This was sweet indeed: it was in this garden, some four months or so before, that I was spanked by my Master in earshot of all my partying neighbours next door, an event which resulted in so much subsequent humiliation, much of it at the hands of Sue. To turn the tables on her so completely was a true delight. She tried to cover herself with her arms, something I knew from similar experience to be completely pointless, and her head was casting to and fro as she tried to discern whether or not she could be seen. The answer was probably not, as the hedges were too high, although there was a possibility that if Clive were home and spying from his bolthole in the loft of the house opposite, as he often did, then he would have an uninterrupted view: and that, I thought merrily, could open up fascinating avenues of opportunity. It wasn't often I thought warmly about Clive, but I sensed he could add an exciting dimension to relations with Sue.

"You really are all sweaty after your little dance," I said, "and I bet you smell too. Better do something about that." Sue was casting around the garden in misery, flummoxed by the situation she found herself in. I picked up the garden hose I had earlier attached to the outside tap and turned on the water. Sue immediately spotted what I was doing and stood watching in shocked silence. There was a delicious pause, probably three or four seconds although it seemed longer, while the water coursed through the hose to the nozzle, a pause in which we both awaited the inevitable, but with widely varying emotions. Sue tried to brace herself as finally the water began to spurt from the hose and arc out onto the grass. Gradually, it increased in power until it was spuming four or five feet in the air. Fixing Sue's gaze in mine, I slowly swivelled towards her and the water-jet sluiced over her naked body. She screamed in shock as she was doused in ice cold water, dancing on the spot in helpless rage then trying to break free and trotting round the garden. It was easy to follow her, and as she skipped across the lawn, then over towards the tree and back again, I kept the numbing jet fixed on her body. She was screaming enough to rouse the undead and I began to fear that someone would call the police.

"Stand still woman!" I shouted at her, but she paid no heed. I followed her as she tried to evade me, closing in on her and herding her towards the corner of the garden. Too late she realised my strategy and within a moment I had her trapped beneath the oak tree. I moved forward, the icy blast from the hose still soaking her, enveloping her in a raw, sense-shocking blanket, until I was only a couple of feet away and I could see the goosebumps on her flesh and the pain in her eyes. I grinned and aimed at her head, covering her hair and face with a freezing stream, and she let out one final, ear-shattering scream. Satisfied, I dropped the hose.

"There now," I cooed. "That's better, isn't it?"

"No it fucking isn't! Bitch!"

I was more than a touch disconcerted by this. This was exactly what I had feared all along: what would I do if she turned rebellious, if I couldn't control her? Sue was a scary woman, and if she rounded on me I wasn't at all confident she wouldn't turn the tables on me in an instant. I tried to mask my fear with a look which I hoped was aggressive, and turned the hose on her again. She shreiked and danced on the spot again, he arms flapping helplessly.

"Okay, okay, stop it!"

I lowered the hose until it was firing just below her feet.

"Learned your lesson?" I asked.

"Yes," she panted, shaking her head and rubbing her hands up and down her body.

"Don't think you have." And I flicked my wrist, shooting the hose once more the length of her body, up and then down again. She stood impotently, her arms in the air, fists clenched. But she didn't react, she didn't try to face me down. On the contrary, she looked beaten. I relaxed.

"What did you just call me?"

She made no reply. I gestured to the hose again and she cowered.

"Bitch."

"Do you think that's appropriate?"

"No."

"Neither do I. Question is, what am I going to do about it?" She was shivering, her teeth chattering, and I realised that she was in such physical discomfort I could force her to do anything. I had created a weakness in her, and if I was brave enough I could exploit it. She watched me helplessly, her eyes hovering towards the hose every few seconds, while I weighed up the options. In truth, I already knew what to do, I simply had to convince myself I could do it.

"Do you remember how you first found out about me?" I asked.

"What d'you mean?"

"How you first found out about me and my Master. That I was his slave girl."

"The party. Next door. We heard you being spanked."

"Exactly."

There was silence. She looked at me and I looked at her, and we both realised what was coming next.

"It was in this garden it happened," I said. "This was where it all started." Again, I paused. "Do you know what I'm going to do?"

"No."

"Yes you do. Tell me."

"You're going to spank me."

A rush of excitement flooded through me, a feeling of power I had never before experienced. Sue was cowed and resigned, and I no longer felt any fear. I was in control. I had never been in control before.

"Yes I am. Just like I was. I wonder if anyone will hear this time? What do you think?"

"Jesus, no, not that, please not that." But it was a despairing plea, a hopeless one, without conviction.

"Come here." I sat on the garden bench and gestured to her. I could scarcely believe it, but from her expression I knew she was beaten. At least for now. She had been so stunned by the freezing water that the spirit had been drained from her. Meekly, she approached me.

"Bend over my knee," I said.