Chapter 17: Last Episode

"Can I say a couple of things to you, Dorothy, before we continue our fight?"

"What, Julia?" asked the battered Dorothy, her eyes almost closed and her face a bloody mess after seven rounds, during which she had hardly landed a blow on the skilful Julia. The two combatants had just come out of their respective improvised corners to start another round. Dorothy sensed that defeat was near but had no thought of giving up.

"Number one. You're a wonderful and brave girl. I'd be proud to call you my friend. I truly would!"

Dorothy blinked in surprise. "What else, Julia. You said two things?"

"I'm sorry for the wicked way I spoke to you back there. Will you please forgive me, not only for that but what I've done to that poor nice face of yours? I won't hit you again, but you are welcome to hit me as hard and as many times as you like. I won't duck, I promise you! I deserve it! Go on. Go ahead!"

Dorothy shook her head and tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I don't want to fight you any more, Julia - not if you're saying you're sorry. Shake hands?"

Julia stepped up to her bruised ex opponent and gently brushed the proffered hand aside.

"I think we can do better than a handshake, sweetheart!" and she put her arms around Dorothy and gently kissed her bruised face, the tears streaming down her own cheeks as she did so.

The watching crowd began to drift away. Some were glad to see the two girls settle their differences in such a tender way and others were disappointed to be denied the sight of Dorothy's body slumping senseless to the ground. Giles, who had been watching his beloved's merciless demolition of a completely unskilled but plucky opponent with growing disgust, breathed a sigh of relief, his faith in Julia's basic decency and goodness restored.

"Our walk along the towpath had better be cancelled, Beatrice. Dear Dorothy's in no state to go through with it and I want to help her clean up a bit after the mess I made of her. How I hate myself for that. How could I ever have been so vicious?"

"Oi hit you first, Julia, or tried to and I did get you a sore bum as well as one for myself!. And I'm OK really I am. I want to finish the walk. You might need to help me along towards the end, but Oi'll be foine."

Julia smiled at her latest friend - she was making quite a few today!- and told her she had better retrieve her shoes at the very least. Dorothy shook her head obstinately and said she would go on until her feet were cut to ribbons and still keep going, even after that.