The Governor's Wife Part Twenty-one Frank Lander suddenly realised that, much as he had hated the man and his methods, it was now obvious that the Governor had been working under severe pressure. Just another victim of the human race .... like himself! The Governor stood erect, face still impassive, yet sweat beading his brow. "Thank you, Ma'am," he said formally, "I deserved to be corrected for my error." "Too true," smirked his wife. "Now get out. And get out fast!" Robert Page hauled up his trousers and buckled them with urgent fingers. Then, with a half bow of respect to Hettie, he hurried from the room. Within a few minutes, he would be back in his own domain. The boss. The big boos. The man they went in fear of .... Now he scurried away from a woman like a startled rabbit. Hettie Page turned to the naked, cringing figure of Frank Lander. "Well," she said, "there goes your boss. So how high do you think I rate you, you pitiful weakling?" Frank Lander had no answer. He only knew that hours of hideous shame and torment lay ahead of him. Inevitably. There was no way of escaping them. No way .... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "WELL, THIS WON'T do," said Hettie. "It's time you were put to work." She glanced at the clock on her dressing table. "There are two and a half hours until midday and you can fill them usefully. It is at that time I intend to punish you ...." "M-Mistress .... I s-swear I'll never touch myself again ...." interjected Frank. "Shut up, you pitiful creature. At least my husband is a man in that respect. He doesn't howl like a schoolboy when he gets a tanning. As I say, at midday I intend to punish you for your disgusting self-abuse in my home. And now there's another matter. Get on your knees, you bastard." Frank quickly did so and Hettie strode over and gripped him by the hair, forcing back his head. "Don't think I've overlooked your outburst just now," she spat out, her face close to Frank's. "How dare you threaten me? How dare you?" Hettie's right hand palm, which was free, smashed across Frank's mouth. "The enormity of it! I can scarcely credit it!" "I.... I'm s-sorry, Mistress .... I didn't mean...." Smasshh! "Didn't mean?" Smasshh! "You suggested I was murdered!" Smasshh! Frank's mouth was puffing up, his eyes watering. A vice-like grip was kept on his hair, his head still straining back. "No .... no .... I'm sorry .... I .... I ...." Smasshh! "You incited my husband to murder as well.... cowardly bastard...." Smasshhh! Frank's head was reeling, his lips felt twice their size. "I .... I'm sorry .... sorry!" he blubbered. "You'll be sorrier yet, you swine," said Hettie. Then she released his hair and swung a raking kick into Frank's solar plexus with the pointed toe of her boot. "OOUUUFFFF!" Frank's mouth gaped wide as all the air seemed driven out of him, his eyes rolled back and he doubled over groaning at the intensity of the dagger of pain through his midriff. Hettie swung another vicious kick .... and this time it landed accurately between the cleft of Frank's nates. He screamed, writhing over again. Now he had two daggers of agony in him. Through a haze of tears he saw Hettie looking down on him with callous delight. "Get up .... get up, you wreck of a man!" she commanded. "Mercy .... m-mercy ...." gasped Frank, hands still clasped to his midriff. Yet the pain in his anus seemed even worse. "Mercy?" sneered Hettie, "this is nothing to what's coming to you later. No man threatens me and gets away with it. Get up .... get up, I say!" Frank forced himself on to his knees, swaying from side to side. He felt weak and gutless, robbed of all will and pride. Yet, at the back of his mind, he realised that a going-over in a cell from two male guards would be far worse! He staggered to his feet, half doubled up. "Do you want to know what's going to happen to you, you pitiful wretch?" "N-No .... no, Mistress ...." "Well, you're going to. At midday, you get your first punishment. That's for wanking. At three o'clock, you get your second punishment. That's for threatening me. Like to know what they're going to be?" "P-Please .... please .... Mistress ...." Frank felt close to breaking down completely and weeping like a child. "I will tell you, Frank," said Hettie relentlessly. "Your first punishment will be twenty four strokes of the cane .... and your second will be the same again!" Frank could scarcely believe his ears. Surely she could not mean it! He remembered all too vividly what eighteen had been like. But now .... twenty four .... then another twenty four on an agonizingly tender bottom. "N-No .... oh .... no .... mercy .... H-have mercy .... Mistress...." he choked hoarsely. "Surely .... I don't d-deserve it .... not .... not s-so much...." "You deserve a good deal more. And, if I have any more nonsense from you, you'll get it. Remember, I don't threaten idly. Follow me, it's time you were put to some use." The shapely figure in the black blouse and short red skirt, strode, hips swinging, from the room. Groaning, Frank followed after .... almost stumbling down the stairs. Oh God .... if only he was as tough as the Governor! But he wasn't .... He wasn't ....