Maddie hissed something into her ear, and for a moment Claire stopped her wailing and poised herself to receive punishment. But the next five strokes all focused on her upper thighs, and she lost that control immediately. I waited while she writhed, legs rising and falling, and I timed the strokes to make contact while her legs rose. We were dancing, together.

Then I concentrated the strokes on the middle of her bottom, not worried if the cane crossed earlier tracks  Claire was in constant motion and voice, while I silently counted down: Three. Two. One. Then I put the cane down.

I stepped next to the weeping, blubbering Claire, and said, “Maddie. Good girl. You did very well. Now clean this cane, and put it away.” 

“Yes sir.” Maddie accepted the cane and left the room.

I stroked Claire’s hair while she wept. Her face worked, her mouth contorted with grief and pain. I said, “You’re done for now.You earned yourself two penalty strokes, but I’ll deliver them later. For now, Claire darling, all debts are paid. Forever. All gone.”

Claire heard me, and rolled onto her side. Her face a mask of tragedy, she held out an arm to me. I hugged her, and lifted her from my desk. She fell against me, still sobbing, as though heart-broken. I held her and told her she was brave and good. And forgiven. It was over. Paid for in full.

I still didn’t think she had done anything wrong when she turned to her husband’s friend for sex and comfort, after her husband had left her. But she did, so it was the right thing to say. It was true even if I didn’t quite understand it.

I held Claire firmly while she sobbed, until she slowly quieted. At last she looked at me. “You understood.” She said it with wonder in her voice, tears still steaming down her face.

“Thank you, sir. You have no idea how much my ass hurts. But I – I do feel better. Thank you.”

I said, “I always tell students I cane that they’ve been brave. But you … I’m awed by your courage. You really are a good girl.” I inclined my face closer to hers and we kissed, slowly becoming passionate.

“You’re Maddie’s master, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I wish… I wish you’d be mine. I mean my Master. Even if only for a while. But I need someone guiding me at the moment. Standing behind me. For me. I’ve gone so wrong.”

I said, “Then you’re under me, until further notice. You may call me Master. And your first order is to remember that your past is paid for. In full. If I hear you express any guilt about fucking that guy, ever again, we’ll go through this once more. Understood?”

She closed her eyes. At last she said, “Understood. Master.”