Horse Whipped

Synopsis

When the stable owner sees an enraged girl whip her horse unmercifully, he decides the punishment must fit the crime.

Horse Whipped

by obohobo

Warning

The text in this story contains erotic material and is expressly written for adults only.

MF NC

If you are underage or offended by such material or if viewing this file is illegal in your locality, then leave, close or delete this file-story now.

This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to persons living, dead or otherwise is purely coincidental, etc.

Copyright 2005

Chapter 1. Caught in the act

“What the hell do you mean? You surely aren’t refusing to allow my daughter to stable her horse with you. I’ve paid in advance, Oldsworth! And over the odds at that.” Bob Prendergast shouted into the phone.

“I’m sorry Mr. Prendergast but....”

“And what’s this about allowing her to keep it there only if she allows herself to be horse whipped? I’ve never heard such nonsense.” Bob Prendergast continued berating Mike Oldsworth for several minutes before giving him a chance to answer. Finally Mike was able to speak.

“Mr. Prendergast, as you well know, your daughter, Claire, has a vicious temper. This morning she vented her anger by severely lashing her horse fourteen times for something that was her own fault. I will not have anyone on my premises who is deliberately cruel to animals. Several of the girls demanded that I report her to the RSPCA and then she would end up in court. Also, as you well know, this is not the first time, not even the second. I know from speaking with the other stable owners in the area, they have banned her too and passed on some pretty horrible tales of her misdoings so it seems as that if she wishes to keep a horse she will have to move outside the county.”

Bob knew that to be perfectly true. He wondered just how much Mike knew or how exaggerated the tales had been. “I’m sure she isn’t really cruel and I thought all riders used the whip to control their mounts. You sure you’re not blowing this all up to make me pay more?”

“I’ll send a copy of the video to you. Judge for yourself. Asking for more money is not an option. Either the horse goes or she takes the same punishment as she gave and before she is allowed to ride him again, she will have to take our animal care course.” Mike slammed the phone down.

“You didn’t tell me they had it all on tape Claire.” Bob turned to his daughter.

“What difference does it make? You’ll talk him round. I’ve got to keep Rosfelt daddy even if he does make me angry at times. And I don’t think they would really punish me with the crop. Do you?”

“It’s what you deserve Claire. Your father should have done it ages ago. When you were nine or ten.” Mildred Prendergast entered the room during the last part of the conversation.

*****

“That was totally appalling Claire. Utterly disgusting. Disgraceful. You ought to take the horse away from her altogether,” Mildred asserted. All three had watched the video. Bob was furious. Claire was crying silently. She really feared Rosfelt would be taken from her and sold. The horse was in her father's name, not hers, so he could easily put it on the market without her consent.

“I’m considering the other option dear. Letting them put the riding crop across her backside. You know she’ll make our life hell if the horse is sold. Warming her bottom might not be a bad idea. Perhaps she would curb her temper for a longer time afterwards. Maybe this animal care course will help too.”

“Well we’ve tried most other things,” responded Mildred.

“NO! No, you couldn’t allow them to beat me; certainly not with a riding crop. That would be just too painful. I don’t have a horse’s thick hide. No! I won’t let them touch me.” Claire talked as if the decision was hers to make.

"What's this animal care course you have to take afterwards?" Mildred asked. It was the first mention of it to her.

"I don't know. I haven't heard of it before but whatever it is, I don't want to do it and they can't make me." Claire seemed defiant but in the back of her mind she knew they all had the whip hand, in both meanings of the phrase.

“Then that’s it,” Bob declared, “I’ll phone Mike in the morning and tell him to put Rosfelt on the market and I’ll arrange for you to go back to boarding school. Perhaps one of the stricter ones, if they’ll take you. That one the Framsden’s told us about when they came over the other month. You have until breakfast to decide. Punishment or boarding school.”

*****

“Girls, I think you know why you are here.” Five girls in their mid-teens stood or sat in Mike’s office and looked at Claire. Two of them, Jane Marchant and Brenda Caspay already knew first hand Mike’s penchant for spanking young girl’s bottoms. Anne-Marie Carter-Jones had a warning that she might be on the receiving end if she didn’t do her share of mucking out and Sarah Wilcox and Fiona Branding had heard the stories. All five were from well-to-do families. None wished their parents to know how they spent time after riding was over. Sheila Elstead. Mike's partner leaned against the doorjamb and watched the proceedings. Mike went on, “First we’ll watch the video then we can all see exactly what happened. It was fortunate that Sarah was filming Anne-Marie’s riding posture at the time and could swing the camera around.” The video did indeed start with Anne-Marie trying to sit up in the saddle as she might be expected to in a show ring but after a short blurred piece the lens zoomed in on Claire already angrily whipping the flanks of Rosfelt. The horse was shying and whinnying pitifully as the girl held the reins close with one hand and lashed it with the whip in the other. Had not Fiona rushed in and grabbed the crop the whipping might have continued longer than it did.

Tears flowed from Claire’s eyes as she watched the scene for the third time. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she repeated over and over but it cut no ice with the others. Their faces showed disgust and horror at her behaviour and wondered why Mike had allowed her back. Stories of her temper tantrums had reached them before she’d even entered Fair Oaks Stables.

“Normally Claire would have immediately been sent packing but in this instance I have been persuaded to try a different approach,” Mike went on. “All the other stables in the area have banned her so she would either have to give up horse riding altogether...”

“So she should,” Anne-Marie cut in. A sentiment that was echoed by the others.

“She would either have to give up horse riding altogether or she would have to accept the same punishment as she meted out to her horse. Her parents and finally Claire has agreed to this.”

“And you get to whack her arse,” muttered Jane but the comment went unheeded.

“As far as I could tell she hit Rosfelt fourteen times with this riding crop. She is to receive the same number of strokes with the same crop. We, that is her parents and I, hope this will be a lesson she will remember and will prevent further occurrences of this type of disgusting and disagreeable behaviour. Then before she can take the horse out on her own again she will have to take our animal care course under Robert's tuition.”

"Are you going to do it straightaway?" Fiona asked.

“Yes, Fiona, I want to get it over with and we can’t delay today’s ride too long. Now let’s go to the tack room and get the saddles out.”

In the bright morning sunshine, the six girls placed their saddles on the grass outside the tack room and sat beside them. No one spoke. The scene appeared normal except for the tears running down Claire's face. Bird’s trilled their spring songs, and the horses sensing they were to get out, snickered in the nearby paddock. Claire was confused. “When is he going to do it?” she thought, "He said it was to be straightaway." “Come in Claire,” Mike ordered. Claire realised the saddles had been taken out to give him more space. In the centre of the room stood the portable mounting block. It was about three feet high of heavy construction and had three steps on one side. The girls now there didn’t need it but when juniors came, it was moved outside to assist riders to get on mounts much higher than they. “Bend over the back and grip the bottom stair, Claire.”

“Please Mike, you don’t have to do this. I’ll never hit Rosfelt again.” Claire sobbed and pleaded.

“Do it! Or you're out and away to boarding school so I understand. I’m sure other stable owners have heard your promises before.”

Reluctantly Claire did as she was told, inwardly relieved that the others were not going to see her humiliation and ordeal. “I’ll try not to scream then they won’t even have that pleasure,” she told herself. Her brave thought was quickly dispelled when Mike grabbed her right wrist and fastened it to the bottom step with a loop of cord that was already in place. “No! No!” Claire screamed, “You’re not to tie me.” Flailing her free left hand proved ineffective. Mike quickly caught it and fastened it to the other end of the step. Claire lay draped over the mounting block, her arse raised in the air and her feet a few inches from the ground. Helpless though she was, Claire’s ire rose. She cursed and swore at Mike, her parents and anyone she could think of. Mike left the room and shortly after the girls filed and stood uneasily around her. Through her tears she looked at them. Some looked glum, others had a little smirk on their faces. The sound of hooves and a whinny she recognised came to her ears. In the wide-open doorway stood Robert Carter, the stable boy and Sheila holding Rosfelt by his reins. Not only were the girls to watch her punishment, they thought it fitting her horse, and to her eyes, the peasant boy, a mere stable boy should see it too! More humiliation was to come. Mike fumbled for the zippers on either side of her jodhpurs.

“She’s going to get it on the bare!” gasped Brenda Caspay in a voice loud enough to be heard over Claire’s yelling.

“He always does it on the bare,” Jane confided, “Gets him horny too. One of us should be in line for a good screw when we get back!”

"If I don't get him first," Sheila called out causing some giggles from the assembled girls.

“Really? Do we get to watch that too?” queried Sarah. She and Fiona at just over sixteen were the two youngest members of the group. Before Sheila had chance to answer, Mike pulled Claire’s breeches down to her knees revealing a lacy pair of black knickers. These swiftly joined their outer covering. Now her full white bottom was fully on display as was most of her cuntal opening. Much of the dark pubic hair had been shaved away ready for when the sun was strong enough to wear a bikini but as yet the air was a little chill for tanning.

Seeing Robert was still holding Rosfelt and was watching, Claire screamed, "You're not letting him watch! It's bad enough for the girls to see me like this. That sex starved, overgrown lout shouldn't be here and looking at me like this."

"He saw you whip your horse, so he is going to watch your punishment. Not only that, he is your animal care trainer for the next three months, or for as long as we think is necessary. You will not be allowed out alone until he says so." Mike grinned. He knew how much Claire despised the boy and thought herself well above his status. He also knew the quiet lad to be the best horse trainer he'd ever had and his quiet voice and manner held an authority that all the girls obeyed. Yet few could remember anyone ever being hurt or touched by him.

For a while Claire continued to yell but then, realising yelling was fruitless and only served to show the others her cowardice, quietened to loud sobbing. With eyes wide open in terror she watched Mike pick up her riding crop. The instrument she thought to use to control and punish her animal was to be used on her. Again she begged and made promises she was unlikely to keep but everyone ignored them. She feared the pain would be dreadful but until the first stroke lashed across both buttocks she had no idea of how dreadful the pain was going to be. The scream emitted from her mouth was so intense, it startled Rosfelt but Robert quickly calmed him. A livid deep line appeared across poor Claire's arse.

“That was the first, Claire,” Mike informed her. “You have thirteen more like that to come. Remember them well when you next take this crop to your horse or any other animal for that matter.”

“NO! NO! Please no more. You’ll kill me!” Claire pleas were in vain.

“Shall I gag her or do you wish to hear her scream?” Mike asked the onlookers.

“Let her scream. There’s only us near enough to hear. She didn’t take any notice when Rosfelt cried out. Nor should we. Give it to the bad tempered bitch. Make her scream.” Fiona spoke but it seemed as if the others were all in agreement with her. Mike continued to carefully apply the crop hard from a little below the crease of her buttocks to the base of her spine. The whole area was soon crossed with almost parallel red swollen lines broken only by the crevice between her twin globes. By the fourteenth she almost passed out.

“Take a good look girls. I know some of you have been caned by me but never like this. I had no reason to but I cannot and will not condone cruelty to our horses.” Mike stood aside so the girls could have a close look.

“May we touch?” Brenda asked quietly. Mike nodded. Claire yelled “No!” but it made no difference. Mike noted how flushed Brenda seemed and wondered if she wanted her bottom spanked if not given a thrashing like the one in front of her.

“Pull her trousers up now please,” Mike requested Brenda, “And then we can get outside and give these horses a little run out.” Claire cried even more when her tight riding breeches slid over the sore flesh but Mike waited until they were zipped up again before releasing Claire’s wrists. They too were raw and chafed. Standing with difficulty, Claire gingerly touched her backside and then gently tried to rub it.

“I won’t ask you to ride Rosfelt today but you can walk him. Walk around for a bit and then take Rosfelt and try to get to know him again. I know it will hurt but moving may help to take some of the stiffness from your arse and it may ease some of his soreness too. Jane will keep you company. Take the short circular route through the woods. Walk about outside until you've finished crying.” Claire was about to give a cutting reply but remembered why she was in the pain. Bad temper. “The rest of us will take the longer way,” Mike went on.

Ten minutes later Claire's eyes had cleared enough to notice that Robert was still holding Rosfelt. He was holding HER horse! Worse, Rosfelt was standing quietly and nuzzling him. Nuzzling that hulking great oaf of a boy. Rosfelt appeared to be showing him more affection than he showed her. Her temper rising again, she hobbled to him intending to snatch the reins. "I suppose you got your jollies watching me but don't think you'll ever get to see my arse again, you peasant." Claire spat the words and held out her hand to take the reins. Robert held them out of her reach.

"Miss Claire, your animal care course starts right now. Rosfelt has to learn to trust you again. He remembers your whipping and is still sore, just like you will be for a while." Robert spoke quietly but with a firmness that Claire picked up on but tried to ignore. "Before I give you the reins, you must calm down and make friends with him again. That may take a while. He senses your bad mood and you can see how he is shying away from you. Pet him for a bit. Talk to him quietly and calmly." His words only served to infuriate her further, more so because she knew what he was saying was true.

"Damn, he's only a poor stable boy and he's telling me what to do. And that Jane Marchant is standing there watching and gloating."

Robert may have appeared poor but he came from a family that trained horses, particularly heavy farm horses and that was the main reason Mike employed him. For a small wage and fees earned when he took the two Suffolk Punches to the shows, Robert looked after them and kept his eye on the other horses in the stables and supervised the riders too. He had an innate ability to seemingly control the horses with a quiet word or a gesture, and that generally applied to the riders too.

Ten minutes later he handed Claire the reins and called Jane over and the pair started off. Jane led her mount too and ignored the complaints from her partner. By the time the path turned back on itself, the sharp pain from walking had diminished slightly but the chafe from her trousers was making itself felt. It didn't improve Claire's humour. As she hobbled along she cursed Rosfelt, blaming him for her thrashing. By the time she arrived back at the stables her buttocks were extremely sore and she was in a real bad temper. Rosfelt sensed this and kept pulling away so she had to spend time and energy controlling him.

Robert awaited their arrival. "How was she Miss Jane?" he asked.

"Not in the best of moods…" Jane started.

"And nor would you be if you'd been thrashed because your bloody horse didn't do what it was supposed to and then made to walk miles with a horse that doesn't want to be led around," Claire interrupted. She held the reins to give to Robert. "You take him, I'm going home!"

"No you are not Miss Claire. You have to rub your horse down and put it in the paddock." As usual Robert didn't raise his voice.

"I'm too bloody sore to do that! You're the stable boy. Do what you are paid to do." Claire threw the reins at him and started to walk towards her car. She'd only gone a few steps when Robert's strong arm pulled her to him. Furious, Claire turned and yelled, "You bastard, let me go. You lot have hurt me enough. Let me get the hell out of this place!" Tears ran down her face as she pummelled Robert's chest with her fists but being held close she couldn't put my power into her blows and after some minutes of futile struggling she gave up and just wept. Robert let her cry for a bit and then quietly led her to the stable yard. Jane followed leading both horses. Some of the other girls were already back and were rubbing down and removing the gear from their mounts. They all stopped to watch. Some had a little sympathy for her but most thought she got what she deserved.

Chapter 2. Treating the human animal

Jane gave Claire the reins for Rosfelt and Robert went for the brushes. "You bloody sodden beast," Claire complained loudly to the animal, "I never hurt you like this. Why should I suffer this way?"

"Because he is an animal and you should have had control over your actions," Mike had appeared on the scene. "And remember, before you are allowed to ride him again, you have to complete the animal care course with Robert and your attitude to Rosfelt and him isn't helping. Rosfelt's picking up on your angry vibes and unsettling him now, as you can see."

"Leave her Mr. Oldfield please. I'll deal with her. Please ask the others to get on with what they are doing." Robert had returned with brushes and embrocation. "You brush this side and I'll do the other," Robert told Claire, "And then you can rub some embrocation into his flank where he is still sore."

"Bastard!" Claire swore at him again and then treated him to more verbal abuse but seeing he ignored it, slowly and without any real effort, started to brush Rosfelt's back.

Robert finished his side and came round, "Cup your hands," he instructed and when she reluctantly did so he poured a little of the liniment into them. She hated the smell but thought that if she just rubbed a little on the horse, her ordeal would be over for the day. Twice more Robert made her put the embrocation on the horse and each time he stood and held her hand and made sure she rubbed it in properly. Being treated like a child incensed her and raised her ire further until it was ready to explode again but before it quite reached that point, Robert declared that it would do and asked Jane, to lead the horse into the paddock.

"Now I am going home! You can't stop me you peasant!" The other girls and Mike were grinning. "And you lot can stop laughing. Maybe one day it will be your turn!… Put me down bastard!" Robert easily picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. "Put me down! Where are you taking me? I want to go home. Now!"

Accompanied by whoops and catcalls from the girls, Robert carried Claire up the steps to his flat above the stables and carefully lowered her into a soft armchair. Claire was frightened now. She was alone in the house of this powerful peasant boy and the others wouldn't care too much what he did to her. They hated her. They hated her temper. They hated her bitchiness. They hated the way she had treated her horse, or horse she professed to love. "Will he rape me?" she asked herself. "I'm not strong enough to resist. Bloody peasant!" However, after all the morning's events, much of the fire had gone out of her and tears again streamed down her face. "What are you going to do with me?" she sobbed.

"It's time to treat the human animal now Miss Claire. I will bathe you and treat the welts on your bottom and when you've recovered a bit, I'll take you home." Robert knelt and started to remove her boots.

Suddenly the words registered in her mind. 'I will bathe you...' "You're not going to…undress and..." Claire already knew the answer when he lifted one foot and unlaced her boot. Despite her struggles it wasn't long before he'd unzipped her riding breeches and pushed them and her knickers down. "NO!!" she screamed and for the second time that morning tried to beat him with her fists. Robert just gathered her in his arms and held her tightly to his body nullifying all her resistance. She felt his cock against her stomach and again she wondered if he would rape her.

"Calm down Miss Claire. I'm not going to hurt you. I will treat you with the same care and kindness I do the horses. Your welts need attending to and the best way to start is to get you into a bath of warm water. Now please let me take the rest of your clothes off. I've already seen most of what you consider private."

"If the bastard is going to rape me, he is going to do it. If I struggle I'll only be hurt worse. Maybe he is telling the truth and will only bathe me. If he rapes me I can sue him and have him put in prison. Why should I let that sod of a boy see my body though? He's obviously getting his rocks off now." Despite her inward feelings and revulsion she allowed Robert to undress her and examine her bottom.

"Mike shouldn't have made you walk that far in rough trousers," he commented, "You're badly chafed."

"I've been saying that!"

Robert carried her to the bathroom. She felt his hands on her bare flesh but she noticed that he didn't even try to feel her tits. While the water was running he suggested, " You'd better pee first and I guess you'll have to stand or let me hold you." The running water made her need feel become urgent. "I'll stand - and you can go outside!"

"Miss Claire, you are in no position to dictate anything but I am going into the kitchen to get some painkillers for you so do what you have to then. I'll be back in a minute."

Claire stood, gripped the cistern and straddled the pan but it was long minutes before her flow started and by the time she was in full flow, Robert returned. Seemingly unconcerned, he waited until she finished and offered her the Ibuprofen tablets and while she swallowed them he adjusted the water temperature and then lifted Claire into the water. "Kneel down. If you hold the taps you should be able to keep your bottom off the bath and the water will get to the welts properly."

"Oooww!!" Claire cried out as the water touched her arse.

"Ease down gently," Robert advised as he stripped off his overalls and shirt. Claire saw him bare-chested for the first time. He still wore his trousers but she could see the bulge where his cock strained.

"How long will it be before he takes it out and forces it in me," she wondered as she tried for the second time to lower her bottom into the warm water. This time she held it there and after a while, the water and the pills slowly eased the soreness. Very gently Robert sponged the weals and then washed her face and front. All the time he never made any sexual advance. He treated her as though she was a young child having a normal bath. In some ways Claire was disappointed. "Am I not attractive? Is he gay? Doesn't he want to fuck me? Am I that repulsive?" kept running through her mind alongside the anger at being treated by a stable boy.

When the water cooled, Robert dispassionately dried her, carried her to his bedroom and laid her face down on the bed. "This is it," she thought and started shaking. Robert left the room and returned a few minutes later with a tube of cream and a carton of juice. Claire could see that he'd tucked his prick into a more comfortable position but the outline was clear. It seemed huge to her. "Are you going too…fuck me?" she asked. Her voice revealed her fear.

"No Miss Claire, I am not. Sex should be between couples that at least like each other. You hate my guts. Yes, seeing you has aroused me, as you've noticed, but that's one thing I cannot control."

"You hate me too?" Claire queried

"No. I wouldn't be doing this if I did." Lightly he applied the cream to her buttocks. "I've got to go back down now, Miss Claire but I will come back in about an hour and take you home. Lie still for a while. There's juice on the dresser if you want it. You've lost a lot of fluids so you'll need to drink a fair bit." He poured some into a glass for her and left.

Now the pain was easing a little she could look around and think more clearly. The bedroom was neat and the bed had been made and she vaguely remembered the living room was also tidy, far tidier than her own room. Her thoughts turned to him. Robert, the stable boy, the peasant. He'd never once become angry with her despite what she had called him. "Why does he keep calling me MISS Claire? Like I'm his mistress and yet he is the one in full charge of me. He calls all the girls Miss too. Why? Why is he able to control the horses like he does? Even frisky Rosfelt calms to his words. He's not going to control me though. He might be able to force me to do things now because I'm sore but when I'm better… When I've got my own back on those sods. Just because I got angry and whipped Rosfelt a bit too hard. Well much too hard really. I didn't deserve this whipping. It was inhuman. What will I have to do on this stupid animal care course they keep talking about? Why didn't he fuck me? Was it because he hates me? He said he didn't. I hate him though. I couldn't have stopped him if he'd tried. I aroused him that's for sure. Why, why?" Claire lay there because it was easier to do so than to move. Outside she could hear laughter from the girls and wondered if they were talking about her. She suspected they were.

Well over an hour later, Robert entered the room. "Sorry," he apologised, "It took longer than I expected. Would you like to lie there for longer or shall I take you home now?"

"Home of course." The words came out more forcefully than she intended. "I can drive. I don't need your help."

"No Miss Claire, you are not driving. The road is busy at this time of day and with the pain of sitting and your thoughts being on what has happened, you might well have an accident." He found her clothes but instead of her trousers her brought a pair of sweat pants that were too small for him now. "I know these are far too big for you but they will be more comfortable than your jodhpurs. Put them on please. She thought of refusing but guessed he would make her anyway and they would indeed be softer than her breeches.

Walking proved very painful after having lain still for so long but she made it to the door without crying out. The steps down to the yard though were much more of a problem. The girls were still there watching so she attempted to get down without a fuss but Robert picked her up and carried her down and to his old car. "Wait here and I'll get a couple of pillows for you to sit on," he said. By the time he returned several of the girls were around her commenting and hazarding wild guesses as to what might have happened between her and Robert in the flat, and being a little catty about her sore arse. "That's quite enough girls," Robert ordered quietly. "Her punishment is over. She's had enough to put up with for one day, thank you."

"Including what you put up her?" Brenda asked with a laugh.

"No Miss Brenda, I only treated her like I would anything that was hurt." Turning to Claire he assisted her into the car and took her home. Tears were again running down Claire's face by the time they arrived. The traffic was bad and the normal twenty-minute journey took an hour and sitting and juddering along the road had made arse cry out again. "Will the door be open?" Robert asked as he pulled up the drive to the splendid Prendergast residence.

"Mother should be in so the back door should be." Claire answered without thinking. Hardly had she managed to get out of the car when Robert scooped her up and carried her into the house. Mildred Prendergast looked up in surprise when Robert entered the kitchen carrying her daughter, "Where's her room ma'am?" he asked.

"Oh my God, is she that badly hurt? Upstairs on the right." Claire tried to protest but Robert ignored it and, as he'd done earlier, deposited her very carefully face down on the bed. Efficiently he removed her boots and in front of a surprised Mildred, took his sweat pants off her. "Oh my God, I didn't expect you to hit her that hard!" Mildred exclaimed. "That was a brutal thrashing. You must…"

"It was Mike that punished her ma'am. I've to do the after care." He pulled the tube of cream from his trouser pocket and applied it to the welts, seemingly hardly touching her tender skin. Mildred fussed around without doing anything positive. "It's best we leave her quiet for the moment ma'am. Just bring her some drink. She can have another couple of painkillers in an hour."

"I'll make a pot of tea," Mildred stated thinking that at least was something she could do.

"Be ready by 8:30 in the morning please Miss Claire. I'll pick you up then."

"Not likely," Claire thought but kept quiet.

*****

"He was a very pleasant young man," Mildred told her husband when the three of them were at dinner. Claire was standing and wearing a loose skirt. "He seems to have taken good care of Claire when the others only wanted to make fun of her." She'd talked with Robert over a cup of tea before he left and they'd verified this with Claire during the meal.

"Yeah, maybe, but I'm not going back there tomorrow for this stupid animal care thing. I can't ride with my bottom like this and they said I couldn't ride anyway until I've been through the course so why bother going?" Claire stated.

"But he's coming to collect you in the morning," Mildred pointed out.

"So he can go back again without me."

Robert went to the back door next morning and Mildred answered, "She says she is not going to the stables today. She's too sore to work," she informed Robert.

"We'll see about that Mrs. Prendergast." Striding past the bewildered mother, Robert went directly to Claire's room and saw that she was lying on her side under the bedclothes. Before she even realised Robert with in the room, he pulled the bedclothes off. Her flimsy baby-doll night-dress didn't hide much of her body and even made it appear more provocative.

"Yeeek!! You bastard! Get out! Pervert! I'm not going to your sodding stables today, maybe never again. Get out before I call the police. Mummy send him away!"

Robert took no notice of her pleas and insults but turned her face down on the bed. "Your bottom is very colourful but the swelling has gone down a bit Miss Claire. Get up and wash and I'll put some cream on and then we'll go. You've ten minutes."

"No, I won't do it!"

With ease, Robert picked her up and took her through to the bathroom and gently sat her on the toilet. "You've only eight minutes now."

Mildred watching through the doorway, thought, "It is about time someone came along that is strong enough to handle her." "Would you like a coffee while you are waiting Robert?" she asked.

Twenty minutes later Claire was fuming as she sat in his car heading towards the stables. Not only did she fume at Robert, she fumed at her mother who had made no effort to discourage him and who now sat in the back seat so she could collect her car – the one Claire had borrowed the previous day. Now she was dependent on this oaf alongside her to get her home again.

"Where's Rosfelt?" she yelled as soon as they arrived and she saw his usual stable was empty. "You haven't sold him? I'll kill you if you have."

"Miss Claire, you should know that I have no dealings with the buying and selling of horses. I only train them but I can tell you that, with your father's approval, Rosfelt has been moved to another stable until your training here is completed. We thought it better for the horse to be away from you for a while and without him, maybe you would concentrate more on what you have to do to get him back."

Claire looked at him with hate in her eyes. "You big bloody bastard!" The other girls looked on and giggled. "And you lot of slags can shut up!" she snapped at them. It only caused them to laugh and make further comments and insults but a look from Robert curtailed their remarks.

"First job this morning is mucking out. It's not a pleasant job but it has to be done and all the girls have to do it, even the younger ones." Claire of course knew this. She looked around and noticed there were more girls in this morning and all were already wearing overalls and wellington boots. "When everyone works, it doesn't take long so get yourself dressed in your working gear and we'll all start." Robert followed her to the locker room and donned his own work gear and watched as she did so too.

"You can't expect me to shovel shit when I can hardly walk." Robert could see he was going to have problems with her this morning. Yesterday her pain was so severe she would do almost anything to get some relief. Today she was sore enough to make her defiant. The system was to clear each stall out into the yard and then barrow the muck on to a large heap at the back and when the heap was large enough, a contractor would remove the manure, compost it and then sell it to gardeners. Claire only had a small heap outside her stall in the time the others had finished theirs. Two of the girls complained to Robert, knowing they would not get to ride their mounts until it was all cleared away and fresh straw was in the stalls. He went in a asked her to work a bit harder but she just stood with her arms on her hips as though to say, "Make me."

Inwardly Robert was becoming increasingly more annoyed with her attitude but outwardly he took no notice and quickly shovelled the muck out for her. Claire smiled thinking she had gotten away with it and more or less refused to help cart the dung to the heap. Instead she carped at everyone and did her best to humiliate them. Again the others complained but Robert said nothing until the last barrow load. "Thanks for your help Claire," Brenda said sarcastically as she wheeled it towards the mound.

"It was my pleasure dear," Claire laughed, "Sorry but I'm allergic to the smell. You had your pleasures yesterday…" She hadn't seen Robert move behind her. "Bastard! Put me down! You've no right to make me work! Where are you taking me…NO!" They stood on the edge of the huge, steaming, noisome mound. None of the other girls believed Robert would actually do what he seemed to be threatening but he didn't pause. With a light toss Claire sailed in the air to land softly face down in the centre of the muck heap.

"My God, she must have really pissed Robert off for him to do that!" Brenda looked at the bawling figure trying to stand on the soft heap of dung filled straw. Several times she fell and crying and yelling and covered in the foul mess she stumbled to the solid ground and stood crying and yelling. Not caring any more she picked up a turd and threw it at Robert and was delighted to score a hit on his chest. All the others moved out of her way when she neared them and were amazed that he picked her up and carried her to the high-pressure hose that Jane was using to wash the yard.

"Would you mind turning the pressure down a bit and hosing us down please Miss Jane? " Robert asked. The still powerful water jet had little effect on Robert but it seemed to tear at Claire's body. Indeed Jane deliberately made the jet attack Claire's more sensitive parts particularly where the zip of her overall had worked down and she could direct the water on to the suffering girl's breasts. Robert held up his hand for Jane to turn off the water. Both of them were soaked to the skin and Claire was reduced to a sobbing, utterly humiliated wreck huddled on the concrete yard.

"Miss Brenda, would you mind asking Mike to supervise you this morning please? We need a bath and a change of clothes." Robert removed both his and Claire's wellies and emptied them. All the girls watched and giggled or made comments as in stocking feet that squelched water with every step, once more Robert carried Claire up the stairs to his flat and went straight into the bathroom. He ran the bath water while Claire sat sobbing and shivering on the floor. "Please take your wet stuff off now Miss Claire," he ordered kindly, "We both need a proper bath."

It took a couple of seconds before Claire worked out the implications of what he said. "You're not…" Robert nodded yes and started to undress himself. When Claire didn't move he picked her up and finished unzipping her overall but it was only when he went to unhook her bra that she summoned up enough strength to resist. By then it was much too late and like the previous day, she found herself being lifted into the warm water. Today though, he was undressed too and for the first time she saw his prick. It wasn't erect, the cold water wash had seen to that, but to her it was already an impressive size. Her mind was a whirlwind of sexual thoughts but even though most of the fight had been driven out of her, she knew she wasn't going to give in to him freely. If he wanted to fuck her, he would have to force her and that would be rape. He'd go to jail!

But as yesterday, he bathed her in a clinical way and got her to wash his back although she would do little more. Her presence and the warmth conspired to make him erect but both tried to ignore it although Claire did wonder how much it would hurt if he did indeed try and put it inside her.

Fifteen minutes later, clothed in dressing gowns, hers much too big for her, they sat together on the settee with a mug of tea while their clothes rotated in the washing machine. For a long while they sat in silence until Claire burst out, "Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!" and once more started weeping.

Robert gathered her in his arms and hugged her. For a fleeting moment, Claire thought to punch him with her fists but remembered how ineffectual that was. Robert held her until her tears dried up and then spoke in a very low voice, "Miss Claire, I'm sorry for throwing you on the dung heap, even though I believe you deserved it. Now you've been punished more than enough for what you did and I know how much you resent it and understand how much you must hate us. I know you want to try and get your revenge as well as getting Rosfelt back and you've tried fighting us but that has only made things worse. Why not now try co-operating? I'll give you all the help I can and will try and keep the others off your back. They're bound to want to tease you over what happened. You would do the same to them if the situation were reversed. Don't let them wind you up. Laugh at them instead of shouting an insult. That way they'll get less satisfaction and be less inclined to continue. Please Miss Claire, please try."

Claire remained silent. "End of sermon? I'll just do what the bastard says and get through it without any more trouble but I won't show willing. Just do what he says, no more, no less. I'll keep my mouth shut and not speak unless I have to." Her resolve was somewhat weakened by the way he was cuddling her. "It's nice to be held close, even if it is by the lout who threw me on the dung heap. Mother and father never cuddle me like this. They're 'okay' I suppose but they never show me any real affection, and the boyfriends I've had only use the hugging to maul my tits and feel my cunt and arse," she mused. She knew the closeness was having an effect on his cock but didn't dare look and he made no attempt to foist himself on her. "Maybe they'll give up by tomorrow if they see I don't react." Claire didn't really believe they would and if Robert came to collect her in the morning she knew her mother would let him in. She seemed to be taken in by his excessive politeness and his professed concern for her. "He's so concerned for my welfare he threw me in the shit heap. Now he holds me as though nothing happened. What kind of a bastard would do that?" More thoughts chased their way through Claire's brain. Part of her wanted to get up and hit him but it was much easier to stay put and lie still.

They heard the washing machine whine to a halt and Robert put the clothes in the dryer. Returning to her, he suggested, "Miss Claire, while our clothes are drying, let's have an early lunch and then take May and Meg out." He hoped this might be the carrot that aided her co-operation. May and Meg were the two heavy horses, Robert's pride and joy and all the girls loved them although they rarely got to ride or work with them. A nod sufficed for an answer.

Robert spent some time introducing Claire to the two big mares and her attitude began to soften as the friendly beasts nuzzled her. Meg particularly seemed to like her and kept pushing her muzzle into Claire's breasts causing her to giggle in protest. Unlike Rosfelt these were placid horses but horses that you couldn't push around. They moved to command but only when the command was given in the way they understood. Standing alongside Meg, Claire looked quite diminutive and Robert had to lift her before she could mount. Even he had to climb on a wall before her could sit astride May. Claire found it an unusual experience to ride with widespread legs across the bare back of Meg with only the bridle and her legs to control the massive animal and yet she was easy to control. Riding Meg was very different to riding Rosfelt. On Rosfelt she bobbed up and down in the saddle, on Meg she just sat, almost like being in an armchair and plodded along at a gentle pace. It didn't even aggravate her sore bottom over much. Gently the horses plodded along the green lanes and the tracks through the woods in the afternoon sunshine. She felt more relaxed than she'd done for a long while and Robert wisely left her alone and let her follow at her own pace. At one point Sarah and Fiona overtook them and paused to say a few words. Claire could see they were a little envious of her being allowed on one of the precious mares and with Robert being there, they didn't make any unseemly comments on the morning's event.

When the afternoon drew to a close, Claire didn't want the experience to end and was a little sad when Robert said it was time to head back. She hadn't forgiven him for throwing her in the shit and was only talking to him in monosyllables although she spoke freely to Meg, but she was much less angry and when they arrived at the stables, she didn't demure from rubbing her mount down and seeing to her needs.

For three more days Robert picked her up in the mornings. Each time she was dressed and ready so there was no repeat of him tipping her from the bed. Every morning he made her work on routine stuff and on two more afternoons they went out on the Suffolk Punches. Gradually she relaxed her guard against him especially when out riding on Meg. On Thursday afternoon when they returned and had the two mares settled, Robert took her aside from the others that were still around. "Miss Claire, if you wish, tomorrow you can have a day off but if you come in, it will be to clean harness and polish the brasses for Meg and May's show harness. On Saturday I have to take them to the Branchfield Gymkhana and pull the tumbrel around the show ring and probably they'll ask me to give rides to the children. I would like you to come along too and help. We'll have to dress in farm worker of the 1930's costume but that's more or less our working clothes with a smock on top and a floppy felt hat. As it is only a couple of miles, we'll drive the tumbrel there and back. I would appreciate your help but I will understand if after all that has happened in the last week, you wish to say no. Or other words to that effect." He paused and smiled. "Would you like to help and come to the show?"

Claire knew about the event and in past years had taken part. Without a mount she was going to give it a miss this year but maybe she could show off in a different way and answered, "Yes, I'll do it." Robert was surprised by her quick response but then she added, "I'm only doing it to be with Meg, not for you."

Chapter 3. Show time

Next day, the pair worked together, cleaning and polishing all the harness and also the brightly painted tumbrel. They added straw bales inside so when they journeyed to the show, to many it brought memories of the scene from Constable's famous painting, 'The Haywain'. A few inconsiderate motorists called obscenities at them for holding up the traffic but Claire refrained from giving them the 'fuck-you' sign with her fingers, knowing she would most likely get a reprimand from her companion.

The show was a great success and Claire enjoyed herself and sat proudly on the front seat trying to look regal although she was in peasant costume. She loved the ride especially when on quiet stretches of the road, Robert allowed her to drive the pair. Bob and Mildred came to see them at the show and invited Robert back to a meal when the arrived home.

The two miles home seemed a long way after the tiring day and Robert could tell Claire was getting a little bit edgy. Her bum was sore and the seat hard but she didn't actually complain. By the time they had unharnessed the horses and stowed the gear, Claire was exhausted even though, Robert had done most of the work. "Perhaps I ought to change before I take you home. I'll look out of place dressed like this at your parent's house."

"Not if I'm still dressed like this too!" Claire laughed almost for the first time since Robert had known her. "I'm starving, so we'll just have to pretend it is a fancy dress party, which it is for me but not for you!" However, although the words were denigrating, there was no malice in her voice this time and Robert just grinned at her and took her in his arms and held her tight for a minute or two. "Thanks Claire," he whispered.

"Why no, Miss Claire?" she thought but seemed to realise now that clients were Miss, so she must have risen in status to friend. "Do I want to be his friend though? Perhaps it's less painful than being his enemy."

Two weeks later Robert told her about the County Show. "It's a two day affair and we have to transport the horses in a horse box and the tumbrel on a low loader and tow the old wooden caravan to live in on site. It's a good show but very tiring and we don't get to come back until the day after so its three nights away living in a van. We might find a hotel for you but this late they'll probably be booked up. You could of course get your parents to collect you each night but then you'll miss some of the evening's fun that's put on for the exhibitors."

"You mean I would have to sleep in the van with you?" Claire queried.

"You'd have your own bed but there is only one room. I wouldn't rape you or anything. You should know that by now. There's washroom and toilet facilities on site and there's a small cooker in the van so we can make tea and stuff."

Claire seemed to think about it. "Okay, but I'm only doing it to be with Meg, not for you!" She laughed as she repeated the comment made before the last show and Robert knew she didn't really mean it. "And if I do well, do I get Rosfelt back?"

"It will help some," replied Robert and the ambiguity made Claire wonder if sleeping with him might speed up the process. She was pretty certain he wouldn't initiate anything. He hadn't when they'd bathed together, nor at any other time when he could so easily have made a pass at her. Before she went to sleep that night, she wondered just what it would feel like to have a prick as big as his inside her. She fingered herself and dreamed of him forcibly holding her down while he thrust hard and brought to a gigantic climax. As she lay sweating from her manipulations she wondered if would he do it in reality? She doubted it and wasn't too sure if she wanted to find out.

Several of the older girls were jealous that Claire had been invited to the show instead of them. Indeed they'd already made catty remarks about her being with Robert more and more and helping him with 'them cart hosses' and what they may have got up to when out of sight in the woods. When Robert was around she tried to fend the remarks with a laugh, like he suggested but when he was out of the way, several times she slipped and reverted to deriding them. She quickly found that only escalated the situation and she had to worm a way out of it.

They set off at lunchtime on Friday. Robert drove the horse-box with Claire alongside him and a contractor followed with the low loader and towing the caravan. It was only about forty miles to the showground but it took an hour and it took another couple of hours before they were set up and had the horses stabled inside the security fence. The evening passed pleasantly in the dining room and then in the beer tent, where Claire was introduced to many of the other exhibitors. One she only knew as Des, owned a beautiful showman's engine, the 'Golden Belle'. The large ornate steam engine still had a little fire in its boiler and enough steam to just turn the crank over. Claire had seen the steam engines many times before at the various shows she'd attended but had never been on the footplate while the engine was working. To Claire, the sensations and the gentle beat of the pistons, and the pulsating of the vehicle were not too unlike that of the heavy horses. Both were huge and powerful but very gentle.

That night in the van, Claire didn't turn away when Robert undressed, nor did she take any precautions to prevent him seeing her but she doubted if it was the best policy to jump into his bed the first night. In any case the day had been very strenuous, physically and mentally and she was worn out. Despite the hard bed, she was soon fast asleep.

Everyone seemed to rise early and noises from outside woke them and with much good-natured banter between the others on the site, they made their way to the washhouses and then to breakfast. The gates were open to the public at ten but it was midday before they were scheduled to enter the ring. They tended to Meg and May but left them in the stables until nearer the time they would be required. In the interim they wandered around the site and found Des looking glum and talking to the show organiser. The 'Golden Belle' had burst a steam pipe gasket and a replacement wouldn't arrive until next day. "What can we replace you with?" the organiser asked, you're due in the ring in half an hour for your demonstration.

"Why not get this pair to show how they get them hosses of theirs ready for the cart?" Des suggested. After throwing a few other suggestions around, Robert agreed and the MC was informed.

At 10:30 a group of men pushed the tumbrel into the centre of the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer spoke and it was relayed over the Tannoy system, "As you can see there has been a slight change in the programme. It is not the Golden Belle that is in the ring. She unfortunately has decided to do a sickie today and at very short notice, in fact they only knew ten minutes ago, we are going to be treated to a demonstration, one not normally seen at these events; the harnessing of a pair of Suffolk Punches to a haywain. Usually we see them all ready up and moving, today we hope to learn a little of the work that is done behind the scenes. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Mr. Robert Carter and Miss Claire Predergast with Meg and May." There was applause as the pair led the horses into the ring. "I must explain that Claire is still very much a trainee and Robert will be guiding her. They are both equipped with radio microphones and we have two TV cameramen filming what they do and this will be shown on the large screen so you will be able to see all the intricacies of the process. Ladies and gentlemen please give a round of applause for Robert and Claire." An official came and switched on the microphones and after a few squeals they could hear their conversation broadcast through the loudspeakers.

Robert talked them through the process and Claire asked questions when she felt Robert needed to clarify a point to the onlookers even if she knew what he meant. One incident early on in the process caused her to meld with Robert more than she expected. She knew she'd have trouble putting Meg's collar on. It was heavy and needed to be lifted high to slip it over the horse's head. Robert always did it for her but that morning she tried it herself. Meg helpfully lowered her head but just as Claire went to place the collar over it, the horse raised her head again catching Claire unawares and bowling her over. The audience of course laughed. Earlier an incident like that with Rosfelt would have angered her. "Naughty, naughty Meg," she tutted to the mare, "Now we'll have to get big boy Robert to do it." She felt very pleased with herself when Robert whispered in her ear, "Well done. You handled that well."

Finally the horses were connected to the tumbrel and the pair did a 'lap of honour' around the ring to the applause and acclamation of everyone. Robert handed Claire the reins and she proudly guided the carriage around the ring and stopped in front of the organiser's stand. "Ladies and gentlemen. A big vote of thanks for Robert and Claire," the MC, announced as the pair jumped to the ground and theatrically bowed. "And I'm sure Claire deserves a big kiss from her partner for the effort she put in and the way she's learned to handle her steeds." More applause as Robert took the hint and hugged and kissed Claire fully on the lips.

It was one of those instant moments that are remembered forever. A jolt went through her and she felt Robert respond by kissing her a second time. She didn't care that some of the girls from the stables would be watching, she didn't care that for once her parents were there, she didn't care that she had an audience of several thousand people. She kissed him back. Hard. It was the moment that Claire decided which bed she was sleeping in that night.

The rest of the day passed in a haze as they took groups of children and adults around the site. Many people unknown to them, praised their demonstration and at dinner that evening, Des added his congratulations and thanks. "Great performance. Didn't realise there was so much involved with those hosses of yourn." He shook hands with Robert and pecked Claire's cheek. A month ago it would have disgusted her to be kissed, even a token kiss like that, by a common working man. "The Belle is fit and well again so we'll be doing our stuff tomorrow but you're welcome to come on her for a ride," Des offered.

By then Claire was getting tired and desperately wanted to see what Robert would do in the van so she dragged him off earlier than normal. This time, she deliberately showed herself to him as she sensually disrobed. In a way she was disappointed that Robert didn't make a move to her but she more or less expected that. She waited until he picked up his pyjamas. "You won't need those," she told him as she pushed him to the bed and pulled the cover over them.

Later as they lay cuddled close after the best sex she'd ever had she asked, "Do I get Rosfelt back now?"

"You've made a good start," Robert grinned as he spread her legs again.

Finis