Selina Scott, at sixteen considered herself to be a very lucky girl. She lived with her father in luxury, she was unusual in that she was learning a skill very few girls in 1946 would be allowed to learn. Indeed many girls were still expected to leave school, work briefly then marry and have children. Selina had no need to work, she could have lived like any other heiress on her father’s wealth but she had not been brought up like that. So now she was apprenticed to the son of her father’s estate manager to learn all the intricacies of managing a large rural estate. Selina was brought up as a city girl and she was learning all the countryside skills even as she learned about business. This dreary wet wednesday morning found her in her private office arranging with a local supplier for a delivery of animal feed. Finished she put the phone down and ticked off the chore in her diary. Selina was relieved to see that today she was due to walk the spinney with Tom, a chore she really enjoyed, they’d take the dogs but today Tom had promised to take a shotgun and give her a shooting lesson. First though there was an unpleasant job that could not be avoided. Sighig Selina stood and put her waxedcoat on over her long tartan skirt and Hebridean sweater and went out to the stables where she knew Tom would be arriving soon. Last night she had been allowed to do evening stables and she had not been best pleased, one of the grooms had left a horse in muck and ungroomed, left the horse deliberately she suspected because she had covered for another groom recently, done the work for her. This time she was determined that the offender, Simpson, a 45 year old father of three, would be dealt with according to the local custom. Selina walked through the stables with mixed emotions, she loved to meet the horses early like this, lovd their company, the smell, their warmth but today she was on edge because she knew she herself had let this situation develop. She heard Tom’s footsteps, like him measured and calm, she turned a faint smile of welcome on her face. Together they walked the stables, quietly discussing each horse, Selina reporting her previous evening rounds. When they came to Simpson’s string of three horses Selina explainedhow she had mucked out one horse herself, careful to explain that she may have contributed to Simpson’s offence herself by her lax attitude the previous week. Tom took the news calmly and they continued their rounds till Tom was satisfied all was well, then he asked her to go up into the tackroom and wait there quietly.

A few minutes later the grooms arrived and the noise level increased as they cheerfully went about their business of taking the saddles off the racks and preparing the horses for morning exercise, she heard Tom ask Simpson to wait behind. The other groups exchanged knowing smiles and went about their duties, Simpson Blackock remained behind, faced Tom half defiantly, half shamefully. Tom at eighteen was young but had the confidence of a man many years older, he had been brought up to run this estate. “Well Simpson Blackock, from the look of you I think you might know what this is about. You didn’t do your string last night did you?” The groom began to bluster and say that the string had been done but Tom was having none of that and challenged Simpson who sighed and admitted the truth.

"No young Tom, Sir I didn’t,” he said in a resigned voice. “The young miss was doing rounds and I left it for her thinking she’s do it, which she did. I didn’t think she’s tell on me though,” he continued, “she didn’t the last time. can’t say as I blame her though, if she hadn’t I think this lot would have taken more and more advantage.”

Tom smiled and acknowledged the truth of that, “Yes I am sure they would Mr Blackock but now you are the one that gets caught, the one that stops the rot. You’ve known me since the day I was born, helped nurse me through sickness and injuries, taught me so much about horses. Now though you know your choices, me, my father or leave the estate.”

Simpson had been watching Tom carefully and now he nodded and spoke clearly, no bluster evident now. “Aye, you’re your dad’s son, friendship not interfering with business. He never let my treatment and favour of you get in the way of giving me my just desserts, and now it’s your turn young Sir. No I see no need to trouble your father with this, the estate is my life and I’ll be staying.Sammy said you spanked as hard as your dad but were just as fair” With that he calmly removed his riding jacket and hung it on a nail, walked toward  the nearest saddle rack and stood patiently while Tom fetched a horse leather, very similar to one Selina had intimate knowledge of! When Tom approached Simpson, still with that same calm demeanor, unfastened his belt and let his working trousers slip to the floor, then pushed down his white underpants. With a strange grace he bent over, flipping his shirt tails up onto his back at the same time, his hands rested on the saddle rack. Selina had only ever had the occasional accidental glimpse of parts of men, now this man, a man as old as her ather was bending over and displaying his backside, she could even see his testicles dangling between his legs! Selina did not look away though, she was fascinated by the tableau before her, a scene she had witnessed before when Tom had caned Sammy in a similar situation. Without a word he moved to Simpson’s left and held the strap against his buttocks, causing Simpson to flinch from the touch.

Selina heard Tom say “Six Mr Blacock” and watched fascinated as he raised the strap and brought ti quickly down across Simpson’s backside. Selina jumped at the sound it made, a sound she remembered well, her bottom tingled at a memory, she saw and wondered as Simpson’s buttocks thrust forward away from the strap, seemed to push back as if eager for the next stroke. She wondered if her bottom had looked the same. She knew her bottom had worn the same red strap band after Tom had finished because she had checked in a mirror. Selina’s eyes remained glued to the scene as the strap rose and fell, the quiet of the stable disturbed by the rythmic thuds as it landed. Simpson took his strapping with very little fuss, a hiss at first as each stroke landed, but on the fourth stroke a grunt of pain was drawn from him. His bared backside was crimson now, his bottom was wriggling as Selina’s had. Tom caught the lowest part of Simpson’s cheeks with the fifth stroke which drew a hissed expletive from the poor man. he half stood, his leg kicking, his hips moving side to side. Tom waited patiently, not saying a word till Simpson resumed his position then raised the strap and thrashed him a final time. Simpson grunted louder and immediately stood up and clutched his bare buttocks and squeezed them. if it had not been for the man’s obvious pain Selina would have thought it funny. She knew Simpson deserved this, she was half excited by being a witness, but she was also ashamed hat if she had acted more quickly this would not have deveoped, the original culprit would have been nipped in the bud. Simpson recovered quickly and pulled up his trousers, “Are we all done now Sir?” he enquired quietly.

“Yes Simpson, of course we are,” Tom assured him “and I hope this is not a duty I have to perform again,” he finished. Simpson for his part took his jacket from the nail and donned it, turned to Tom and half smiled.

“That’s something we agree on lad,” he smiled, “now I’ll be about my business.” Selina was amazed at how once the punishment was over these people could once again become friends and colleagues with no resentment either way. There was a lump in her throat when the older man shook Tom’s right hand and patted his shouldr with the other hand. When the groom had left with his first horse Selina emerged from the tack room and looked at Tom who regarded her calmly.

“What have you learned from this Miss Selina?” he asked. Selina thought carefully before she replied.

“I let my sympathy forwhat you’d do to the female groom sway me, and that caused you to punish your friend, you did your duty where I failed.” Suddenly Selina realised he had addressed her as Miss Selina, a formal form of address he had only used when he deemed it fit to punish her. brave and honest girl that she wasshe stood tall and faced her mentor, trusting him, knowing how fair he was. She saw Tom glance at his watch.

“Yes that is true, and now we have half an hour before you breakfast with your father. Your office I think?” With a sinking heart Selina nodded and walked with Tom across the yard and up the outside stairs. On the way Tom explained it didn’t matter which groom it had been, it could have been Simpson, the same thing would have happened. He explained that like children the estate workers would always test the limits of any new foreman, chargehand, manager or owner. All of them, he said, wanted to know where the line was, and once they knew they were less likely to cross it. Now they knew and would respect her more for it rather than treat her with contempt and a lightweight young rich girl. At the topof thestairs Selina took off her coat, shook some moisture off it and entered the office where she hung it neatly on its hanger. She turned to face Tom, nervous but confident, sure in the knowledge he would do whatever was right. “You seem to understand the lesson Miss Selina,” he said in a measured tone. “But I don’t want you to ever forget it, never be tempted to make excuses for the staff, always be consistent with them. So Miss Selina I want you to accept the same punishment Simpson just took, but you only have two choices, me or end your apprenticeship.” Selina knew she had only one choice, she wanted so much to learn everything about the estate and how to run it. Without a word she went to the cupboard and removed the strap she knew was there, indeed the strap Tom had used on her for the first time three weeks ago.

She felt his eyes on her as she placed the strap on the left hand edge of the desk, where she knew he would be standing soon. Then without haste but with efficient movements she took off her long sweater and tartan skirt, dropping them on one of the leather guest chairs. Brusquely she pushed her panties down to her ankles and reached forward over the desk, feeling its’coolness through her shirt, feeling the coolness invade her cheeks as her shirt rode up. As she had three weeks ago Selina realised it would be in the way and reached back to fold it up onto her back before reaching out to grip the far side of the desk. Selina heard Tom move, saw him lift the strap, measure its’ weight in both hands then take a firm grip of it with his right hand, She lost sight of him when he stepped away from the desk to position himself where he was best able to del with her.Selina had been strapped before and she mentally prepared herself to accept what she knew she deserved.She had dealt with it before and she felt more confident now she knew what was to come.

Selina was totally unaware that Tom had been admiring her shapely body as she prepared, had no idea of the growing affection Tom had for her. Her honesty, her quick grasp of business, her quirky humour all appealed to him, now he began to realise what a lovely young woman she was becoming. He liked her chunky body, saw some might think her legs a little short, but they were shapely and he knew with heels she was stunning. He thought of her as all hips and shoulders, her waist was so narrow. He knew she had always worked but the last few weeks exercise had burned every bit of fat off her, her naked buttocks were strongly muscled but at the same time looked very shapely in his eyes. There was no thought in Tom’s mind of being lenient with Selina, as he had with his lifelong friend Simpson, he would do what was right and just. Calmly he put the strap against Selina’s bare backside, “Six Miss Selina,” he warned as he had earlier.

Selina heard him, took a breath and held it as the strap was lifted. She heard Tom shift his weight then felt the strap land square across the middle of her bottom. She could not keep a hiss of surprise and shock that was forced from her, she thought she could remember the pain but nothing could prepare her for the reality of the thudding impact followed almost immediately by the fierce burning in her cheeks. This time Selina did not embarrass herself, she managed to hold on to the desk and keep in position despitethe fire she felt. Her hips thrust her bottom away from the strap but natural reflexes pushed it back into position. She felt the strap stroking her bottom again and took two deep breaths, holding the second as the strap was raised and slammed down again, slightly higher than the last one. Her natural fortitude let Selina accept the stroke gracefully, she made no sound, it was now a point of pride that she would take her punishments as well or better than the rest of the staff. She breathed deeply again as the strap was placed against the lowest part of her cheeks, held her breath and gritted her teeth as Tom brought the strap smartly down, forcing her to lift onto her toes with a slight upswing. Still Selina kept her moan behind clenched teeth, forced her body to once again offer her red hot bottom to the strap. She felt a double tap and just had time to take a deep breath before the strap landed with a solid thud right across the top of her cheeks. She heard herself give a stifled moan and felt tears forming in her eyes, but she felt no shame, now she just wanted to hold on to whatever dignity she could. She realised Tom was waiting because her bottom was wriggling so much and with a supreme effort forced herself to become still, with her bottom thrust out and positioned correctly. This time Tom struck herlower cheeks but not as low as before. Selina yelped softly as the strap straddled two previous strokes, increasing the burning tenfold. Now she knew there was just one left and she gasped heaving breaths in and out, forced her kicking legs to become still, feet together, she somehow managed to stop her bototm wriggling and thrust it out for the final time. As soon as he saw she was ready Tom wasted no time, she felt the strap lift, felt the thud land high, again between two previous strokes and agains she squealed softly, this time part relief, part pain and part pride. She had taken her punishment without letting go of the desk! Now she just collapsed on the desk and let the tears flow, tears that held no shame for her, tears that washed away guilt and faults.

For his part Tom could not help but admire Selina’s bottom as he punished her as he would punish any of the staff, no harder or softer. He thought the way the first broad strap mark turning pink then red even as he prepared the next was lovely, as he continued to strap Selina he admiredher courage, she made a lot less fuss than most, and she had only ever been spanked twice. Strangely as Selina wriggled he couldn’t help noticing she was revealing what was between her legs. he had truly not noticed with Sammy and the two other females he had occasion to punish. As he covered all her bottom with the strap he felt light headed, felt admiration and respect for this little rich girl who had volunteered to be taught by what was for her totally alien methods. Finally it was over and he dropped the strap back on the desk and stepped away and sat in one of the guest chairs and waited for Selina to regain her composure. The only sound in the room was her sobs which she slowly brought under control. Her hands moved slowly back and seemed to be exploring her own bottom almost in wonder as she gently ran them down her fiery buttocks. Tom did what any young man would do he enjoyed the view, albeit a trifle guiltily. Soon Selina levered herself up and began to dress, she bent and pullled her panties up, refastened her skirt and struggled into her sweater. She lookied at Tom half shyly, half hopefully and managed to smile through her pain.

“I won’t forget that lesson in a hutrry will I,” she said, “but are we friends again now Tom, please?” she smiled sweetly.

Tom couldn’t hide his warm smile as he assured her they were. He asked if she wanted to change the plans for today in view of what had just happened. Selina immediately vehemently denied she held any grudges, she had made a mistake and had paid for it and thought the idea was it was over and done with. Tom waved her down and explained it was not the punishment she just received but the punishments she might receive if they went out with guns. Selina became quiet and thoughtful as Tom explained. Country folk, he explained understood the danger of guns he said. They realised their sole purpose was to kill so they were all taught from an early age to have the greatest respect for all weapons. He described how his father took him shooting at a very early age, him carrying the 12 guage, Tom with a smaller 410. His father also carried a cane, a not uncommon sight when a young boy was taught to shoot. Even the most minor mistake was dealt with harshly, a standard three strokes of the cane for an unarmed gun, six if the gun was loaded. He smiled ruefully when he said the worst day he had was a mistake with an empty weapon and two with a loaded. He said at that point his dad punished him and they walked home together with his dad carrying both guns. His dad, Tom explained was a fair man and knew Tom had had enough. Now she fully understood Tom’s concern, from past experience she knew her bottom would feel hot and sore for two or three hours, knew any further attention would soon raise the pain threshold very quickly as it rekindled the earlier fire.However she was determined (obstinate some said) to learn everything as quickly as she could.

“Can we do a deal Tom, please?” she asked in a reasonable voice, “teach me to shoot but if I make one error with a loaded gun or two with an empty you can carry the guns back, OK?” Again Tom felt warm inside with affection and respect for this young girl. he knew he could not refuse so he told her to go share breakfast with her father and return to her office at 9 am for lessons. Smiling with a light heart and a burning bottom to join her father. Sharp as always her father noticed her light step that belied her red eyes and her stiff gait and asked what had happened. There had never been secrets between them ever since the war claimed her mother and he knew that she had agreed to the local training methods and indeed had endorsed her decision. So now she told him everything, explained what her mistake had been, what she had learned, she did though, spare him the actual details of her punishment. She thought her father might think it was an almost playful spanking not realising her father made it his business to check everything, he had witnessed Tom’s father punishing another member of staff with a strap. Now though he chattedwith his daughter basking in the pride he felt that she had turned out so well. He rose to leave for the city to conduct his business affairs and kissed her on her cheek and hugged her as he always did. He wished her a good day and told her to be very careful with the guns. Selina nodded soberly, thought about consequences and determined she would be a model pupil today.