Chapter Eight
The next afternoon Sophie took Caroline into the training room. There was no one else there, but in the middle of the room stood a wooden contraption. It looked a little like the stocks she had once seen outside a prison. At the front were three holes, a larger one for the head, smaller ones for the hands. Caroline could see that the hinged top lifted up, to allow hands and head to be inserted, then was locked down with a padlock. A strut of wood was attached to the base, extending backwards; attached were two leather straps to restrain the feet. At waist height was a wooden rail covered with padded leather.
“This is our whipping post,” Sophie said. “I think you’ll find it not uncomfortable, until the whipping starts, of course.” She smiled at her little joke. She told Caro
