatrice's horse with sufficient speed to keep her fully occupied with her own affairs.

How angrily Maud flushed at the word "codger"! That was what she had been named when made to work as a scullery maid. It shut her up effectually.

I was overjoyed at the thrilling prospect before me. These girls would catch it and the best of it was they would have to suffer the shamefulness of being punished by one whom they plainly considered a man while he was not really so. How deliciously they would be done!

They would have the salacious delight of displaying all their hidden charms to one they regarded as a man and then be bereft of their obscene enjoyment by being afterwards informed that the supposed man was, after all, but a woman like themselves.

What a disappointment it would be to them! For I know well that young ladies like being put to shame, having their nakedness exposed, and intensely enjoy anything that causes them an acute sense of immorality.

"What!" exclaimed Alice. "Here is flat mutiny. Maud, what business is it of yours to interfere with discipline? Get up, and stand beside your sister, Miss."

Maud looked very angry and threw down her pencil in a pet, but she went and stood by Agnes all the same.

"Now," remarked Lady Alfred, "I do not know which of you two young ladies is the worse, so I shall punish both your bottoms; and as the crime is really so serious, you must each have a dozen in front in addition. You must strip to your chemises. Maud, help Agnes, and you, Agnes, help Maud."

Long habits of obedience, the presence of Mademoiselle, the hopelessness of more resistance, I suppose, led them to acquiesce and obey. Rebellion would have been quelled at once by the assistance which Elise and the servants would have readily rendered, if summoned. And summoned we all knew they would be, upon the slightest provocation. They loved to see their young mistresses whipped and it would intensify their pleasure to see them flogged by a man.

Maud's and Agnes' frocks were soon off, their petticoats and corsets followed. They sat down and took off their stockings and shoes and drawers.

They were a beautiful pair of girls. Agnes' innocent blushes and cast-down looks were bewitching and almost compensated for the want of ripeness in her form as compared with Maud's.

"Before being punished you must lie on that couch and be examined."

"Oh, Mademoiselle!" exclaimed both the girls together, flushing scarlet, appealing to their governess against this fresh ignominy.

"You must obey, or you will find my whip about you, you refractory hussies!" was the only satisfaction they obtained from her.

"Oh!" they exclaimed. "By a man!"

Mademoiselle bit her lip.

"You will like it all the better for that."

Beatrice was going to say something, but an extra jerk shut her up. I could scarcely forbear from laughter at the control I possessed over her owing to my office of rocker. I knew I should have to pay for it hereafter.

"Agnes, come here! Lie down flat on your back, your head towards me," ordered her tutor.

Lady Alfred pulled her down and her chemise up, examined and passed her hand over her thighs, abdomen, and navel, and tickled, notwithstanding her choking exclamations, her clitoris. Then she rolled her over, and separated her legs as she looked at her pretty white bottom, and, placing her finger on the button between its cheeks, told Agnes she would insert it the next time she made punishment necessary.

"Monster!" said Maud. "Beast!"

Lady Alfred looked up, but said nothing.

Maud's turn followed. She was exposed and examined in the same way. When she had been rolled over, Lady Alfred enquired whether she had not called her a monster when she informed Agnes how she would be punished next time.

"Yes," said Maud defiantly.

"That candle, please, Mademoiselle-thank you."

"Very well, I shall insert this. That will teach you to control your tongue, I hope."

Maud threw herself about, screamed, kicked, cried, protested. Lady Alfred was much the stronger and got the candle well in; Maud yelled-she pushed it up and down.

It was quite plain she felt the punishment physically, as acutely as the degradation hurt her pride and self-respect. When it was over, she appeared to loathe herself, and to be unable to hold up her head. It was indeed a terribly humiliating ordeal for the proud immaculate Maud to have to undergo at the hands of one she deemed a man.

She cried quietly, altogether cowed as though indelibly stigmatised with disgrace. This is not the least of the effects of this horrid punishment.

In the schoolroom there was a long, narrow, but firm and heavy, four-legged table. It stood across the window.

Lady Alfred took two big sofa cushions and placed one at each end. Then, catching Agnes by the ear, she marched her to one end of the table, doubled her down across the cushions, folded her arms underneath her breast, and put a broad strap round her shoulders and the table, so as to prevent her getting up.

She next drew up her chemise at the back and afterwards in front, and wrinkled it up above her bosom round her neck. She then separated her legs by attaching one to each of the legs of the table which were quite three feet and a half asunder. A pretty picture Agnes looked. I became almost too much interested to continue my rocking.

Lady Alfred proceeded to fasten Maud in precisely the same way at the opposite end of the same table. Of course her head and Agnes' were thus close together.

It was plain though, she could not whip them both at once.

Stay, she was evidently going to try. She asked Mademoiselle for two birches, and holding one in each hand, standing at the middle of the table with her back to the window, she attempted to give alternate strokes with each hand to the culprits. She soon discovered she could not thus give them with enough force, and also that her position prevented her watching the effects of the punishment. So she made Agnes howl first. She did yell, and well she might; her bottom was soon crimson. She howled in Maud's ear to that damsel's disgust, but she, knowing that it would be her turn in a moment, endeavoured to put up with it without making any perceptible protest. I do not think Agnes had ever had such a flogging before. I thought it would cure her for a long time of her kittenish tricks. When Lady Alfred whipped in she seemed to become delirious.

Having punished Agnes, who was weeping bitterly, she next turned her attention to Maud and flogged her in the same thorough manner. She too yelled while Agnes was crying quietly; and with good reason she yelled. Her beautiful bottom was soon cut.

I wonder whether it was any consolation to her and Agnes to yell in such close proximity to each other.

The next step was to fasten the damsels face upwards. Lady Alfred did not spare their thighs in front, when she had done so, nor their pussies; as I contemplated Maud's affair, I recollected and thought of that memorable afternoon in her studio. Maud felt this mode of punishment most. Her contortions were terrible to witness.

Afterwards, they had to thank Lady Alfred for having taken the trouble of punishing them.

The bell was rung, Mademoiselle sent for the two housemaids with a clothes basket, and ordered them to take away all the clothes which Maud and Agnes had taken off, while these two young ladies were then made to stand in front of two large mirrors with their chemises pinned up about their throats. 361

"Now, Master Beatrice, it is your turn. As an Eton boy you must be so well accustomed to the birch that a cane will be a nice change for you; and as you are horsed already, we need not disturb you. Lean forward over your steed and put your arms round his neck. Julia, undo his hands. Now I am sorry, but I must take down your trousers."

Saying which, Lady Alfred encircled Beatrice's waist and took them down.

The horse was so high that a fall would have seriously hurt Beatrice. She was, however, only fixed by her hands being tied together under the horse's head, her arms being round its neck.

Her boy's drawers followed her trousers, the tail of her shirt was tucked up, and her pretty bottom exposed fully to view.

Swish, swish, swish! And the cane whistled through the air biting her bottom, and leaving angry red wales.

Beatrice writhed and choked. Her posture protected her feminine apparatus, luckily for her. The punishment was painful and ignominious, but nothing so severe as what Maud and Agnes had to undergo.

Beatrice cried and looked remarkably beautiful and alluring in her sorrow. Her distress made her so unusually attractive, that, in spite of her boy's clothes, I really trusted I might find an opportunity for consoling her.

So ended Lady Alfred Ridlington's afternoon amusement-one she had really earned by her sufferings of that morning. Mademoiselle's strong arm had made her undergo, I am sure, quite as much pain as she had inflicted.

The two girls were forced to do their lessons in their chemises, and had afterwards to walk in them along the passages to their rooms. 362

Beatrice, after her caning, got down from her horse in order that she might be compelled to show her really pretty legs to advantage. She was deprived of her trousers; and her shirt, shorter of course than a chemise, only served to make the display more remarkable, especially as it was open at the sides.

So the three girls spent the afternoon in undress.