The Governess- 21

Lady Rawlings looked across the magistrate’s court at the young defendant. His
face was blushing with shame as she summed up the proceedings. He was seventeen
years old and from a good family background. His parents, it transpired had
recently moved to the mainland and it was during this short period, while
staying with school friends, that he had committed the offences for which he was
now on trial.
He was tall and good looking and Lady Marwood had decided earlier that day that
perhaps this was an ideal opportunity to repay a few favours, both good and bad.
She watched the face of the burly sergeant who was standing behind the
defendant. He had an expression of eager anticipation on his face, which her
Ladyship found distasteful. As she reached the words “Pure hooliganism” She
noticed the sergeant smile with satisfaction. These words could only mean one
punishment in a Manx courtroom… The Birch! “So young man, I am afraid that I
have no alternative but to sentence you to six strokes of the birch.” The
sergeant almost liked his lips as the sentence was pronounced. Lady Marwood’s
eyes however were on the young defendant. She saw his face turn ghostly white
and his hands clutch the rail of the dock as he heard her words. “Take him down
would you sergeant.” She watched the sergeant take hold of the young man’s arm
and roughly escort him from the dock.
Lady Marwood had always been irritated by the obvious delight the sergeant took
in birching young boys. She had heard small snippets of gossip amongst the staff
at the courtroom cells pertaining to the sergeant’s interest in young men. It
was rumoured that he took delight in keeping them stripped naked for several
hours before he applied the birch. Lady Marwood had no intention of letting that
happen on this occasion. Before the court had convened she had checked to make
sure that the medical officer was still on holiday. The rules forbade any
birching without medical supervision. She had arranged after hearing the
evidence, that he be transported to the local women’s jail. The governor, who
was a personal friend of Her Ladyship had made the rest of the arrangements for
her. Lady Rawlings left the courtroom and retired to the Judges chambers. She
had decided to forego the pleasure of seeing the sergeant’s disappointment at
losing the pleasure of birching the young man.