Claire had said she wanted to be fucked after her caning. I said, “Oh, I can guarantee that, sexy woman. Though the caning comes first.”

She nodded. “I’m a little scared. But I deserve it. I need it. I want to pay.”

“Claire. Just one thing. The cane hurts, but it’s also meant to take away pain. When I’ve caned someone, whether a student or a … woman who needs discipline–”

Claire smiled. “Like Maddie here. I bet she gets really bratty, if you leave too long a gap between her canings.”

“Maddie, fetch the ruler.”

“Yes, Master.” Claire glanced at her sharply. She’d heard the change in my title. Maddie gave Claire a kiss on the cheek, and turned away.

I kept my eyes on Claire. “The thing is, you get the cane to get forgiveness. It clears your record. You start again, with a line drawn under whatever it was you got caned for, and you behave better in future. But you know that you’re forgiven.”

“Yes… Sir.”

“More to the point, Claire, it’s one of the rules that you have to forgive yourself. Once you’ve been punished it’s dealt with. You’re not to go over and over it in your mind, and feeling guilty. It’s done. Done hard, and then over with. You move on with your life. Is that understood?”

“Yes, it is. But please do it hard, sir. I know I can forgive myself. But I need to hurt first.”

Maddie returned, the ruler resting on her outstretched hands. “The ruler, Master.”

“No, Maddie. It’s for you to use. Any time you feel Claire’s being cheeky to you, you have my permission to give her a good whack. Or three.”

Maddie touched the ruler to Claire’s pussy. “Thank you, sir.”

Claire stared at me. “I didn’t give you permission to let her…”

“And I didn’t ask for it. Maddie? Continue, please.”

Maddie smiled at Claire. “Just bend forward a bit, Claire, and put your hands on your knees.”

Claire frowned, and then obeyed, the chain between her clamps swinging merrily. It should have little bells on it, I thought irrelevantly.

Maddie placed the ruler across the crown of Claire’s bare bottom, delightful though a little plumper than her own. Claire closed her eyes and waited. Maddie raised the ruler and swung it in, sharply. Claire grunted as it landed, but it was plain it hadn’t hurt much.

Maddie said, “By the way, I’m nearly the same as you. Number of days since I was last caned: one. Don’t be afraid, Claire. It hurts when it’s happening, but it never lasts long. And some people quite like the heat, and, um, other sensations afterwards.”

“Thank you, Maddie. I believe it. May I get up now?”

“No. I think we’ll have you bending a little tighter for the next one. Also, I said you have really beautiful breasts, and I think both of us, I mean Master and I, want to watch them sway.”