been running OK since then?”
“It gets me to school and back, which is about all it has to do. Sometimes I take it up to Surrey to see my parents, but I don’t want to stress it too much. Tell me about the army – what was it like?”
“Boring, most of the time, but at least I learned a bit about mechanics and got to see some of Germany. We spent a few months near Hannover but I was glad when my time was up.”
“ I wish I’d had the chance to go abroad. I hardly seem to left the education system at all – straight from school to a secretarial course and then from there to Bexhill. What was Germany like and why didn’t you go into engineering afterwards?” Miss Holloway wasn’t really sure what Dick did for a living and hoped this would give him an opening.
“ Germany was OK. They were starting to work their way out of the all the destruction at the end of the war. But I didn’t want to go on fiddling about with engines and things. I didn’t like getting my hands all greasy! Anyway, a cousin of mine was just starting an import business and asked me to look around for suitable stuff in Germany – you know, everything from power tools to beer. I rather enjoyed that, so when I finished in the army, I joined him and we’ve managed to build the business up quite well. Nothing dramatic, but it’s interesting and provides a reasonable income.”
Just then the oven bell rang.
“Supper’s ready – I’ll dish up if you would pour the wine. The bottle’s on the sideboard there.”
“Wine – how posh! You’ve really been extravagant. What are we eating?”
She took the prawn cocktails out of the ‘fridge and put them on the table.
“Oh Marlene! How did you know? My favourite starter!”
They sat down and once again clinked glasses.
By the time Miss Holloway served up the stroganoff and some steaming vegetables, they were on to their second glass of wine and the conversation was flowing freely.
“So what’s it like at the school? Do you like working there?”
“Yes, very much. They’re nice people and there’s lots of variety. Have you ever seen the place?”
“I’ve driven past a couple of times – seen the girls running around on the playing fields. Did you go there yourself?”
“Oh no – my parents couldn’t have afforded it. I went to the local grammar. Were you at boarding school?”
“No – it was a day school, but a private one. I wasn’t sorry to leave. I hated getting caned.”
Miss Holloway choked on her mouthful of s tew.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry.” She took a gulp of wine.
“I don’t suppose they smack your girls, but they were real sadists with us. I couldn’t wait to get out of the place.”
“Well, actually they do use corporal punishment at Bexhill – quite often.”
“Do they really? Goodness, I thought girls were spared all that.”
Miss Holloway hadn’t expected this turn in the conversation, but now she was keen to keep it going.
“ No – they’re quite Victorian at Bexhill. If the girls step out of line, they get thrashed. Most of them seem to accept the idea and some even prefer it to detention or whatever.”
“ But surely they don’t use the cane, do they?”
“Oh yes. The headmaster and the deputy head have canes. Of course, they use other things too, like a hairbrush or a strap, depending on how severe the offence is, and I heard they’re going to allow ordinary teachers to use a paddle in the classroom if they need to. Matron sometimes spanks them as well, so all in all I suppose most of the girls end up getting smacked at one time or another during their time at Bexhill.
“I’m really amazed! At my school we’d have done anything to get out of a hiding – detention would have been much better.”
“ Well, at Bexhill even the Head Girl has a cane. It’s a sort of ‘badge of office’.”
“That’s extraordinary. My school would never have allowed the pupils to beat each other. ”
“
“It gets me to school and back, which is about all it has to do. Sometimes I take it up to Surrey to see my parents, but I don’t want to stress it too much. Tell me about the army – what was it like?”
“Boring, most of the time, but at least I learned a bit about mechanics and got to see some of Germany. We spent a few months near Hannover but I was glad when my time was up.”
“ I wish I’d had the chance to go abroad. I hardly seem to left the education system at all – straight from school to a secretarial course and then from there to Bexhill. What was Germany like and why didn’t you go into engineering afterwards?” Miss Holloway wasn’t really sure what Dick did for a living and hoped this would give him an opening.
“ Germany was OK. They were starting to work their way out of the all the destruction at the end of the war. But I didn’t want to go on fiddling about with engines and things. I didn’t like getting my hands all greasy! Anyway, a cousin of mine was just starting an import business and asked me to look around for suitable stuff in Germany – you know, everything from power tools to beer. I rather enjoyed that, so when I finished in the army, I joined him and we’ve managed to build the business up quite well. Nothing dramatic, but it’s interesting and provides a reasonable income.”
Just then the oven bell rang.
“Supper’s ready – I’ll dish up if you would pour the wine. The bottle’s on the sideboard there.”
“Wine – how posh! You’ve really been extravagant. What are we eating?”
She took the prawn cocktails out of the ‘fridge and put them on the table.
“Oh Marlene! How did you know? My favourite starter!”
They sat down and once again clinked glasses.
By the time Miss Holloway served up the stroganoff and some steaming vegetables, they were on to their second glass of wine and the conversation was flowing freely.
“So what’s it like at the school? Do you like working there?”
“Yes, very much. They’re nice people and there’s lots of variety. Have you ever seen the place?”
“I’ve driven past a couple of times – seen the girls running around on the playing fields. Did you go there yourself?”
“Oh no – my parents couldn’t have afforded it. I went to the local grammar. Were you at boarding school?”
“No – it was a day school, but a private one. I wasn’t sorry to leave. I hated getting caned.”
Miss Holloway choked on her mouthful of s tew.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry.” She took a gulp of wine.
“I don’t suppose they smack your girls, but they were real sadists with us. I couldn’t wait to get out of the place.”
“Well, actually they do use corporal punishment at Bexhill – quite often.”
“Do they really? Goodness, I thought girls were spared all that.”
Miss Holloway hadn’t expected this turn in the conversation, but now she was keen to keep it going.
“ No – they’re quite Victorian at Bexhill. If the girls step out of line, they get thrashed. Most of them seem to accept the idea and some even prefer it to detention or whatever.”
“ But surely they don’t use the cane, do they?”
“Oh yes. The headmaster and the deputy head have canes. Of course, they use other things too, like a hairbrush or a strap, depending on how severe the offence is, and I heard they’re going to allow ordinary teachers to use a paddle in the classroom if they need to. Matron sometimes spanks them as well, so all in all I suppose most of the girls end up getting smacked at one time or another during their time at Bexhill.
“I’m really amazed! At my school we’d have done anything to get out of a hiding – detention would have been much better.”
“ Well, at Bexhill even the Head Girl has a cane. It’s a sort of ‘badge of office’.”
“That’s extraordinary. My school would never have allowed the pupils to beat each other. ”
“
Similar Books
