It was the last evening of the summer term. His bags were already
packed for tomorrow's long journey home. He watched as Miss Taylor
bent down to pick up the key from under the front doormat. For a
moment he thought the material of her blue cotton trousers would burst
like the skin of some overripe fruit. She possessed in his opinion,
and he was in his own youthful way a connoisseur on the subject, the
most perfect bottom he had ever set eyes on, two well rounded cheeks
like small and attractive moons.

This evening she seemed a little pensive as if she had something on
her mind. He wondered whether she was aware of the fact he was deeply
in love with her. She had recently washed her short dark brown hair
and it was still not properly dry. They were going into her spare room
which she used for extra tuition in the evenings. Of course she could
have used a classroom within the school itself but she preferred for
some reason to use her own accommodation. As he passed her in the
doorway he caught the strong scent of the sandalwood soap she used. He
knew exactly which brand it was as he had seen it in its wrapper in
the bathroom upstairs.

During the French lesson he found it difficult to concentrate and
she grew increasingly irritated as she always did when his work was
poor. It was as if she took it as a personal slight when he failed to
live up to her high standards. Her voice took on a harder edge as she
grew annoyed with his frequent mistakes. Eventually when he had
confused the past and future tense once too often she said,

"If you don't pay more attention Christopher I shall put you over my
knee and smack your bottom so hard you will be unable to sit down for
a week"

It was said partly in exasperation, but also he felt, to gently tease
him. It was as if she was playing little games. He felt his heart
ready to explode through his ribcage and he could feel his pale skin
turning pink. Had she really said that to him, he couldn't quite
believe the evidence of his own ears. A few minutes later he caught
her smiling contentedly to herself her anger obviously forgotten.

After the lesson finished she made him a cup of cocoa as she always
did. They sat together and she talked yet again about her childhood
and about where she grew up. However he found himself unable to
concentrate on what she was saying. Then before he knew it he had
finished his hot drink and was crossing the quadrangle towards the
dormitories. It was nearly time for lights out and he knew he would
think of her that night as he lay in his bed. Her soft dark hair, her
blue green eyes, she was too old for him, of course he knew that.
After all she was a woman and more than twice his age but no one had
ever talked to him the way she did. The way she laughed at him, as if
she found him amusing. Then what of this evening, not only did she
threaten to spank him but she actually called him by his first name.
Always at school people referred to him as Edwards, as if he didn't
have a first name at all.

He thought about being spanked by her. How she would take his trousers
and pants down and smack his bare bottom till it was as red as a bowl
of cherries. Just the thought made him shake with ecstasy. He had a
picture in his head of himself being spanked by her on the bare
bottom. Possibly Miss Taylor also had a thing about corporal
punishment as well, he had once heard her during a French lesson
threaten to have a boy "Soundly whipped" for forgetting his text book.
Deep in thought he arrived at the dormitory which was crowded with
boys already noisily changing for bed. As it was the last night there
was a great deal of horseplay. One of the prefects, Saunders was
calling in his loud officious voice for silence but everyone was
ignoring him as usual. Two boys, Meadows and Kennedy started shoving
each other and a good natured free for all took place. He went off to
brush his teeth and to wash his face. He was just coming out of the
washroom when he saw her. She was looking at him with an amused
expression.

"Ah Edwards so this is where you've been hiding" she said. "I heard a
dreadful noise coming from your dormitory a little earlier. I do hope
it wasn't you being so loud and thoughtless"

"No Miss" he replied. She smiled at him, gently touching his golden
blonde hair with her small elegant hand. She was standing so close to
him. His heart had stopped beating.

"Are you quite sure it wasn't you making that terrible noise Edwards?"
"Well maybe. Maybe it was me being noisy after all then Miss" he
replied blushing at his own false confession.

"Oh dear" she said with mock severity. "Well really I should of course
report you to the headmaster. I expect he would give you a caning" her
eyes never left his as she spoke.

"On the other hand I could punish you myself couldn't I? What do you
think Edwards? Would you rather be punished by me or the headmaster?"
she was now practically touching him she was so close. He felt he
could hardly breathe and then suddenly with out warning she turned and
moved with an easy grace down the corridor, her heels made a clicking
sound on the wooden floorboards as she slowly walked away from him. As
he stood in the doorway of the washroom he could see her disappearing
down the staircase. She turned to him laughing and said

"The key is under the mat Christopher. You had better make very sure
you don't keep me waiting ?"