Robbie thought he was as close to heaven as he would ever be.. He shipped his oar and rested while the boat slid towards the short jetty. Pickering- the senior games master stood by the waters edge at the boat house and seemed to be smiling.
Robbie thought back on the weeks events, on Tuesday he had ( in all modestly) been the star of the founders day concert. His own cello solo had been roundly applauded but also he had received much praise for the " sympathetic piano accompaniment" for Maude-Roxby's (the very talented and even more spotty head chorister's rendition of Panis Angelicus. After the concert he'd been invited to the Bishop's palace for supper and had thoroughly enjoyed being chatted up by Alexis the Bishop's youngest daughter ( a delightful 16 yo who provoked feelings in his loins which were wholly new to our hero). He wanted to push his luck and ask for a date , which of course was strictly forbidden by both the school and the bishop (who remembered from his own schooldays just how randy 15 year boarders could be- and this one had just too good looks , enormous come to bed eyes - which he used to full effect- golden hair which flopped all over the place , like a blond Hugh Grant and the obscenely sensual hands and fingers - well he was a pianist and cellist). But his intent had been thwarted when the headmaster came over to congratulate him on his performance, Robbie was most impressed, the only other time the Head had spoken directly to him had been in his study when Robbie had been taking off his briefs for a dose of the cane ( See R 2.3). He wondered if the head found it easier to recognise boys by their backsides rather than their faces. On Wednesday, there had been the episode with the car on the cricket pitch- which according to rumour had cost the entire hockey team a flogging and because he was the team captain it was believed that the Hon James Collingwood-Wilson ( Robbie's 17 yo elder brother) had enjoyed a double dose. This was music to Robbie's ears. And today, Thursday, Robbie had been given a chance to try out for the first crew of the under 16 rowing eight. To cap it all ,for almost the first time in memory, tomorrow he would be going home for half term- not only with a good report but an unmarked backside and so there would be no reason for his Father to begin the holiday with a beating
Pickering had steadied the boat as it nudged against the shore , then ruffling Robbies head said
"well done son- welcome to the team". Robbie had almost burst with pleasure. As the boat was lifted out the water and drained a second ( less jovial) master had appeared.
" Wilson- small Gymn in five minutes" was all hesaid.
"What have you been upto then ?" Queried Pickering
"Nnn nothing sir -I havent been in trouble for weeks now - honest"
Robbie helped to stow the boat, then grabbed his sweater and pulled it on over his rowing kit of purple polo shirt and black rugby shorts ( many pupils had wondered exactly how the school had come to chose black and purple as its sports colours- was it really so that the games kit would match the colours of their disciplined behinds ?). His sweater was an MCC cricket pullover- he'd rescued it from his mother's wardrobe just before she'd gone to hospital for the final time, apart from being warm it served an emotional function for him and he wore it as often as possible- but the cognescenti were frequently surprised to find a 15 yo public school boy wearing MCC colours. The overall effect was not unlike a foal long blond hair big eyes, a soft cuddly middle and legs which seemed to be 9foot long, this illusion was aided by the shorts which were at leasttwo sizes too small.
Robbie rounded the corner and approached the gym, he was surprised to see his brother waiting outside the door " Where the fcuk have you been ?" was the friendly greeting. Before the conversation could develop the door had opened and a palpably bad tempered junior games master ( P Ashford Esq B Sc) had ordered them both in.
"You- over here - you're late bend over-" Robbie had got there as quickly as he could but knew better than to argue. He stretched forward for his toes -_d_a_m_n_ these shorts are tight , he felt Ashford fold the pullover back on itself ,next the polo shirt was freed from the waist band of his shorts and duly folded back. There were a couple of gentle taps on the seat of his shorts followed by six powerful blows from the slipper. He was feeling the full effects of primitive central heating ,his behind was glowing and the heat was spreading down both legs and up his back. The wait to be told to stand up seemed interminable, he was tempted to look round to see what was happening but he resisted this urge , then Ashford was by his side again. He ran his fingers along Robbie's bare back, in the region of the waistband of his shorts, then tugged some fabric underneath the shorts and pulled it.
"Wilson , whats this ?"
"Its my underpants sir"
" Are you meant to wear underwear with rugby shorts ?"
"No sir but I was in a hurry"
"Drop the shorts"
Robbie lowered the shorts to his ankles and bent down again.
Both elder brother and games master had an interesting view. Robbies white briefs were stretched taughtly across his bum. The lower parts of his cheeks were not covered by the cotton and were bright red from the plimsoll . Gravity was acting on his genitals to form a very noticable pouch in the material . The backs of the boys thighs were trembling slightly probably a mixture of fearful anticipation and muscle fatigue. Slowly, very slowly indeed another six hard blows were delivered.
Mr Ashford had a theory that wearing tight underpants during a beating was worse than being bare. His reasoning was twofold firstly, he believed that the hardest cuts to take were the first two or three and if they were laid on really hard it was un nerving to think that the same level of pain was about to be reapplied after your pants had been pulled down ie if this is bad what will it be like when I'm bare ? And secondly tight pants held the buttocks in place and so caused the impact to be focussed and so intensified the resultant pain.
After the second six Robbie was given a brief lecture about not wearing any thing underneath his sports kit, and to drive the point home he had to strip off both his shorts and the offending briefs and submit to a further six whacks - bare.
Then Ashford changed his attention to James. He was invited to confirm that he had used the "f" word to greet his brother a few minutes earlier. This confirmation was rewarded in the expected way. Devoid of jacket and with his trousers crumpled about his ankles, six almight whacks with the plimsoll had been driven into his tartan CK boxers.
" Now I've got your full attention gentlemen, there are some things to talk about . Master Wilson why were you absent from games on Tuesday?"
"I was at the concert rehersal sir"
"Did you have the courtesy to ask my permission ? No I thought not -I'll have to teach you some manners then- go and stand by that vaulting horse while I talk with you brother."
"Mr Wilson ( James)- we had a chat yesterday and you answered me as if I was an idiot- You to need a lesson in manners- get your trousers and pants right off"
The brothers were now naked from the waist and Ashford intended to "chat"with each of them with the aid of a tawse while they took turns over the horse. English school boys are very familiar with canes - but a dose of the tawse might refresh their memories.
" Take off that sweater" Robbie peeled off the MCC pullover and in doing so the polo shirt was dragged a long way up his chest so giving Ashford and James an unimpeded view of Robbie's balls, prick and blond pubic bush. Following instructions Robbie parted his legs and bent over the horse.
Ashford said that Robbie should think about courtesy and then lashed the youths arse with the tawse. Robbie was surprised by the pain but thought it was no worse than the cane, and if six ( or even eight ) was all he was going to get there was no problem- how wrong the poor kid was. After the fifth stroke Ashford stopped.
"Do you know anything about the car on the cricket pitch ?? think carefully now"
Robbie replied in the negative and was rewarded with a further five lashes. Ashford repeated his question and still Robbie pleaded ignorance. He was then told to get down from the horse and James was required to replace him. Requiring the sixth former to fold his shirt up did not produce quite the revealing display that his younger brother had given. Nonetheless Ashford noticed that neither was circumcised, and James' was marginally less well endowed than his young brother and had a darker bush. His balls however were enormous, it seemed that between them these two kids would have no trouble in producing the next generation of their illustrious family and so protect the title for atleast one more generation. Bent over the horse James displayed a backside already much damaged by yesterday's caning. His backside was ( in Ashford's opinion ) less attractive than Robbies ( it being more oval than classic schoolboy round) it was though, still inviting to beat. A curt lecture on swearing was followed by 5 lashes to the rump- he seemed to suffer more than Robbie had , probably because his tail was still tenderised by yesterday's efforts. The same question was posed -" what do you know about the car on the cricket pitch ?" and elicited the same response- James still claimed to know nothing and his honesty cost him five more hard licks.
Robbie was back in position- still claiming to know nothing, five more cuts, each well aimed and delivered in a pattern moving down the rump towards the thighs. These were having a marked effect ,after each blow Robbie would rise onto his toes, and Ashford would wait till the boy's heels were back on the ground before delivering the next slash. This was getting serious.
"In the car was an envelope addressed to your brother- he says you put it there. Now what have you got to say?"
Five more strokes still failed to loosen his tongue and Robbie was invited to think things over whilst his brother renewed his own appointment with the leather implement.
A further ten strokes intermingled with unsucessful questions were meted to James.
In the gym feelings were mixed. Robbie - even though he was innocent had a jolly good idea how the envelope might have got into such an incriminating position. James was developing a grudging respect for his kid brother and was feeling very bad about the pain he was sufferring. And Ashford- who still thought one of these priviliged brats must know something was beginning to think that he wasn't going to unlock the secret- but he had to carry on.
Robbie was back over the horse, strokes 21 - 25 saw him red eyed, gasping and writhing and bucking. It took longer and longer to recover from the blows and although the wriggling gave great views of his balls and anus , Ashcroft decided that 25 lashes was enough, more would be impossible to defend ( if the kids complained ). James took his final five - the effect was much the same, lots of gasps and squirming and the last cut of all opened a cut on the caning bruises. A trickle of blood oozed down the right cheek- Ashford knew it was time to stop. Petulantly he threatened the boys that they both needed to accept their responsibilities or life would become more difficult. Then having dismissed them he stormed out.
The brothers dressed and limped off.
"Robbie- how did that car get there ?"
"I don't know James, I thought you lot put it there"
They plodded on in silence until about 50m short of the boarding house.
"Jamie- I've still got that cold cream Amy gave me, do you want me to come up to your room with it? We could help each other cool down"
"Yeah Robbie that would be good- unless of course you'd rather Barnes rubbed it in for you "- a semi jest
Robbie's answer ( the second word was off) was such that normally he'd have been threatened with the cane for swearing at a prefect, but tonight the brothers were better friends than they'd been for years . Partners in a shared adversity , perhaps even a friendship might mature between them. There was of course a new problem to be faced, in 24 hours they'd be home for half term - and Pa always became very upset if he found signs of a recent school beating. There was no way they could hide tonights damage.
Foot note from Robbie. Im going off line for a few weeks- I have to prepare for mock exams L - and if they go badly I'll have an extremely sore backside for weeks, so I'd better do some work rather than talk to you lot. Send an e-mail if you want me to tell you how things work out- but it probably wont be till March Cheers Robbie C-W.