This story features caning and spanking. All characters are well over 18.
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While Miss Wilson enjoyed being around school for some of the hols when things were quiet and one might relax, she also always felt a need to get out and about and keep up with old friendships (and perhaps make some new ones). She packed up a case to hold about a fortnight's worth of clothing and necessaries, and took off right after classes ended in her classic red Sunbeam Alpine.
She loved navigating the back roads of northern England in her little auto and the breeze that she enjoyed when she had the top down. It was only a few hours to get to see her ancient friend Maisie from Roedaean days. Getting there featured her having the Sunbeam checked out in the village and then departing with the small case in the boot. She managed to stop along the way for some flowers and sweets for Maisie's children, who were at university age. In fact, she recalled, Laura, the elder, was now a Cambridge graduate from Beth's old college, and, moreover, was a Fellow of the college no less.
The nice stone house was still the same, not too massive but comfortable and she had her own delightful room with a view of the sea. It was warm and they all sat on the porch and enjoyed some drinks before dinner, which was charmingly informal.
She realized that she had been visiting Maisie every summer for quite a long time and really looked forward to renewing their friendship. Maisie had married well and her family had been well-fixed even back when Beth first met her. In fact, three summers ago, Beth had visited her at her family's place out in Ontario, Canada. But the stone house by the sea was far closer and Beth had come to regard it as a home away from home since she so rarely got back to the States to see her own family.
She truly enjoyed her romp through the countryside in the red Sunbeam. She almost wished she had someone to accompany her, perhaps that Mr Hinchtcliffe who was the guardian of one of her pupils but was a solicitor way off in London. But she focused on the curving roads and headed to Maisie's stone house by the sea.
Once there she was ensconced with her old school friend on the lovely porch overlooking the sea. It was an uncharacteristically clear day and with the fruity Rhine wine in their glasses, it was for Beth the kind of escape from her daily work she sorely needed.
Maisie seemed happy and in good physical shape. She managed to get to London often enough to be well-acquainted with all theatrical attractions worthy of note. Beth took some notes as she hoped to get a few days down in London before summer was over. Maisie's daughter Laura was already there, visiting from Cambridge, where Laura was now, as surprising as the word continued to Beth, a Fellow at her old college.
Laura was blonde and quite attractive, although she seemed a bit introverted and seemed more scholarly in all ways that Beth recalled being herself in the years she had spent at Keys. But after all, Laura had managed to become a Fellow of the college, no mean accomplishment still for a competent woman, which Beth was certain Laura was in her field.
Laura began asking her mother's oldest friend about life at St Dithering's.
"You'd likely be quite bored quickly," Beth answered lightly. "I enjoy the children and perhaps exposing them to some literature they hadn't known much about. And I do have some responsibilities as deputy head that keep me quite fully occupied. But it is near a small village and admittedly, rather quiet. Although the pupils do get up to plenty of tricks."
"Mum tells me you still are allowed to cane," Laura said calmly. "I imagine that is now quite a rarity. Do you think some parents seek your school out for that?"
"I doubt it," Beth answered. "Most of our pupils are sent by parents who are either assigned overseas or who have always sent their children to schools like this one. And I must confess that I haven't had to discipline all that much this term. Hardly ever in class, occasionally in my capacity as deputy head."
"It's really quite amazing anyway," Laura said, with a confused look on her face. "Do you really think it is still a good thing to do that in this day and age?"
"I doubt I would have introduced it if it hadn't been long established," Beth responded, "but it does do wonders at producing relatively good behavior and very little truly offensive conduct."
"Mum, remember when you used to spank me?" Laura looked at her mother with a grin.
"Indeed I do," Maisie said with a chuckle
Beth laughed when Maisie confirmed that she had spanked her daughter Laura.
"For what was she spanked?" Beth asked.
"Oh," Maisie said coyly, "maybe Laura should tell you that."
Laura, despite her status now as a Fellow of a Cambridge college, felt her face getting red. Finally, she gathered herself and answered her mother's oldest friend, "Mum would spank me when I got sassy and a few times when I came in quite late and smelling of spirits."
