CHAPTER 1

 

Tania Simpkins shifted her bottom on the bench outside Miss Winter's office. The discomfort was mental rather than physical, however; more a vague feeling of unease. She looked at her six colleagues, seated on her own bench and the one opposite. All female and, as she was, in their early twenties, they wore the same expression of apprehension. Like a group of naughty schoolgirls waiting outside the Headmistress's office to be dealt with.

This wasn't school, though. This was work. And on work, Tania was belatedly realising, depended everything else. They all lived in a company owned block of flats, apart from Amanda Greerson, who lived with her dominating mother. They relied on their jobs for everything. No job, no home. Not a good position in these harsh economic times. The job wasn't bad either, all things considered. They worked for a company that sold holidays and travel products. A lot of the work was done over the phone but they also needed typing and good English skills for the written side of it. They needed to be conscientious all-rounders really and in return they got a reasonable salary and the small but comfortable flat.

Tania had to admit they had been irresponsible in the last few months. They all enjoyed a good laugh and the work had sometimes suffered as a result. It wasn't as if they were that great at their jobs in the office in the first place.

Tania shivered. She was a tall, athletic girl with short chestnut hair who had little experience of making her way in the world. Better knuckle down and make a success of this job. If it wasn't too late.

The subdued conversation stopped as Miss Winters opened the door to her office. Although she was the girls' immediate boss, Miss Winters was rather a remote lady. She was in her early 40's and cut a competent, no nonsense figure. She was above average height, with a build to match. Her short, dark hair, cut in a 'bob' style and business suit, added to the school-marm image.

"Into the office, please, girls." They trooped in, Tania feeling even more that Miss Winter's next words would be 'bend over girls, I'm going to smack your bottoms for being so naughty.' Looking at some of the faces of her colleagues, she could see wasn't alone in thinking that.

Of course, that wasn't what she said but the words were not much more welcome. They all stood around in the office. There was no invitation to sit. Miss Winters walked slowly behind her desk and crossed her arms.

"I'm afraid, girls, that things are going to have to change around here." She paused. "Quite dramatically." None of the girls answered. The silence hung heavy in the air. They all knew the boss was right. "Just lately you've all demonstrated a lack of competence in doing your jobs. The level of horseplay has, in contrast, risen." She paused again. "I believe you all need a degree of re-training and I've made arrangements for this." Tania was relieved. They were keeping their jobs and, by extension, their homes. She was suddenly appalled at how close she might have come to actually being homeless. Looking around, she could see the others were too. "Have any of you heard of the Miller Finishing School For Young Women? Or Miss Miller, the Headmistress?" Everyone looked blank, except Miss Winters, who, Tania swore, looked relieved. Tania wondered why. "Miss Miller is running a course at her school for day pupils, each Wednesday during term time. The course covers all aspects of our work here. Pupils who pass the final exam and gain the Certificate will be allowed to continue working here. Those who fail will not. Anyone leaving the course early will automatically have the employment terminated. That means they lose their company flat too. Quite simply, it is imperative you pass this course. It's not going to be easy but I would suggest easier than finding another job with subsidised accommodation." The girls looked at each other in a rather shocked way, recognising all too well the truth in her words. Miss Winters continued.

"School will be every Wednesday for one school year. Because you are missing a whole day's work you will be required to start an hour earlier and finish an hour later on the other four days." There was a gasp from the girls.

"Oh, Miss Winters, that's so unfair!" This from Sonia Vickers, a loud, outspoken blond girl who Tania had never really liked but was happy to have fight her corner now. Miss Winters looked hard at her.

"If you don't like it, Sonia, you know where the door is." This summed up perfectly their predicament. There were no more dissenting voices.

"Now, school will start next Wednesday, a week tomorrow. I've drawn up a list of things you will need." She handed out a typed list to each of the seven girls. Tania scanned hers. It included things she hadn't used since real school, years before. A compass, protractor, ruler, pencil case. My God, she thought. It looks like we really are in for an education. "You won't be required to wear a uniform as such but Miss Miller will require you to wear a black skirt and white blouse." She paused. "It really doesn't pay to upset her, girls. She's fair but very strict and rather old fashioned. And remember, she has the final say on whether you carry on working here or not."

There was much grumbling about the situation from the girls over the following week but that first day found all of them standing outside the gates of the Miller Finishing School. They were at once intimidated and impressed by the Gothic building. A hundred yard long drive led up to a large house, more suited, thought Tania, to a horror film than a school. A heavy quiet pervaded the place, the only sound the scrunching of gravel as orderly groups of smartly uniformed girls moved around.

Feeling somewhat out of place, they approached the massive double doors in the centre of the front of the building. They rang the bell marked 'Ring For Reception', noting the small sign underneath which read 'ANY GIRL MISUSING THIS BELL WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED.'

Tania exchanged glances with Amanda and she shrugged. Tania hadn't understood why Amanda had consented to attending the school as she lived with her mother and didn't rely on the job for her home. When she'd asked her, Amanda had shrugged, saying,

"If I gave up a job without having another, Mum would give me a bloody good hiding and probably throw me out anyway." Tania had been shocked that a women in her early twenties was still subject to physical discipline from her mother. She'd asked her, 'Does she beat you?' Amanda had replied 'Let's just say for a woman with few clothes she has a large collection of leather belts.' Tania had also noticed her squirming at her desk sometimes, as if she had a really sore bottom. She felt a rush of tenderness and affection for her friend and would have hugged her if the others hadn't been there.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the main doors. The women behind them looked more Gothic than the building. She was tall, elderly and very thin and looked at them suspiciously from behind a pair of black rimmed glasses. Her words were as cold as her demeanour.

"Who are you?" It was almost a hiss. Sonia explained and the dragon exuded disapproval before finally directing them to a nearby classroom, where they were to wait 'in complete silence and stillness' for the Headmistress.

The room was large, with a high ceiling and a smell of polish and musty books. A dozen desks faced a much larger desk, where the teacher obviously sat. A large blackboard was mounted on the wall behind this. Tania felt she'd gone back in time.

The girls chose a desk each. They had a bit of a laugh doing so, each of them trying to get a desk nearer the back, out of teacher's gaze. Tania felt this was in reaction to the austere, serious atmosphere that pervaded the whole establishment.

Despite their mild raucousness they all suddenly became aware of an approaching sound. It was the noise of a pair of stilettos on the hard wooden floor outside, inexorably approaching their classroom. They all became quiet, knowing somehow the high heels were worn by the Headmistress.

The noise stopped outside their classroom door and they could see her blurred form through its frosted glass panes. There was an expectant hush. Then she opened the door and entered the classroom. She stood just inside the threshold regarding them coolly as the door swung shut behind her. She was, thought Tania, an imposing lady. She was about 5' 9", even taller in the clacking shoes. Long, straight auburn hair rested on her shoulders. She had a sturdy but shapely build, strong but very feminine. She wore a white blouse with a tweed jacket and a teacher's gown over that. Tania suspected the jacket had leather elbow patches. She wore a brown pleated skirt, surprisingly short for such a conservative establishment. The legs revealed were impressive, shapely, quite tanned and muscular, tapering down to a pair of dainty feet, which were encased in black heels. Altogether she had an air of controlled glamour. Everything about this lady would, Tania thought, be very controlled.

The Headmistress stood completely still and silent but her air of authority forced them all to stare at her in total silence. One could have heard a pin drop. When she spoke it was with the confidence of someone used to being obeyed.

"It is mandatory, girls, that a class stands when a teacher enters the classroom. Also, you will address me as 'Madam'." They slowly, hesitantly, stood up from their desks. Tania could sense their general reluctance, especially on the part of Sonia, a couple of desks along. 'Careful,girl' she thought. 'Annoy this women and your next stop could be a park bench.'

They remained standing for what seemed like an age while Miss Miller looked them over. That was the moment, Tania thought much later, that the Headmistress defined their relationship. Her, the complete authoritarian, demanding total obedience or face dreadful consequences and the girls with a confusing mixture of respect, fear and hatred. Tania felt that in those few seconds the Head had broken them, bent them to her will, exposed their fear and what they were prepared to do to keep their jobs and homes. The Headmistress's next order underlined this so effectively. "Sit."

Just the single word. A contemptuous expression of her power. The bare minimum required, the obedience absolute.

Miss Miller remained standing, surveying the girls. "Well, girls, we've got a lot to learn. First, and most importantly, the School Rules. Each one of you will receive a Rule Book before you leave here today. You will study and learn it by next week. I will test you on it. Any girl not having a sufficient knowledge of its contents will be in a lot of trouble. This is an establishment run on very strict lines. Very strict lines indeed. Hence our reputation for excellence." She then went through a long list of do's and don'ts, with frequent reference to girls 'being in a lot of trouble' if they broke any of the rules. What this 'trouble' might be was never specified. They were soon to find out, though.

Miss Miller was going through what constituted correct uniform, even down to which knickers were required to be worn and which strictly forbidden, when she suddenly stopped. She was staring hard at Sonia. The classroom was completely silent. The Head's words were a venomous whisper "Are you chewing gum, girl?" Sonia had frozen.

"N, no Madam," she stuttered.

"Come out here now." Sonia didn't move, seemingly paralysed by fear. Miss Miller moved surprisingly fast, striding purposefully to Sonia's desk. What she did next shocked them all. She grabbed the poor girl's ear and pulled. Hard. She spoke in a loud, chilling shout.

"WHEN I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING YOU OBEY! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, GIRL?" Sonia screamed.

"Ye, yes Madam!"

"NOW COME OUT TO THE FRONT!" Miss Miller dragged Sonia out to the front of the class by her ear. Tania felt she should do or say something but she knew she wouldn't. Her fear of being expelled from the class and therefore her job and home, was too strong. No one else said anything, either. Tania knew they were beaten and cowed and would allow this fearsome women to do whatever she wanted with them.

Miss Miller still had a hold of Sonia's ear.

"OPEN YOUR MOUTH, GIRL!" Sonia complied and the Head ooked inside. "Ah! I was right! You lying little hussy!" What happened next shocked them all to the core. Still holding Sonia's ear with one hand Miss Miller quickly raised her other hand, paused in the air as she took aim, and swiftly bought her open palm down in a vicious slap to the back of Sonia's bare leg.

"Owww!" Sonia squealed in a high-pitched scream. Miss Miller raised her hand again and delivered an even harder slap to her other bare leg. Sonia's scream was drowned out by Miss Miller's strident voice.

"You lying little madam! Not only have you broken the school ban on chewing gum but you've lied about it too! Well, this is where you find out first hand exactly how I keep order and discipline in this school!" She released Sonia's ear and the girl took a step back, rubbing her stinging legs. "Now, young lady, if you want to partake in this course and keep your job you will accept the punishment I'm going to give you. If not you will leave this school now. So, either walk through the door or..." she was looking intently at Sonia, who was trembling and looking at the floor. "Bend over my desk."

Sonia appeared dumbstruck. She turned to her colleagues, her mouth hanging slack, seeking help. All she found was a complete silence. No one was going to help. There would be no support. They were all too frightened. She turned back to the Headmistress and looked at the desk she had been ordered to bend over.

Slowly she approached it until its edge touched her thighs. She froze, still dazed. Miss Miller helped her on her way. Placing a hand on the back of Sonia's neck she pushed her forward harshly. She spoke in a matching tone of voice.

"Bend over, girl! Your bottom's mine and I intend to deal with it very severely!" Once Sonia was bent over the desk the Headmistress lifted the girl's skirt up to expose her pert little bottom and lacy black knickers. Tania was mortified for the girl but she gasped out loud when the Head grabbed Sonia's underwear and yanked it down to reveal her naked backside. The Head looked up and addressed the class. "All punishment is applied to the bare flesh in this school, to enable the recipient to feel the full benefit." With these chilling words she raised her hand high in the air and bought her palm down on Sonia's bottom. Hard.

It made a tremendous 'crack' as it landed on her defenceless backside. Sonia let out a scream, her bottom gyrating around on the desk. Madam administered another three hard slaps. Sonia's screaming and wriggling got worse.