Mrs Penelope Deakin was in her mid-fifties and the headmistress of Oak House, a private girls’ school situated deep in the English countryside. The school was small, but very popular with wealthy families who sent their daughters there for an education which was tailored to enable them succeed in the upper echelons of society. The parents expected their daughters to be handled in a firm, yet fair, old-fashioned manner, just as they had been when growing up, and that included the use of corporal punishment. Mrs Deakin had herself come from a family of wealth and as a young lady she had been disciplined at school and at home with the slipper and the cane. Her views on the advantage of formal discipline and her experience made her the outstanding candidate in the eyes of the governors when they appointed her as headmistress of Oak House. In her five years at the school, she had disciplined quite a lot of girls in her office to great effect.

It was 7.30 am on the second day back after the Easter holidays. Mrs Deakin, wearing a green and brown tweed jacket with matching knee-length skirt, a cream blouse, flesh-coloured tights, shiny brown brogue shoes with her silvery hair tied back in a ponytail, sat behind her desk with an email in her inbox regarding the theft of some freshly made hot cross buns. Apparently, the day before, three girls in the lower school had baked the buns in their home economics lesson, as an Easter treat, during periods 1 and 2. By lunchtime, the buns had been taken from their baskets, which had been left under the desks in the girls’ form room. According to the timetable, the only class to use the room in the time between when the buns had been left there and the discovery of the theft was a Lower Sixth History class. It stood to reason, Mrs Deakin thought, that the girls in the History class would know who had stolen the buns. She wanted to avoid a time-consuming session of interviews with the girls in that class so she decided to give the culprits a chance to own up.

Mrs Deakin completed some administrative tasks and looked at her watch. It was now 8.30 am. She rose from behind her oak desk which was at the far end of her office facing the door. The office had beautifully panelled oak walls, bookshelves full of classical Greek and Latin books and there was a leather sofa with matching maroon leather chairs nearer the door. Her desk was large enough for her computer monitor, keyboard and mouse and her daily correspondence. However, she always kept the right hand end of the desk free so there was enough space should a naughty young lady need to bend over, grasp the far edge, and take a firm spanking without the need to re-arrange anything. Mrs Deakin set off for assembly which started at 8.40 am.

The whole school stood in silence as Mrs Deakin, her deputies and a guest speaker entered the assembly hall. They glided across the highly polished wooden floor from the back of the hall, past the rows of girls, and climbed the six steps which led up from the floor to the stage at the front. After singing the school song there was a presentation given to the girls about careers in the civil service followed by the customary notices regarding room changes and reminders of choir and netball practices. For the final item, Mrs Deakin took a pace forward and addressed the school in a stern manner. There was quiet and she had their full attention.

“Ladies, it has come to my attention that yesterday in room H02 some hot cross buns were stolen from under the back three desks. Theft in this school will not be tolerated and, believe me, I intend to find out who has perpetrated this. So I am expecting those responsible to be sat on the chairs outside my office immediately after this assembly where we can put the matter to rest.”

The girls gasped at the word ‘theft’, which made the incident, and no doubt the punishment, sound serious. There was some vague whispering among the Lower Sixth who were towards the back of the assembly hall.

After the announcement, the girls were dismissed. Mrs Deakin shook the hand of the speaker and made small talk as everyone filed out. Sasha Conway and Jess McFarland met outside the hall and decided that it would be unfair for the others in their history class to take the blame for the buns which they, along with Amelia Pennyworth, had stolen. They had taken and eaten two buns each, six in total. Reluctantly, the two girls made their way to the headmistress’s office and sat on the hard wooden chairs outside, awaiting their fate. They hoped that the headmistress would go easy on them, but knew full well that theft was very much disapproved of at Oak House and it was a possibility that they might even be expelled. They looked very glum.

“Where’s Amelia?” Sasha whispered. “I thought I saw her in assembly.”

“No idea,” Jess replied. “She was next to me. I told her that we should confess just as we were leaving, but she didn’t reply and went the other way. She will be in even more trouble if she doesn’t turn up.”

“Well, we shouldn’t snitch on her,” Sasha continued. “But if we don’t and Mrs Deakin finds out we will be in even more trouble for lying.”

“I know. We should tell the truth if we are asked. Amelia would expect that at the very least,” Jess confirmed.

At that moment Mrs Deakin arrived and indicated that the girls should wait for her as she went into her office. Inside, she opened her punishment book which she was going to need. For stealing hot cross buns she intended to make the buns of the girls outside hot and criss-crossed with ridges from her senior cane. Theft was something she would not tolerate and she intended to make that clear to the girls waiting outside her office. She opened the door and summoned the girls into her office.

“Well, I’m not entirely surprised that you two are involved in this business.” Mrs Deakin glared at the two girls in front of her. She was quite familiar with the antics of these two and over the years they had both been bent over her desk for either a sound slippering or a caning.

“What were you thinking?” Mrs Deakin continued.

“We are sorry, Miss,” Sasha said sheepishly. “We were hungry before lunch, the buns smelt nice, and we ate a couple each.”

“I see. Was it just the two of you involved?” Mrs Deakin continued.

There was a pause as the girls looked at their shoes, not wanting to snitch on their classmate and friend.

“I see. Well, you had better tell me who else was involved or I will be adding to your punishment for concealing the truth.”

“Amelia Pennyworth also took two,” Jess stated in a matter of fact way.

Sasha nodded in agreement.

“I see, and she has decided not to own up?” Mrs Deakin continued as she left the room, returning a minute or so later.

“I have sent for Amelia and we will see what she has to say when she arrives. I am quite surprised to hear that she is an accomplice in this matter. Unlike you two, I haven’t had cause to deal with her for bad behaviour in all the time she has been at the school. Anyway, while we wait, you two can take your blazers off, hang them on the coat hooks over there and then sit down.” Mrs Deakin pointed at the two leather chairs.

The girls took their green blazers off and hung them up. Both were in school uniform of white blouses and green tartan skirts. Jess had flesh-coloured tights on whilst Sasha wore green ankle socks. They both sat down knowing that taking their blazers off was a sure sign that they were soon going to be bent over Mrs Deakin’s desk and would have their bottoms well and truly warmed. At least they were unlikely to be expelled, Sasha thought.

It was about ten minutes later that Amelia arrived. She was already crying and in a real fluster as she entered the office and began to apologise immediately for stealing two buns and also for not coming to the headmistress’s office to own up. The other two girls stood up as she entered and Jess put a conciliatory arm around her.

“Well, Amelia, I am surprised at you. However, like the other two you need to take your blazer off and hang it up over there.” Mrs Deakin indicated the coat hooks. “Ladies, we cannot allow theft in this school. It is fundamental to being a good citizen that we respect the property of others, and those who steal will be punished,” Mrs Deakin lectured the girls. “The alternative is expulsion but I don’t think that will be necessary as nothing valuable was stolen, but nonetheless six hot cross buns have been taken. With that in mind, I intend to give each of you six strokes of the senior cane on your bottoms and you will each bake and bring in six hot cross buns tomorrow to replace those you stole and ate.”

“Yes, Miss,” each of the girls said in turn, with Amelia sobbing and looking pale and frightened. She had never been caned before and heard it was a frightful experience.

“Jess, you can step up to the desk first. You know the routine, raise your skirt, pull your tights down to your knees and bend over so that you are grasping the far edge,” Mrs Deakin instructed.

Jess was well acquainted with the position and she did as she was told. She was the smallest of the three girls and could just reach the far edge of the desk when she was on tip-toes. Her tights were down and Mrs Deakin lifted her tartan skirt over her back to reveal a pair of silver high-cut nylon knickers that were stretched tight over Jess’s ample buttocks. They covered about half her buttocks so in fact there was quite a lot of bare flesh on show. Everyone looked at Jess’s bottom in astonishment, as it was already a dark pink colour.

Mrs Deakin raised an eyebrow. “It looks like someone has been spanked recently,” she observed.

“Yes, Miss,” Jess replied. “I was rude to my stepmother last night at the meal table and after dinner my father bent me over his desk with my skirt raised and gave me a slippering.”

“I see. You do get yourself in some awful pickles, Jessica. You are a well-meaning young lady but you need to think before you act or speak. He has certainly given you a firm walloping and the cane, I suspect, will sting even more than usual.”

Jess was silent as Mrs Deakin went round the desk leaving the girl’s pink bottom on show for the other two girls, who were now seated on the sofa, to view. From the cupboard in the corner Mrs Deakin took out her senior cane which was 4ft in length and more rigid than its junior counterpart. It wouldn’t sting as much but the ridges it left on the girls’ bottoms would be more painful and the soreness would last for longer. She made her way back round the desk so she was stood on the left hand side of Jess.

Without any further comment the cane was lined up against Jess’s bottom, drawn back in line with the shoulders of the headmistress and swung forward. SWISH, CRACK! The cane caught Jess just below the centre of her bottom, which wobbled on impact, the pink skin turned white and then a dark ridge appeared.

“Aghhh, thank you, Miss,” Jess moaned as her knees bent slightly, her buttocks clenched together drawing her knickers in, and one foot rose up. The girls on the sofa watched as Jess took her punishment, both of them knowing it wouldn’t be long before they too were in the same position. Amelia grasped Sasha’s hand.

Jess quickly recovered her position. She was no stranger to the cane and stuck her bottom out ready for the next stroke. Mrs Deakin noted the thanks which Jess always gave, assuming it was the family way.

SWISH, CRACK! The second stroke was slightly lower but just as hard as the first and just as well positioned. It was parallel to the first stroke and there were now two ridges standing proud as once again Jess moaned, clenched her cheeks and quickly resumed her position with the customary thanks.

SWISH, CRACK! The third stroke caught Jess low down in the crease between the buttocks and the tops of the legs and stung like mad.

“Aghhhh!” Jess bent her knees and tapped her toes on the floor as the heat spread outwards from the ridges. She clung onto the desk as best she could, clenching her buttocks to ease the pain. This was turning out to be a painful experience even for the well-rehearsed Jess. Her previously slippered bottom was not helping to ease the pain, the cane just ignited the soreness her father had left. She quickly resumed her position with added thanks to her tormentor and stuck her bottom out so all could see the three lines adorning it.

SWISH, CRACK! The fourth stroke landed parallel to the others but in the centre of Jess’s bottom which was less painful.

“Ughh, thank you, Miss,” Jess moaned but stayed in position, her sore bottom sticking out for the final two strokes.

SWISH, CRACK! Mrs Deakin continued her work and the penultimate stroke was as hard as the previous ones and landed between the first and fourth stroke. The pain shot through Jess’s bottom as the previous ridges complained at the proximity of the latest stripe and the fifth line branded her buttocks. Jess’s knickers were by now crumpled into the centre of her bottom as the stark ridges stood out against the red and dark pink previously spanked bottom.

“Aghhhh! Thank you, Miss,” Jess howled as her knees bent and feet tapped but she was quickly back in position, her well-marked bottom sticking out for the final cut.

Mrs Deakin was impressed with the stoic nature of Jess. Both of them knew she deserved this and she was taking it very well indeed. With five parallel lines on show, a diagonal cut across all of them would complete a five bar gate pattern across the girl’s bottom and Jess would have hot cross buns of her own. Mrs Deakin smiled at the irony as she drew the cane back.

SWISH, CRACK! Jess howled as the final stroke enraged the previous ridges. With her five bar gate complete Jess remained in position, her bottom stuck out so that all in the room were under no illusion that she had paid for stealing the hot cross buns.

“Stand up, pull your tights up and swap places with Sasha,” Mrs Deakin eventually said.

Jess eased herself off the desk, re-arranged her knickers so they covered her freshly caned bottom and pulled her tights back up. She grimaced as she swapped places with Sasha and sat very uncomfortably on the sofa with Amelia grasping her hand for comfort.

“Right, Sasha, skirt up and over the desk, please,” Mrs Deakin commanded in her matter of fact voice.

Sasha was the tallest of the girls and could easily reach the far edge of the desk with her feet flat on the floor, her shapely elegant legs straight and her elbows on the desk. Mrs Deakin lifted Sasha’s green tartan skirt up over her back to reveal a pert ivory-white bottom which was only partly visible round the sides of her very tight-fitting pale yellow cotton knickers. They wouldn’t provide much protection but were more modest than Jess’s underwear.

“Amelia, please note the positions Jess and Sasha have placed themselves in so that you know what to do when it is your turn.”

“Yes, Miss,” Amelia sobbed, trying not to look.

“Sasha, six strokes for stealing the hot cross buns.” Mrs Deakin reiterated the punishment and the crime.

Again, Mrs Deakin stood to the left hand side of her target, placed the cane lightly across the yellow panties and took aim. She drew it back. SWISH, CRACK! The cane swung forward with the same ferocity and ease it had already done six times that day and despite its firmness Sasha’s bottom wobbled slightly on impact. The cane cut across the centre of her bottom.

“Arghhhh! Owww! Ouch!” Sasha protested as the first cut stung her bottom and the familiar fire spread from the fiery line as a ridge formed. Just the edge of the stroke could be seen on her right bottom cheek beyond the edge of her knickers; it was red and angry. Sasha’s knees bent and she hopped from foot to foot but stayed in place, her bottom cheeks clenched and unclenched. Soon she was back in position, her bottom sticking out ready for the next stroke.

SWISH, CRACK! The second stroke was lower. Jess and Amelia watched as Sasha did well to stay in position despite the increasing pain and the edge of another line appearing just below the first.

“Ughhh! Owwww!” Sasha complained as her bottom was rightly punished for her misdemeanour the day before. She wasn’t, however, quite as familiar with bending over the desk as Jess because her parents didn’t punish her that often but she had been slippered in the lower forms by Mrs Deakin and had felt the junior cane across her bottom several times. The senior cane was new to her and, although the initial sting was less, the growing pain and heat was increasing more and more.

SWISH, CRACK! The third stroke was again slightly lower than the second and Sasha felt the intensity of the rod more keenly and it was now becoming a very painful experience as her bottom became swollen.

“Arghh! Owww! Ouch!” she protested as she just managed to stay down with her buttocks clenching hard and feet dancing around to ease the pain. It was an ungainly sight and unpleasant for her fellow students to observe. Jess knew how sore she would be by the end of the six strokes and Amelia could only guess, as she had no frame of reference.

With three ridges protruding a little more from the sides of the yellow knickers, Sasha was once again still, her bottom sticking out to provide a good target. The cane was lined up once again. Mrs Deakin drew it back and lashed the pert bottom.

SWISH, CRACK! this time connecting in the crease between the buttocks and legs, as she had done with Jess. There was no question that she was expert and well-practiced at caning the bottoms of young ladies.

“Arghh! Owwww! Noooo!” Sasha stood up, rubbed her tender bottom and pleaded with Mrs Deakin.

“Please Miss, please, no more.”

Mrs Deakin tapped the desk and Sasha once again assumed the position across the desk as the headmistress raised her skirt over her back, once more.

“Do not stand again, young lady, or I will take you knickers down and stripe your bare bottom!” she said.

There was no response. Sasha knew she would need to grasp the far edge as tightly as possible and grit her teeth for the last couple of strokes. Having rubbed her bottom her yellow knickers had crumpled towards the centre of her cheeks and, just like Jess, the angry ridges were more on show, but these looked more stark against the white flesh, with redness between the lines.

SWISH, CRACK! The fifth stroke was just above centre and five ridges in parallel across the bottom were clearly visible. Mrs Deakin was able to see her handiwork and it was looking very pleasing indeed. Sasha was learning a good lesson.

“Argghhh!” Sasha moaned and held on tight to the desk. Just one to go, she thought as it felt like she was sitting on hot coals. There wasn’t long to wait.

SWISH, CRACK! Just as she had done with Jess, the headmistress completed a diagonal cut across the other five strokes, perfectly executed and another hot, cross, pair of buns was completed.

“Oww! Oww! Oww!” Sasha gripped onto the desk, stamped her feet and waggled bottom in a very unladylike manner, the ridges springing to life as the cane caught them all. She did well to hold her position with her bottom sticking out with the five bar gate being very much visible to all in the room.

“Stand up, Sasha, and swap places with Amelia,” Mrs Deakin spoke after a minute or two which allowed Sasha time to compose herself.

Sasha rose, straightened her knickers with a grimace and sat in the spot Amelia vacated on the sofa, as Amelia made her way nervously to the desk.

Amelia lifted her skirt and bent right across the desk as she had seen the others do. She could reach the far side and her feet were just in contact with the floor if she stretched. It wasn’t the most comfortable position but better than balancing on her toes.

Mrs Deakin looked at Amelia’s green gym knickers which were covering her bottom and noticed the edges of a white pair of knickers underneath.

“I think those gym knickers will need to come down, Amelia. Just one layer of protection is allowed for a spanking in here.”

“Yes, Miss. I had them on for netball practice at lunchtime,” Amelia explained as she pulled her green knickers down to her ankles and bent back over.

Mrs Deakin raised Amelia’s skirt over her back to reveal another pert white bottom, clad in very thin, white, almost transparent knickers. ‘Not much protection there she thought’. Amelia’s friends who were sitting uncomfortably on the sofa with their bottoms throbbing looked at the shapely bottom which was clearly visible through the see-through white knickers and thought exactly the same. There was no question that those taut panties would reveal the full extent of Amelia’s punishment.

Mrs Deakin, for what she very much hoped would be the final time that day, stood to the left hand side of a girl bent over her desk and lined the cane up. It was Amelia’s first ever caning but Mrs Deakin was not going to hold back. She was, if nothing else, fair.

The cane was drawn off the knickers and back to its position of release. SWISH, CRACK! The stroke landed right across the centre of Amelia’s bottom.

“Arghhh!” Amelia immediately felt the sting of the rod and gripped the edge of the desk. The heat dissipated across her bottom quickly and her friends could see a red line forming under her knickers.

Mrs Deakin didn’t want to waste time so she drew the cane back again as she had with the first stroke and a parallel line, just slightly lower, appeared; SWISH,CRACK!

“Arghhh! Owww! Owww!” Amelia howled and bent her knees, stamped her feet as much as she could with her green knickers wrapped round her ankles, and managed to stay in position by gripping the edge of the desk as the second stroke ravished her bottom. Her white thin knickers were indeed providing no protection and this caning might as well have been on her bare bottom. Amelia could feel the heat of the strokes and her bottom was beginning to throb. She had never been caned and it was proving as painful as she had imagined but with her friends watching on she wanted to be as brave as possible.

SWISH, CRACK! Another well-placed stroke was planted by Mrs Deakin who once again was working down a girl’s bottom with the cane. Three ridges could now be seen through Amelia's tightly stretched knickers and her bottom was beginning to look red and sore against its natural white colour.

“Arghhh! Owww!” Amelia continued to howl, grunt and groan as she gripped the desk, her knuckles turning white. She was doing her best to hold on as the strokes sliced into her flesh and she panted to try to dispel the pain as much as she could.

Mrs Deakin paused for a few seconds and admired how brave Amelia was, considering this was her first time under the cane’s punishment. But she needed to finish the punishment.

SWISH, CRACK! A fourth stroke bit just as hard as the rest and this one was in the crease between buttocks and legs, delivered with accuracy and intent. Once again there was howling.

“Arghhhhh! Owwww!” Amelia managed to cling on, but her bottom cheeks clenched as the pain and soreness spread from the centre of the newly formed ridge. Her knickers by her ankles were in the way, but her knees bent several times as she took her caning. Her elbows pressed into the desk and she gritted her teeth. She was surprised at how much pain there was after each stroke but she was coping with her first ever spanking, and doing well.

SWISH, CRACK! The fifth stroke was higher than the first four strokes and Amelia thought it much less painful than the ones she had taken already. She remained still and stuck her bottom out as Jess had done so that the final stroke could be administered.

SWISH, CRACK! To her surprise the sixth stroke didn’t seem to be as painful either. Maybe Mrs Deakin had miscounted or just misplaced it as it was just slightly higher than the fifth stroke.

Amelia was about to rise when she felt Mrs Deakin’s hand on her back.

“No, no, Amelia. Stay down and stick your bottom out.”

“Miss?” Amelia enquired in a confused voice.

“You decided to try to avoid punishment by not coming to my office earlier for which you will receive two extra strokes.

Amelia was speechless and burst into tears, holding the edge of the desk with her striped bottom sticking out. There were six angry ridges across her bottom and she now had two more to come.

SWISH, CRACK! Another low stroke into the crease announced the arrival of the seventh stroke.

“Arghhh! Owwww! Owwww!” Amelia howled and gritted her teeth. That was the worst stroke so far as it caught another ridge and felt like a hot iron rod had been placed on her flesh, it burnt so much. Her knees bent again and again and her feet were now well and truly tangled in her green gym knickers as her feet stamped on the floor. Her friends could see the ridge darken more and it stuck out further than the others. Amelia would not be sitting comfortably for several days.

The final stroke SWISH, CRACK! was placed, hard and diagonally across all the ridges to complete the gate effect and another hot, cross pair of buns was completed.

Amelia somehow managed to stay in place for her caning. However, she was clenching her buttocks, her knees were bending and her bottom was wriggling across the desk. She was sore and she now knew exactly how it felt to be given a sound thrashing with the senior cane. She deserved it and vowed to avoid this position again. Mrs Deakin, Jess and Sasha were silently impressed by her fortitude.

“Stand up and pull your knickers up, Amelia,” came the instruction from Mrs Deakin. Amelia did as she was told and felt the ridges across her bottom as she reached down for her gym knickers which she pulled up over her second pair of panties. The ridges were sticking out proud and were very sore. She grimaced as her gym knickers snapped into place and her skirt fell back into place.

The three girls stood in the headmistress’s office all with very sore freshly caned bottoms as Mrs Deakin wrote their names, the number of cane strokes and the offence into the punishment book.

As the girls left, Mrs Deakin spoke, “Ladies, remember to bring in some hot cross buns tomorrow to replace the ones you stole and ate. I do not want to have to give you any more strokes of the cane on those sore bottoms of yours. We have had enough hot cross buns for the start of term.”

Mrs Deakin dismissed them with a smile.

The End

© Colin Brooks 2025

Colin is happy to be contacted and take feedback from his stories: colinbrookscp@gmail.com.