She looked at the clock. She was bored. The day had been filled with endless phone calls from endless customers with endless problems. Murron McClannough worked for a well-known Scottish bank. She predominantly answered phone queries and occasionally helped out with money transfers although that was rare, as she had not yet passed her probation which still had one month left to run. The shutting and locking of filing cabinets heralded the end of another day. Murron said her goodbyes and ventured out into the crisp cold early evening.

She set off on her usual route which took her past the high street shops and on through to the Holy Loch Marina which led to other side of town. She always walked even if it was raining and she always followed the same route that took her past the marina. She could see the whole marina from her office on the tenth floor and it held a special fascination for her. Growing up she only ever saw water during family holidays. She loved the sea and especially loved visiting Beinn Na Caillich on The Isle of Skye or "The Misty Isle" as it was also known.

She first visited the Isle when she was fourteen and she would sit and watch the boats bobbing up and down as they transported the local fishermen out to sea. Quite often young children would arrive at the dock and surround a small stone well. They would then congregate by the dock and stare far out to sea. They were looking for their fathers, brothers, and uncles. This was always a tense time but invariably the little blobs would appear on the horizon and slowly increase in size until they chugged into the harbour to land their days catch. Murron was fascinated with these strong rugged men. Young or old they all had a presence. She was a little scared of them but also felt exhilarated whenever they returned. Their children were always respectful and well behaved around them. Murron was not surprised, as they could look quite fierce at times. She had often begged her parents to take her on a boat trip but as her father couldn’t swim he always refused much to the deep consternation of young Murron.One day as she sat in her usual place by the dock the sound of the fishermen’s children filled her ears. As usual they stood around the well. She noticed that one of them was holding something that she then dropped into the well.

"What are you doing?" She enquired.

"This is a wishing well. We are making a wish," said the little girl

"What are you wishing for?" Murron enquired.

"We are wishing for our men to come home safely from their work" the little girl explained.

"Murron stood peering into the well as the children drifted away. She couldn’t see the water at the bottom, as it was too deep. She took a fifty pence piece from her pocket held it out in front of her and dropped it. The coin spun glinting occasionally until it landed at the bottom of the well with a small splash. Murron stood for a little while before moving off to join the other children and working out how many cola cubes she could have bought with fifty pence!

One of the children pulled a small watch from his pocket.

"What’s the time?" The others enquired.

"Five thirty " The little boy replied

"They are late today" One of them remarked.

But just as before it wasn’t long before the boats came into view. All present and correct and all coming home safely to their grateful kinfolk.

Now years later Murron often thought about her experiences on "The Misty Isle" and longed to return or at least have some reminders of her happy holidays there.

As she walked home from work she looked out onto the choppy water. It glistened as if filled with a million diamonds of all colours. She studied the people drinking and chatting at the various bars and cafes. She felt good; this was her favourite time of the day. She carried on past the swanky new offices that looked out over the water and finally she came upon her favourite place. She always stopped here. There was a reason. In front of her was moored the most beautiful sailing craft she had ever seen. It was a 30-foot long clipper ship named "The Knotty Lady". The name always made her giggle. The little old lady who always sat outside the coffee shop at the same time every day gave her a long look as if she was about to make a comment but remained silent.

"I wonder how many naughty ladies have been dealt with on there!" She thought.

One thing that struck her was that she never saw anyone on the boat. It was always there rain or shine. She wondered who owned it. It was such a handsome vessel she was surprised that it wasn’t used for commercial purposes. She took one last look and set off again for home.

"Never mind, Il be back to see you tomorrow" She thought as she pulled her coat tightly around her and crossed the footbridge glancing over her shoulder as she went on her way.

Another mind numbingly boring day at work passed, Murron had worked through her lunch hour so she could leave early. She collected her coat and scarf and set off again towards the marina. As usual she stopped to admire The Knotty Lady. Today however was going to be different. There was a reason why she wanted to leave early. She had decided that today she was going to give herself a "guided tour " of the boat and she wanted to do it before the office workers left for home.

She scanned the marina as she edged forward towards the small gangplank that led to the deck. Another quick glance around and she walked purposefully along the plank and hopped onto the boat.

The entrance to the main part of the boat was a small set of double doors with gold handles. She turned the handles and to her surprise they opened. She ventured into the living area. It was quite spacious. There was a dining table, a small sink, a cooking area and sleeping quarters at the far end. All the curtains in the living area were drawn. She had a good look around, opening a few drawers and generally being very nosy. The marina would be getting busy soon so she thought she had better leave before she was seen. She could always come back another time She turned to make her way out onto the deck. She stopped dead in her tracks. There in front of her was the biggest man she had ever seen. He was at least six foot five. He wore a pair of blue trousers; shiny black boots and an unbuttoned shirt that showed off a muscle bound body underneath. He had striking brown eyes, a chiselled jaw and a rugged weather worn face.

"May I enquire as to what you are doing aboard my boat?" He asked

"Erm, I was just curious to see what it looked like inside" Murron whimpered.

"Are you aware that what you are doing is against the law. You are trespassing on my property. I think you intended to steal my valuables" He said sternly

"No, no I just wanted to look around I’m really sorry. Il go now and I will never do it again" She cried.

"I’m afraid it is not that easy young lady," He said.

"What do you mean" She replied.

"You have entered my vessel, you have looked through my personal belongings and you have trespassed. Do you think I will just let you go?" He said.

"I don’t understand, what are you going to do? Are you going to call the police?" she sobbed. "I would lose my job. I’m still on probation. How would I get work anywhere else with a criminal record."

"Police" He shouted, " Where I come from little miss we deal with our own problems. I have never and will never involve the Police in my personal matters"

"What are you saying then? I can pay you to keep quiet if that is what you want"

"Now you are really insulting me girl" He said sharply. "No, I have a better way to deal with you. A way that has been practised throughout the years and a way that works"

"What way" She said softly

He walked over to a large wooden chest, opened it, reached inside and took out a long piece of leather, which split into two pieces at the end.

"What is that!" She asked alarmingly.

"This my girl is called a tawse and has been used for many years in Scotland to punish errant girls and also boys. I have had this implement across my backside many times in my younger days" He said." And today you will feel its bite.

Murron stood wide eyed as he slapped the heavy tawse onto his hand and looked deep into her eyes as if waiting for her to submit to her fate. She mulled everything over in her mind. She could call his bluff but then he could change his mind and involve the police. She really had no choice.

"If there is no other option I will accept the punishment you will administer Sir"

She didn’t know why she called him Sir. It just felt right.

He walked slowly towards her never averting his eyes from hers. His were assertive and focused. Hers were timid and frightful. He stopped a few inches from her. He towered over her slender physique. She felt scared and intimidated but for some reason also felt cared for and safe. He spoke gently.

"Ok Murron, the tawse can wait. Firstly I will take you across me knee and warm your bottom. You do not want to feel the sting of that beast without first experiencing a good spanking. Believe me I know."

Murron nodded her acceptance and waited. He took a wooden high backed chair and placed it so when over his knee Murron would be facing towards the front end of the boat.

"Right, put your coat and scarf down on the table and remove your skirt," he commanded.

"Remove my skirt!" Murron gasped

"Yes my girl, your spanking will be in two parts. Firstly on your knickered bottom, providing your wearing some, and secondly on your bare bottom"

Murron recoiled in horror. Here was a man she didn’t know and he would be seeing her private parts and possibly touching them as he spanked her. Again she felt that she did not have a choice so she meekly complied.

She laid her coat and scarf on the table as instructed. He sat, unbuttoned his shirt cuff and rolled up his right sleeve. She slowly unzipped her skirt and let it slide onto the floor. She stepped out of it and laid it too on the table. She turned and faced him. Her white blouse hung down just below her knicker line and just above her black pull up stockings.

"Come here," He said firmly.

Murron walked towards him and stood to his right. He took her left hand and gently pulled her across his knees. Her bottom lay slightly above his right knee. He raised the knee so her bottom cheeks opened slightly and became tight. He slid her blouse halfway up her back and held her right hip firmly with his left hand. Her white cotton knickers held her peachy bottom cheeks perfectly. Murron wondered how hard this giant of a man could spank. She didn’t have to wait long. He raised his hand.

SMACK!! It stung like hell! SMACK!! Another one on the same cheek! SMACK!! Yet another one in the same area! Murron let out a groan SMACK!! This time he landed on her right cheek SMACK. And again. SMACK! And again!!

Murron began to cry as he relentlessly swatted each cheek, the cries turned to sobs and the sobs to howls. Strangely though despite the pain she was beginning to feel unburdened. Her bottom stung like never before but under this strong mans hold she felt a massive weight being lifted from her.

Slowly he slid her knickers down. She lifted her right hand to stop him. He grasped the hand and pushed it up her back. His immense strength held it firmly in place. Her bare bottom was by now as red as Alex Ferguson’s nose! Her private parts were clearly on display. He raised his knee higher and her cheeks tightened even more. He spanked hard and fast. Murron howled, wriggled and kicked her legs but to no avail. Her cheeks were a deep crimson colour as they bobbed up and down under his hard hands.

"Do you think you have learned your lesson? " He enquired?

"Yes sir," she sobbed, " I will never trespass on anyone’s property again"

"Good girl" He said warmly, but not nearly as warm as her bottom felt!

Another twelve hard spanks had her howling again. She had never been spanked like this in her life. In fact she had never been spanked at all. The ferocity and speed of the spanks slowed and eventually stopped. He pulled her gently off his lap and stood up facing her. His giant arms engulfed her as he held her tightly to him. He kissed her forehead and spoke softly.

"How does your bottom feel now?

"It feels like an atomic bomb has been dropped on it Sir" She said.

"Good" He said, " Its what you wanted after all isn’t it"

Murron hadn’t remembered actually asking him for a spanking but didn’t have much time to comment.

"Ok, come over here and lay across the table," He said

Murron did as she was told. She laid full length along the table and gripped the far end. Her red bottom stood proudly awaiting the further punishment that was to come.

She dared not look behind her. She just imagined him standing there with that long piece of leather in his hand and wondered how many strokes she would receive. The spanking really stung her bottom but she was dreading this even more.

He moved towards her. She tensed waiting for the first strike. It didn’t come. What did come were his red-hot hands covered in soothing cream. He massaged the cream slowly into her stinging cheeks. This was heaven pure and simple. He worked it into both buttocks and caressed each in turn. Murron sighed and moaned as his fingers turned her fiery bottom into a warm glowing satisfying buzz. He took his time smoothing her hot cheeks. Occasionally he slid his thumbs right up inside her bottom cheeks. The little finger on his right hand brushed against her privates. She didn’t complain. How could she? This was the most erotic and fulfilling experience she could ever wish for.

"Up you get Murron. You can put your knickers and skirt back on now," he said gently." You have been rightly and deservedly punished. I have decided that the spanking was sufficient punishment for your crime and now you can go"

Again she did as she was told. She felt calm, at peace, enriched.

Murron was relieved. She had been spared the tawse but had certainly had the spanking of her life. She felt that justice had been done.

She walked back up the gangplank and again passed the little old lady sitting outside the café. She was elated. She felt intoxicated and full of wonderment.

"She slowed as she passed by the old ladies table"

"Hello", she said.

"Hello Murron, The old lady replied.

Murron continued on her way and for once did not look back. She didn’t need to. She was fulfilled and happy although she couldn’t work out why she felt this way. She carried on across the footbridge to the other side of the marina.

Suddenly she stopped. Something wasn’t right. She turned back and ran. She ran back towards the marina, towards the boat, towards the old woman. Her mind raced, she couldn’t make sense of it. She needed an explanation. She gasped for breath as she pushed her body past her limits to return as fast as she could to the boat. She raced up to the café and looked to her left. The boat was gone. She scanned nervously up and down the water. Nothing. No sign.

Why had she suddenly turned back you may be thinking?

As she got to the other side of the footbridge something occurred to her. The man on the boat knew her name? She had never told him her name. She hadn’t told him anything about her. Then something else. The old lady! She also knew her name. Murron had never talked to her before. How could she know? She turned to look for the old lady. She too was gone. Murron stared far out along the marina. Her elation had turned to confusion and disappointment. She had questions that would never be answered. She felt sick. She slowly turned back towards the footbridge.

"Hello Murron"

It was the old woman!!

"Hello!" Murron said excitedly "I thought you had gone?

"Well I had dear but then I saw you running back. I thought you may need some help," she said

" The boat. I was looking for, the boat. It’s gone"

"Yes dear" the old woman said

"But it hasn’t moved for months. Why now? " Murron said.

"Because its not needed here anymore. It has other places to be. It has other desires to fulfil" Yours has been satisfied. It waited a long time for you. Now it can move on

"But I don’t understand?" Murron said

"Why was it waiting for me?"

"Think back Murron. Think back to your younger years. Was there something you were ashamed of? Did you make a wish?"

"Not that I can remember " Murron said.

"Are you sure Murron.. Think hard"

Then she remembered.

All those years ago. The Misty Isle. The fifty pence piece. She had stolen it from her father. When she dropped it into the well she HAD made a wish. She wanted to be punished. She craved redemption She couldn’t bear to tell her father that she had stolen from him. She had wished that one of the fishermen would put her over his knee and spank the deceit out of her. Now twenty years later her wish had finally come true.

It all made sense now.

But there was something that was still bothering her. Something about the old lady.

"How do you know all this?" She said

"Because I too wished at that well more than sixty years ago. I too had my wish fulfilled at this very marina on that very boat. I somehow knew that you had visited that well but I couldn’t approach you. You had to enter the boat of your own free will or the wish could not be granted."

There was something else that was bothering Murron. She called after the old lady. "One more thing. How do you know my name?"

The old lady turned to her and smiled as she ambled off towards the bus station. "Its written on your name badge, dear."

Murron, strolled along the waters edge towards the footbridge. She got halfway across and stopped. She turned to look out at the horizon. It was beginning to glow a soft red. Soon it would fill the whole sky. She looked at her watch. It was five thirty.

Just about sunset.