The Bottom Line Read Online Free PDF Page B

she might well have straightened up with the shock, and as it was she uttered a low gasp, braced herself on the stool and waited for the second blow. It came after quite a long wait and was equally hard, but this time she was ready for it and took it in silence. Karen then seemed to spend an age positioning the paddle, but Helen realised it was all a deliberate part of the process. When the anticipated third stroke landed right across the middle of her buttocks she inhaled sharply, gripped the sides of the stool even harder, and said nothing.
    â€˜Well done, Helen,’ Karen said in grudging admiration. ‘You’ll be all right.’
    There were further noises and then Dolly said, ‘Just a warning, Helen, I do it differently. You’ll get my three strokes in quick succession, so are you ready?’
    Helen nodded, held on tightly and stoically received the promised strokes from Dolly without a sound. They were delivered close together but in the same pattern, and Helen realised this was Dolly’s way of minimising the severity of the punishment.
    Now there was only Louise to come, and it occurred to Helen that the batting order was exactly as Carla had given it when describing the forthcoming punishment. She had no doubt that this had been carefully prearranged, but Louise interrupted her thoughts.
    â€˜Here we go then, Helen,’ she said, and Helen again felt the paddle being positioned against her flesh. It was moved around several times, withdrawn and then firmly applied, landing with a crack that caused Helen to gasp again. The next blow, on the other buttock, was equally resounding and Helen knew that the last one would be harder and more painful still. She held on tightly, shimmied her bottom a little in a show of bravado and almost bit her lip as Louise delivered the last of her three strokes.
    Then she heard Carla telling her she could get off the chair and pull her pyjama bottoms back up. ‘You did very well, Helen,’ Carla told her. ‘But we’ll see how resilient you are when you really get thrashed. Meantime, I think you’re allowed another glass of champagne. It might help to numb you a little bit.’
    Louise fetched Helen the drink, which she gratefully down in a single gulp. There was then a rather awkward pause, interrupted by the ringing of Carla’s mobile phone. Carla moved into the dressing room to take the call, and although the murmur of conversation was unmistakable, Helen was unable to make out precisely what was being said - but she soon found out.
    â€˜That was Mike,’ Carla said as she reappeared from the dressing room, looking at Helen as she spoke. ‘He says he’s sorry but he can’t make it tonight. That ought to please you; no males present.’
    â€˜What difference does it make?’ muttered Helen, conscious now of a spreading - and actually quite pleasant - warmth in her bottom.
    â€˜It makes this much difference,’ Carla answered. ‘He’s going to miss the main part of tonight’s performance, so if he wants to see how well you stripe he’ll have to find some other occasion.’
    â€˜You’d better tell him not to count on it,’ Helen snapped.
    â€˜No? Well, we’ll see, won’t we?’ Carla said. ‘You’ve got ten minutes’ recovery time before we move to round two, so if you want to go to the bathroom, now’s your chance. Or have another drink if you want one. They’re all on the house.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ said Helen, ‘I’ll manage.’ She had decided she was going to adopt the stoic position now, refusing any diversion or any palliative. She’d show Carla who was really in charge, and in the meantime she went over to talk to Dolly, who sympathised with her and advised her not to antagonise Carla.
    â€˜She can be quite vicious, you know,’ Dolly warned. ‘She’s usually okay with us, though Louise is wary of her, as I