‘Come and sit over here, it’s James, isn’t it?’ Gone was the strict tone. James imagined it would have been like that from the beginning had he not made a mess of his arrival. He could see Mr Evans’s frustration, fed up with pious judgement from a religious woman who would disapprove of his lifestyle and the guests who would no doubt frequently arrive. He was annoyed with himself for being so careless, although the stinging pain he felt as he walked across was a reminder of the price, he’d paid for being so thoughtless.

‘I apologise sir, I should have thought. I was nervous, in fact I still am.’ James replied as he reached the sofa. Ewans patted the seat beside him.

‘Well, that matter has been dealt with, a couple of good strokes of the cane quickly wipes the slate clean. Get used to it young man, there’s plenty more coming your way soon and we’ll have those trousers off for those – pants too of course.’ James shivered at the prospect. The two strokes he’d just received were the hardest he’d ever been given and he’d had the protection of clothing. He couldn’t imagine similar on bare flesh.

‘It hurt sir! I deserved it.’ James replied meekly.

‘How do you take your tea?’ He asked, seemingly moving the conversation on.

‘Just milk sir, no sugar.’ James replied.

Excerpt from The Appointment.

James sees an advert in a men's magazine. "Former headmaster from the Welsh Valleys. Seeks errant boys over 18 in need of corporal punishment. Serious applications only - no time-wasters!’ He answers the advert and eagerly awaits a reply. When one eventually arrives, after an anxious wait, he is instructed to attend at an address in London. When he arrives, he's taken to an upstairs apartment where, over the next few hours, James's world will be turned upside down and he will be forced at last to confront his unhappy time at home and school, his lack of self-esteem and start to learn to like himself at last. This book contains scenes of brutal adult corporal punishment.