She explains. So do you.

Miss Wilder shakes her head almost sadly.

"I'd like to, Mr. Hawkfeather, I really would." She adds the last three words quickly when she sees your poorly hidden impatience. "The school has been working on a revision for over five years now, but the committee keeps running into stumbling blocks." Her demeanor is a little more confident, and you risk asking the obvious question.

"Don't the students and their parents get a copy of the rulebook every year?" For no reason that you can think of, this shy librarian becomes uncomfortable, pushing her glasses unnecessarily onto her small upturned nose.

"Well yes, but no one in this school really follows it." That at least agrees with what you were told by Senator Williams. Miss Wilder however offers a hopeful addendum that he had not. "For the most part the students live up to our expectations." You find it interesting that Alice uses almost the same exact words as the Headmistress had. Was this a mantra that is repeated by the teachers instead of dealing with reality?

"I don't doubt that, Miss Wilder, but as the new Disciplinarian of this school, I need to avoid subjectivity. It's my job to enforce the rules as they are written." You look around once more hoping to find someone who can shed some light on this new development. "I need to use the Code of Conduct we share with the students and their parents. Otherwise it's all just bullshit." Miss Wilder's head shoots up in alarm, but you aren't sure if it is your use of profanity in her library or your intention to use the code of conduct that disturbs her the most.

"Well, you can't use the old code." You finally get your first real look at her. Her hair is lighter than you originally thought, and a thin wisp has escaped from her tight bun, hanging tantalizingly in front of a dainty ear with a pearl stud. Hiding behind the glasses, her eyes are a pretty shade of grey with blue and green flecks, and although her petite upturned nose would be best described as cute, she has surprisingly full mouth for someone so quiet.

All-in-all, you decide in the half second you use to take in her features, Alice is really quite pretty, she doesn't have the slightest idea of how to dress or use make-up. Not that her appearance really matters at the moment, right now this timid librarian is a very useful source of information.

"Yes, I understand the problem with enforcing the policy as written." A wry smile finds its way to your face as you remember Diana's objections when you had asked about the mandated discipline. You can see the young librarian blushing fiercely and once again her eyes drop to your tie as you decide to rehearse what you'll say when you speak to Ms. Naylor. "If, as you say the young ladies behave as they should, then it will not matter. But if they break the rules, I don't really have much leeway."

"But you can't!" Miss Wilder protests with a gasp. "I don't imagine you've read all the whole book, but that book calls for paddling the student's bare backsides without anything on them! Not even their panties." Unlike this sheltered young woman, you do know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a spanking, it's not fun, but it can certainly make an impression. From what you've been told, this might be the one best thing to bring order back to this institution. Although you doubt that you'll be around after this trial year if you have to use the paddle more than three or four times.

"If that's what the students and parents have been told to expect, I don't see any other option." Your unyielding answer leaves Miss Wilder gasping for air and she sways slightly in shock. Reaching out to steady her before she faints your hand closes firmly around her upper arm. You are pleasantly surprised to feel the toned muscles of her bicep through the suit top, you had not expected her to be in such good shape.

"Ms. Naylor isn't going to like that at all, Mr. Hawkfeather." Alice warns you as she steadies herself. Of course you knew that already, but you release Alice's arm and step back and consider what other things Ms. Naylor was not going to like about how you intended to do your job.