Chapter 2

"Look what we've got here boys! Couple of randy little lesbians rolling around on the floor - dirty little cows. Come and have a look!"

Gwendoline and Jessica had been two days in the open and the previous night had found a large deserted barn- like building far from any habitation and had gratefully decided to get under cover for the night. The weather was becoming much more autumnal and yesterday had seen a steady drizzle falling all day. The poor visibility had made it easier to cross the M5 by a bridge south of Taunton, which was just about the only good thing to be said about a cold, wet and miserable day.

The option of crossing the Somerset levels had been rejected. Too many waterways and rivers to cross. It was getting too cold for more than one swim a day. And the Blackdown Hills seemed to offer more in the way of cover, with their extensive woodlands, than the more open low-lying areas.

They had been making rather faster progress than they needed to over the last two days and were ready to rest up for a bit. This was why they had decided on a late start and were still lying on a pile of old sacking; passionately and affectionately embracing, at almost nine in the morning. They were in the middle of a deeply satisfying and salivatory French kiss when the five loutish, not exactly sober young men discovered them.

"Dirty little perverts, I know JUST what they need, boys," and the leading one took off his belt, starting to move towards the girls. "Give those arses of theirs a good, long, strong taste of this and then they can find out what sex with five men apiece is like. Filthy little dykes."

"Nasty ill-bred man. Not our sort at all," whispered Jessica. "As for that belt - my bum is tingling already! Let's separate and move towards the door. That should split them up so one of us gets two and the other gets three to deal with."

They moved apart and began making towards the doorway where four of the five were still standing, unable to believe their luck in having two nude girls at their mercy.

As Jessica had hoped, two immediately made for Gwen and two for her. The fifth hesitated and then chose Gwendoline.

"WHAT does that girl have that I don't," thought a hurt and offended Jessica

Both of these two young ladies were about five feet ten inches tall and well built, with fine arms and shoulders and athletic, well-muscled thighs. Not female body builders, but strong, fit girls. Both had impressively well developed chests and flat, hard athlete's stomachs. Gwen was fair-haired and Jessica brown-haired.

"Gentleman really DO prefer blondes, even pigs like these."

"Isn't it a bit early in the day to be drinking, you ugly pig! I heard cider was bad for the brain - now I see it's true. Not good for the looks either. Or the smell, you filthy bastard. Ever heard of soap and water?"

All these insults were deliberately directed at one of the two yobs, and Jessica looked him straight in the eye as she said them. It had the desired effect and an enraged young man threw himself at her - throwing a punch that would have flattened her if it had got any where near its target. Instead she seized his arm and the surprised young man landed heavily on the floor, with his leg twisted underneath him, very badly broken by the fall - as Jessica had intended.

The other man was soon in a similar state and both were screaming in pain.

Jessica picked up a heavy-looking piece of wood that she had noticed, and been edging towards, and with the words, "Stop making that silly noise," she hit them both hard on the head and knocked them cold.

"Hurry up Gwen, we haven't got all day."

Her friend had had a similarly easy time with two of her three attackers, but the third was proving a lot harder to handle and Jessica moved over to assist.

"Back off Jess. You've had your bit of fun. This creep's mine!"

Gwen had cause to regret this boastful comment a second later, when the guy hit her a blow to the face which drew blood from her nose and raised an immediate swelling under her eye. Angered and spurred on to action by this, Gwendoline whirled around on one bare foot and sent its fellow thudding into the man's jaw and he collapsed on the spot.

"Let's be on our way, Jess. At least we don't have to waste time gathering up all our belongings."

"Golly! that's a lovely black eye you collected, Gwen! It'll look super in a day or two."

And so the two wandered hand-in-hand into the rainy late September day.

"Do you think the police will be looking for us, Gwen? I mean I really hurt my two quite badly. They'll probably be limping for the rest of their lives."

"No. Never. No way those five are going to own up to having let a couple of girls do that to them. They'll say it was a gang of men."

They had, as has been mentioned excelled at sport when at school and had not only gone through the mandatory self-defence classes, but had gone on to practise all sorts of other fighting skills and won cups and medals in abundance. Mr Roberts, the PE master had said they were the best pair since Katie and her friend Angela had left the school, some six years earlier.

"And at least you two girls don't have a thing about fighting each other, like that pair. Best of friends, but when they were in the ring together the sparks really flew!"

This was true. Aggression for them was something to be used sparingly and only on others. They would never fight each other - refusing point-blank to do so many times.

Gwen and Jessica had come to a deep river two days after their encounter with the five drunken yokels and decided the best thing, once again, would be to swim across. The recent rainfall, which had been cascading down their bodies continuously for days and nights, had swollen the stream to a quite amazing degree. The current was extremely fierce and the girls had been carried far downstream, finally reaching the far bank and climbing wearily out onto a well manicured, if totally drenched, lawn.

They found themselves confonted by a tall and elderly man, who stood smiling down at them under a large golf umbrella. He had a VERY military moustache and was dressed in a sports jacket, check shirt, woollen tie and cavalry twills (cannot vouch for the underwear!) - every inch the retired Colonel!

"Damned fine bit of swimming, girls -By Jove! it was. Stong current here at the best of times. Take my hat off to you both! Come in and have a whisky or something! - HEY better get your clothes on first - GOD SAKES!! Where are they - where are your clothes - catch your death - bloody chilly morning."

The giggling and delighted pair, realising that they were with a friend even if it was a somewhat eccentric one, replied, "Clothes in Northumberland, Sir. Got to stay starkers for weeks yet--interesting - what!" This came from Jessica and she and Gwen fell into each others arms laughing uncontrollably.

The old gentleman seemed as amused as the girls and laughed heartily himself.

"Come on! Let a lonely old fellow in on it! What the hell's going on? "

And so the two friends standing exposed to the elements and dripping wet with the heavy rain running down their bodies, explained their mission to the old gentleman, who stood dry under his umbrella. Finally they finshed.

"By Golly but you're as damn fine a pair of girls as I ever met, even to get this far! Be bloody proud to have daughters like you, instead of my two useless sons! Hope for old England yet - long as girls like you are around! Proud to meet you! Mind you, ladies - never joined the Masons myself - all that damned silly mumbo jumbo! But your initiation - by Gad!! Splendid!! Eh! Knocks theirs into a cocked hat!! even it was a man's idea."

Then his native chivalry reasserted itself. " Get under this brolly you two - damned rude of me -you must be freezing!"

"No, thanks, Sir," said, Jessica, "we've much worse than this to come in the next few weeks. Got to get used to it. And we're going to see this through, Sir, believe us!"

"Damned sure you will by gad. Back you two down to my last cent! Now you follow me inside. Be my guests for a few hours, EH!!"

And the two dripping and chilly girls followed the old gentleman into his house, relieved to have found some respite from the rain that was beginning to sap even their spirits.

"Sit down, my dears. Never mind the furniture - bit of river water good for it - get these down you!" And he handed them a brandy apiece.

"Thanks, Colonel, murmured Gwendoline as she felt the fine old Cognac warm her.

"Colonel, be damned!" shouted their eccentric host. "General, if you don't mind - General Edward Halliburton, retd. Call me Teddy!"

"Gen. Sir Edward Halliburton, MC, KCB!" said Jessica. "Gosh, Sir. Everyone's heard about you! You've just about done everything - gone everywhere. What an honour to be drinking your brandy. Why my fa..."

"Your father!!! Oh I know him, Jessica. Served under me in Cyprus in the Fifties - damned fine officer. He and Gwen's father think you're hiking across England! Bet they'd have a fit if they could see you now!! EHHH! And for Heaven's sake don't keep calling me Sir; makes me feel a hundred years old."

"How did you know who I am, Sir... er Teddy? We've never met as far as I know."

"He's very proud of you, Jessica, and with good reason. Showed me your photo the last time we met up in Town for some reunion. You're a lot prettier than your picture," he blushed. "Sorry - not quite what I meant."

"I know what you meant! But you won't tell Daddy about us - I mean our being naked and all that? PLEASE don't do that."

"No, my dear young ladies! I won't say a word to your parents - except that you dropped in on me and you're both fine - which you are. Cross my heart and hope to die! Wish I could be going with you both - but Doctor's Orders and all that. Got to watch the old ticker. Staying to lunch - what! Course you are. Hang on - be with you in a tick."

And he went to the door and called out. "Two guests for lunch, Emily. See what you can rustle up - there's a good girl."

"My housekeeper and cook," he explained.

Jessica glanced at a photograph of the General and a lady standing by his side. He followed her glance and his brisk, cheery manner deserted him for a minute.

"My darling wife Olivia. Been dead ten years now. Met her when we were both just kids and it was love at first sight for us both. Never stopped loving each other - never any one else for either of us. The pain never goes away, not even after all these years - you just learn to live with it."

"So sorry, Teddy," said Gwendoline.

The General composed himself and resumed his former hearty manner.

"I'd marry her again, and go through it all again knowing what was to come. Wonderful girl. HEY!! I know a way to warm you girls up - come along!"

And he led the way through to a large room at the back of the house where there was a table tennis table.

"Here you are, girls. Get a bit of a sweat up here. I'll leave you to it, if you don't mind. Got a few things to do before lunch."

After two hours of evenly matched activity, the General called through to the warmed up and perspiring pair - LUNCH READY. COME AND GET IT - YOU TWO!!

The general sat at the head of the table, dressed in a very smart suit and the girls sat one on each side dressed in nothing at all except for two very pretty smiles. The housekeeper, showing no sign of surprise at the nudity of the two guests came in and served the meal of roast beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, carrots, parsnips and cauliflower. She poured red wine into the three glasses, placed the carafe on the table and withdrew. It looked delicious after a diet of nuts, berries and the odd raw fish. It had been a while since they had used one of the food caches, having diverged somewhat from the route marked out on the map.

"Thought I'd dress up a bit - two honoured guests and all that! Start tucking in now - don't let it get cold."

For a few minutes not a sound was heard as the two friends hungrily made up for lost culinary time.

"Lovly meal, Teddy and exceptional Burgundy - best I've ever drunk," said Gwendoline.

"Been in my cellar a long time, my dear. Was going to share it with Olivia after she came out of hospital, but she never did - haven't had the heart to touch it ever since."

The girls were both deeply touched by this and Jessica wiped her eyes.

"Don't look so glum, Jessica! High time it got drunk - can't let wine like this go to waste forever. Glad to share with it you both. Worth waiting for!"

After a delicious sweet (Tiramisu) and coffee and brandy, the general rose to his feet.

"'Fraid I have to go off for my afternoon nap. You two go into the lounge and make yourselves comfortable for an hour or two. See you later."

They obeyed gladly and curled up together on the sofa. The effects of the meal, the wonderful Burgundy and the fine brandy all combined to send the pair to sleep and they slumbered peacefuly with Gwen's head resting on Jessica's breast and Jessica's arms clasping Gwen's soft warm hips until the General returned and awoke them with a tactful cough.

"Now we're all a bit rested, let me have the chance to beat you both hollow at table tennis - come on!"

He took off his jacket and loosened his tie, but made no effort to emulate the young ladies' nudity. For the first few games the General was as good as his word - he really was an ace player. But age had taken its toll and the girls' youth and strength gradually gave them the upper hand.

Finally the old gentleman put down his bat and wiped his forehead.

"Enough! I could have gone for ever once, but 'anno domini' and all that. Let's go and watch the news."

And so they went back to the lounge and the General switched on the television. The first item was the local regional news and a report about the five youths who had been attacked by a gang of twenty bikers, while preparing a disused barn for an illicit "rave".

"Police are still searching for the vicious thugs responsible for this brutal and unprovoked attack, but no clues have been found so far. They appear to have vanished without trace. Ray Brown the most severely injured recovered consciousness this morning and doctors are optimistic that they will be able to save his right leg."

The girls screamed with laughter and clutched each other shaking uncontrollably.

"How do feel about entertaining a gang of twenty brutal, crazed bikers, Teddy?" Jessica finally managed to say.

"What do mean, Jessie?"

"Those five bastards - so-called victims - were going to beat us up and rape us - but we had other ideas."

The General took a while to digest this and then, "Your black eye and sore nose, Gwen?"

"Right, Teddy."

"Well done girls! I said it before, but I'd have loved to have had two daughters like you!"

"You mentioned you had a couple of sons?" said Gwen.

"Yes. Damned traitors - one an Air Commodore and the other a Rear Admiral - I mean to say girls - what's wrong with the Army?"

Both Jess and Gwen could see that the old man was really very proud indeed of his sons and smiled politely.

Finally the General broke off from watching the evening news.

"Both of you are staying the night. No arguments - got suitably Spartan quarters for you. Hard beds, no sheets, and no heating, but at least you'll be dry for a change - then back to wet and cold tomorrow. Don't argue - Dover Sole for dinner and a fine Sancerre to wash it down. Plus more of that Cognac you like so much. "

And so they were persuaded to accept more of the general's hospitality.

As they climbed the hill, next afternoon after a delicious breakfast and another sumptuous lunch they looked down on the bend in the river and the General's house far below. They could see the rain falling on the tennis court bouncing back up into the air with the force of impact.

"What a darling old man!" said Gwendoline, the rain mingling with her tears. "Such an absolutely perfect gentleman. You know, he never looked us up and down or stared at our tits - just put us at our ease. They don't make them like that anymore!"

"And the way he dressed for dinner last night, wearing all his medals, just for us! What a sweetie!"

"I suppose he just misses his wife too much to look at any other woman! Still loves her even after all this time. I hope we can both find something as precious as that love of theirs one day."

"Come off it Gwen - you know we already have."

And the two rain-drenched girls stood on the Wiltshire Downs, and kissed each other hungrily and lovingly. Finally they lay on the sodden turf and held each other in a tender, yet energetic embrace for a very long time.

"What's this, young ladies - trespassing on my land - disgraceful - ought to be damned well ashamed of yourselves - looking like that - call the police - have you run in - explain yourselves!!"

"Wonder how the Legendary Pair are doing?" said Jessica as she reluctantly drew her mouth back from a sweetly prolonged kiss.

"What pair?" said Gwen.

"Oh, Katie and Angela - the pair we kept being compared to - weighed in the balance and found wanting. Bet they never had any adventures like ours!"

"Katie's a financial wizard and successful journalist - not bad going after less than three years out of Oxford - my Dad says he swears by her column - made a fortune following her advice. And Angie - a little bird told Daddy she's in something VERY hush hush, working for the Government."

"I suppose we'll have boring comfortable jobs like that one day."

(Katie was at that time chained up in the cold in Central Asia. Angie was busily painting her toe-nails.)

"Suppose so, if we survive this. It's getting so bloody awfully cold and this fucking rain is getting on my tits! And up my arse and in my nose and every-bloody-where. Will it ever stop?"

"Don't know, Gwen! It's bringing us closer. I love that part of it. All the years we've been friends I never knew it could be so wonderful as these past days!"

It was four days since that wonderful time as the General's guests and the rain had scarcely stopped in all the while.

They had sheltered by night against a stone wall in the lee of the wind and rain, in a ditch, under a hedgerow and in a small hollow in the ground. They had taken it in turns to bear the brunt of the rain on their naked, freezing backs, each covering and giving bodily warmth and shelter to the other. All this time their love grew. Could there come a time when either would have room in their heart for any other - be they male or female? It seemed impossible.

Jessica remembered the wise, lovely old General.

"That's how it is in war and danger. Chaps go through hell together - look out for one another - they never know a bond like that again - more than ordinary love - it defies description," he had said in his staccato way.

"So maybe when this journey is over the two of us will go our separate ways," thought Jessica: and a pang of sadness went through her heart.

"Promise we'll always be together, dearest Gwen!"

Gwendoline stroked Jessica's soaking wet hair and kissed her on the forehead.

"Promise."

"Your eye is almost as good as new now, darling," said Jessica. "It was a real beauty for a few days! You should have seen it."

"I did, at the General's - remember? It wasn't half bad, was it?"

"Wonder if that yobbo lost his leg or not?" said Jessica.