Miss Gonzales ran into her office, slamming the door. Ted, who should have been out raking leaves, looked up at her. He was stretched out on the sofa, reading the sports page of yesterday's paper.

"I need you to protect me, Ted."

Ted looked up, a confused look on his face. "You need me to protect you?"

Marie bent over, picked out a bottle of water from the small fridge near her desk, and turned to face Ted. "Yes, Ted. I believe that's what I just said. And get your shoes off my sofa."

"Sure, babe." Ted kicked his shoes off. "Why do you need me to protect you? Hell, I'm scared of you half the time."

Marie leaned against her desk. "The headmaster."

Ted's eyes widened. "The headmaster? What did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything! I just went to get a drink between classes and saw him tying up some lady in the old kitchen."

"What were you doing in the old kitchen?"

Marie blushed. Quickly, she said, "I still get lost around here. You know that. Anway. I didn't want to disturb him and when I was trying to get out without him noticing, I backed into a coat rack. I still don't know what a coat rack is doing in the old kitchen."

Ted shifted uncomfortably, hoping that the headmaster didn't find the other things he'd stashed in the old kitchen rather than putting them in the sheds as he was supposed to have done. He swung around to a sitting position and patted the sofa. Marie walked over and sat down. He put his arm around her.

"I'm sure the headmaster was just busy punishing a student. He'll forget all about it."

"It wasn't a student, Ted. I didn't recognize her."

"Really?" Ted asked excitedly. Miss Gonzales glared at him and he coughed, then, in a calmer voice, said, "Oh. Really? So...you don't know who it is? And you say he was tying her up in the old kitchen?"

"Yes, Ted. And he gave me the meanest look. I . . .oh, dear." She looked at her empty hands. "Dammit! I must have dropped Old Faithful!"

"Your crop? Your favorite crop? MY favorite crop?"

Marie sighed dejectedly. "Yes. I must have dropped it when I hit that coat rack."

Ted stood. "Don't worry about the headmaster, pet. I'm sure he'll forget all about seeing you there. And I'll even go see if I can retrieve your crop. Can't have you lose that."

Marie leaned back on the sofa and sighed. "Thanks, Ted." She looked at her watch. "Crappity doo dah. I'm supposed to be in class." She stood, opened the doors to the cabinet Ted had installed ages ago, and pulled out a flogger. Ted instinctively backed away a few steps.

Opening the door and standing back so she could leave first, Ted said, "I'm sure everything will be fine." As she walked out in front of him, Ted stared at Miss Gonzales' ass. "Yup. Just fine."

Miss Gonzales turned and kissed Ted lightly on the cheek, then turned and walked down the hall. Ted leaned in the doorway to her office and smiled, thinking, "So. . . the headmaster is tying up strange women in the old kitchen, eh? I think she'll need some attention from good old Ted Stoat." Slowly, he walked back into her office, picked up his shoes, and, with an even bigger smile, grabbed a cane from her cabinet.