A Student's Lesson

Was she going to be punished immediately? This very evening? Sizing up her options she hoped so. Getting this over with as soon as possible was her main objective at this point in time. Selecting a baggy set of sweats she dressed quickly and waited for the inevitable.

All too soon Thaddeus Cox pulled into the driveway. Sally looked on from her bedroom window as the man stepped out of his car. He looked just as she remembered him. He was slightly overweight with a bit of a pouch above the belt. 'Old Baldy' was still ugly and Sally couldn't help but grimace. Blotchy skin, hanging jowls, and bulging eyes all contributed to making Thaddeus Cox a visually unattractive specimen of the human race.

Collin came to the door and opened it for the gentleman. "Mr. Cox?" Collin shook his hand enthusiastically and found the older man's grip firm.

"Yes," he announced. "Mr. Montgomery I presume?"

Collin waved him in. Carrying a satchel, he appeared every part the typical English schoolmaster, his carriage and eloquence made a favorable first impression on Sally's guardian. "I'm sorry to call you on such short notice Mr. Cox. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Not at all," Cox said stoicly. He seemed to be a man who didn't smile very often. His eyes quickly took in the living area. A very typical upper-middle class home by all appearances. Neat. Possibly a maid service? Much too large for just two people certainly. "A very nice place you have here, Mr. Montgomery."

Collin smiled wanly. "Thanks. I managed to hang on to it in the agreement. It was a long and complex divorce which put Sally between..."

Thaddeus raised his hand. "No need to explain, Mr. Montgomery. I can tell that you provide well for Miss Yeager. She never seemed to want for anything while in my classes."

"Call me Collin, please." The younger man appreciated the compliment. "Have a seat. Do you want anything? Soft drink? Water? Something harder?" Thaddeus sat down and indicated that whiskey on the rocks would be fine. After a minute the men sat across from each other ready to get to business. Collin took a deep drink out of his glass. Not normally a heavy imbiber, he seemed to need a little something extra to settle his nerves after the rough day. All because of the disgraceful behavior of an eighteen year-old. And not even his own daughter at that!

"I assume the subject of why I'm here is nearby?" Thaddeus asked rhetorically, his demeanor never breaking from the serious school teacher image.

"Yes. She's in her room now. Do I need to get her? Collin began to rise.

"No. No. Let me hear about what happened first."

Collin used the opportunity to get all his frustration and displeasure over the schoolgirl's behavior off his chest. The truancy, the insolence and general lack of respect showed to him by Sally as well as her overall shirking of responsibility. Simultaneously, Cox began to probe skillfully, eliciting even more information from the girl's bitter guardian.

Collin opened up like a sluice gate. He was determined to paint as damning a picture of Sally as he could manage without lying of course. Given the manner in which she was conducting herself, there was no way that he was going to hold back on anything he could dredge up. In the light of the headmaster's virtual ultimatum, he had to ensure that Mr. Cox would take up the task of punishing Sally.

When he heard Collin's accounts of Sally's 'sexually provocative' demeanor in the presence of other teenage males he shook his head in commiseration. After a few more well chosen questions from Cox, Collin finally revealed the reason for his underlying anger at Sally. Her displays of outrage at, what she perceived to be, his improper voyeuristic interest in her.

Thaddeus Cox expressed an understanding of the man's visible anger. "I know the type," he said simply. "She looks that type. They assume that being young and physically attractive gives them the power to insult and denigrate their superiors."

Collin felt relieved that Cox saw things that way. He was reticent to bring up this particular subject but after he saw Cox's reaction he immediately felt better. "So I guess I must ask, what can we do to get her back into school?"

Thaddeus took a sip from his glass. It was time to talk plainly. "In a nutshell, Collin, the girl requires a series of lessons, all of which will be geared towards altering her attitude towards you, the headmaster and authority in general."

"What type of lessons do you have in mind?" Collin asked with some interest.

"Instruction and correction will form the basis of the lessons." Cox uttered his words clearly and without hesitation, leaving Collin in no doubt of the conviction the man had in what he did. "Would you have any objection to the imposition of corporal punishment in this case?"

Collin blinked. It was what he expected all along but now that it was out he did ponder it a moment. But only for a moment. "Absolutely none," he replied. Should he feel guilty? With Sally's actions of the last few days fresh in his mind all doubts were swept away. "When will you do it? Today?" He couldn't keep some of the eagerness out of his voice. It would be a pleasure to get this over with.

The older man pressed the tips of the fingers of each hand against the other, emphasizing the importance of the point he was about to make. "Sally's punishment and discipline; remember, she requires discipline as well, will be structured so that the shock value of it will serve as a deterrent against her carrying on in her bad ways. It has to be properly administered in a judicious and thoughtful manner."

"It's just that the headmaster would like to know as soon as possible what we have agreed upon." Collin said, eager to get things moving.

"Should you consent to utilizing my services and given that the girl herself understands the implications and agrees to them, then Sally will be permitted to return to school upon completion of the prescribed corrective measures." Now Thaddeus dropped the bombshell. "In the case at hand, Mr. Montgomery, I will require that she stay on my premises for three entire days."

Collin's eyebrows shot up. "Three days? Why would you need that much time for her, err, corrective measures?"

"Most of that time will be spent teaching and lecturing her on how to be a more responsible and polite young lady. Don't worry Collin, I will not be abusing your ward. She will be learning many lessons about what her behavior should be like while at school as well as with you."

Collin remained silent. This was a lot to take in and now he felt a bit nervous. He took another long drink of his scotch. "I see I have met someone who is serious about his work."

"Indeed." A bit of a smile passed his lips. "Unfortunately, my services do come at a cost. Although I do feel rewarded by my work, I just can't do it pro bono. You understand, of course."

Collin frowned. "How much are we talking about here, Mr. Cox?"

"Not as much as you would fear Collin. I charge on a sliding scale depending on results. And I do get them, have no fear. Should we now have Miss Yeager join us and see if she is agreeable?"

This man wastes no time, Collin thought. He had no objections up to this point so he nodded to the older gentleman.

Sally, still in her room, could hear the two men speaking only indistinctly. The tone sounded solemn and as the conversation grew longer her nervousness grew as well. What would Mr. Cox have her do? Images of her getting caned like the boys kept leaping into her mind.

Finally her name was called and her stomach leaped into her throat. Slowly, like one walking to the gallows, she made her way into the living room. Oh God! 'Baldy Man' looked even older and meaner than she remembered. His popping eyes seemed to leer at her. Thank goodness she had chosen to wear the clothes she had on. She didn't think she could handle him ogling her legs and boobs.

Collin watched the effect of the teacher's presence on Sally. "Please come in here," he said as sternly as he could manage. "We have something to discuss."

Sally paused at the far end of the couch. She didn't want to get any closer to the old man.

"Yeager!" Sally jumped at Mr. Cox's commanding tone. He didn't shout but there was a force behind it. "Do as your guardian says and stand before us."

Sally as well as Collin both looked shocked for a moment. Sally, for her part, immediately scooted over to a central spot in the room. There were chairs available but Sally made no move to sit.

Collin observed all of this and leaned back in his seat. Thinking that the former professor might actually make a difference he addressed his charge. "Sally, I've been getting acquainted with Mr. Cox here and I believe he has a proposition for you."

Thaddeus nodded to the girl's caregiver and then faced the nervous teenager before him. "You have been given a last chance by your Headmaster, Yeager. One last chance to mend your ways. Listening to the account given by your guardian I can say that I'm not surprised it has come to this. And don't think I have forgotten your antics in my class as well, Yeager. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he asked firmly.

Sullenly, her eyes looked back and forth but never directly at the adults. "I'm sorry?"

Mr. Cox quickly glanced at Collin and saw the grimace on his face. "Really, Yeager, that wasn't very convincing."

The girl folded her arms and began to frown. "What do you want from me; sir?" Why don't they just get on with this. She didn't want to be in front of this man any longer than required.

Thaddeus watched her a moment more. He turned to Collin. "It's just as I thought. No respect for authority. No respect even with the threat of expulsion looming. You would agree with my assessment?"

Collin nodded. He was becoming more convinced that Sally really needed to learn her place.

"Yeager, do you wish to return to your school?" Mr. Cox asked the girl.

Of course she did. What a stupid question. "Yes," she said simply.

"Are you sure? I didn't hear much conviction in your answer." Cox pushed.

Sighing, Sally looked at 'Old Baldy' more directly. "Yes, sir. I wish to go back to my school. Please," she added as an afterthought.

"That's better Yeager. Now, if you agree to my terms as well as the Headmaster's, then you will be staying with me for three days."

It took a moment for that to sink into her brain. "What?" she said breathlessly. "Why that long?" she asked more loudly not believing what she was hearing.

"Because that is what it is going to take to keep you from being expelled from Warrington," the man replied harshly. "Unless of course you want to be sent to boarding school?"

"Will I be punished?" she asked, before realizing the stupidity of the question. "How will I be punished?" she corrected herself. As if she had no idea.

"In a similar way to your school-skipping classmates," Cox said sternly. "With additional lessons spread over three days to give you time to ponder the consequences of your behavior."

Sally did not reply. Three days in the house of the very person she literally hated the sight of. To all intents and purposes her worst nightmare was coming true. Surely Collin wouldn't agree to this! Then, in a moment of clarity, she realized there was no hope there. Not after the last week.

Seeing Sally not respond, Collin entered the fray. "You do realize Sally, that this is the only way we can salvage something from this mess you've got both of us into. We have to be thankful to Mr. Cox for being prepared to be part of the solution." He knew he was being a bit cynical; but so what? She deserved the lessons Cox had in store for her.

The girl sighed. What else could she do? To refuse would invoke even more unpleasant consequences. She didn't want to go down that road. The eighteen year old had little choice but to agree. Resignedly she shrugged finally signaling her willingness, albeit reluctantly, to subject herself to three days of discipline at the hands of Thaddeus Cox.

"Tell me something, Yeager," Cox addressed the dark-haired teenager, have you ever received corporal punishment before?" Collin stiffened.

"No, sir," she replied again becoming very subdued. She was starting to feel like she was back at the math class. "Not like...like in school," she qualified, falteringly.

"What you mean is that you have never received a formal caning, with a rod, by a person in authority over you," the pop-eyed tutor prompted her.

"No, never," she replied faintly.

Collin could tell that the former professor was slowly putting his attractive, well-built charge in her place. Psychologically at this stage, with the promise of a more physical imposition of authority looming. He never saw the girl acting this way before. At least not around him. The guilt he felt earlier was slowly being replaced with admiration now that he saw a bit Mr. Cox's technique.

"Have you ever witnessed anyone else receive a caning?" The old man asked knowingly.

The ploy worked. Sally's thoughts drifted back to when she sat in front of that door hearing the swish of the cane and the boy's attempts to not cry out. She was astounded! How could he ask such a question?! He knew damn well!

Seeing the look of incredulity on her face, the former teacher feigned sudden realization. "Oh yes. How could I ever forget. You were probably my most frequent female detention class occupant. So you would have heard a certain male peer receiving a taste of what you are going to experience."

"Yes, sir," was all that the teenager could offer as a response. She hated him. How could God have made such a monster. Why did everyone, including her guardian and all the teaching staff at Warrington High think so much of this man? His sarcasm stung in a similar way that his cane must have felt on those boys' bottoms.

"Yes sir, indeed," he mimicked. "We will have to see what kind of lesson I can impress on you Yeager. We wouldn't want you to revert to your current habits would we?"

The pretty schoolgirl said nothing for a few tangible seconds. "I'm going to try to be a better person," she mumbled. Best not to make a bad situation worse.

"Are you going to improve your behavior in the home, especially as regards your hard-working, providing stepfather?" he gestured towards Mr. Montgomery.

"Yes. I will," she answered with more conviction.

The lecture from the man was following a planned route. "I am told that you have made very serious insinuations about your guardian. I think you know what I'm talking about."

Collin knew very well what Thaddeus Cox was alluding to. He wondered if Sally did. At the same time he felt a bit uneasy that the subject had been raised but he rationalized that the strict man knew what he was doing.

The girl pondered Cox's accusation. True, she thought; there was probably a laundry list of things she had done to make Collin mad at her. Maybe it was something that she had not meant and had been taken the wrong way. "Whatever it is, I'm sorry," she temporized.

"Let me be more specific," the ugly tutor prompted. "Did you say Collin was looking at you inappropriately at times?"

Collin, as much as he had secretly wished for the shapely teenager to get her comeuppance, nevertheless felt self-conscious at having his own worries put in the spotlight. The stern old man may have gone too far. Looking at Sally he wondered how she would respond to this line of questioning.

"Oh." She suddenly realized what Old Baldy was alluding to. She didn't want to talk about that, especially in front of Colli...her caregiver. Sally attempted to deflect. "I'm sure it was a misunderstanding. I'm sorry," she offered.

"Are you sorry?" asked the disciplinarian doubtfully. "Or are you just saying so?"

"I am sorry," she tried to say more convincingly. Why does it even matter, she thought. 'Old Baldy' seemed to think this was important but it didn't change how she felt. She didn't like older men such as Cox ogling her that was for sure. She looked at the old man again and noticed he was staring at her most intensely. Averting her gaze she apologized again. "I'm sorry."

Collin, still not comfortable, did not know how to react to the girl's apology so he merely acknowledged it with a non-committal, "Right."

"That's just a minor issue in comparison to the other matters," said Thaddeus Cox. "Nevertheless, I will make damn certain that you understand how important it is for you to show respect to a man who takes you in and cares for you." The ugly former schoolmaster glared at the shapely teenager. "To that end I have very definite plans." Turning back to Collin he opened his case. "Here is a list of what Yeager will need during her three days in my instruction. It shouldn't take much time to gather it and you should have nearly all of it on hand. I will provide for meals and accommodations so you will have nothing to worry about on that end."

Collin took the paper and glanced over it. Mr. Cox then stood. "The headmaster has requested that I phone him immediately after you, as well as our problem teenager, agree in writing to our requirements tomorrow morning. He will then be in a position to temporarily suspend expulsion procedures pending my final report at the end of the three days on the actions instituted against the girl. Are we in agreement?"

Collin realized that Mr. Cox was completely in control and he wasn't sure he liked it. Still, this was what he was looking for (hoping for?) and so he reached out and shook the gentleman's hand. Sally managed another nod but said nothing else.

"Good. Good." Mr. Cox said with a bit of satisfaction creeping into his voice. "What time do you go to work, Mr. Montgomery?"

"Um, nine o'clock I have to arrive." This was getting a bit surreal. "Would eight be fine?"

"Of course, Mr. Montgomery. That will give us time to answer any further questions you may have." With a final goodbye and a last glance at Sally, the old professor left.

Closing the door for the gentleman, Collin looked back at his ward. She was still standing in the middle of the living room looking stunned. Hell. He had to admit he was pretty floored as well.

Sally, placing her hands on her hips, huffed. "You can't seriously think this is OK. That man..."

"Enough!" Collin shouted. He couldn't believe it. As soon as Mr. Cox left she was back at it. "I'm tired of the back talk! I'm tired of the manipulation! If I can't stop it maybe Mr. Cox is what you need!"

Sally had never seen Collin so mad before. Still, she didn't care. This was NOT right! The retort on her lips, however, was cut off by a piece of paper being shoved at her. It was the list. When she made no move Collin pushed it into her hand.

"Better get started." Collin said with a note of finality.

Chapter Four

Sally Yeager had started packing her bags soon after the former teacher had left. Collin had not wanted to leave these preparations until the last moment. From his point of view, eleventh hour hitches could scuttle the arrangement. Mr. Cox had thoughtfully given express instructions in the form of a computer printed list as to what she would be required to bring with her. The list read:

-- Item Listing: FEMALE --

Uniform:

Regulation summer school uniform (excluding blazer)

Socks (regulation, mid-calf)

Regulation low healed buckled shoes

Underwear:

Panties (white, bikini style. NOTE: thong/g-string type ARE NOT PERMITTED)

Brassieres (white, standard) Maximum 2.

Other clothing items:

Dress slacks 1 pair

Dress shirt short sleeved

Running shoes and socks 1 pair

Sport bra (regulation) 2

Gym shorts (regulation) 2

Sleepwear:

It is required that the pupil wear loose fitting conservative sleepwear overnight for their comfort. A one-piece light gown or shirt that reaches the knees is recommended.