Anonymous - Frank and I

She received me with great respect and ceremony, ushered me into her neat little sitting-room, and made me sit in the best chair, while she stood before me, waiting to hear what I had to say.

Mrs. Grove was about forty-five years of age; a good-looking buxom woman, whose husband had been lodge-keeper; and on his death I had allowed her to remain in charge of the lodge, as she was quite capable of performing all the dudes of lodge-keeper, with the assistance of her grown-up daughter.

Mrs. Grove had been born and brought up on the estate, so she was devoted to me, and to everything connected with Oakhurst.

I told her what had happened, and asked her to keep an eye on Anna’s proceedings, and if possible, find out what she had done with the watch.

The worthy woman was quite concerned on hearing of my loss, and she was furious with Anna, who was, she said, a naughty, troublesome girl in every way. Then, she went on: “Anna may not have hidden the watch anywhere as yet; perhaps she has got it on her person; so when she comes back I will search her, and if I do find the watch, I will give her the soundest birching she has ever had in her life-and she has had many a one from me.”

I smiled at the emphatic way she spoke, thinking to myself that if the watch was found on Anna, she would get her bottom well warmed.

Mrs. Grove continued: “If you have time, sir, I should like you to wait and see what happens, and if I have to birch the girl, I should very much like you to be present, I think it would be a bit of satisfaction to you to see her well whipped for all the bother she has given you.”

I was rather surprised at Mrs. Grove offering to let me see her birch the girl, but I was delighted with the offer; for since I had become a “lover of the rod,” I had often had a. wish to see a girl birched, and now there was a chance of my wish being gratified. It would be deliciously exciting to watch a bottom, that I had never seen before, reddening tinder the strokes of a birch-rod wielded by a buxom woman. My cock began to stiffen at the thought!

I said that I would wait and see the affair out, whatever happened; then I added: “I have no doubt that Anna is the thief, but if she has not got the watch in her possession when she comes back, we can do nothing. We cannot birch her without proof that she has stolen the watch.”

“No, sir, I suppose not,” said Mrs. Grove in a tone of regret

She had hardly finished speaking, when we heard the outer door opened, and then closed, as the girl entered the cottage. Mrs. Grove called her, and she came into the little parlour, jauntily, but when she saw me, she started and looked rather uneasy for a moment; then she informed me that she had delivered the letter.

Anna Lee, as I have before said, was a little over fifteen years of age, a well-grown sturdy wench, not bad-looking, but her face had a saucy expression; she had a dark, olive complexion; black hair; and bold, black eyes; very white teeth; and red lips. She was supposed to have gipsy blood in her, and she certainly looked as if she hid. She was neatly dressed in a cotton frock, with a white apron, and on her head she wore a linen sun-bonnet with scarlet ribbons. Altogether she was a nice morsel for the birch. She took off her bonnet, and was about to quit the room, when she was stopped by Mrs. Grove; who did not waste words, but at once came to the point. She said: “You were up at the house a short time ago. The master’s watch was stolen out of the hall. I believe you stole it. I am going to search you.” So saying, she caught hold of Anna, who was so taken aback that she never even denied the charge, but stood perfectly still during the whole time she was being searched. Mrs. Grove first felt in the girl’s pocket; then she passed her hand down the girl’s arms to see if the watch was hidden in her sleeves; then unfastening the front of her dress, she thrust her hand down her bosom, but she did not find the object of her search. So I began to think that Anna had not got the watch on her person, and consequently that I should not have the pleasure of seeing her bottom whipped.

But Mrs. Grove had not finished her search; and much to my surprise, she put both her hands up tinder the girl’s clothes, and after a little groping, cried out in a tone of triumph, “I’ve got it, sir!” at the same time producing the watch, which Anna had managed to stow away in some of the mysterious recesses of her underclothing.

The culprit, thus caught almost red-handed, did not say a word. She turned a little pale, a sullen expression came to her face, and she stood twisting the hem of her apron between her fingers.

“Now, you hussy!” said Mrs. Grove, “you shall catch it! Ill make your bottom smart, you horrid young thief.”

Then, going to the door, she called out to her daughter: “Come here, Fanny, and bring the rod with you.”

The girl’s black eyes flashed, and she darted a look of hatred at Mrs. Grove, saying, sullenly: “It is not tight that I should be flogged before a gentleman.”

“Hold your tongue, you bad girl! You ought to be publicly flogged in the middle of the village!” said Mrs. Grove angrily.

At that moment, Fanny came into the room, carrying in her hand a formidable looking birch-rod, which she placed on the table. This rod was much longer, and bigger in every way than the one I had used on “Frank.”

Fanny was about twenty-three years old; a tall, strapping, broad-shouldered country lass, as strong as an average man. Her mother briefly told her what Anna had done; adding: “I am going to flog her soundly. Take her up, and mind you hold her fast.”

Fanny glanced at me, blushing a little, but said quietly: “All right, mother; I’ll hold her tight. This will not be the first time I have hoisted her for you.” She seized Anna’s wrists, turned half round, and swung the big girl easily up on her broad back; then slightly separating her feet, and bending well forward, she brought the culprit’s body into a curved position, with her bottom well thrown out, at a most convenient angle for receiving the punishment.

Mrs. Grove stepped forward, and rolled the girl’s skirt up to her shoulders, doing the same with her petticoats and chemise, which, though coarse, were clean; then she carefully pinned up all the garments in such a way that they could not fall down while the culprit was being birched.

As Anna wore no drawers, she was now naked from her waist to the tops of her stockings. For her age, she was remarkably well developed; her bottom was broad and fleshy-there was plenty of room for the birch to play on-her thighs were large, and she had rather thick legs, which were encased in white cotton stockings, gartered above her knees with black ribbons. Her skin, clean, and wholesome-looking was of an olive tint, rather coarse in texture, but quite smooth; and I at once noticed that both of her round, plump buttocks were marked with faint, pink lines, evidently the traces of a flogging which had been inflicted not many days previously. Mrs. Grove rolled up her sleeve, displaying a muscular arm; then, taking up the rod, she lightly touched the girl’s bottom with the end of the twigs, pointing oat the pink marks on her skin, saying: “There, sir. Those are the marks left by a birching I gave the wicked girl, only three days ago, for being saucy to me.” A slight shudder passed over the culprit, as she felt the birch touching her bare flesh, but she did not utter a word.

“How many strokes shall I give her, sir?” asked Mrs. Grove, as she drew the rod through the fingers of her left hand, so as to separate the bristly twigs.

My eyes were fixed on the girl’s fat bottom. I was greatly excited, and I had a stiff prick, so that it was as much as I could do to preserve a calm, judicial demeanour while I replied to the question.