Avondale Academy has always had a reputation for its harsh discipline
and unusual teaching practices but there’s never been any shortage of
parents or guardians eager to enrol their children.

The elegant townhouse has its entrance around the back for reasons of
discretion in Wigmore Street, whilst the front overlooks fashionable
Cavendish Square. To its neighbours, is just like any other building,
but because the pupils are taught behind closed doors, they are none
the wiser to the clandestine visitors and activities.

The Academy was founded in 1895 by Miss Hilda Ashton to teach pupils
deportment, manners and obedience, but her truly sadistic passions
and those of her staff, meant that the pupil’s were always taught
their lessons through a regime of harsh discipline.

Recently, due to the Academy’s spiralling costs, Miss Ashton decided
to make discreet enquires about wealthy individuals who she knew had
a passion for watching children being abused and punished, inviting
them to become patrons.

The patrons and their guests are now able to watch as the pupils are
taught very painful and humiliating lessons through many discretely
placed spy holes.

The Academy’s enrolment procedure that favoured wealthy parents and
guardians has also been altered to allow less well off parents and
guardians to apply for a place that is sponsored by a patron.

This has proved to be very successful because watching newcomers
struggle to cope with the pain and humiliation of being abused and
punished for the first time is most entertaining.

The parents and guardians of these children are never guaranteed a
place at Avondale, but offered an interview, where Miss Ashton and
the patron recommending them, can examine and humiliate the child
before deciding if they are suitable for an Avondale education.

******

Until recently Margaret Ashby hadn’t heard of Avondale Academy that
is until a chance encounter with a woman who introduced herself as
Lady Bennett.

Lady Marjorie Bennett, a patron and an ex governess with a sadistic
passion for children, first saw little Emily feeding the ducks in her
local park, and instantly fell in love with the pretty child.

By befriending her mother, she was able to persuade her to let Emily
be recommended by her with a view to being sponsored for a place at
Avondale.

Mrs Ashby had felt for a while that Emily, who is now twelve, needed
a much firmer hand as she was becoming rebellious now that her father
had left, and was reassured by Lady Bennett’s insistence that Emily
would be receiving an education based on strict discipline.

******

Emily was excited, but the hansom cab that she shared with her mother
was making slow progress along the narrow and cobbled streets of the
Capital. They were on their way to the interview that Lady Bennett
had arranged, but they were late and Emily’s nervous fidgeting was
making her mother annoyed.

As they arrived in Wigmore Street, Margaret turned to Emily and said
sternly, “You are to do exactly as Miss Ashton and Lady Bennett tell
you!” her hand placed firmly under the child’s chin to make sure she
paid attention.

“Yes, mother!” Emily said as she stepped down from the handsome cab
and stood gazing at the large building in amazement.

“Come along, we’re late as it is,” her mother called, walking quickly
towards the entrance which she thought was strange to be at the back
of the building, but that was the address she had been given.

Emily rushed after her, another look at the large building making her
want to take hold of her mother’s hand, which she hadn’t done since
she was five.

A girl just a little older than Emily answered the door. Curtsying,
she announced that her name was Sophie and invited them to follow her
to Miss Ashton’s office.

Blushing Emily scampered to her mother’s side.

“Mother,” Emily whispered as they walked hurriedly. “I’m not sure I
like it here,” she murmured. “Don’t be stupid Emily, you’ve hardly
seen the place,” was all the response she got.

As they followed her they passed other children but they didn’t take
any notice. Then they stopped outside an oak door with a small brass
plaque with Miss Hilda Ashton, Headmistress written on it, indicating
that they had arrived.

Sophie knocked and then opened the door, curtsied once more, her head
bowed.

“How quaint,” Margaret said, imagining her daughter doing that for
her one-day.

The Headmistress’s office was spacious with a sofa that faced a large
oak desk and many comfortable chairs placed around.

However, the most noticeable feature to Margaret and to Emily by the
look on her face was the glass cabinet on the wall, in which the many
cruel looking disciplinary implements were openly displayed.

The elegant woman who rose to walk towards them, her hand extended,
was tall and slender, her pale face as ageless as the figure she
presented in the dark outfit she wore.

“Welcome to Avondale Academy, I am Miss Hilda Ashton, and I believe
you already know Lady Bennett, one of our patrons!” she announced.

“Yes!” Margaret answered.

Miss Ashton shook her hand firmly before turning to Emily who by now
was starting to get very nervous.

“And this must be our prospective pupil?” she said smiling warmly and
extending her hand again. Emily shook hands with her but gasped as
her hand felt like it was being crushed in the woman’s grasp.

“A little insolent, is she not?” Miss Ashton observed.

“How astute of you to notice so quickly,” Margaret laughed, liking
the woman immediately.

“How old are you, Emily?” Miss Ashton asked.

“Twelve Miss!” Emily answered meekly, hoping that her age might give
her a reason to be excused her insolence, and also wishing she knew
what it meant.

“Well, we do not suffer insolence at Avondale,” Miss Ashton said as
she offered Margaret a seat on the sofa, before she sat down beside
her.

“Here at Avondale we believe in total obedience, and our pupils all
receive an education that is based on strict discipline,” she said
with a smile.

“How very reassuring,” Margaret said, starting to relax.

While they were talking, Emily had been left to stand nervously to
one side, but realising that the two women were going to be talking
for some while, she saw a comfortable chair and sat down.

She was just starting to enjoy sitting in the chair when she noticed
that the women had stopped talking and were looking straight at her,
her mother absently, but Miss Ashton with sharp eyes that pierced her
and made her feel cold.

“Did I say you could sit down?” Miss Ashton shouted.

Emily gulped and forced herself out of the comfortable chair to stand
again, her cheeks burning hotly under the gaze of the three women.

“Well, did I?” Miss Ashton snarled. “No Miss,” Emily mumbled.

“So what do you say?” the Headmistress asked her.

Emily licked her dry lips and fought to think clearly while the eyes
continued to peer into her soul.

“Please, may I sit down Miss,” Emily suggested, glancing towards her
mother for support. Miss Ashton smiled coldly and returned her gaze
to the mother.

“You notice there is no thought of an apology, only the need to get
what she wants,” she pointed out.

“I’m afraid she has been very spoilt since her father left,” Margaret
said enjoying her daughter’s embarrassment.

“I’m sorry I sat down, Miss,” Emily said, distraught with the fury
that was coming from the adults.

“Mrs Ashby, in order to assess Emily’s suitability, I will need to
examine her thoroughly, do you mind?” Miss Ashton asked.

Margaret fought for words for a few moments, shaking and nodding her
head to show she didn’t mind.

“No, no, of course I don’t mind,” she finally said, smiling as she
thought of the humiliation that it would bring the spoilt child.

Miss Ashton looked over at Lady Bennett who smiled her approval and
then turned her attention to Emily.

“Undress!” Miss Ashton told the child, her blood growing warm in the
hope that the girl might refuse her.

“What?” Emily gasped.

“The word you were searching for is Pardon, and you heard me very
well the first time,” she said forcefully.

“Mother, do I have to?” Emily asked with a theatrical sigh.

“Remember what I said!