rules all. Observe the stupid grin upon his face when you tell him that he has been wicked. He will long for punishment'.
'As sometimes I shall?'. Astrid uttered a giggle and concealed her expression.
'Of course. You will enjoy the selfsame bonds into which you put others-though of occasion they have no need to know that. You must judge your attitudes carefully in respect of each individual'.
'Yet they have seen me humiliated-your servants, I mean'.
'As to that, my pet, 'tis all of a muchness. Marie and Amy knew well enough to what end you were being driven and that they themselves are as likely to come under the lash of your whip as any. I permit them many mischiefs, as I do Alice and Tom, yet all remain finally under my heel as now they shall under yours'.
'I am free?', asked Astrid in a timid voice.
'Free enough even to deny yourself freedom, if you will', Julia sighed. 'The child or young person who would free itself from its mother's will yet longs equally to be held in her firm embrace. Who then is free? Before I know it, you will be bringing the martinet to my bottom while holding me bound'.
'I would love to!', exclaimed Astrid excitedly. 'But I would also like you to do the same to me'.
'What else then can I teach you, save the many little tricks we indulge in? Let me rise, my sweet, for I am now about to show you something'. With that, Julia slid from the bed and took from an armoire the very letter she had received from Astrid's mother. Never before had she put such a privilege to a pupil, but with Astrid all was other than had ever been before. Unfolding the letter, she returned to the bed and laid it before her.
Astrid's hand trembled visibly as she clutched the pages and read them.
'Oh, what of THIS!', she exclaimed in wonderment.
'What indeed! I receive many such missives in advance of receiving a newcomer to the fold, but none has been permitted to indulge in their secrets as you. Judge well the situation now, as your dear mama intends you to, for it is clearly her intention that you should lead the household in all your ways and so establish your reign. Before you do, however, I must teach you all such little tricks as I have spoken of. You will come more quickly to them than others, for you have the spirit for the thing. I have this very day a gentleman coming for what are best termed 'correctional exercises'. In this you will assist'.
'I? But I will not know what to do!'.
'You will learn soon enough-by precept and by instinct. This one is surely easy for you, Astrid. He will cringe and fawn at the very sight of your bared thighs'.
'Julia, must I uncover myself to him?'
'As you will, my dear. Speak as little as is needful. Your moments of silence alone will fill him with awe. Should you wish him to kneel before you, indicate by gestures of your hand toward the floor. If he fails to abase himself sufficiently to your liking, place the heel of your shoe on the back of his neck and hold it there firmly. In doing so, admonish him quietly'.
Astrid's hands worked agitatedly together. 'I do not believe I could-not as yet. May I not commence with a female, for surely you have other subjects of your will such as I. Once I know that I can in some wise command another, then 'twill be easier for me'.
'Very well, my dear, it shall be so. Your wisdom pleases me. Had you failed with the gentleman concerned, I would have had perforce to punish you severely, and that I do not wish to do. Let me apprise you of his identity. He is the Hon. Wilberforce Markings, aged twenty-five, an orphan who has lived in fair comfort with his sister, Harriet, these last six years or more. Harriet is his senior by three years. She is minded to marry yet cannot bring herself to cast off her brother as easily as most would. He fawns upon her, having known little other feminine company, or having perhaps made sure that he did not. I am known to Harriet but vaguely by reputation. There has been correspondence between us-more guarded on her side than I would have wished. Her belief is that I might take Will, as she calls him, into my fold and treat him as a distressed relative who could in part act as servant'.
'Then she is not herself a subject?', Astrid asked with a twinge of disappointment.
'As yet? No. Not as yet', Julia responded, whereat a smile of complicity spread over both their faces. Bending over her companion, who lay still upon the bed, Julia kissed her. 'You see, I replace one difficult task for you with another', she purred.
'I think not, Julia. Would you deal, please, with Will while I take Harriet up to the Attendance Room? It would be as well for her to inspect the means of persuasion thoroughly, and perhaps even to taste them, if I can so persuade her. I may need the assistance of Marie and Amy, or I may not. They will be on call?'.
'Of course. How admirable your ideas are already! Come, let us dress, for our guests will be here soon and we would not wish to disappoint them'.
Tea was indeed ready to be served upon the arrival of Harriet and Will, neither of whom disappointed Astrid in their appearance. Harriet was of middle height and comely of looks, her face being roundish, her mouth small, her nose of pleasing proportions. Firmly held beneath a tight corsage, her breasts were exceedingly plump, while her bottom gave promise of admirable curvature and weight. As to her brother, he looked not as unmanly as Astrid thought he might. His moustache was trim, his skin smooth. His physique did not betoken a weakling, being seemingly well formed and muscled beneath his formal attire. This at first puzzled Astrid not a little, for all her views on the submissive-ness of males were formed upon the impression she had gained of Anthony.
Tea having been taken with such decorum and polite conversation as would have passed in a vicarage, Julia indicated her desire to speak with Will alone. This intelligence caused him first to blush and then to grow a trifle pale, which spectacle did much to reassure Astrid that all was not as it first seemed. If she had any apprehensions at all, it was how to deal with Harriet, or rather whether she would be able to deal with her. Even so, these vagrant fears diminished upon inviting the young woman to accompany her upstairs.
Harriet was not displeased to leave the drawing room, and she had begun to entertain doubts as to whether she should have persuaded Will to accompany her here. 'Will she be strict with him?', she asked Astrid, upon going upstairs. For in truth she had little enough idea of Julia's purpose in the matter save that the lady had a reputation for 'settling' people.
'It may be', Astrid replied carefully.
'You assist her?'
'Frequently. But at times I serve to settle those who accompany our guests here. I inculcate them with our precepts', Astrid said glibly enough. It would be nice to take Harriet into the bedroom, but even nicer, she decided, to have her in what she personally now preferred to call the discipline room. And there indeed she led Harriet, who was all of a wonder as to where they were going to settle and how long the whole business would take. Upon the door opening, she made-as did many-to step back, but Astrid urged her firmly within and closed the door. Quite amused, she watched Harriet gaze with wild dismay about the room and the various 'persuaders' that dangled from the walls.
'Oh, dear Will is not to be whipped surely!', Harriet gasped.
'It depends on how naughty he may have been. Has he been naughty?', Astrid asked, guiding her intended victim to the couch, where she sat heavily. 'You must tell me all', she urged. 'Your letters lacked a certain explicitness, Harriet. Tell me first of his fawning over you'.
'Oh, that!', Harriet exclaimed uncomfortably and rather wished she had never come. Astrid's eyes seemed to be fixed on her rather severely.
'Yes, indeed, THAT, my dear. Come, you must not be coy, for is this not the sole purpose of your visit? Will is not the only one, you know, whom we have reason to correct or train. Some young men are brought by their mothers, others by their aunts or elder sisters or their guardians. Then there are girls and young women-some indeed of the same age as yourself. They, too, require attendance'.
'Girls? Young women?', Harriet echoed in astonishment. 'What then is the purpose of these horrible whips and straps and chains? Is this not a cruelty?'.
'Oh, pouf, as to cruelty, my dear. We know not its name. None who departs these walls does so without being deeply satisfied at his or her lot. But, come, you have not answered my question!', Astrid insisted, placing her arm about Harriet's shoulders while recalling well enough all that had been done to herself.
'It will be a secret?', Harriet pleaded.
'Of course. Naught that passes here shall be known to the world', Astrid replied, taking advantage of the young woman's upturned face to kiss her prettily upon her rosebud mouth, much to Harriet's disturbed surprise. Tear not what you say to me-use any words you wish. We are not shocked', Astrid pursued.
Harriet twisted her fingers together in some agitation, 'We live alone, as you may have gathered. Our parents
