Notebooks of the Young Wife by Tara Black Read Free Book Online

having her instructions questioned. We followed meekly in her footsteps until we reached double doors that stood open.
    ‘The Great Hall,’ she said, with an emphasis that signalled capital letters. ‘As you can see, we have prepared for your arrival.’ It was a splendid room. Not huge, but long and low with a massive fireplace framed in carved wood from floor to ceiling. However, the scene contained no obvious explanation for the housekeeper’s words.
    ‘Er, how exactly do you mean, Mrs Jencks?’
    ‘Ah, perhaps you were not fully informed. But Miss James assured me there would be no difficulty. There is a tradition by which guests are introduced to the house and we are of the opinion that the Master’s demise makes its observance all the more important.’ There was a hint of amusement, even relish in the gaze that moved from mine back to the further end of the room. Then I saw what she was looking at and everything fell into place. It stood waist high with a stepped side, to the uninformed eye resembling nothing so much as a mounting-block that might be found in a stable yard. But I knew better. This was not a device for mounting anything else: it was to be mounted by one destined for the birch. And on that day the one was to be me.
    ‘I see.’ I remember the effort it took to appear unruffled when instinct was telling me to leg it. ‘I take it you intend to proceed forthwith, Mrs Jencks.’
    ‘Indeed, with your leave. As to the details, Dr Greene, it is not our practice to count strokes, but to continue until a rod is quite used up. Given your expertise in the area, it was decided that your welcome will require the employment of two.’ It was no time to explain that while I knew a lot about the literature and was an enthusiastic spanker, my experience as a recipient was limited. I had, in fact, never in my life been birched. Think of it as a piece of first-hand research, I told myself sternly.
    ‘Very well, so what’s next?’ As I spoke a maid appeared at the end of the corridor and the housekeeper called her over. ‘Molly will see to you. By the way, Dr Greene, I hope you understand that all the staff are summoned to witness these events. Now, Miss Bingley, shall we attend to the matter of the accommodation?’ Flashing me a ‘what can you do?’ kind of look, Tamsin went with the older woman in the direction of the car while the maid led me across the Hall into a small antechamber.
    ‘You’re going to sort all them books, are you, Dr, er Dr...’
    ‘Jane. Call me Jane,’ I said, handing over my leather jacket before bending to unlace my shoes. Unpractised though I was in the ways of the block, I knew it required a bare bum. ‘That’s right. We’re going to tackle the library once I get past this inauguration, if that’s the right word. I hope it’s worth it.’
    ‘It’ll be your first time then?’ I sat down to pull off my trousers and she took them from me with a smile. She was a pretty little girl with a snub nose and I was getting a buzz from stripping in front of her.
    ‘I’m afraid so. Any tips?’ The question went with the offer of a pair of knickers and she laughed.
    ‘Well Jane, I’d say straight off forget about these after. Cos when you heal up they’ll be sticking.’ First pair on for weeks and I was to lose them: Fate plainly intended me to go without fulltime. But I didn’t like the sound of the bit about healing. ‘Don’t be worried. If you get it as often as we do you don’t think nothing of it. What you got to remember is it feels a lot worse than it actually is. I mean, it smarts like the skin’s being flayed right off your arse but the truth of it is just a few wee cuts and grazes.’ I got to my feet a touch reassured. By then I was dressed in only a short top and a pair of socks, and Molly’s eyes went straight to my groin. It had slipped my mind that I’d indulged a recent lover’s whim to shape the bush into a heart that she’d then dyed red. I could