Author's Note: Thank you to the loyal reviewers who are sticking with this story. Guests and users with accounts both.

Please Note: this chapter does include spanking of a minor, so if that's not your things please fee free to not read on. If you do please decide to read, don't complain that its upset you. You have been officially warned!

Scott pulled the surrey up to the front of the mercantile 45 minutes after leaving the meadow and set the brake before he gulped at seeing Samuel Carter standing on the porch with his arms folded and he was clearly glaring at him.

"Where the hell have you two been? You should have had her home almost an hour ago, young man!" Mr. Carter yelled.

"I'm sorry, sir…" started Scott before Sam noticed the state of the two youngsters.

Theresa was still wrapped in the woollen picnic blanket and her hair was still damp and dishevelled and Scott wasn't looking much better. Looking further down at their feet, Samuel noted muddy hems on the boy's trousers and his nieces dress and both their shoes. However there was no noticeable sign of dirt or water on the surrey.

"What the hell happened to you?" Sam demanded. "Young man, what the heck are you doing bringing my niece back from a picnic like this?"

"Ah….well ... Sir…" Scott stuttered before Theresa jumped down from the surrey.

"Uncle Sam! Do you have to yell at us out here in the street?"

Samuel glared angrily at his niece. "Yes I do as a matter of a fact. You are over an hour late, your supper is cold and, your aunt and I have been worried as to your whereabouts and now you arrive home in this state." Sam turned his face to Scott who was still sitting in the surrey. "I want an explanation from you right now, young man. You were entrusted with my niece's care and yet you bring her home like that."

"Uncle Sam, it's not Scott's fault…"

"Be quiet, young lady. I was addressing the irresponsible young man who I entrusted with your care this afternoon."

"No, Uncle Sam, please listen, it's not what you think?"

"Oh it's not? Well I don't know about that. You were supposed to be going on an afternoon picnic in a meadow and you arrive home, soaking wet, covered in mud and an hour late. Now tell me, young lady did you really think I would just let this go?"

"No, but…" Theresa attempted to adjust the blanket over her shoulders but lost hold on one side and it slipped down, showing Samuel just how much the girl's clothes were clinging to her body. Sam also noticed that the bodice of the dress and the camisole beneath did nothing to conceal the girls heaving breast.

"Cover yourself up girl and get back to the house, now!" Samuel demanded quickly.

"But Uncle Sam..."

"I said go, young lady."

"But you're not letting me explain what happened."

With that Sam's annoyance at being defied reached its peak and he strode the few feet to Theresa and turning her to the side, he quickly landed a firm swat to her backside. Theresa yelped, "Uncle Sam!" although she could barely feel the smack, it was more the embarrassment of being chastised in front of her friend, that sent the girl running back to the house behind the store. Theresa bit her lip to keep the tears at bay but at Sam's glare and his finger pointing she yelled, "I hate you!" as she ran back to the house, holding the blanket around her shoulders as she ran.

Samuel rubbed his chin slowly and sighed deeply before he turned to face the very anxious young man still in the surrey.

"Alright, young man, get down from that buggy and follow me."

"Yes sir," replied Scott and he scrambled down and followed Sam back to the house.

When Sam and Scott made it to the porch, they heard Theresa yelling and a door slam inside the house, then a thud as if something had been thrown at one of the doors.

"Samuel, just what is going on? Theresa ran right passed me and wouldn't say anything, other than 'ask Uncle Sam' when I tried to ask her what happened," said Lucy from the front door where she was standing wiping her hands on her apron.

"I don't know what happened yet, Lucy but I'm about to get an answer to that question, right now, aren't I, young man?"

"Uh, y...yes….. s...sir." Stammered Scott.

"Lucy, could you please bring us both some coffee and a towel for the boy?"

"Yes dear, right away," Lucy disappeared back into the house.

"Sit!" said Sam firmly pointing to a wooden bench seat on the porch.

Scott sat down and waited for another instruction. His heart was beating fast in his chest and he was as nervous as hell. Sam still looked pretty angry and the young boy felt embarrassed and he was worried about Sam's upcoming lecture and the other consequences he might face, for bringing the young lady he'd taken out to a simple picnic earlier in the day.

Sam paced up and down a small section of dirt off the porch whilst breathing in deeply trying to cool his temper. He noticed the younger man's nervousness and although he was still angry with him, he didn't want to frighten the boy too much, just get answers to his questions and put the fear of god into the boy to prevent a repeat event in the future.

Lucy came out of the house with a tray of coffee and two muffins freshly baked and a warmed towel over her shoulder. She set the tray down on the table and handed Scott the towel.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You're welcome." Lucy said and then she retreated back into the house to let her husband talk to the boy.

Sam gave the boy a few minutes to dry himself a little and then he went up onto the porch and took a seat in his rocker and poured the coffee for them both.

"You look cold, boy. Here drink some coffee and eat the muffin my wife's just made."

"Thank you, sir." Scott accepted the coffee but his stomach was in too much turmoil to attempt to eat the muffin.

"The muffin will be OK, boy. My wife makes good cakes."

"Yes sir, I know that. Theresa brought some cookies that your wife made to the picnic but I….I don't think I can eat anything right now…." Scott tailed off.

Samuel nodded and took a sip of his coffee and settled back in his rocker. "You nervous, son?"

Scott took a sip of the hot black coffee and he coughed as he'd gulped down too much. "Yes…" cough, "sir…. I….am."

Samuel sighed and drained his cup before he stopped rocking and leant forwards with his hands in front of him and his elbows practically on his knees. "Alright, time to hear what you've got to say." He fixed the boy with a firm but not exactly angry stare.

"You realise of course that you have broken all of the rules I set for you today? I thought we had agreed that Theresa would ride in the back of the surrey at all times; that you would bring her back on time for her supper at 6 0'clock and that you would respect her virtue at all times. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Uh, Mr. Carter, sir. I'm really sorry we were so late returning," said Scott looking down at his feet.

"And so you should be, young man. And what the hell were you thinking, bringing my niece back in that state?" Sam asked angrily.

"Uh….well…sir…. it's like this… we were walking along the creek bank after our picnic and well I slipped on a stepping stone and fell in." Scott looked up through the top of his eyes and saw Sam Carter still glaring at him. "Uh well…sir… Theresa thought I looked funny sitting all wet in the creek and I uh, well I... d... d… didn't …think it…was funny at all. My ma won't be happy with me coming back home in my Sunday best all wet and muddy."

"Well, son I'm certainly not happy with the state you brought my niece home in either. Her clothing is her best dress."

"I know sir," Scott sighed and looked back down at the wooden planks of the porch under his feet.

"Just how did my niece get in that state, young man and don't you dare lie to me?"

"Uhm….well sir, like I was saying, I didn't think it was a laughing matter that I was all wet in the creek in my Sunday best clothes and well…. when Miss Theresa laughed at me and then offered to try and help me get out I… uh….I…..I... pulled her in with me." Scott said hurriedly and closed his eyes and waited for the bellowing to start.

"You pulled her in with you?" Mr. Carter stated quietly as if to clarify things.

"Uhm…..yes sir…..I… I …did." Scott nodded.

"And I suppose that you didn't notice how her clothing which was now wet through, clung to her body and made it see through in places? And of course you never offered to help her to take it off to let it dry out a little did you?"

"No, sir! It' wasn't like that at all! I'd…..well sir. I'd never do that. Christ, sir my pa would take the hide offa me if I even thought of doing something like that and well… truth is I'm not sure he ain't gonna when you tell him about me bringing Miss Theresa back home like she is anyway. I'm really sorry sir, I just didn't think about that at the time, I was just mad, honest and well…. I used the picnic blanket to cover her up to keep her warm and we lit a fire but when I checked my fob watch it was the same time it was the time I looked at it before and I realised that it wasn't working and we came straight home. I promise."

"Look at me, young man." Ordered Mr. Carter.

Scott did as he was instructed.

Sam studied the young man in front of him and although the boy was clearly nervous and probably expected Sam to give him a hiding; he sat on the bench and kept eye contact with the older man, something that a liar would have trouble with doing.

Eventually Sam looked away, "Alright, son I believe your explanation."

Scott visibly let out a deep breath as if in relief. "Thank you, sir."

"That don't mean that I ain't mad at you, son. I trusted you to take my niece off on a picnic and bring her back on time and in the same condition she left in and you didn't did you?" scolded Sam.

Scott shook his head, "No sir, I sure didn't, but we were only late as my fob watch that my grandfather gave me stopped working as it got wet and muddy in the creek. I'm really sorry, Mr. Carter I know I let you down and it won't happen again and if you want to punish me." Scott swallowed the lump in his throat. "Well sir, if you want to then I'm ready to take a lickin' from you."

Samuel Carter rubbed his right hand through his greying hair. "I ain't gonna give you a lickin' boy, I'll leave any punishments to your father if he thinks it's appropriate. Now you look pretty wet still, go on, get home and get out of those wet clothes and make sure you tell your father the whole story, like you told me you hear?"

Scott bit his lip and nodded slowly. "Yes sir." He stood up, thanked Sam for the coffee and the towel and then turned to walk back to the surrey which was still tied up outside the Mercantile.

Well now to see to that young lady and her temper! Samuel thought.

He collected the tray and damp and dirty towel, the young boy had used and he took them inside the house, kissed Lucy on the cheek and then turned to face the bedroom where his niece was.

Sam knocked once on the door to Theresa's bedroom and then entered before he heard an answer.

Theresa was on her bed and Sam could see that the bedclothes had been disturbed and that the room was in disarray. Looking down he saw the girl's wooden hairbrush on the floor near the door. He surmised that this was what he had heard thump against the door shortly after she slammed it earlier in temper. Sam bent down and picked it up. I believe I'll need this.

"Well, young lady, what do you have to say for yourself?" he demanded.

Theresa stood up and smoothed down her skirts, she had cleaned herself up and dried off and had changed into clean dry clothing after she had calmed down, but she hadn't yet picked up the room.

"Uncle Sam, it's not like you think….."

"Oh yes it is. You came in here in a temper and by the looks of it you took it out on your room."

"I'll pick everything up, Uncle Sam."

"Yes you certainly will, young lady. Right now!"

"Yes sir." Theresa replied and she quickly tidied up the room whilst her Uncle stood there watching her. When everything was back in its place, she held out her hand for her hairbrush.

"Oh no, I think I'll be needing that," Sam said sternly.

Theresa paled and backed away from her Uncle. "Uh, Uncle Sam, that's not really necessary."

"Well I think it is, young lady. I'm pretty darn tired of your attitude and temper and I think it's high time you realised who is in charge around here. When Lucy or I ask or tell you to do something you do it."

"But Uncle Sam, nothing un-towards happened at the picnic, honest."

"I know, that young man told me, that is not the reason why we are about to have a 'discussion' with your hairbrush."

"It's not?"

"No, it's not. Did you or did you not yell at me in front of your young man?"

"Uh, yes sir I did, but Uncle Sam you were embarrassing me and…."

"Embarrassing you? Young lady you are home later than you were supposed to be; soaked through to the skin and when I asked where you had been and what happened you sassed me. You disobeyed all the rules I put in place for your safety today and I had every right to question that young man's behaviour, as he was entrusted to look after you and bring you back in the same condition you left in."

"But Uncle Sam…" Theresa interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me, young lady, you stay quiet I don't want to hear any excuses. As it is the boy told me what happened and has taken the blame and I have to respect him for that. He even said he would accept a lickin' from me if I felt it warranted. Oh don't worry I never took him up on it. I think he seems to be a very well-mannered young man who is a credit to his parents. I am leaving any discipline to his own father. You however, are not a credit to your parents I'm sorry to say."

Theresa looked down at her feet, upset with her Uncle's words, but she knew that he was right, her mother and father had brought her up to obey her elders and she hadn't done so because she had felt that her Uncle should of allowed her to explain what happened without yelling at her in front of Scott.

Sam paused and took a couple of deep breaths. "Theresa I know that you've been used to be able to go where you want within reason at home, but your Aunt and I have spoken to you on more than one occasion about things being different in a town like Virginia City. Yet on the first opportunity you get to be alone with a boy, you disobey my rules about sitting in the back seat of the surrey, you come home almost an hour passed your curfew and you were soaking wet and your clothing almost see through. Don't you understand that boys of Scott's age sometimes will take advantage of a girl, especially when they can see parts of her body that interest them and they don't usually see?"

"Yes I know that Uncle Sam and Scott's not like that, which is why I like him, he's kinda sweet and a little shy and I just wanted to be friends with him. I'm sorry we came back the way we did and that we were late but it was an accident. We didn't realise it was so late and when Scott's watch was damaged in the water, we only realised that we were going to be late returning when we came back to the buggy as the time was the same as before we started walking back from the creek."

Sam fixed Theresa with a firm glare. "Thank you for the proper explanation and apology young lady. That is what should have happened earlier when you arrived home, but instead all I got was your sassiness and attitude and then you threw a temper tantrum when I sent you inside the house. I heard you shout at your aunt and then slam your door, plus you threw something….. I suspect this," he held up the hairbrush, "against your door. Now your behaviour earlier is something that I'm not going to take anymore and to give you an incentive to obey me in the future, I'm going to use this here hairbrush to make an impression through your behind."

"But Uncle, Sam please, you don't have to do that. I'll remember to keep my temper in check and to obey you in the future, I promise."

Sam walked over to the bed and sat down. "Come here, girl," he ordered.

Theresa shook her head and remained standing a few feet away from her uncle, just out of his reach.

Sam shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry, Theresa but I believe that I do need to do this. Now come on let's get this unpleasantness taken care of so we can eat."

Theresa reluctantly walked over to her uncle and allowed him to lower her over his knees. "Why am I about to give you a spanking, young lady?" Sam asked.

Theresa groaned, it had been over a year since she had been over anyone's knees and the whole process being used this time seemed entirely all too familiar.

"Uh…, I was rude and disobedient and I threw a temper tantrum when sent back to the house."

"Yes you did and I am going to punish you so that you remember what happens when you disobey or sass me in the future."

Sam slowly raised the girl's skirt and the two petticoats she had dressed in, but left her white cotton pantaloons up, wanting to protect the girl's modesty. He was uncomfortable with punishing someone who was not his child on the bare. Arranging her skirts so that they would not fall down over her backside. He placed the hairbrush on her bed and then raised his right hand and delivered a volley of swats to the cotton covered backside.

Theresa tried to remain quiet but very soon the sting being put in her behind was such that she started to squirm. Sam just held her waist tighter to him and carried on. After 20 swats with his hand he stopped to pick up the hairbrush.

"Uncle Sam, please not the brush, I'm sorry…. really I am. I I'll…d...do b…better in the f…future." Theresa pleaded.

The girl's pleas tugged at Sam's heart but he steeled himself, knowing that if he gave in now his warnings would be for nothing. He was pretty sure that the spanking up until now was certainly being felt but that a paddling was warranted. He laid the back of the hairbrush on the girls behind. "Theresa, I am sorry to do this but I think that it is warranted." And with that he raised the hairbrush and delivered 6 firm swats, 3 to each buttock.

Theresa 'owed' at each one and then started crying as the last two were delivered on her sit spots.

Sam dropped the hairbrush onto the floor, lowered the girl's petticoats and skirt then started rubbing circles on the girls back whilst she lay across his thighs sobbing hard. Her backside felt like it had been stung by a hundred bees all at the same time and she was genuinely sorry for disappointing her uncle knowing that her father if he had been well enough to, would have delivered the same consequences.

"It's over Theresa, sweetheart, its over."

Theresa remained over her Uncle's knees for a minute or so and then pushed herself up.

Sam helped the young girl to her feet and Theresa stood in front of him, rubbing her behind and hiccupping.

"I'm…I'm…. sorry…Uncle….Sam…" she stuttered out.

Sam stood up and opened his arms and Theresa stepped into them. He wrapped his arms around the girl and hugged her to him, "I know you are, sweetheart and I took no pleasure in spanking you I assure you. Ssh now, you've been punished and now it is over." He whispered and he stroked her hair whilst she sobbed into his shoulder.

The remained that way for a few minutes and then there was a gentle tap at the door.

"Sam, may I come in?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, sweetheart," Sam called out.

Lucy entered the room and although she wasn't happy with the reason why Sam was in her niece's room, it made her heart melt to see her husband with the young girl in his arms comforting her after her punishment. It made her wish even more that they would have been able to have had children of their own.

"Sam, supper is on the table."

"Alright, Lucy I'll be right out."

"And will Theresa be joining us?" she asked softly.

"No, I think Theresa could do with some time on her own. Lucy, would you bring Theresa's meal in here please?"

"Yes I will," said Lucy obediently. Lucy left the room and Sam pushed Theresa away from him gently so that he could see down into her face.

"Theresa, you will remain in your room until the morning. You will eat your supper and then get ready for bed and your Aunt and I will check on you later. You may not read or write tonight even in your journal and there will be some extra chores for you to help your aunt with tomorrow as you will not be working in the store. In addition you are restricted to the house and the store for a week, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," sniffed Theresa.

Sam kissed the girl on her cheek, "Good girl, now remember young lady that when I tell you to do something I expect to be obeyed without question, understand?"

Theresa sniffed and nodded, "Yes, sir."

Sam gave the girl another quick hug and then he released her and handing her the wooden hairbrush that she now loathed, he left the room to go and wash up for supper.