Seeing Giles, Margaret nearly turned volte-face, but instead slowed her pace and approached Diane.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" said Margaret.
"You could empty those big bags of crisps into bowls, if you don't mind?" suggested Diane.
Margaret dispelled some of her frustration in heavy handed packet ripping and crisp emptying.
"That new boy just stuck two fingers up" said Giles, with a feigned air of shock.
"What new boy?" asked Diane in surprise, and then "Oh! You mean..." she didn't finish.
"Not Ben?" said Margaret still well stocked with frustration "You don't mean Ben." She crossed to the window "It had better not be Ben!"
"The boy sat next to Paul" said Giles pointing.
Margaret recognised Paul, and there was only one boy sat near him - it was Ben. There was no evidence of a crime in progress, but Ben was talking animatedly. He couldn't even behave himself for half an hour! As the kettle boiled and clicked off, Margaret snapped.
"I'll kill him!" she said, storming out of the kitchen. Giles wanted to follow, but he had a higher calling. He poured boiling water into a warmed tea-pot keeping half an eye out of the window. Diane did follow, wiping her hands on her apron.
CHAPTER THIRTY
"Nah, Chelsea" said Ben "They're the best team, by miles"
"Emily, why did you mention football?" asked Victoria shaking her head in dismay.
"I didn't. I was just saying that Ronaldo was cute" replied Emily.
"He a big wuss" said Paul "I bet he's gay."
"Who do you support then?" asked Ben looking at Paul, expecting to hear Man United or Arsenal, or maybe Liverpool.
"Southampton" said Paul, as if it should be obvious.
"Southampton!?" said Ben incredulously "But they're crap!"
"Can I string him up now?" asked Paul, looking at Victoria.
"Benedict Davison" Margaret bellowed loud enough for the entire garden and half the house to hear her.
Ben froze and felt the blood drain from his face. He knew she must have heard him say 'crap' and she didn't like bad language. He couldn't bear the thought of his mother giving him a telling off in front of his friends, let alone the other kids in the garden.
Everyone looked up, including Ben, his face grinning appeasingly.
"What in hell have you been doing?" she shouted angrily.
Victoria, Emily, and Paul all stood and turned to face Margaret, their faces solemn. They knew when not to make matters any worse. Amy stood up cheerfully.
Seeing Giles leering out of the kitchen window at them, Emily nearly put an arm round Ben's shoulders protectively.
Ben stood more slowly, his legs turning to jelly and his bowels to water.
"I only said 'crap'" he said in his own defence "It's not that bad a word really"
"You said what?" she asked stopping suddenly.
"Um... crap" said Ben weakly.
"You said that on top of sticking two fingers up?" she demanded.
"No" said Ben, sounding shocked.
"You just said you did" she said, her blood beginning to boil.
"No, I did say crap, but I didn't stick two fingers up" said Ben.
"Will you stop using that word!" she yelled.
Ben went bright red. Being dressed down by his mother in public was always humiliating, but in front of the gang it was intolerable.
Margaret studied him carefully. She hadn't heard him swear but he'd confessed to that. Presumably because he'd thought she'd heard him, but he denied the finger gesture. Ben was usually honest, but the finger gesture was a very serious offence and he was probably trying to protect himself from public embarrassment. He didn't sound like he was lying, but Giles had said he'd seen him do it. Why would he make something like that up?
Diane looked at Emily "Did he stick two fingers up?" she asked.
Emily cringed. She hadn't seen Ben stick two fingers up. Then she remembered Giles. He'd just invented this crime to get Ben into trouble – typical Giles. The problem was that her mother would believe Giles, and if she said Ben hadn't her mother would accuse her of lying, and in their household lying was a seriously spankable offence.
"Uuuhhhhh" said Emily.
Victoria wasn't worried about Giles, she knew her parents wouldn't simply take his word over hers, but she understood the position Emily was in. She decided to rescue her, and Ben.
"I'm sorry Mrs Weaver, but I think Emily's stuck, because Ben did stick two fingers up" said Victoria "And he didn't" she finished.
"What do you mean, Victoria?" asked Diane confused.
"I mean that he did raise two fingers, but he wasn't being rude. He was talking about football with Paul and he was going through the Chelsea team, counting the players off on his fingers" she said "So if you saw him Mrs Davison, you might have misunderstood"
"Oh I see" said Diane. Emily breathed a huge sigh of relief, so did Ben. Like most of the parents, Diane had a very high opinion of Victoria.
Paul gave Ben a reproving look and then opened his mouth as if to speak, but Ben hurriedly beat him to it.
"I thought you said Southport. No, Southampton are brilliant!" he said.
"I was just going to say" said Paul "That Victoria's right. Ben might need an education in football appreciation, but he wasn't being rude."
"Well, all sorted then" said Diane, just as Alison emerged to see what all the fuss was about.
"Not quite!" said Margaret "There's still the little matter of the other word. Your father and I will discuss that, and deal with you when we get home."
There were a few giggles from other children in the audience, who could only imagine that meant a spanking. Ben didn't know their thoughts, but he blushed anew anyway.
"Where have you been hiding?" Diane asked, looking at Alison.
"In my room" said Alison sulkily.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady" said Diane.
"I can be in my room if I like" said Alison, not wanting to be anywhere near Giles unless he was bound and naked.
Emily flashed a warning at Alison.
"We have guests, now don't be rude and embarrass me in front of them, or I'll do the same to you" said Diane threateningly.
Alison's eyes flashed with anger.
"I'm warning you" said Diane.
Alison remained silent.
Diane was waiting for some small sign of compliance from Alison. It didn't have to be anything big, just an acknowledgement that Alison had heard her and would do as she was told. If she didn't get that then her authority would be publicly challenged and she'd have to act to restore that authority.
"It's only because she's shy, with Ben being here, being her boyfriend" said Amy trying to break the tension.
Diane looked at Amy, then the petrified Ben, and she smiled at him.
"Is that it darling?" Diane asked Alison, offering an olive branch; a way they could both save face.
"No, he's stupid and I hate him!" Alison shouted.
Diane's olive branch snapped back and hit her in the face.
"Get to your room, I'll be up later" said Diane.
"I haven't done anything!" shouted Alison.
"Do you want a spanking right here in front of your friends?" shouted Diane.
Alison glared at her mother, and her timing was impeccable. Just as Diane was about to grab for her Alison stormed off back into the house.
"I've a good mind to drag her back out here, pull her knickers down, and give her a damn good spanking" said Diane angrily.
"Cor!" said Ben
"Ben!" said Margaret.
Ben blushed at his involuntary outburst, and everyone stared at him as though he had three heads.
"Well that's a side of you I've never seen before. I never thought you were cruel, Benedict." Margaret said growing angry again.
Ben just stared, not knowing what to say. He was pretty sure that anything he did say would only get him into more trouble.
"Perhaps you'd like to find out what it's like to get your bare bottom smacked in front of everyone" she added.
"Muuum!" said Ben, shocked beyond belief.
"He wasn't being cruel mum" said Amy.
"What do you mean darling?" asked Margaret.
Amy struggled, she had meant to defend Ben and what had been in her mind was his desire to see her naked, but she could hardly suggest that. She thought fast.
"It's just that, last night, when he fell off the swing and hurt his bottom, Alison laughed" she recovered.
"Amy!" said Ben.
"Whose bottom?" asked Diane.
"Ben's bottom" said Margaret.
"Muuum!" said Ben.
"We all really laughed" said Victoria "Not because we weren't sorry that Ben got hurt, but just because it was funny"
"Has he injured himself?" asked Diane.
"Well I don't think so, but I'm not an expert" said Margaret.
"Do you want me to take a look?" asked Diane.
"Muuum!" said Ben.
"Would you know what to look for?" asked Margaret.
"Muuuum!" said Ben.
"I trained as a nurse, but I haven't practised for the past couple of years" Diane said.
"Will you be quiet!" said Margaret looking at Ben, then looking back at Diane again "I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble."
"It's no trouble" said Diane "Come on, we'll take him up to our bedroom"
"Muuuuuuuum!" said Ben.
"Come with me" said Margaret seizing Ben's wrist.
Ben did not want to go. His humiliation of baring his bottom to his mother would be bad enough, but to this stranger – Alison's mother! No way! He dug his heels in.
"You will come!" said Margaret pulling him.
"No I don't want to, mum, please, it's alright. You said so yourself, and it's fine today, it doesn't hurt at all. It's all better again!" he yelled desperately and still refusing to budge.
Giles took the greatest care in carrying the cup and saucer containing the tea, made exactly as Grace liked it, across the lounge. Ripples appeared on the surface as result of the gentle swaying motion. Giles concentrated hard to ensure that not a single drop slipped over the lip of the cup into the saucer.
Alison chose just the wrong moment to storm past him. She took him completely by surprise. He didn't notice the blur of movement in the corner of his eye until she was almost on him. He panicked that she was intending to accuse him, in front of his mother and father, of lewd and sinful acts. Acts which would condemn him to unimaginable discipline. He tried to step aside hurriedly, lost control of saucer skating cup, and it toppled crashing to the floor. Broken crockery and spilt tea embraced the carpet like a long lost lover.
Giles face went pale as Grace looked up at him fiercely and he began shaking. Alison stormed on indifferently and didn't stop until her father grabbed her arm.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?" he asked.
"Going to my room" she shouted.
Margaret was furious with Ben's defiance and in the process of grabbing Ben by the scruff of the neck when Gary emerged from the lounge dragging a petulant Alison along with considerably greater ease.
"You need to deal with this girl" he said to Diane.
"I'm going to" she said, and then sensing further trouble "Why, what's she done now?"
"She's just barged into Giles and caused him to spill tea and broken crockery all over the floor" said Gary.
"Not my best crockery?" said Diane, willing him to say it wasn't.
Gary just nodded, while in the background Emily dropped her head and shook it sympathetically.
The commotion was beginning to attract more attention and others were drifting to the garden, including Keith. He looked over at Margaret questioningly when he saw how she was holding the terrified Ben. Margaret returned the look and pointed an angry face towards Ben. Keith drifted over.
"Well if you can't be trusted even to go to your room Alison, then I will deal with you right here" said Diane.
"No mum" said Alison "Please!" said Alison beginning to burst into tears.
Diane hesitated; at least she'd shown some contrition at last. "Then get up to your room, and if there's any more trouble I'll take you right over this table" said Diane angrily. Gary released Alison's arm and she ran off crying. Gary put an arm around Diane.
"What's going on?" asked Keith looking at Margaret.
"Diane's a nurse, and she offered to take a look at Ben. He's refusing point blank, and he's been swearing" said Margaret.
"Oh for heaven's sake what's the matter with you?" said Keith to Ben.
"Daaad! I don't know her, she's a stranger!" complained Ben.
"She's a nurse" said Keith "If you went to the hospital you'd be seen by nurses."
"I'm not going" said Ben miserably.
"Perhaps you'd like a spanking" said Keith.
"What!?" said Ben.
"You heard me" he said "That might sort you out."
Margaret looked at Keith, surprised.
"If that's alright with you" Keith said to Margaret.
"Right now I'd love to" said Margaret.
"So, there we have it. Do as you're told or you can go over the table instead of Alison" said Keith.
Ben did not believe him, could not believe him, but there was something in his voice, something in his eye. Ben was petrified.
"We can do the examination at the same time" said Margaret.
There are some things which, no matter how unlikely they seem, are so awful to contemplate that no sane person, or even Ben, could possibly risk.
He signalled his surrender by hanging his head.
Margaret started dragging him again; he was still reluctant and heavy, but he moved.
"But when we get back home, Ben, I think we're going to be having a very different kind of talk" said Keith.
Ben shuddered. His father's words were ominous, full of foreboding, and he had a horrible feeling he was referring to some kind of spanking, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it. It had never happened before, and he had heard his parents disparage the practise many times in the past. How can that have changed suddenly?
"Probably best if he gets undressed" said Diane.
"Undressed!?" said Ben.
The three of them stood in Diane and Gary's bedroom. It was light and airy, and decorated in pale greens and yellows. The bed dominated the room, covered in a yellow and green bedspread decorated with willow and bamboo patterns. The curtains were undrawn, letting in the strong afternoon sunshine and the door remained open.
"You mean completely?" asked Margaret.
"If he's taken a heavy fall on his rump I should check his spine, make sure nothing's out of place. That's by far the most serious likelihood" said Diane.
"Oh my God! His spine? I hadn't thought of that!" said Margaret worriedly.
Ben fidgeted nervously. For the first time in his life he decided to experiment with mental powers. He closed his eyes and willed himself to be elsewhere. With great optimism he opened his eyes again cautiously. He was disappointed to find he had gone nowhere. He decided that maybe it was because he needed to picture himself at a particular place, had to want to go somewhere in particular rather than just not be here. He closed his eyes again and strained as though he had mental constipation, imagining himself at the den. When he opened his eyes and found himself in exactly the same place he started, his disappointment was profound. Maybe he needed a magic word; he tried to think what that magic word would be.
"Come on Ben, pop your clothes off" said Margaret.
Ben hated phrases like 'Pop your clothes off' it sounded so innocent, so simple, so easy. But it wasn't. In that one innocuous phrase she was telling him to strip naked and humiliatingly display his bare body to a complete stranger woman, who just happened to be the mother of the girl he'd been shagging. It was akin to saying 'Come on Slobodan, let's just give Bosnia a bit of clean.' Well, except that this was worse!
"Ben, get a move on! That table is still available downstairs" said Margaret.
"I can just lift my shirt" said Ben hoping that a conditional surrender might still be possible.
"You can just" said Margaret "Do as you're told and get on with it."
Unconditional surrender then. With a heavy sigh, Ben bent to remove his shoes, wondering whether their move to the New Forest was punishment for some terrible sin he had committed in the past. He couldn't think of anything that bad that he'd ever done. And from what Amy had told him about her exploits with boys, it was she who should be being punished, and he hadn't seen any evidence of that yet. He decided he must have been Adolf Hitler in a previous life.
"I don't know why he's so shy, but you should have seen him last night when I wanted to have a look at his bottom" said Margaret in apology to Diane.
"It's just what he's used to" said Diane sympathetically "If he's been hiding his little body away he'll have got used to it not being seen. It won't take long for him to get comfortable with you seeing him. So long as it's fairly regular he'll get to the point where he won't bat and eyelid and he'll wonder what all the fuss was about."
Ben was already indigo with shame and rage, but the casual way in which his mother and Mrs Weaver were discussing him deepened both feelings. 'Fairly regular!' he thought 'What would be bloody fair about it?'
He cast his shirt aside in exaggerated slow motion, knowing that as soon as this task was complete he would be expected to start on his trousers. He couldn't do that, no way!
His shirt fell from his grasp and, and in Ben's heightened state of agitation, it seemed to flutter to the floor like an autumnal dandelion head. Ben had heard of Zeno's paradox, they'd discussed it in school. Ben thought it was stupid, but he prayed with almighty passion that Zeno had been right. The paradox though, was rooted in the fact that although Zeno's argument was flawless in principle, experience showed that he was wrong.
Margaret and Diane stood watching as the shirt dropped, only to their eyes it travelled at normal speed. It hit the floor like a starting gun.
"Let's get you finished off" said Margaret taking Ben by the shoulders. It was her willing hands, rather than Ben's unwilling ones, that began work on his trousers.
"I can do it!" Ben cried out in desperation.
"By next Tuesday maybe" said Margaret. She had the front of his trousers undone and Ben tried not to cry. He was stuck in one of those most terrible places where he couldn't go back and he couldn't go forward. All possible outcomes were dreadful, and he prayed for a lightening bolt. If all his mother and Mrs Weaver saw was two blackened stumps of smoking feet he'd be happy. That would be a fair compromise. 'Kill me! Kill me now' he silently wished.
One thing Ben was absolutely determined about was his pants. They were not coming down under any circumstances. Or, at least if they were, his mother was definitely not going to be allowed to remove those. He'd do that himself and he'd turn round first to protect at least a small shred of modesty and dignity.
Margaret pulled Ben's trousers down in one swift motion. She also pulled his pants down at the same time. Ben yelled in utter shock and surprise "Muuuum!" and his hands flew to cover himself up. He was fast. Faster than the speed of light. Margaret was too busy concentrating on her task and she hadn't seen Ben's genitals. Diane, her view blocked by Margaret had also not seen them. Ben wasn't aware of either of those things, and his blood vessels dilated even further to darken his already dark blush.
"Just lie on the bed" said Diane "You can be face down, so we won't see anything" she said kindly.
'Won't see anything?' thought Ben 'What about my bottom? Is it invisible all of a sudden?'
The protection afforded by the bed was attractive. Likely his only hope, and as soon as Margaret had wrestled his clothes over his feet he turned and launched himself, face down, on top of it. He shuffled his legs round and lay dead still, with his hands still clamped limpet like to his groin.
Diane sat on the bed and looked at him admiringly. Ben had the body of an accidental athlete, acquired not by training or science, but by the sport of boyhood: dashing everywhere, climbing trees, playing football, manic cycling, running, laughing and playing. These things had sculpted his body from his fine shoulders, strong back, firm pert buttocks, down to his strong slender thighs and well proportioned calves.
"He's a fine looking boy" said Diane "You should be proud"
"He is" said Margaret "I never really noticed before"
Ben felt like an exhibit in an art gallery and he decided he was not going to take this up as a career.
"Where does it hurt Ben?" asked Diane.
"It doesn't" he mumbled miserably into the duvet.
"Where did it hurt then, before?" asked Diane.
"Here" said Margaret when Ben didn't answer; she pressed gently into Ben's bottom where he had complained of pain last night.
Diane explored the area carefully with her fingers, pressing deeper and deeper, until Ben recoiled with a small yelp.
"Just on the bone" said Diane. She explored further, while Ben writhed in an agonising mixture of humiliation and pain. "Doesn't seem broken, probably just bruised"
"That's what I thought" said Margaret.
"So what's the bloody point?" yelled Ben in complaint.
Margaret smacked his bottom sharply "What have you been told about swearing?"
Ben yelped in shock "I said it didn't hurt and you already knew what it was, so why does she have to see?" he countered with a long whine of self pity.
"Because, as difficult as you make it sometimes Benedict, I love you and I worry about you, and I want to make sure you're alright. Diane's a nurse, so don't be such a baby" said Margaret.
"Used to be a nurse!" whined Ben.
"Have you had any pain when opening your bowels Ben?" asked Diane, placing her fingers at the very base of his spine.
"What?" he asked.
"Doing a number two" said Margaret "Has it been painful?"
"Nooooo! Shut up!" he said in horror.
"What about urinating, I mean having a wee-wee, has that been painful?" asked Diane, her fingers moving very carefully and expertly up his spine.
"Everything's alright. Nothing hurts. I'm fine. Please just let me go" wailed Ben.
"Are you having any discomfort when you wee Ben?" asked Margaret firmly.
"No!" he replied.
"Have you noticed any blood when you've been to the toilet?" asked Diane, her fingers halfway up his back now.
"No, I said, nothing, I'm fine" said Ben beginning to get impatient and cross. The sensation of Diane's fingers pressing their way firmly and gently up his back was making his whole body crawl, but the knowledge, and he was certain, that their eyes were on his bottom was almost too much to bear.
"Have you felt any tingling in your extremities?" asked Diane "You know, pins and needles sort of thing?"
Ben had felt all sorts of tingling in his extremities but he wasn't about to discuss that, especially since it was Mrs Weaver's daughter Alison who was responsible for the majority of them.
"No" he said simply and shortly.
"Ben?" said Margaret suspiciously.
"Nooo! I said. There's nothing, everything's alright!" he yelled.
"Wiggle your toes for me" said Diane, having finished with Ben's back.
"Why?" asked Ben worried about where this new aspect of the examination was going.
"To see that you have full movement in them, I'm just checking for nerve damage" said Diane.
Ben wiggled his toes reluctantly, but sufficiently well to demonstrate that there was nothing wrong with his nerves.
Diane reached down and gently scraped a finger down the sole of his right foot. Ben jumped "Aaaargh" he yelped.
"No loss of feeling there" said Diane, she repeated the process with his left foot and Ben jumped and yelped.
"Can you wiggle your fingers for me?" she asked.
"Yes" said Ben, keeping his hands securely fastened to his groin.
"Well go on then" she urged.
"I just did, they wiggled fine" he said.
"Benedict!" said Margaret sternly.
With great care Ben brought his hands out to his sides, and wiggled his fingers melodramatically.
Diane took each of his hands in turn and tested them to make sure that Ben had feeling. As soon as she was finished with them they burrowed back underneath him returning to their vital defensive role.
"Have you had any erectile dysfunction?" asked Diane, and Margaret had to stifle a giggle. She couldn't imagine Ben having any erectile function to begin with.
Ben didn't answer. Not this time out of embarrassment, but because he hadn't understood the question.
"Ben darling?" said Margaret, placing a hand gently on his bottom "Have you... I mean has your... "
"Have you been able to have an erection since the fall?" asked Diane, putting Margaret out of her misery. The two ladies exchanged a glance and a smile.
Ben certainly did remain silent out of embarrassment now. He couldn't believe he was being asked about such a rude and private thing by his mother and this other woman. He began to worry that they knew something of his recent activities, or had guessed somehow by examining him. The more he thought about it the more he became convinced that there must be some sign painted on his body subtly, that a nurse, or a mother, could plainly read. A sign that said "I've been shagging, and her name's Alison Weaver."
Ben whimpered in disgrace.
"Come on Ben these are important medical questions" said Diane "If you can't answer we'll have to roll you over and perform a test."
Ben and Margaret both wondered what Diane had meant by that, and simultaneously came to the same conclusion. Diane had meant she could stimulate him and see if she could give him an erection.
Margaret blushed slightly, and had to stifle another giggle. The idea seemed outrageous, even in a medical context, that her poor son would have to expose himself in this way, but she trusted that Diane knew what she was doing.
Margaret's embarrassment and sense of impropriety were insignificant compared to Ben's. It was his willy that was going to be exposed, his willy that was going to be... whatever Diane had planned to do to it, and his willy that was going to be shamefully erected for the edification of his mother and Mrs Weaver. This was not a step too far, this was leaps and bounds too far; this was a long march too far. And it wasn't going to happen. Ben did not want to talk about it either; he didn't want to even admit to knowing about such things. He wondered if he'd be able to dash his head against the wall hard enough achieve an instant and relatively painless death.
"I... don't really get those" said Ben in a small voice.
"No?" asked Diane, and then turning to Margaret "How old did you say he was?"
"He's twelve" said Margaret.
"Twelve and three quarters!" corrected Ben.
"He should have been experiencing erections by now" said Diane "Have there been any problems with his development? Has he started puberty yet?"
"Well..." said Margaret, beginning to feel even more embarrassed now, fearing that she had been a bad and neglectful mother "I really don't know"
"Well we can take a quick look and make sure everything's alright" said Diane "Roll onto your back, Ben"
"Why is that boy naked?" said a small voice from the open doorway.
Margaret and Diane turned their heads at the same time. Ben kept his buried out of sight. They saw a freckle faced red haired girl of about nine years dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She carried all the macho demeanour and attitude of a tomboy.
Ben cringed and thought maybe a sudden earthquake or volcanic eruption could put him out of his misery.
"We're just examining him darling" said Diane "Why don't you run along"
"Can I examine him too" she asked boldly and without embarrassment.
"No, this is private" said Margaret.
The girl looked disappointed, took a long last look at Ben's naked prostrate form on the bed "He's got a nice bum" she said, and disappeared.
"Close the door!" yelled Ben.
"Come on, Ben, don't be silly, just roll over!" said Diane.
"No!" yelled Ben "Alright, sometimes I do, I mean... the thing you said, and yes, I have, I mean this morning, when I woke up. I don't want to talk about it, please just leave me alone!"
Ben started crying with shame, and Margaret patted him affectionately. She took a long hard look herself. Ben had goose bumps all over his body and she could see that he was covered with very fine golden coloured hairs. Between his legs, from her position at the back, she could see his fingers poking out where he was clutching himself protectively. She knew this must be excruciatingly embarrassing for him, and she didn't want to make him suffer any more than necessary.
"I think he's probably alright" said Margaret.
"Are you sure? It won't take a minute to check" said Diane.
"Another time maybe" said Margaret. In truth she did want to check. Partly out of concern that he might not be developing properly, and partly out of a growing curiosity to see what her son did look like down there.
"Come on, Ben, get yourself dressed. We're all done now" said Margaret with a quick encouraging pat.
Ben couldn't believe his ears. 'All done!', 'Clothes!' He slid across the bed keeping himself face down and swung his legs off, keeping his hand covered groin pressed to the bed. He sacrificed the protection of one hand to retrieve his boxers and started pulling them on. Slowly, piece by piece, he recovered his clothes, and recovered his body.
Seeing his reddened face, his tears, and his shame, Margaret gave him a hug.
"Now, you behave yourself or you might just find yourself back up here having your erectile function being tested" she said, intending to give him a gentle warning, but as soon as she said it she realised that it didn't sound at all gentle, and it didn't sound at all the way she had intended.
"Go on and play" she said finally.
Ben burst from the room as if shot out of a cannon.
"Thanks for your help, Diane" said Margaret "And I'm sorry he was so difficult"
"It's no trouble" said Diane "He'll get used to it in time. Anyway, we'd better go and deal with Alison."
"We?" said Margaret.
"I got the impression you'd finally come round to our way of thinking" said Diane "Or did I get that wrong?"
"You mean about spanking?" asked Margaret.
"That's what I thought" said Diane straightening the bedspread.
"I'm still not a hundred percent" said Margaret "But I think we'll give it a try, see if it does any good"
"I think you'll be surprised" said Diane.
"I already am" said Margaret "I don't know what's happened to Keith, but he seemed pretty keen"
"In which case" said Diane "I thought it might be instructive for you to see how it's done"
"Isn't it a rather private thing?" said Margaret.
"That depends. Remember, humiliation is an important part of the punishment, and I really was this close" Diane said holding two fingers only millimetres apart "To stripping and spanking her in the garden, so she more than deserves the extra embarrassment."
"I see" said Margaret a little breathlessly
"Lets' get this done then" said Diane, leading Margaret out of the room.
Continued in Chapter Thirty One