By #VeraRanscombe

At St Cuthbert’s, discipline was rarely administered, but never forgotten. When Tom Allardyce, a model prefect in his final year, makes one reckless mistake, he finds himself summoned to a place he never imagined he’d be. In the hands of his formidable Housemistress, justice is swift, solemn, and strictly by the book. But behind the ritual of punishment lies something more enduring: a lesson in humility, trust, and the quiet beginning of self-discovery. A story of regret, resolve, and the sting of becoming the man you're meant to be.

There was less than a month to go before the end of term. Devastated, Tom Allardyce found himself outside Miss Harding's private study. St Cuthbert's was a progressive boarding school, but he had committed a cardinal sin.

Corporal punishment was rare, remaining on the books for only a few offences. Smoking, drinking, theft, bullying. He knew this as well as anyone. He'd reached his final year of the upper-sixth and had never faced that awful sanction.