In this condition she led her to a couch, which, fortunately, was in full view from my hiding place, and made her lie down upon it, at the same time lifting up her chemise and fastening it around her waist so as to leave all her person below that perfectly naked. Indeed, from the loose manner in which that garment hung around her, my aunt easily contrived to lay bare the whole of the upper part of her person likewise, the chemise merely forming a sort of girdle round her waist, where it was retained by the manner in which her arms were bound.
When all this was arranged, my aunt made a signal to someone in the bedroom, and, to my great surprise-though I must say I had rather anticipated something of the sort-I saw Mr. Everard steal gently from the one room to the other, and place himself at the back of the couch, leaning his arms upon it and gazing intently, though of course in perfect silence, upon the lovely form thus exposed, naked, before his eyes. He had taken off his coat, waistcoat, and his boots, but otherwise he was completely dressed.
No sooner had he taken his place than my aunt began to apply the rod to the exquisite posteriors which were thus presented to her in such an inviting position for the birch. She was not very severe at first, and Maria lay pretty still, though her shrinking, quivering flesh showed that she felt keenly the stinging touches. As the charming buttocks began to be reddened by this exhilarating exercise, my aunt seemed to get excited and heated with her work, and plied the rod more sharply and vigorously.