Margaret stared at the old handwritten book with its unintelligible entries. Unintelligible that is until typed into this computer programme. Already from bits and pieces they had decoded to test the programme, she had an inkling as to what the journal contained. The sexual abuse of the women who came here for shelter by the man who was supposed to protect them. In many ways their life mirrored her own.

Sitting at the keyboard, Margaret mused that life for her during the three weeks she had lived in this gaunt old house had been very different to living with her father. Jeremy was a gentleman, strict but fair. She'd had a second hard spanking a week ago, one she had almost provoked, and had on a number of occasions gently warmed her breasts and pubic area before having sex with her but apart from that he had been kind to her. Like her father, Jeremy was sexually very active and liked to try a variety of ways and often several times a day. He also subscribed to an adult book club and made her read some of the juicier passages to him.

"Have you made a start yet?" Jeremy called as he passed the door. Nervously her fingers began to type.

The Secret Journal of Josiah Winsberly, Master of the Workhouse at Pennydelset, started March 21st 1831.

To anyone who finds this journal after I have gone and is able to unravel the ciphers I used, I trust you will find the account of my life and pleasures with the ladies at this workhouse in Pennydelset, most titillating. Had I thought of the coding earlier I could have written down my experiences at my former employment but they are now only past memories and it would take far too long to cipher them. Be assured, this is a truthful account of my exploits. An account that I dare not write in plain language for fear of it falling into the wrong hands and my being prosecuted and sent to prison or worse.

It is not my intention to write a day by day account in the form of a diary. I should have started some months ago had that been the case. Rather I intend to give accounts of incidents that occurred even if they happened over a period of some days.

For the record, I was appointed to this post at Michaelmas last year through the good offices of Squire Pemberton who knew of my work with the ladies refuge in Wyndmondham in Norfolk. He has a perchance for seeing women of all ages but particularly the younger ones, punished on the bare flesh with the birch or cane and then their bodies used as they should be, to satisfy men's lustful desires.

Squire Pemberton visited me at the Norfolk refuge a number of times and I was able to arrange for him to witness several punishments. He particularly liked the way I humiliated them by making them undress completely for even a simple caning. Of course, while they were still strapped down after the caning, I allowed him to relieve himself inside any lady he fancied before I did so myself. He also praised me for having a young girl at hand during the punishment to suck our cocks clean. A freshly thrashed and sobbing woman doesn't usually do a good job in that respect.

At my interview at Grange Manor, the squire's home, for this position I gained a further insight into his likings and found them so very similar to my own. A young maid brought us some ale and upset the jug. She immediately became very fearful and pleaded forgiveness. Squire ignored them and simply said quietly to the trembling girl, "Mop up this mess Victoria and then take yourself to the punishment room and have Higgins make yourself ready for us."

We sat and talked for a hour or so about the position at the workhouse and my thoughts on keeping the ladies under control and what part he, as benefactor, would play. It quickly became clear he wished to see the ladies disciplined and we agreed that a Saturday evening would be the main punishment time although I would be free to punish any one at the time of the offense if I deemed it necessary. For minor infringements I would just put a cross by the lady's name on a blackboard and these would be totaled and the appropriate punishment given on the Saturday when the squire would be present to aid me. To help keep the workhouse funds in good stead, he would bring friends to view the punishments and partake of the girls charms for a fee.

Having finalised this the squire suggested we might adjourn to the punishment room and deal with Victoria. I found the girl lying on a peculiar piece of apparatus. It was akin to a carpenter's sawhorse in that it had stout splayed legs at each end a little over two feet high. Connecting them was a spar about five feet long and six inches in diameter. The sides were hewn away to make it a triangular shape with the top of the rounded apex only a little over an inch wide. Along its length lay Victoria. Someone, I later learned it was Higgins the butler, had fastened her wrists tightly downwards to the front legs and her ankles to the rear. The bar parted her breasts and the crack between her legs. Victoria had been lying on it for some time when we arrived and was finding it most uncomfortable.

Squire invited me to inspect the girl, which I did. She had nice full tits which bore faint marks from a previous encounter with a birch rod as did her arse. "Birch or cane," Squire asked. I opted for the birch. He gave me one and took another for himself. "You first," he suggested. I stood to one side and lay a stroke smartly across her bum. He laid on one from his side. So we proceeded to birch the flesh in front of us until it was fully covered with welts and Victoria was screaming for mercy at the top of her voice. "Isn't that sweet music, Winsberly?" Squire asked, "I like to let them squeal a bit so the rest of the staff know I haven't been soft on her." I agreed wholeheartedly.

"Which hole would you like?" I chose her arsehole and forced my cock in which caused more squealing and then rode her until I climaxed. Squire then released her ankles, lifted her slightly and rode her cunnie. While he was doing this another young maid came forward and shyly sucked me clean. I was most gratified he had seen fit to implement a suggestion I had made to him earlier in the year.

We left Victoria there for Higgins, to deal with. I am sure he and some of the other male staff poked her as well.

I was well pleased when I was appointed to the post, knowing I would have the squire's backing for whatever treatment I gave the ladies in my care. However, I could not leave my position at Wyndmondham until Christmas and took my place here on January 1st 1831.

Margaret paused her typing and scrolled to the top of the screen so Jeremy could read it. "I think my father would have been quite a home here in those times," she remarked. "I'm sure he'd have liked to have lots of women stretched out on devices like that bar."

"Most of them are still here you know. They are in a locked room on the end of the cellar. I guess that was the punishment room for this house." If you want to get into the mood of the tale, we can always clean them off." Jeremy gave a little laugh, "I wouldn't mind having you helpless on that bar."

"And what would you do with me then you naughty man?" Margaret laughed too as she put her hand on the bulge at his crotch.

"Birch you and rape you perhaps."

"I've never been birched." Margaret paused for a while staring almost blankly at the screen. "Jeremy? This may sound odd but sometimes I miss not being beaten before sex. I mean, I don't want an out and out thrashing so I can't move for days, but a gentle warming now and again would spice things up a bit. I suppose I just got used to it with father."

"Then I'm the one to do it. You're not the first girl I've had that needed a good warming before a fucking. Although you are the first white girl."

"Can I trust you not to go too far?"

"No. You have to take that chance. That adds to the excitement. Once I have you helpless I could thrash you unmercifully. Or I could just give you a nice warming." Jeremy lifted Margaret's skirt and felt her unclothed cunt. It was wet. "Well this seems to have turned you on too. Bend over that chair." She did and Jeremy gave her arse a dozen smart smacks, enough to put a rosy glow to her bum cheeks before thrusting his cock in and taking her fast and furiously.

Afterwards, as they sat side by side he asked her again about her feelings when she read the account. "When I'm typing, I only see the coded letters but when I read the story I get horny and sad too. I had feelings and sympathy for Victoria but I also got sexually excited by what they did to her. It's a peculiar dichotomy that I don't understand."

"I think we should explore it some more Margaret. Tomorrow, we'll unlock the punishment room and get some lights in there. There's no electricity in that room even. Then we'll get it cleaned up a bit and you can see what you might be letting yourself in for."