Bianca Maria Margherita Theresa DiLuca stood impatiently in the
chamber - ornately furnished as was the custom in Italy of the
18th century - of the Superior of the Sisters of the Immaculata
awaiting her interview with Mother Angelina. The convent garb that
she wore, consisting of several layers of coarse garments,
contributed to her discomfort. The drab robes were, she felt, more
suited to the daughters of peasants who entered the convent as
novices to escape the hopeless life of lower class females than to
a woman of her aristocratic background and upbringing. Secretly,
she had retained her own silk shifts from the luxurious wardrobe
she had been compelled to leave behind so that she would not have
to wear the scratchy convent muslin next to her skin.
Bianca, at 18, was an extremely wealthy young lady. Her widowed
father, who literally owned a village and the lush lands
surrounding it, had died only a few months ago. Unfortunately,
Bianca's age and unmarried status had made it necessary for her
wealth, and her person, to be put under the guardianship of her
uncle, Pietro. He had found Bianca to be a willful and difficult
burden and decided to send her to the convent so that her
education could be completed.
"The sisters will enjoy your company for only two years," he had
promised, "perhaps a shorter period if I can arrange for a
suitable husband."
Bianca did not want to spend the next two years in the boring
regime of a convent student, but she was not anxious to give
herself up to the control of a husband either. Ultimately, she
resigned herself to the circumstances and, with her personal maid
Anna, endured the three day journey to the convent.
A rustle of robes in the doorway announced the arrival of Mother
Angelina, accompanied by two of the sisters who served as her
attendants. "Good morning, dear Bianca," said Mother Angeline. "I
trust that you enjoyed a good night's rest after the fatigue of
your journey. Now, let us discuss your arrangements."
Bianca nodded. "As you wish, Mother," she said.
"You will be with us as a student, rather than as a novice, so
that you will have a certain amount of freedom. Since you will
devote your full attention to your books and studies, you are to
be excused from the work that the novices must perform. Of
course,you are most welcome to join our daily devotions."
Bianca detested the long hours of prayers she had been exposed to
in previous visits to the convent, particularly in the early
morning, but she made an effort to avoid showing her feelings.
The Superior continued. "Sister Camilla will help you acclimate
yourself to our convent and your studies. You are somewhat more
privileged than other students in that you have an apartment of
your own and your own servant. Nevertheless, you must obey our
rules. Remember, everyone living here is under our discipline."
Bianca was to remember those word later that very night. Meanwhile,
she was given into the care of Sister Camilla with whom she spent
a boring but informative day.
After supper and while evening prayers were in progress, Bianca
was relaxing in her chambers - Anna had gone in search of hot
water for the girl's evening bath - when Sister Camilla appeared
in the doorway. "Bianca," she said, pardon me for intruding but as
you were not in the chapel for evening devotions, Mother requested
that I come for you."
"I don't understand. I thought I was not required to attend," said
Bianca.
"That is true, but this evening discipline is to be administered
and Mother requires that everyone attend so that the benefit of
the chastisement may extend to all."
Reluctantly, Bianca followed Sister Camilla to the chapel where
she was ushered to a seat among the other students in the front
row. Mother Angelina nodded at Bianca and addressed the group.
"Now that we are all assembled, it is time for punishment. One of
our novices, Gina, has again been caught taking food from our
kitchen. Apparently, she is unable to resist devouring more than
her share of nourishment, although she has been warned several
times. Sister Constance will administer punishment to the sinful
girl. As we witness her pain, let us all consider the sin of
gluttony and its consequences."
At a nod from the Superior, Sister Constance, a large and sturdy
woman, emerged from the shadows leading an obviously distraught
young girl clad only in a rough shift. Gina was a chubby girl - as
was to be expected considering the nature of her offense - with an
ample bottom showing its curves beneath the coarse garment. Bianca
recognized Gina as a girl from her own village who had been a
friend of her servant, Anna. Sister Constance led the terrified
girl to an area next to the alter in which a backless curved bench,
common to the period, had been placed on a small wooden platform.
With the help of two of the sisters, the unfortunate girl was
place with her backside up over the padded seat of the chair and
her arms were secured to its sides. The platform kept the chair
high enough so that her feet barely touched the ground. Her shift
was then pulled up so that her bare and ample bottom was fully
displayed to everyone, as Sister Constance re-emerged from behind
the alter carrying a number of birch switches.
Bianca flushed with embarrassment when Gina's bare cheeks were
exposed. She found herself recalling an event that had occurred
two years before when her purse had been taken by a gypsy girl in
the market square of her village. The gypsy was quickly captured
and brought back into the square. Bianca's father, as Padrone of
the village, had barked a command and, immediately, the gypsy was
trussed over the saddle of a nearby horse. With her hands and feet
tied together, she could only squirm and wiggle in agony, howling
for mercy, as Bianca's father applied his riding whip to the twin
mounds of her bare bottom. The Padrone had been merciful. After
only a dozen strokes, the gypsy girl was allowed to sob with pain
and humiliation as she was led around the square so that the
peasants could view the red welts on her naked bottom and derive
an object lesson from them. Bianca blushed as she recalled how the
young men of the village had enjoyed what for many was their first
sight of a woman's most intimite areas.
Bianca's musing was interrupted by Gina's shrieks as the limber
instument of chastisement, wielded expertly by Sister Constance,
swished through the air to find its target. With a frightening
SPLAT, the birch bounced against the soft mounds, leaving an angry
weal running across the girl's quivering cheeks. Gina moaned and
her hips bucked wildly in her efforts to ease the sting as she
awaited the next stroke. During the pause, Mother Angelina began a
lecture on the evils of sin in general and of gluttony in
particular. When the next SPLAT made its mark within an inch of
the first, Gina wailed hysterically.
"Yeow......stop, please......aieee, I'll never do it again. I
swear it........oh."
Although no more than 8 or 10 strokes were applied to Gina's ample
and heaving bottom, the punishment seemed interminable punctuated
as it was by the Superior's recital, delivered in a soft steady
voice, and the pleas and howls of the tormented young girl. Given
an opportunity to appreciate the searing sting of each stroke
before the next was applied, the gyrations of her hips and the
flailing of her legs could not help but provide some amusement to
the the younger members of the group as Gina tearfully displayed
every furry fold and crevice of her femaleness.
Bianca found herself flushed with excitement and fascination by
the scene of chastisement. When Gina was, at last, released to
dance about rubbing her well punished backside, stiffened nipples
protruded beneath the fabric of the shift to reveal her own
arousal.
When Bianca returned to her private apartment, she was annoyed
that Anna was not awaiting her return so as to assist her in
preparing for bed. Hearing soft voices and moans from the small
alcove in which her servant slept, Bianca entered the chamber to
investigate.
