Chapter 16

"Did you get a chance to speak to old Mossy, our very own Gentleman's Hair Stylist?" asked Julia fresher and cooler after her multiple ducking, although still tender from the attentions of the odious Mrs Patterson and a bevy of other unpleasant village ladies, whose names were inscribed for ever in her mind. (They might not know it yet, but they were all due to be paid back with interest in the days that followed)...

"Yes" answered the loyal Beatrice, "He had been asked to lend the bogus priests a cut throat razor. Mrs Jenkinson was going to shave you, when it came for the time to sacrifice you - I mean your pubic hair of course, not that on your sweet head."

"I'd an idea that might have been what she had in mind, the cow! Well, lets go and take a look at the bitch. I bet she's feeling the heat by now, although it's not quite as warm all of a sudden. I think tomorrow will be another kind of day altogether."

Beatrice shivered.

"It's getting a lot cooler, Julia. We've had the best of the day, that's for sure. Let's untie that cow and get off on our walk along the canal."

Julia did not respond to this immediately but seemed lost in thought. Finally.

"I think we'll have to do the sacrifice on the old bat, but not shave her. Something more painful is in order for her. Still got that strop?"

"Yes"

"Well, see if you can get your hands on another one or some other suitable leather belt or strap. We are about to get a bit of exercise - get the circulation going a bit and warm that cow up at the same time!"

"Please let me go, Julia! I'm going through hell on this slab and now I'm getting cold. I would never have tied you down so tightly. Please let me go, I beg you!"

"Get lost, you loathsome woman. Your ordeal's hardly started."

Julia turned her back on the distraught lady so that she could see her still inflamed buttocks.

"See that, Mrs Jenkinson? I regard it as partly your doing. You put that stupid bitch Dorothy up to getting herself spanked and I couldn't think of any other way of outbidding her. Maybe it was silly of me to lay myself open to the malice of so many people, but I still blame you and now you are going to feel a bit of pain yourself! Since you feel cold, I'm going to be nice to you and warm you up a bit with Beatrice's assistance. I got twenty five very painful belts from that Patterson cow and about the same from a variety of other malicious bitches and we are going to pass them on to you, only, since you're lying on your back it'll have to be that very well toned belly of yours that gets it. OK Beatrice! Lets get to work on the bitch!"

Beatrice wielded Mr Moss's spare strop and Julia the one that had done such effective and painful work on her bottom earlier in the day. Once again, the sound of leather against flesh echoed around the square, now beginning to empty as the citizens repaired to the town's many hostelries. As the harsh cracking of the lustily wielded strops mingled with the yelps and howls of distress emanating from Mrs Jenkinson's throat, the square began to fill up again as the citizenry, whose appetite for other people's pain and discomfort had by no means been sated, emerged from the Rose and Crown, The White Lion, The Feathers and sundry other places of refreshment to stare at the amazing scene.

Mr Fenton-Jones was on the point of coming to his aunt's assistance when one of the locals reminded him that Julia was not a lady to be crossed, especially in her present vindictive and vengeful mood. He thought of the example of the hospitalised Mrs Patterson, rubbed his own jaw reflectively and decided that his aunt was on her own. He just hoped Julia and her cousin would desist from their frenzied assault on Mrs Jenkinsons trim athlete's belly before they did her any serious and lasting harm.

After they had given her fifty good hard whacks, turning her belly a bright red to match the hue of Julia's still smarting rear, plus a few more for luck, they stopped, panting and sweating.

"There, you bitch!" said a still angry Julia, "You'll be feeling a bit warmer now, won't you? I hope so, because you'll be here all night. We're off for our walk now. Sweet dreams!"

Mrs Jenkinson whimpered pitifully and begged to be released, but the merciless and still furious Julia took no notice. She began to realise that it was going to be a long and cold night for her.

Kylie and Co had returned to their duties as drowned rats after touring the rest of the fete, attracting as much attention and admiration as the two cousins and a great deal more than the Spotted Lady, who was by this time rubbing her sore bottom ruefully and cursing Mrs Jenkinson for talking her into it. Owing to the fact that the blocks of ice had all been used up long ago, the water was getting warmer all the time and they spent another couple of hours splashing happily around before the declining attendance caused them to bring their unusual experience to an end. They all agreed that it had been enormous fun once the initial shock had worn off, and accepted Julia's invitation to use her Uncle's pool whenever they felt like it.