Miss Strang Chapter 70

Miss Strang Chapter 70
By Governess

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This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It contains explicit depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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Chapter 70

I awoke early. Already there was a dull ache inside me like an insect gnawing in my stomach. I lay looking up at the ceiling. It took but a few moments to realise the source of my anxiety. I had to dress as a boy and attend my father's court, along with John and Simon.

I wanted to rise, but the cord held me secured to the bed head. I pulled and wriggled my body. But at that moment the door opened and Miss Strang entered.

"Good morning, Livia."

"Good morning, Miss Strang."

My governess released me and helped me to remove the restraining jacket.

"You and John have rather a full day ahead of you, have you not?"

"I suppose so, Miss Strang."

"Well, you suppose right. And I am pleased that Simon is to accompany you to the police court. Young as he is, it will further his education."

She ushered me down the corridor for breakfast. We ate in silence. John and I were understandably subdued and Simon who was a sensitive little boy quickly picked up the atmosphere. At the end of the meal, Mrs Mountfield came in to clear the breakfast things.

"Good morning, Miss Strang."

"Good morning, Mrs Mountfield. And how are you today?"

"Very well indeed. Miss Strang And pleased that the master will be dealing with those two little tearaways. Willy Burns, and James Cameron. The trouble those boys have caused. I don't know why the police haven't done something about them before now. But they'll get their desserts today. No doubt about that. The master comes down real hard on boys like that. I wouldn't care to be in their shoes."

"Yes, I understand that one of them has been vandalising property and the other stealing?"

"Indeed they have, Miss Strang. That Cameron boy broke all the windows in old Mr Robertson's greenhouse, and then was caught setting fire to Mrs Meiklejohn's garden shed. Mercifully, it didn't take a hold. He's been a tearaway since he was an infant. No discipline, Miss Strang. That's the problem. But he'll be getting some today, that's for sure.

"And the other boy?"

"A regular little thief. Caught taking a purse from an old lady's handbag."

Miss Strang turned to us.

"You heard what Mrs Mountfield said, children. John and Livia already know they are to attend the police court this morning and hear their father pass judgement on these boys. And you, Simon, will accompany them. It will open your eyes to how boys, even as young as you, are dealt with if they break the law. Now eat your breakfast and we shall do an hour's work in the schoolroom before preceding to the court. Mrs Mountfield perhaps you would ask Mr Mountfield to bring the trap around to the front door."

I found it difficult to concentrate. And glancing at John so did he. I was nervous of what my father might decide. I had watched him as he had applied the tawse to John and knew that he had little compassion for disobedient children. Before my mother's death, he had contributed little to our upbringing. And for the year afterwards, he had been grieving and occupied with other matters. During that period, we had been largely unsupervised, with several governesses who had little command or control over us. That changed with Miss Strang. And although my father had said that he had every confidence in her judgement, I knew that if he wished actively to take a hand in our discipline, she would not oppose him. I was truly fearful about what the day would hold for John and myself.

There were several occasions during the next hour when we might have expected our hands to have been strapped, but we were corrected verbally and no punishment followed. Somehow that in itself was disturbing, a disruption from a known routine.

At half past nine, we were sent to put on our coats and proceed to the front hall. We then descended the steps to the drive, and Miss Strang drove us in the trap to the police court. This was a small building next to the police station.

As we entered the court I was overcome by its austere functionality. There were benches at the back to which Miss Strang directed us. At the front of the courtroom was a raised area with a long polished wooden front. It was behind this that my father, as the presiding magistrate, would sit. In front of this, in the well of the court, was a large table with books on it and behind it two men sat facing us. To the right was a box with a wooden front that Miss Strang whispered to us was the dock where the prisoners had to stand, having entered through a door immediately behind.

Everyone sat is silence and waited.

At ten, a clock struck. A few moments later the door opened and my father entered. He was dressed in a dark suit with a sombre tie. An usher in a black gown bid us all rise. Then my father spoke.

"You may be seated. I declare this court in session."

The clerk rose.

"The first accused is James Cameron. Call James Cameron."

The door behind the dock opened and a small boy entered. He clambered on to what must have been a small platform placed in the dock to raise him to a level so that he could be seen. He looked decidedly nervous, as well he might. He had brown unruly hair.

"And what are the charges against the accused?"

A policeman stood up and opened a small black book.

"That on 3rd February last, James Cameron did maliciously damage the greenhouse of Eustace Robertson of 8 Fenton's Lane, by the repeated throwing of stones, breaking several panes of glass at a replacement cost of nine pence halfpenny. That on 14th February last the said James Cameron did maliciously attempt to burn down the garden shed of Agnes Meiklejohn of 3 Elm Cottages, Burston. And that on 2nd March last the said James Cameron did steal a spade from the property of Arthur McLean of Burridge Farm, Lower Burston valued at one shilling and sixpence."

The clerk stood up, and repeated each charge after which he asked the boy whether he pleaded guilty or not guilty. I expected him to be confused by these accusations and the question put to him, but he had been schooled in his reply. His voice was high and trembling.

"G . . . guilty, your honour."

My father looked up. His face was grim.

"Cameron, these are three serious charges."

He turned to the Clerk

"How old is the boy?"

"Eight years two months, your honour."

My father nodded.

"As I said, Cameron, these are serious charges. A single instance of delinquency might merit a lesser sentence, but three instances in such a short space of time show a boy determined to cause damage and distress without regard for the well-being of others, their safety, or their property. Such a hardened and malevolent spirit deserves the maximum sentence that this court can impose."

He paused.

However, owing to your age, I am unable to sentence you to the punishment that you undoubtedly deserve. On the first charge, that is the stoning and damage to Mr Robertson's greenhouse, I would have sentenced you to receive twelve strokes of the birch. On the second charge, the attempted burning of Mrs Meiklejohn's garden shed, a further twelve strokes of the birch. And for the stealing of Mr McLean's spade, six strokes of the birch. That is a total of thirty strokes. Unfortunately, the law restricts me to sentencing a boy of your age, on any one occasion, to twelve strokes of the birch. And that is what you will receive."

He paused

"However, in view of the gravity of these offences, I am additionally sentencing you to a term of six months in the local boys' reformatory. During that time, you will be subject to strict discipline and will no doubt experience further salutary corporal correction. Take him away."

The boy was white as he was escorted from the dock.

My father turned to the Clerk.

"And the second accused, Mr Faill?"

"Your Honour the second accused is William Burns, aged fourteen years four months. There are two charges against him."

"Call him."

"Call William Burns."

Into the dock was escorted a small boy who looked much younger than his years, with fair hair and a frightened expression.

"Mr Faill, please read the charges."

"The charges are that on 18th February last, William Burns did steal from the purse of Eileen Purves, a widow, the sum of two shilling with the intention of permanently depriving her of the same. And that on 27th February last he did enter the home of Robert Turnbull of 4 Shire Cottages, Burston and did steal the sum of four shillings with the intention of permanently depriving him of the same."

"And how does he plead?"

The Clerk read each charge again to the boy and like Cameron he pleaded guilty to each. He hung his head and his response was barely audible.

"Guilty."

"Was that guilty Mr Faill. Tell the boy to speak up."

"Repeat your reply and this time let us hear it properly."

"Guilty."

My father looked at police constable.

"Can you tell me the age of Mrs Purves.

"Sixty three, your Honour"

My father raised his eyebrows.

"Sixty three. Well, Burns, I have only contempt for sneak thieves who steal from old ladies. And in furtherance of your thieving ways you entered someone's house and stole from it. That is a most serious crime. I would like to be able to sentence you to two dozen strokes on each count, but I regret that the maximum penalty I can order is no more than a total of thirty six strokes. However, I recommend that those should be delivered with the extra heavy tawse, across the bare buttocks. But additionally, I am sending you to the local boys' reformatory for a term of six months. Take him down."

I glanced at John who was sitting beside me. He was white and was biting his lip.

"And Mr Faill, I want both floggings to be carried out at the reformatory. Arrangements have been made, and both boys are expected."

He looked towards us.

"And now Mr Faill, I would like the court cleared of all officials. And I have no need of a clerk. I will be addressing my own children from the bench."

Soon only the three of us and Miss Strang remained in the body of the court.

"Miss Strang I trust that you are happy that I should proceed. I have no wish to usurp the authority that I have granted to you in the matter of the children's discipline. But from our conversation last night, I understood that you were happy for me to take this initiative."

My father was still sitting on the dais and Miss Strang rose to reply.

"Yes, Sir, I agree that the children should be dealt with in this way."

"Good. John and Livia, you will please go into the dock."

As I rose, Miss Strang squeezed my hand. We walked across the court and mounted the steps, and both clambered on to the raised platform that had been placed on the dock floor for the juvenile hearings. I glanced at John who was white-faced and looked small, vulnerable and very frightened. And it was he that my father addressed first.

"John Arbuthnot, I am not going to ask Miss Strang to read out any charge. That was done last night. You are guilty of utterly contemptible behaviour. It is one thing for a boy to masturbate in the privacy of his own room, quite another to allow a girl, not any girl, but his own sister, to creep into his bed and to masturbate him with her own hands."

He paused.

"You have already shown yourself to be lacking in manliness. A lily-livered, spineless boy who cannot take his punishment. Such a boy needs to harden himself, to develop some fortitude. But instead, you have a girl in your bed to cosset you and pleasure you.

Again he paused.

"Any boy caught masturbating should expect a sound caning. It is a sinful and debilitating habit. But a boy caught in bed with his sister! You saw how I dealt with the boy Burns. Shortly, he will have the marks of thirty six strokes of the heavy reformatory tawse welted on to his flesh. He is only a few years older than you."

He then looked at me. His eyes were hard and his lips compressed.

"And you, Livia Arbuthnot, there is no need for Miss Strang to read out the charge against you. I understand that she has already explained how utterly repellent your behaviour is. A girl should be submissive and demure, accepting her place as a woman in God's creation. Not a brazen hussy who hankers after being a boy."

I could feel myself flushing with angry resentment, as well as embarrassment. But on the bubbling cauldron of my resentment was the heavy lid of fear. I looked down not wanting to catch my father's eye.

"And Miss Strang has dressed you as a boy. Not to pander to your unnatural affections, but that you may learn that if you ape a boy then you will be treated as a boy with all that that entails."

He waited a moment, breathing in deeply. I found that I was clutching at John's hand. It was cold and limp. I held it tightly in mine.

"You will both be taken by Miss Strang to the reformatory and there, as a first step, you will witness the floggings that are to be administered to the boys, Cameron and Burns."

He looked towards the back of the court.

"Miss Strang, the two delinquents will now be taken to the reformatory for their punishment. You will escort the children there in the governess trap. The younger boy will go too. It will do no harm for him also to witness the sentences being carried out."

He rose and left the court by the door immediately behind him.

(To be continued)