"I think we ought to let Gwen sleep in a bit longer", said Francesca as she re-filled Harriet and Jessica's coffee cups and went to do some more toast.
"She should be in bed for a week, not prancing about naked o'er hill and dale at this time of the year! Can't you talk her out of it?" she shouted at them from the kitchen. "It's not as if this jaunt was her idea in the first place - you thought it up, Jessie. Why don't you call it off?"
"It's been a dream of mine since I first suggested it to Gwendoline when we were little girls. She forgot about it almost at once but she's become as keen as me lately and that awful few days made her more set on it than ever - I hardly know her any more. I wouldn't have the nerve to suggest we stop now! I'll go up and see how she is."
Almost immediately Jessica reappeared.
"She's not in her room. What can have happened to her?"
The answer came a few second later when a dripping Gwendoline pushed her way through the back door into the kitchen.
"Hi, Francesca! it's strictly against the rules, but I'd better dry myself off before going into your nice breakfast room and ruining the carpet."
"Oh we can't have you breaking your precious rules, go and drip over my carpet my all means you mad bitch! It'll dry out before Mummy and Daddy get back - I sincerely hope!"
"Gwen! Where have you been?" asked Harriet.
"Where you two are going RIGHT NOW! For a swim in Francesca's pool. I did twenty lengths and so will both of you. Don't even think about getting out before. Now! - I could just murder some eggs bacon and sausage! See you later, girls - go on MOVE THOSE FAT BOTTOMS INTO THE POOL FAST!!!"
Jessica and Harry obeyed with some reluctance and were soon swimming up and down in Fran's open air pool. Jessica unwisely dived straight in. This was a show of bravado which she pretty quickly regretted. The icy water caused every nerve ending to send angry signals of protest to her brain. "SHIT," she screamed, "you can die doing things like this - the heart just stops beating."
Harriet was more cautious and lowered herself in feet first. It still sent shock waves up her body, and it took some courage finally to immerse herself totally. After a few seconds the pain subsided and she began to almost enjoy the experience - to her surprise!
They swam together and paused between lengths to exchange the odd word.
"Why is this pool not drained for the winter?" asked Harriet.
One more length.
"Her father's a lunatic, that's why!"
Another length.
"Swims every day all year round. Complete and utter nutcase!"
They completed twenty lengths and saw Gwendoline standing by the pool, looking fitter and lovelier than she had ever done.
"Don't get out. I'm coming to join you for a few more lengths!"
And the three swam another twenty lengths at the end of which, Gwendoline had to help her friends out, so numb and stiff were they both by then.
"Wasn't that wonderful, darlings? I'm going to take up all year swimming after this. The way your body positively burns all over when you get out - I really get myself off on that. Fantastic!"
The other two were far too cold to speak. The phrase "teeth chattering" perfectly described their condition for some minutes as returning circulation became total agony which only subsided slowly, the pain in their fingers shooting all the way up their arms.
"OK Harriet it's you and me against Jessica."
And their first two against one impromptu wrestling session for some time sufficed to warm them all up and dry them off. Francesca watched all this from the drawing room window in amazement and some slight envy - not she had the slightest intention of joining in!
"Any interesting news in the last few weeks?" asked Gwendoline of Francesca as they relaxed in the lounge, sipping mugs of hot chocolate.
"Not really - something about an attack on a reclusive mother and her son - the police are looking for a gang of ruffians - described as very dangerous! Oh! You remember Katie O'Brien - she was at your school, wasn't she?"
"Sure was! A legend in her own time. Jessie and I were always being compared to her - to her advantage."
"Well, she was recently rescued from some Middle East jail after being stitched up by a corrupt policeman and persons unknown. She was there for weeks and nobody realised. They all thought she had taken a break and gone sightseeing. She was very cagey about the details - refused to give any interviews."
"Poor thing! I suppose she just wants to forget it! I know I would," opined Harriet. "And I bet you two are a match for her and that friend - Angela. I bet you could beat them at anything! It was partly remembering how they always competed against each other that made me want to see you two do the same."
"We'll never be like those two in that way," said Jessica. "Will we Gwen?"
"No, Jessie - never! Come over here for a couple of hours - I missed you last night. Fran won't mind watching us - she's a big girl now."
"Just don't leave any stains on the sofa - that's all I ask," an open-mouthed Francesca said after twenty minutes or so of watching the confusion of writhing, intertwined arms and legs. "Come on Harriet, I suggest we leave these two very acrobatic people to it. It's begin to give me a few disturbing ideas I'd rather not have! I'm going all wet - never mind what it's doing to them."
Harriet and Fran sat at the kitchen table.
"Do you think they will always be like that?" asked Harriet.
"Not a chance," replied Francesca. "Gwendoline is her father's only child and his heir - it's one of those funny titles that can pass through the female side. She'll find she's too concerned to pass on her precious Norman genes and the family title to spend her life with Jessica. Jessica must know that herself deep down."
"I guess so," sighed Harriet a little tearfuly. "They look SO happy together."
"You mark my words, when this is over she's going to start looking around for a suitable fellow. You'd do the same in her position."
"The Hell, I would," Harriet said vehemently. "My Dad's a Marquess and so bloody what! The whole thing's so fucking mediaeval and pathetic! This is the Twenty First century, for Heaven's sake! I want to make it in life on my own because of WHAT I am not who I am!"
"We're all the result of who are family are and were - it's biology, genetics, heredity. You can't escape from your ancestry Harriet and it ought to be a source of strength, not something to dismiss! I wish I had that sort of family history - going back so far! You've got a lot to live up to, and you're afraid you might not have what it takes. Gwen knows she can't let her side down; and in the last resort, Jessica wouldn't want her to. People think it clever to sneer at 'Noblesse Oblige' and traditional values and all that, but Gwendoline's just started to realise what it's all about. That's what fired her up to carry on."
"Shall we go and join them - try and prise them apart?" said Harriet
The pair had withdrawn from each others' arms and were standing over the table studying a detailed map of the next stage of their route north.
"Are you sure you can go on so soon, Gwendoline? That back could still do with a bit more rest," a concerned Fran asked.
"Well it's not going to get any rest! I'm OK I swam forty lengths of your pool this morning."
"Not all at once like we did," said Harriet. "You had to take a break."
"Are you telling me I couldn't swim forty lengths of that little piss-hole of a pool in one go?"
"Yes."
"Well, just watch me!"
And before her friends could protest, she was away and running over the lawn past the tennis court and throwing herself back into the water.
"Are you two just going to sit there? Get on in after her - NOW!" shouted Francesca.
The first thirty lengths were easy enough, but all three girls had to struggle to complete the remaining ten. They were joined by Francesca for the last few lengths. She helped Jessica and Harriet out, but Gwendoline refused any assistance - even going on for a couple more and following after the others.
"Aren't you three going to wrestle again? I'm going to get myself a towel - hang on until I get back."
Three shivering girls waited for Fran to return. When she did... "You and Jessie against me, Harriet."
"You sure you want to take us both on - doesn't seem right!" from Harriet.
Gwendoline threw herself onto Harriet and forced her to the ground, sitting on her breasts. Jessica grabbed Gwen around the waist and tried to pull her off Harriet, but Gwen somehow managed to throw her off and onto the ground next to Harry; and Gwendoline was on top of them both for a few seconds, before the effort of holding both down at once became too much. It was a full twenty minutes before the inevitable happened and Harriet held Gwen's legs firmly in place and Jessica sat on her chest her hands keeping Gwen's arms on the ground.
Francesca counted up to five and Gwen's shoulders remained firmly pinned for this time and so the other two were declared the winners.
"Gosh, look at the time you guys; we won't have much daylight left if we don't make a move. Thanks for putting up with us Franny - tell your Dad he's made at least one convert as far as winter swimming is concerned - can't vouch for the other two!"
"He'll be tickled pink to think it had FOUR people using it today and I was one of them! I might just join him now and again - Mummy will think I'm as mad as he is! Bye for now and good luck!"
"All that down there," said Gwendoline as the three lay on the grass looking down from the hillside, "will be mine one day."
"What do you mean Gwen, your father's got at least thirty years to live."
Gwendoline did not reply for a few moments.
"I hope so, Jessica. But he's signing those farms and a lot more over to me when I leave College."
"To avoid inheritance tax, you mean?" said Harriet.
Gwendoline nodded.
"You only have to live seven years after a Deed of Gift for it to be effective. Why so soon?"
"Dad has aged a lot recently."
"You never said! We haven't ever had any secrets before."
The three were looking at a trio of farms lying in the valley.
It was the morning after they had left Francesca's house. They had swum in her pool and Francesca had joined them, casting off all her clothes and swimming a couple of lengths with them. In future her father might be surprised to find a companion for his morning dip!
They had not slept well. The grass was covered with a light dusting of frost.
Harriet and Jessica lay on either side of Gwendoline. They both shivered, but Gwen made no move to get up.
"Can't we visit that farm and ask for some food from the farmer?" asked Harriet pointing to the nearest house.
"Fat chance. He's easily Daddy's worst tenant. The man's always behind with his rent and complaining and asking Dad to pay for repairs that are due to his negligence. Dad's too easygoing. When I'm in charge it'll be another story. He'll be out of that farm so fast his feet won't touch the ground."
"What would the poor man and his family do then?" cried Harriet. "And he's the one who works the land, not your father."
Gwen and Jessica usually tried to ignore Harriet's irritating Marxism, but this was too much for Gwendoline.
"WORK," she exploded, "that idle sod and his Neanderthal brood don't know the meaning of the word! Look at the place! You can see from here how neglected it is!"
Harriet did not look convinced, but held her peace. She and Jessica were feeling colder by the second. Their skin was blue and covered in gooseflesh but Gwen seemed impervious both to the frost and her companions' discomfort.
"Can't we DO something, Gwendoline? Some exercises to get the blood flowing?"
She continued to recline on the grass looking down on a very small part of her future inheritance, lost in thoughts of her possible coming bereavement and future burdens. It was only when the other two reminded her, for the umpteenth time that they were freezing, that she came out of her daydream.
"Sorry, girls. Just getting a bit morbid."
"You two against me, this time?" asked Harriet.
"I'd have thought you'd had enough of being sat on, darling!" laughed Gwen, "But if you're quite sure - don't blame us! Come on Jessie!"
Harriet put up an amazingly fierce resistance against the others and it took them forty minutes to subdue her, by which time they were, if not warm, at least not quite so cold.
"I'd forgotten just how comfortable she was to sit on, Jessie - she's so soft and warm!"
"Remember how she said we could lick her pussy whenever we liked?"
"After you, Jessica."
Gwen laughed as Jessica moved off Harriet's legs and tried to take her up on her recent promise. It was not easy! The said limbs flailed about in such a dangerous manner that Jessie soon gave up. They all rose.
"Maybe we should find a less violent way of warming up in future," said Gwen. "I mean someone could break something and where would we be then?"
"Rubbish!" said the other two together.
Harriet spoke for both of the other two, "We don't try to hurt each other or try anything too fancy - we're always pretty careful - and it's fun."
"Where do we go next, Gwen and Jessie - I saw you looking at all those maps in Francesca's place?"
"Keep going North unil we hit the Pennines! We will have to be careful when we get to Saddleworth Moor - very near Manchester. This is one of the worst parts of the trip as far as conurbations are concerned. That fictional Tami had it easy with all those wide open spaces!"
"Who was Tami?" asked Jessie.
"You remember the story Bill was talking about in Minehead? You know - the American student who had to pretend nudism was her religion, just so she didn't get thrown out of College - silly berk!" Harriet said, impatiently.
"Oh, I remember. That story seems to upset you, Harry! I thought it sounded quite a good tale. I wonder if anyone will ever write about us!"
Gwendoline agreed. "I loved the story of her journey across America - made me want to go and see it all for myself. Not that I ever will - going to be too busy."
"We haven't been held prisoner by a bunch of loonies for a few days - I should think we're about due to fall into some crazy person's clutches any time now! I wonder what kind of off the wall type it will be next?"
Gwendoline's little joke produced no sign of amusement.
"You seem to ask for trouble some times, Gwen. You scarcely heal up after that awful beating you got and now you want more! What do you say, Jessica? She's tempting Fate talking like that!"
"Let's look for some nice little stream, Jessie! Harry needs another bath!"
Harriet stopped smiling at this and Gwendoline quickly put one strong, golden-skinned arm around her ivory-white shoulders. "Sorry, sweetheart - that was unforgiveable. Am I forgiven, please?"
"Sure - but you gave me a fright. It all came back to me how you held me under so long - mind you, it served a purpose. When I went back to Jason's place I felt so hot indoors - kept getting out into his garden to cool off!"
Harriet continued, " I'm getting awfully hungry - can't you remember any one around here we can scrounge a meal from?"
Gwendoline frowned. "Maybe one guy - a bit of a risk that he might tell Mummy and Daddy - but if you two agree, I could try it - our combined charm might persuade him to keep mum!"
The three girls studied each other carefully. None had had any depilation for weeks and it struck them just how hairy women's bodies could get in a very short time!
Harriet's auburn locks were matted and untidy. It could do with a wash, the other two thought. The cold was doing nothing for her skin tone.
Jessica was covered in scratches as the result of an argument with a bramble bush earlier in the day. Her feet were filthy and her legs were caked with mud.
Only Gwendoline, with her fine, smooth skin and golden hair - hair which seemed miraculously to look after itself and shone as brightly as the late autumn sun - still possessed some remnants of female charm. But even she was by no means free from blemishes. Her back still bore plenty of evidence of Richard's unpleasantness to her. She also had her fair share of scratches and had been stung by nettles on her arms and thighs.
"I think we ALL could use a bath - never mind Harry!" was Jessica's judgment. "We look an absolute fright - even you Gwen. Sheena the Queen of the Jungle always kept herself so smart and pretty - how the fuck did she do it?"
"Because Tanya Roberts had the make up department of an entire film production company on hand!" laughed Gwen. "Maybe they'll do a film about this journey one day and the girls playing us'll look perfectly groomed all the way through! Any way let's find somewhere to wash ourselves and then try and find a phone box we can use."
They found a rather muddy brook and washed off some of the accumulated grime. After this they pressed on looking for a phone box that was out of sight of any habitation - not an easy task. Finally they saw one near a layby.
"Oh shit!" said Harry. "Someone's parked a lorry to make a phone call. Haven't people heard of mobiles?"
The other two were sheltering behind a stone wall while Harriet poked her head over the top. After a few minutes she hissed, "I think he's coming out - yes! Quite a dishy guy!"
"What firm does the lorry belong to?" asked Jessica.
"Josiah Benskin - Hauliers."
"That's Andy's firm!" cried Jessica. "We must attract his attention."
And so all three girls emerged into view and waved frantically as the lorry's engine roared into life and it began to move ponderously away.
Andrew was just driving off when he saw out of his rear mirror, three naked girls frantically waving to him. He smiled delightedly and stopped. As they drew level he wound down the window.
"Hi girls - got a new recruit, I see!"
"Thanks to you, sweetheart - when Jason got your message I was haring after these two like a shot!"
"You will be Lady Harriet I presume?"
"I'm no bloody Lady - happy to prove it to you any time, mate!"
"What can I do for you three?"
"We are very hungry, darling Andy," said Gwendoline.
"Hang on ladies. I'll be right back - give me twenty minutes!"
He was as good as his word and twenty minutes later his lorry returned.
"Got a few bits and pieces from the cafe - should stave off the old hunger pangs for a few hours. Mind you don't leave polystyrene cartons all over the place. Keep Britain Tidy and all that! Care to join me up here, ladies?"
"No room for all of us in that cab - go on Jessica you go and talk to Andy!"
With this she placed her hand under her friend's bottom and pushed her up into the cab next to Andy, who handed two packages down to Gwen and Harriet.
"There's room for us all, Gwen - easily -what the fuck are you playing at. I'm fucking frozen out here and we have to watch those two all warm and cosy while we freeze and shiver - are you finally plumb mad?"
"I know what I'm doing. And a nice bit of cold will do you good! Can't have you getting soft on us - the worst weather is still to come."
Jessica climbed up into the cab assisted by Gwendoline's affectionate hand on her rear end and settled down on the seat next to Andy, knees spread out and her legs crossed in front of her.
"Sorry about my dirty feet on your nice seat!"
"They are loveliest little feet in the world - an honour to have them here!"
For a few minutes she was too busy eating to speak.
"Thanks, Andy - you're a true friend. 'Fraid I've a terrible confession!"
"What could that possibly be?"
"I'm plain Miss Maltravers - don't know where you got the Honourable bit from. My friends out there in the cold are the blue-bloods. I'm just a prole like you."
"I thought your father was a Lord Justice?"
"Yes - but that doesn't make him a Lord - Only a Sir. I'm as common as muck compared to those two!"
"Nothing common about you, Jessica - a very rare young lady!"
A few minutes later Jessica spoke again. "When this is over I think we should all take you out to dinner. You've been so good to us!"
"Thanks, Jessica. But I've a much better idea! Why don't just the two of us go out for a meal and a show and back to my place afterwards?"
Jessica blushed. "I wonder what Gwendoline would make of that? You know what we are to each other!"
"So I'm wasting my time, darling lovely Jessica?"
She turned even redder, the flush covering her breast and throat as well as her face. Suddenly aware of her nakedness for the first time in weeks, she moved her hand to cover her private parts which had been plainly visible up till then.
Andy moved closer to her and placed his arm around her shoulders.
"I take it that pretty blush means I haven't been entirely wasting my time cruising around trying to get a glimpse of you, these last few days? I KNEW when we met that you felt something too! I want to spend all the rest of my life with you, Jessie!"
Jessica was never able to recall in later years, exactly what happened next. After what seemed an age she reluctantly drew her mouth away from Andy's and rested her head on his jacket.
"Well - you'll have to spend more time in the office in future doing your real job, running your firm. No more cruising around picking up nude girls! You mustn't let your grandfather's work go to rack and ruin - you've got to keep the business strong. I want there to be something to hand on to our children. Oh Hell what will Gwen think - darling Andy - I've betrayed her. She'll be so unhappy!"
"I wouldn't be so sure, my love - you didn't see the wink she gave me when she pushed you into the cab!"
"That's looking jolly friendly up there!" said Harriet and then realised what she was saying. She put her arm around the distraught Gwendoline.
"I'm sorry, Gwen - how could I be so tactless?"
Gwendoline hugged her friend.
"Let's go behind the wall - Harry. I need a while to pull myself together. I don't want Jessie to see me like this. It WAS my idea to get them alone together, after all said and done - just that now it's worked so well - I feel so bloody wretched!"
When they were settled against the same stone wall out of sight of the embracing couple, Gwendoline sobbed out her heart for a few minutes and then gradually composed herself.
"I've known for a while now that all this betwen us couldn't last - maybe I always did. I'm going to have to marry one day and have kids and so will she. And I could see the other day that Andy was taken with her - I mean really terminally smitten - and it wasn't one-sided either. But we've been through such a lovely time Jessica and I - I think I must have kissed every square inch of that lovely adorable body a hundred times over! At least it was she who left me and not the other way around. That would have hurt me much more."
"What's going to happen to the journey, Gwendoline?"
"I don't know - I hope we can go on, but Andy will have his ideas about that. It was all her inspiration anyway even if I do seem to have taken over lately. I don't suppose they'll leave us here all alone. She'll come and tell us in a while."
As she spoke they heard the engine start up and the lorry could be heard moving off. As the noise faded away, Jessica came around the wall and sat beside them.
"Sorry, Gwen. I feel a real louse about this - and at the same time I feel so happy! Andy said he was sure you wouldn't mind."
"I mind plenty old thing - you can see how I've been crying! But it IS for the best and I hope it works out between you."
"Andy say's I'm still all yours until we finish the initiation, but he wants me handed over in one piece on 23rd November! Actually I insisted and he had to agree. I can get him to do anything I want already!"
"Jessie - you mean you let him drive away and we still have nowhere to sleep tonight except the chilly outdoors? I bet Andy is sore as hell after seeing before him an eternity of lying next to you at night - and now it's postponed for a few weeks."
Gwendoline decided that they must use the remaining hours of light to walk as far as possible. She had hoped to utilise Andy's services to take them many miles North, and Jessie had allowed him to leave them stranded! She had his number in her head, though and would be in touch with him sooner than he might think!
It was late afternoon and a weary trio were wondering where amid all the windy bleakness they could find a reasonable place to rest for the night, when they heard a female voice raised in distress.
"Please help me. You must. I'm so desperate - PLEASE!"
"Please help me."
The cries were coming from a clump of high trees a few hundred yards away and the three girls made their way towards the sounds. They saw an elderly lady running towards them.
"This way, please - you must help!"
"Come on you two," said Gwendoline. "Don't just stand around like a couple of spare dicks at a wedding! The woman needs help."
Jessie and Harriet obeyed uncertainly and unwillingly. They had been involved in too many situations on this adventure to be about to plunge unthinkingly into another! But Gwendoline was running swiftly towards the lady, her bare feet and long legs racing across the turf, and they followed.
As soon as she saw she had attracted the trio's attention the old woman pointed towards the trees, which now that she was closer to them, Gwendoline saw to be part of the garden of a large house. She followed the old lady into the garden and the poor old person pointed up into one of the taller trees.
The other two caught up in a few seconds and Gwendoline said impatiently, "About time - what kept you?"
"This lady's young cat has got a bit too venturesome and climbed up this tree and can't get down again - you can see her up there, poor little thing."
Gwendoline pointed to one of the upper branches where a meowing little half-grown long haired tabby cat could just be seen.
"Oh, it'll get down OK," said Harriet.
"Right. It will," snapped Gwen, "because I'm going to bring it down. Give me a hand up."
"Doesn't she have a ladder?" asked Jessica.
"NO! And stop wasting time and help me up!"
And so Gwendoline was hoisted up on her friends' shoulders and managed to grasp the lowest branch of the tree. Although she collected more abrasions and scratches on the way up to add to an already over large collection, it did not take her too long to get to the upper branch where the distressed kitten was continuing to keep up a wailing serenade of meows.
"How can a tiny little lady like you make such a noise?" asked Gwendoline as she made her way along the branch towards the cat. She could only go so far before the branch began to creak in a very threatening manner - any further and it would probably break sending her and the kitten to their deaths.
"What's she called?" she shouted down to the old lady.
"Sheba."
"Come on Sheba - nice little Sheba - come to Gwendoline," and she extended one hand in an inviting friendly way, keeping her balance by gripping tightly on to the branch with both thighs and her remaining hand. For what seemed an age the little creature stayed where she was. It was getting colder all the while and Gwendoline, forced as she was to be absolutely still was beginning to feel it. Finally Sheba was sufficiently reassured by Gwendoline's patient, affectionate manner to begin edging her way towards her with frequent pauses while she plucked up her feline courage, all the while getting closer to her would-be rescuer.
When Sheba was well within touching distance, Gwen allowed the little cat to inspect her for a few moments, before picking her up with one hand and gently clasping her to her shoulder. As soon as she felt Sheba was sufficiently calm, she started shuffling back towards where the branch met the tree, further scraping her already sore bare thighs and bottom as she did so. She paused to prepare for the climb down and to calm the kitten who was beginning to become panicky again.
"Don't you have lovely sharp claws, darling little Sheba! When you're a big lady, can I have one of your kittens - I'd love to have a little friend just like you. Anyway sweetie-pie; it's time we got you down!"
The downward climb was a nightmare for the watchers below and several times they were sure Gwendoline was about to fall, but she always steadied herself while maintaining her grip on the kitten.
When she finally made it to the bottom-most branch she dropped Sheba down to Harriet's outstretched hands and jumped the eight feet to the soft ground below, landing safely.
The old lady was overcome with gratitude to Gwendoline and joy at being reunited with Sheba who both submitted to being smothered with kisses.
Finally the lady stepped back and looked at the three naked girls, all bedraggled and covered in mud and dust - covered with scratches - Gwendoline the most of the three.
"Whatever are you three up to? You must have weeks like this! This brave girl in particular needs those cuts seeing to - come inside dear."
"You two wait outside," said Gwendoline. "You can shiver a bit longer - serve you right for letting me do all the hard work!"
Half an hour later Gwendoline returned. Her hair had been washed and all her cuts treated with antiseptic - she smelt like a pharmacy!
"The old lady has offered to let us stay the night inside. I want to sleep out in the open air as usual, but I'll let you two decide."
"We are rather cold out here, Gwen," said Harriet. "Sorry not to have been more help - but you seemed to be doing fine on your own! I agree though, we should sleep outside as long as we can stand it."
"Looks like I'm outvoted then - let's start looking for a suitable spot!" said Jessica.
"We can use her garden to sleep in. There is an outside toilet and a pump to wash ourselves under and she will bring us out something to eat in the morning. Luxury really!"
The other two could not help feeling left out of things - but of course it was Gwendoline who had risked her life to rescue the cat. And Jessica was still feeling guilty for accepting Andy's offer of marriage "I mean, how long have I known him, and I've grown up with Gwen - and she was so wonderful this evening - she always is nowadays!"
So they slept on the bare ground again, Gwendoline weeping inwardly as she felt Jessica's warmth beneath her - knowing that for the first night in weeks, that sweet body was no longer exclusively hers to enjoy and never would be again.
Jessica and Harriet woke up in the morning to find themselves clasped in each others arms for warmth and with Gwendoline not with them. They separated and began to look around in the early morning gloom.
"I bet she sneaked off inside the house and left us out here to freeze all bloody night - I wonder about that girl sometimes - she seems to have some kind of power mania lately combined with sadism!" said Harriet as she rubbed her hands and feet which always seemed to end the night totally frozen - only her thighs and body keeping enough heat to sustain life. Jessica was similarly engaged.
"Watch what you say about her, Harry! She's still my best friend! She just got up early and went off for a walk or something - I bet you. Look - here she comes!"
And Gwendoline, pink all over from a cold shower and a morning jog around the field rejoined her two co-initiates. "She's always looked the most beautiful girl in the world," thought Jessica, "but there's something else about her today - I love you Andy, but I love you too darling, darling Gwen! Can't I have you both?"
"Time to rise and shine, you two -and get yourselves under that pump fast - you both stink to high heaven - YUCK!"
"Just a bit of good honest sweat, Gwen" said Harry.
"It's a whole lot more than that - believe me! Now get under the pump, before I pass out!"
The newly washed and shivering duo returned to find the old lady and Gwendoline in conversation.
"I have just been telling your friend that Sheba and I would love you to join us inside for breakfast. I understand from Gwendoline here that you all of you don't like being indoors, but I promise to keep the windows open and not turn on the heating until you have gone."
"You really have gone fucking mad haven't you Gwen," muttered Harriet as they all made their way inside the house. Gwendoline ignored her friends' fury and picked up a purring Sheba who had recognised her rescuer.
"How's dear little Sheba after her fright? There!" and she kissed the little cat and allowed her to sit on her knee while they all ate. She fed frequent morsels to her new furry little friend and seemed more interested in her than the three humans.
At one stage she seized the remainder of a sausage from Jessica's plate, saying, "You don't really want all that enormous sausage, Jessie - open wide Sheba darling - eat it all up - there's a good little pussikins!"
Finally they left Mrs Jenkinson's house, but not before promising to return after they had completed their mission. The grateful old lady assured Gwendoline that she could most certainly have one of Sheba's kittens when and if she ever produced a litter.
Sheba herself followed Gwendoline out of the house and half way across the field before finding herself at the limit of her territory. She uttered a farewell meow as her lovely rescuer disappeared from view.
"You really are so ridiculously soppy about cats, Gwendoline. I mean totally obsessed to the point where it's bloody pathological! I wondered if you weren't going bonkers back there the way you were fussing and gushing over that kitten! You and that old dear would make a fine pair!" a shivering Harriet muttered. "And another thing - I haven't been out of the cold once for days - at least Jessie had a warm up in Andy's cab and you got to wash your hair in the house last night."
"I said before Harry - a bit of discomfort is good for you, and I think I must arrange some more pretty soon for all of us! The old lady told me there's a reservoir just over the hill. We're all going for a lovely swim soon. Isn't life grand!"
Harriet and Jessica both expressed themselves of the opinion that life was nothing of the sort and that Gwendoline was a hard as nails bitch who expected too much from her friends, but they both joined her in the water and didn't dare emerge until Gwen had finished swimming herself. They were both so numbed and paralysed with cold that Gwendoline easily beat them afterwards, wrestling them both to the ground and sitting on them until she warmed them both with the heat of her own body.
They had covered five miles at a pace varying between a run and a jog before they felt comfortable.
"OK now you two?"
"Thanks Gwen," gasped Harriet, " it's quite a feeling of achievement isn't it to go through all this and survive? I suppose you're quite right to keep pushing us to the limit - even if we don't always think so at the time - but I'm still going to get you for it when all this is over!"
"Tell you what, girls. Next time we get offered hospitality, we accept. Aren't I good to you?"
What both the others were both thinking was that the next time might be never - certainly not for days. And they were both yearning for a few hours of indoor warmth and a bed that was not hard, cold, dirty and damp. These feelings were reinforced when the clear crisp, dry cold of the last few days gave way to a clammy drizzle and visibility was reduced to just a few yards. They all soon became dripping wet as they continued through the murk and rain.
"Maybe we should try to get under cover to sleep tonight said Gwendoline as the afternoon drew on and the weather seemed to be getting worse - "I don't mind for myself, but you two need a break - keep a look out for any kind of place with a roof and we'll toss down there for the night."
"If we can find anything," groaned Jessica. "This must be just about the bleakest place I've ever seen in my life. It would be perfect for the Blasted Heath in Macbeth. To think I brought us all on this jaunt in the first place. I know you're loving it these last few days Gwen - but we're just ordinary flesh and blood - not some fucking Wonderwoman character!"
"I don't feel any better than you two - I've learned to cope with it, that's all, and so can you two if you only put your minds to it. And you're both going to! Just for that piece of defeatism we stay outside all night - rain or no rain. We've done it before and we'll do it again!"
So a couple of hours later the three huddled together under a drystone wall for yet another exposed and miserable night with only each other' warmth to keep them alive. They slept only fitfully and kept changing around to allow one to be covered by the other two. It was getting light when they finally awoke and saw that they were being observed by a man standing them, with a beaming smile on his face.
"Ladies - how lovely to see you. Especially you my dear"
The second part of his greeting was directed at Gwendoline.
"You must come with me into my home. There is something very important I want this lovely fair-haired, golden skinned vision to do for me! So strong as well - Oh those arms. What power they seem to possess!"
The three girls got to their feet and studied the gentleman warily. Both Harriet and Jessica remembered Gwen's joke about it being about time for them to meet up with another loony and they concluded that this gentleman seemed to fill the bill admirably.
The cold misty rain had not ceased all night and this odd person was dressed only in indoor clothes and was soaked all through - not that it seemed to bother him. He wore a dark blue suit that must have cost him a small fortune and the kind of city shoes that are definitely NOT meant for hiking around the Pennines. His shirt and silk tie must also have been expensive and the entire complement had been reduced to a state of utter soddenness.
None of this seemed to bother the stranger and he continued to beam at them as the water trickled down his nose and dripped onto his clothes.
"Please follow me, my dears. I live over yonder - a walk of only a few minutes. Just taking a morning stroll when I came upon you. What a delightful surprise - the answer to all my dreams for so long!"
"A morning stroll, dressed like that - definitely the next loony you were talking about, Gwen," said Harriet. "And you are the one who seems to be in line for whatever madness he has in mind."
"You want to get inside, don't you! Well here's your chance - do you want to take it or not? Don't bother to answer - I've a great curiosity to find out what he wants. Let's go!"