Warning: This chapter contains strong language and the spanking of a teenager. If you don't like it or are offended, don't read it.
CHAPTER 6
Sammy had just finished eating when Vin entered the clinic, carrying a bundle of clothing under his arm. He placed it on the table and turned to face his friends.
" Ran inta Chris on my way back. He's gonna go talk to Judge Travis." He glanced at Sammy and saw that she was eyeing him suspiciously. "Nettie will meet us at the bathhouse in 'bout twenny minutes. She'll help ya get cleaned up and into new clothes for yer hearing."
Sammy jumped up, knocking over the chair in her haste. While she'd eaten, she'd thought about Chris' statement that Judge Travis would be deciding what to do with her. The more she thought about it, the more worried she'd become. Just what had Chris meant by that? Was Judge Travis going to throw her in jail because of the bank robbery she'd participated? It certainly meant that she wouldn't be able to get away from these men and start plotting her revenge against Bart Slater. "I ain't goin' to no hearing. Some stupid old man ain't gonna tell me what I can or cain't do."
Sammy shoved the table, causing it to fall over and sending everything on top of it flying. In the melee that followed, she made a mad dash for the door, only to be brought up short by a strong arm around her middle.
"That's it. I've had enough." Vin hauled Sammy back through the mess she made. He looked over at Nathan, who had started to protest his friend's handling of the girl. "Don't even say it. She's more'n got this comin'."
He sat down on the bed and pulled Sammy across his lap. Vin landed several hard slaps to her upturned backside before Sammy registered what had just happened. She began cursing and struggling to break Vin's hold and get away from the punishing swats to her backside.
"Ya keep fightin' and you'll just make it last longer." Vin raised his right knee slightly, tilting her forward to better access the tender area where her thighs and backside met. "Don't know about you, but I can keep this up all day."
Sammy didn't doubt he would do exactly as he threatened and stilled her struggles. Vin noted her acceptance of the punishment and landed a few more stinging swats. He didn't miss her sigh of relieve when he stopped. However, the spanking wasn't finished.
"You've been fightin' us all day. We done tole ya we'd protect you from the Slaters, but you ain't been listenin'. Well, you're gonna listen now, or you ain't gonna be sittin' for a good long while." Vin paused to allow his words to sink in. "Yer gonna stop tryin' to run." He landed three more swats. "And yer gonna stop yer cussin'. A girl shouldn't even know words like that, much less use 'em." Three more swats landed on her sit spot. "Yer gonna go to the bathhouse and get cleaned up, then go talk to Judge Travis. An' ya ain't gonna give us any lip about it. Is that understood?"
Sammy nodded, not trusting her voice. She'd been spanked before, but this was much worse than she'd remembered it being.
Another hard swat landed on her backside. "I wanna hear yer answer."
"Yes, sir," she gasped in a tear-filled voice.
"Yer also gonna clean up the mess ya' just made and apologize to Nathan fer makin it."
Sammy wasn't stupid. She immediately voiced her agreement to Vin's demand. She was relieved when she felt Vin lift her off his lap and stand her on her feet. Vin surprised her when he pulled her against his chest and held her in a hug. She was surprised at herself when she accepted the comfort he offered. They stayed that way for several seconds before he pushed her back and looked into her eyes.
"I didn't like doin' that, but I'll do it agin in a heartbeat if'n I gotta." He indicated the other men in the room with a tilt of his head. "We's gonna protect you from the Slaters, but you've been doin' ever'thin' ya can ta get yerself killed." Sammy started to protest, but Vin put a finger over her mouth. "I can understand why yer doin' it, but you've been goin' about it the wrong way. Judge Travis is a fair man. He'll do right by you." Vin turned her to face the room and the mess she'd made when she'd overturned the table. "Now, go clean up that mess and apologize to Nathan so's we can get over ta' the bathhouse. Nettie'll be waitin' on us."
* * * * *
Ten minutes later a much more subdued Sammy and Vin entered the bathhouse, only to find Nettie Wells and her niece, Casey, waiting for them. Nettie led them back to the curtained off area where a tub of hot, steaming bath water had been set up for Sammy. Vin handed Nettie the bundle of clothing and a pot of ointment. "Nathan thought this might come in handy. He figures her skin is prob'lly raw where she'd been wearin' thet bindin'. Thet ointment oughta make it feel better."
Nettie accepted the bundle and with her free hand she made a shooing motion in Vin's direction. "Go on and git. Give this girl some privacy." She pulled Sammy behind her past the curtain.
"I'll be right out here if'n ya need anythin'." Vin removed his hat and gestured to a chair a few feet away.
"You'll do no such thing." Nettie moved to stand in front of him. "You go on and wait outside. I can handle that slip of a girl."
Vin laughed lightly and nodded. "I'm sure ya' can, but all the same, I'll stick around." He turned the chair around so that it faced away from the curtain which shielded the bathtub from the rest of the room. Nettie sighed and moved around the curtain to start getting Sammy undressed and into the tub. He smiled when he thought he heard her mutter "Stubborn jackass" under her breath as she went. Soon, Vin looked for all the world like he was napping. His long legs were stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. His hands were folded against his stomach, and his hat sat tilted over his eyes. Despite appearances, Vin was listening to every sound that came from behind the curtain. Although Sammy was acting much more subdued, he didn't trust her not to attempt to get away from Nettie and Casey.
Vin had warned Nettie about Sammy's treatment at the hands of her captors, so she was not surprised to see the bruises that were revealed when the girl began removing her clothing. She was surprised, though, to see the girl's reddened backside. It was clearly evident that she had been thoroughly spanked, and recently. While Nettie didn't say anything, Casey wasn't quite as discrete.
"Man, looks like you got licked good. Who'd you make mad enough ta' do that?"
Before Sammy could tell the other girl to mind her own business, Vin spoke from the other side of the curtain. "That'd be me."
Sammy blushed and ignored Casey's open-mouthed look of surprise. She hoped Casey would take the hint and drop the subject, but she wasn't so lucky.
"Wow. What'd you do?"
Nettie pointed in the direction of a steaming bucket of water and gave Casey a slight shove in its direction, indicating that she wanted the girl to bring it over. "That ain't none of your business, young lady." Nettie answered before either Vin or Sammy could respond, "just like it wasn't anyone else's business when Vin tanned your hide."
Casey blushed and ducked her head as she carried the bucket of water over to the tub. "Yes, ma'am." She turned to look at Sammy. "I'm sorry."
Sammy nodded. She knew Casey hadn't meant any harm and was only curious, but she was embarrassed to have the evidence of her recent spanking on display for the other women to see. She continued to undress. Now that she was here, the idea of finally being able to get truly clean for the first time in a long while held great appeal.
On the other side of the curtain, Vin chuckled as he remembered what had caused him to turn Casey over his knee. He was confident the girl would never again pull that trick. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gasp of surprise from at least one of the women. Before he could ask what was wrong, he heard Nettie exclaim, "good God, girl, what have you done to yourself?"
Vin immediately rose to his feet. Was something seriously wrong with Sammy? "What's wrong?" He started toward the curtain, intent on investigating for himself.
"Ain't nothing for you to be concernin' yourself with, Vin," Nettie responded before he took more than two steps. "Let's just say that Nathan was right to send that ointment over."
Satisfied that nothing serious was wrong, Vin sat back down. A few minutes later, Chris entered the bathhouse and joined him. Vin indicated with a tilt of his head that Sammy, Nettie and Cassie were behind the curtain. Chris reported that Judge Travis was waiting for them in the saloon. Inez had agreed to allow them to use the back room as a courtroom for the girl's hearing and for the trials of Macko and Lefty. Vin reported what had happened after he returned to the clinic, including the fact he had spanked the girl. Chris sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Figured one of us would end up doin' it sooner or later."
The two men continued to chat, but were interrupted by an angry outburst from the other side of the curtain.
"I ain't gonna wear no skirt. I want my pants back."
Vin started to stand, but Chris shook his head. Nettie would handle it better than either of them would.
"Don't matter what you want. You certainly cain't put those filthy pants back on. Casey, go on and those out to be burned." Seconds later, Casey rounded the curtain, a bundle of clothing in her arms. She spared Chris and Vin a glance before rushing off. She knew better than to stay around when Nettie was mad. Casey also knew that Nettie really didn't want her to burn Sammy's clothing, she just wanted to make it appear that she was so Sammy wouldn't have any choice but to put on the skirt and blouse.
"You can't do that. Those are my things. You get her back here right now."
"What are you gonna do?" Nettie asked, her voice calm. "Go after her buck naked. Men in this town might enjoy the show. Or you can put this skirt on."
The two men smiled at the deft way in which Nettie had handled the situation. They heard grumbling and muttering coming from the tub, but could not make out what was being said. A few minutes later, Nettie, followed closely by Sammie, came around the curtain.
Chris whistled softly. "You sure do clean up nice, Sammy." Now that she was clean and properly attired, he could see the subtle beauty that had been hidden by the dirt and bruises. He reached out and took Sammy by the upper arm. "Come on, Judge Travis is waiting for us."
TBC