Chapter 3

REVELATIONS

Sunday was a great success. Whatever her reservations, Edwina was charming to Rachel, who was still looking a bit bruised after what her irate father had done to her.

"She'll have to make her peace with the family, Gloria." Mrs FitzWalter said after Rachel had gone upstairs to bed and employer and operative were having a late nightcap.

"I'll agree to her living here and you can come and see her, and sleep with her, whenever you like. But I think it might be unsafe to leave her at your cottage alone during the day. We've a good few servants here these days and they'll see she comes to no harm! I know you won't like this idea but it makes sense. And I hope Rachel finds a nice boy before long. I don't like same sex relationships. Although I suppose you do love the girl and she has been good for you, she needs to find out for herself if she really wants to go down the lesbian road. I know she's legally old enough, Gloria, but she's still a child and you've been around to put it mildly. Don't sulk, Gloria! I'm telling you this for your own good as well as hers. I may have led a sheltered life in many ways but I am older than you!"

"And you fancy me too, Edwina! You always have!"

"Yes, Gloria. I do desire you! I'm a jealous woman who wants you very badly. It was because of my rage when I saw that seemingly anyone else could have you, except me that I had you flogged so terribly. But this is the last time I'll mention this. And you were cruel to say what you did. Now get off to Rachel and love her to sleep. Don't make too much noise, though! You and Samantha were like having an earthquake next door!"

"You were pretty cruel to have me whipped. But I'm glad you did. Since you now know it gives me pleasure, why don't you flog me yourself in future? It would be an act of love, giving me something I desperately need. Think about it! And you're a good looking woman, Edwina! It was because I was in awe of you that I've never made advances to you. And loyalty to Sammy."

Gloria walked across to Edwina and took her by the hand. She raised the hand to her lips and kissed it. Then she was gone to Rachel.

ANOTHER DAY - ANOTHER FIGHT

Gloria, twenty one today, sat on the stool at the end of Round Three. She was having a hard time. She looked across at the enemy. She was suffering, too. This pair were fighting each other to a standstill and shedding blood by the pint. She looked at the makeshift ring's canvas covering and saw spots of blood all over it. She wouldn't be catching an early bus this week! This was going to be a long haul!

"She's a dirty fighter " Gloria whispered to her second. "Any advice?"

"Don't ask me! You're the expert. You're the fighter. Me? I just cool you down and wipe the blood away, except you don't want the blood wiped off."

"Thanks a fucking million!" And the bell went and Gloria went into battle once more. The other girl got into a clinch and head-butted our doughty heroine, cutting her open above the right eye. Gloria shoved her away and lashed out with a devastating left that connected, more by luck than any cool considered judgment. The other girl went down. There was no referee to spoil the fun by insisting on fair play. The promoter, Monty, started the count and Gloria, silly girl, stood in a neutral corner.

The enemy was up at a count of eight and Gloria closed with her again. Her face was a mess by this time. Blood was pouring out of the cut and threatening to obscure her vision. She still looked great, though with her golden hair and long muscular thighs and she was moving like a dream as she ducked and weaved and tried to keep the other girl on the hop.

In a proper bout the fight would have been stopped and either the other girl disqualified or, if the butt were deemed an accident, Gloria declared the loser. Gloria guessed the head butt might have been judged accidental - so she was going to lose. But this was not a normal bout. It was an illegal bare knuckle prize-fight in which anything went. And what made it even more terrible in the eyes of most citizens was that it was between two members of the fair and gentle sex one of whom was rather more than passing fair, although clearly not gentle!

Then Gloria tried one slick move too many and her bare feet slipped on some blood (hers). She fell to the ground and the other girl did not retreat to a neutral corner but stood over Gloria as she got to her feet and knocked her down again! She had plenty of time to make the blow, a clubbing right swing, hurt. This time Gloria did not get up quickly. She couldn't! She instinctively crawled to the ropes and pulled herself to her feet getting unsteadily upright at the count of nine. She would have been out if Monty had not counted extremely slowly. His nine was very leisurely! Gloria guessed why. It was too early for the bout to be over and Gloria could stand a lot more damage yet! The baying mob were thirsty for blood and Gloria still had plenty left to shed! The wholesome blonde beauty being slaughtered by an ugly cow appealed to some in the crowd, as the cheering showed. The other girl hit Gloria hard again, aiming very accurately at the terrible cut she had just made, sending her back against the ropes and causing two ugly rope burns which marked her back diagonally with two red marks that would take weeks to disappear. But Gloria, her head clearing by the second, stayed on her feet and hit back hard. The bitch went down! She stood over the cow this time, ready to knock her back to the ground as soon as she started to rise. But the bell went. SHIT!