Copyright 2026 by Governess, all rights reserved
[2,598 words]´
* * * * *FROM THE JOURNAL OF EUGENIA STRANG
WILLIAM, WINIFRED, SAMUEL AND MARGARET PART I
I
always make clear when I offer my services as a governess that I hold
traditional views on discipline and punishment. And in the responses, I
look for a clear sign that such an approach is welcome After leaving,
the Carters’, and after a short holiday in Brittany, I placed a fresh
advertisement to which I received six replies. Of those, only one stood
out as really promising. This was from the wife of the rector of a
country parish in Shropshire. The governess of their four children was
to marry and she was looking for a suitable replacement. Preferably a
woman in her thirties who placed great store by obedience and hard
work, and enforced these by strict discipline, including physical
chastisement. She would also need to teach Latin to the older children,
preferably using Bradley's Arnold grammar and prose composition. I
smiled. I would enjoy teaching Latin, and also dealing with those
lapses in grammar and composition that would inevitably arise.
Within a week I was settling into the Rectory of St James the Less. Mrs
Apthorpe was a woman in her forties. She had an authority about her
that befitted the wife of a country rector. And although not without a
natural warmth, it was clear from her manner and conversation that
while that might allow for sympathy it would never extend to remitting
a penalty that was due or overlook a fault however slight. She was, I
thought, an attractive woman with a severity that any child or servant
would recognise as a warning that slipshod work or lack of effort would
result in punishment. One could be quite sure that the requirements of
justice would never be attenuated by sentiment. And that forgiveness
would never precede but always follow, and depend upon, genuine
contrition.
On my first day, I was ushered into the library and invited to sit on a dark green upholstered sofa.
“Well, Miss Strang, welcome to our household. From your references, I
am sure you will do well here. As I have explain4ed, our current
governess is eager to relinquish her position as soon as possible in
order to marry. In many ways, this is a relief. She is Mr Apthorpe’s
niece and was appointed largely out of kindness during a period of
personal difficulty. However, as a governess she has disappointed. She
lacks the authority and the grit that a governess needs. Her discipline
is poor, and she doesn’t understand that punishment needs to be painful
and dreaded. Half a minute after a spanking, a child is running around
grinning. The truth is, Miss Strang. we prioritised Christabel's
welfare above that of our own children. So her resignation has solved
an increasingly awkward situation.”
“Well, thank you for
explaining that, Mrs Apthorpe. I can assure you that no child I spank
is ever running around grinning. They’d be sobbing in the corner
displaying a bare smarting bottom. But tell me something about the
children before I meet them.”
“The eldest is William. He’s ten
and already regards himself as old enough to receive privileges way
beyond his years. He can be moody and often badly behaved. Winifred is
his twin sister. She is mostly cheerful and hardworking, but can be
deceitful and underhand, and has recently developed a propensity for
lying. Samuel is seven and needs frequent punishment, as does the
youngest, Margaret who has just had her fifth birthday Unfortunately,
their needs have been badly neglected. Margaret has received the
occasional limp spanking, but Samuel has rarely received the punishment
he deserves. Christabel had a soft spot for Samuel, and treated him
with undue leniency. The only soft spot that should have been of
interest to her being sadly neglected.
Strang shook her head in puzzlement.
“But surely you could insist on a more rigorous regime? You were her employer.”
“True. But she was Quentin’s niece and unfortunately he had as soft a
spot for her as she had for Samuel. But that, fortunately, is all water
under the bridge. The baton has passed to you. Or should I say the rod?”
I smiled
“Well, the ‘baton’ may be metaphorical; but I can ensure you that the
rod will be a living reality in Samuel’s young life. Indeed, in all
their lives. Discipline may have been neglected by their previous
governess, but for me it is the first requirement of effective
governance. Discipline, strict rules, and hard work require the regular
reinforcement of a sound whipping. As the Good Book says, it is fear
that is the beginning of wisdom.”
“Tell me, Miss Strang, do you believe there us a place for the birch in raising children? “
“Certainly, Mrs Apthorpe. My two brothers were birched and I see no
reason why it should not be used in the punishment of both boys and
girls. I have never subscribed to the view that there are some
punishments that are unique to boys and inappropriate for girls. Both
commit the same sins and both have the same soft sensitive little
rumps. Indeed girls usually have a greater fullness in that area that
invites a sounds birching. The main impediment to the birch is the need
to be constantly binding up fresh rods, and sweeping up the detritus
afterwards.”
“Well the rectory garden is large and endowed
with a good number of birch trees; and we have a full-time gardener and
handyman. If you judge birching appropriate, the supply of rod presents
no problem. And as for clearing up the detritus, we have house parlour
maids for that, and if the birching is given in a room with parquet
flooring that presents even less of a problem.”
“Well, that is good to hear, Mrs Apthorpe. But before I make any decisions about such matters, I need to meet the children.”
The four children filed in and were told to stand in a line and
introduce themselves. This they did, each announcing their name.
“Good morning, children. I am Miss Strang, and when you speak to me,
you will address me by that name. I am your new governess.”
I looked at Samuel.
“So, Samuel, who was your previous governess?”
“That was Miss Williams, Miss Strang.” .
“So, tell me about Miss Williams. Was she a good governess?“
“Oh, yes, Miss Strang. She was very kind. We liked her very much.”
“Well, Samuel, a good governess needs to be very strict. Little boys
like you are often naughty and disobedient, and need to be spanked. How
often did Miss Williams spank you?”
Samuel blushed.
“M . . . Miss Williams never spanked me.”
“But you said she was a good governess. A good governess would need to
be spanking a boy of your age several days a week. Spanking him on his
bare bottom with the back of a hairbrush. And she never did that?”
“N . . . N . . . No . . . Miss Strang.”
“And you, Winifred, what is the naughtiest thing you have done recently? “
She looked down.
“I . . . I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong like that.”
I raised my eyebrows expectantly.
“Please address me correctly, Winifred.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Strang.”
“So try again, please.”
“I . . . I don’t think I’ve done anything naughty like that, Miss Strang.”
I looked at her mother.
“Is that true, Mrs Apthorpe?”
“I’m afraid not, Miss Strang. It’s very far from the truth. There have
been occasions recently when Winifred has been very naughty indeed.”
“So, Winifred, tell me, what was the naughtiest thing you did?”
“Please, I really don’t think there's anything . . . Miss Strang.”
Her mother was tight-lipped.
“Then let me give you a clue, Winifred. It concerned your sister, Margaret.”
“You mean the time she lost her doll.”
“I’m afraid you are only making things worse for yourself, Winifred.”
She turned to me.
“Several weeks ago, Margaret’s favourite doll disappeared. She was very
upset and Winifred said she thought it had got lost in the woods where
they had been playing hide and seek. Miss Williams and the children
spent a very long time searching but failed to find it. Winifred
helped, and I was pleased to see her being so thoughtful., A few days
later, Mrs Barrow found the doll in the refuse. She then remembered she
had seen Winifred surreptitiously placing something there about the
time the doll went missing. It became clear that she had taken the doll
and thrown it away, because Margaret had upset her. She then fabricated
a story what was in fact a complete lie, about seeing Margaret playing
with her doll n the woods.”
I frowned.
“So, Winifred tell me how your governess punished you for such naughtiness.”
Winifred looked down.
“She said I needed to be spanked.”
“ So how did she spank you?”
“She gave me six smacks with her hand over my knickers.”
“And that’s all?”
“Yes . . . er . . . Miss Strang.”
“And do you think that is the right punishment for what you did?”
“I suppose so. Miss Williams thought so.”
“But Miss Williams is no longer your governess.”
I paused.
“Let us think about what you did. First of all, you are a thief.”
“No! No, Miss Strang. I’m not a thief.”
“The meaning of ‘thief’, Winifred, is someone who takes something from
someone with no intention of returning it. If you had intended to
return her doll, you wouldn’t have thrown it into the refuse, would
you?”
The girl was silent.
“So, you are a thief. And that you cannot see that is quite shameful.”
I waited for a moment to let her unease grow.
“And was Margaret upset by the theft of her doll? Did she cry?”
“Yes, she did.”
“So, not only are you a thief, you are unkind and cruel.”
She began to cry herself.
“And a liar. You said you had seen Margaret playing with her doll in the woods. And that was untrue, wasn’t it? “
She gave a sob, and nodded.
“Well Winifred, you are a disobedient, thieving, heartless little girl
who tell lies.. And you also treated Miss Williams with complete
disrespect by lying to her and disobeying her”
I shook my head.
“And you think for such wickedness, six smacks across your knickers with the flat of a hand is a sufficient punishment?”
“Please, I’m sorry.”
“You mean you want to be forgiven?”
“Yes. I do. I do.”
“Well, wanting to be forgiven is an important step towards forgiveness,
But the next step is harder. You need to suffer as you made Margaret
suffer. She was quite frantic and beside herself when the doll she
loved disappeared. And the punishment that will allow forgiveness to be
granted must leave you just as frantic and as desperate.”
I looked at her mother.
“Are you happy that I should deal with this now, Mrs Apthorpe? “
“Of course, Miss Strang. That is why you were appointed. Please proceed.”
“So, tell me, Winifred, did the six slaps across your knickers that
Miss Williams gave you leave you frantic and desperate, and in tears
like your little sister when you stole her doll. Well?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Then, you need to be punished again, and this time punished properly.
Children can be naughty in many ways; but there is one easy and
straightforward way of dealing with all those different kinds of their
naughtiness, a way that leaves them sobbing and frantic. They are
spanked on their bare bottoms, with the back of a hairbrush, or if
older caned.”
Winifred looked pale.
“And as a healthy ten-year-old I probably ought to cane you. Do you know what a cane is?
“Yes, Miss Strang.”
“Yes, she does, Miss Strang My sister came to stay recently with her
two boys. Alexander, her nine year old, has been passing through a
spell of sullen and disobedient behaviour and she brought the cane with
her. My four not only saw the cane hanging from the hallstand, but also
saw it used to punish both boys. Alexander was caned several times that
week.”
I smiled.
“So, Winifred, tell me what you saw.”
All the colour had drained from her face.
“Come along Winifred. Start by describing the cane to me.”
“It's . . . it’s quite long and it’s very bendy. And . . . and it makes a swishy noise when . . . as it goes through the air.”
“Good. And how is it used? How did you aunt use it to punish Alexander?
I noticed that Winifred’s pallor had now been replaced by pink cheeks.
“She . . . whipped him across his bottom.”
“You mean across his trousers?”
By now her cheeks were a fiery red.
“No. Across his . . . his bare bottom.”
“And did he resist.? Did he fight the cane?”
“No, he didn’t. He was turned over the sofa arm and had to push his
hands down into . . . into the side of the sofa and keep them there.
And . . . and Aunt Susan caned him.”
“And he didn’t try to get up?”
“No, he didn’t. “
“And why do you think that was?”
“I suppose b . . . because he was frightened what she would do if he did.”
“Good. A small boy ought to be frightened of what his mother will do if he’s disobedient.”
I paused.
“And what was his bottom like after he had been caned?”
Winifred was now crimson to the tips of her ears.
“It was red and . . . and it had stripes all over it . . . and . . . .”
Her voice tailed off.
I smiled and spoke gently.
“And were you wondering how it felt to be caned like that?”
Her reply was faint and anxious.
“Ye . . . yes, I was . . . Miss Strang. But please. Don’t cane me. Please.”
I shook my head.
“I am going upstairs to fetch the cane, and while I’m doing that, I
want you to undress, down to your undervest and your stockings, and
stand facing the wall. And take your shoes off, too.”
Upstairs, I picked up the cane that had last been used to correct
Frances and Helena. I swished it through the air with that essential
wrist action that makes a caning something to dread. I took my time in
returning to the library, and when I did, I also took with me the
hairbrush whose hard smooth back had reduced previous children to
frenzied sobbing as it imprinted my displeasure on their soft,
sensitive, young buttocks.
As I entered, I was pleased to
see she was face to the wall in exactly the state of undress I had
specified. I placed the cane and the hairbrush on the library table,
and turned to Mrs Apthorpe.
“As you can see, Mrs Apthorpe, my approach is somewhat different to that of Miss Williams. I trust you are happy with that?”
“Miss Strang, I am truly delighted. That you are imposing a firm rule
where boundaries are set and transgressions punished with a severe
whipping is exactly what these children need. I have supervised
Winifred’s undress and, as you can see she is ready for your attention.”
“Thank you Mrs ź. I assume you are happy for the other three children to witness Winifred’s whipping?”
“Of course, Miss Strang. They will see that the rod is something to be feared and avoided. Please continue.”