Let off lightly?

So, what of the girl in the reformatory who bribed the Punishment Officer the night before her flogging?

Twenty strokes of the manx birch had been adjudged appropriate by the magistrate, along with a month’s detention – the flogging to take place three days before her release.

She’d seen other girls after their punishments; dreaded her own; decided to do whatever it would take to be let off lightly. He’d feigned disinterest initially, until she’d pleaded. He couldn’t reduce the number of strokes, of course, he eventually explained – but he could administer them less severely if she were to be a good girl for him. And so she was: bent over his desk; used brutally.

But any good story should have a twist. What is it here? Is it (a) that when her name was called the following morning, a different officer wielded the birch, as the usual one was off ill; he’d know nothing of the deal; the flogging would be just as hard as usual. Or is it (b) that it would be announced, once she was tied in place, that her punishment would be doubled, for the additional serious offence of attempting to bribe a public official?