One of the guests for Sunday dinner was none other than Janet.  She sat opposite Gwendoline and kept eying her and Harriet throughout the meal.  Her presence seemed to act as a conversation stopper and Harry was relieved when the meal was over.

She had enjoyed going to the  old Norman church with the Countess and been highly amused when her barefoot friend and a barefoot Harry had been ushered by the sidesman into the Foxe family pew.  The two girls had stood outside the church after the service of Matins and spoken to all the other worshippers, most of whom were Gwen's neighbours and/or tenants.  All had affected not to notice the exposed and not too warm feet of the two girls, and had spoken to Gwen with all the respect that they had once reserved for her beloved and dead father.

"They're all afraid I might put up their rents" giggled Gwen as they walked back to the house, through the frost covered fields.  Then her voice became more serious.  "Chance would be a fine thing.  You can't do a thing in this country any more without cutting through masses of red tape.  Just as well for some of them, I can tell you.  Worry brought Daddy to his early grave and they caused him a lot of worry,  some of those people we just met.  You  needn't think I'll forget  in a hurry - their time will come."

Harriet, the  Marxist idealist, held her peace for once.

Now they were back at the house and Harry, uncomfortably clothed,  tried to join in the conversation, but could see that her friend's sunny happiness had been badly affected by Janet's unexpected arrival.  She,  Harriet had intervened to rescue that relationship towards the end of the journey, but the more she looked at the two, the more she regretted doing so.  This woman was a very nasty character indeed, she intuitively decided.
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 Gwendoline and Janet retired to Gwen's room and undressed.    The Countess made  to embrace her lover, but Janet struck her a stinging blow across the face.

"You have been a naughty girl, Gwendoline and I am very angry with you.  You know what happens to naughty girls, don't you Gwen, my pet?"

"What are you talking about Janet.  I was so looking forward to seeing you again.  Don't spoil it for me - please Janet!"

"I hear you have been very unkind to Harriet this week.  Naughty Gwen!  Well, I'm about to be unkind to you.  Far more unkind than you were to Harriet.  You need a severe lesson and part one starts right here and now and more will follow throughout the coming week!"

"But it was for her own good Janet. I'm only trying to help her and she's free to leave if she likes!   I know that girl so well - I know what I'm doing and I'd do her no harm - really Janet my love!"

"Bend down and touch your toes, Gwendoline.   I think fifty of the best will do to start with.  If I see you move I'll start again at number one -so it's in your own best interets to keep perfectly still.  You will count them out for me in a clear voice.  If I can't hear properly I shall start from the beginning.  I don't care if you have to stay in that position all night - we are going to do this properly."

Janet picked up that studded belt that that once entranced Gwen and now horrified her after her very effective aversion therapy at Mrs Travers's hands.

"I'm not into that sick kind of thing any more Jan.  I hate it now --  please don't hurt me.  I was so looking forward to seeing you.  Don't spoil itall like this."

Nevertheless she bent down as ordered, such was the quasi-hypnotic power this woman had come to have over her.   Janet stepped back her eyes aflame with demonic glee and anticipation.   She held the belt by its furthermost extremity and aimed it so that the other end would strike Gwendoline's as yet unmarked bottom, bearing down on it with maximun speed and force.  She gave the belt a few preparatory swishes, that made Gwen sick with fear.

"Very Well!  Let's waste no more precious time!  I'm waiting to hear that loud clear voice, Gwendoline!  It's time to begin!"

Gwen shuddered and in a clear if tremulous voice called out "One"

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 Harriet chatted to the other guests for half an hour after Gwen and Janet had left,  but found herself beginning to nod off to sleep and made her excuses to the assembled guests, who all prepared to leave.  She wandered out on to the terrace and stood against the balustrade for a few minutes, looking out over the dark-enshrouded grounds and up at the clear and starry sky, lost in thought,  until the cold began to penetrate her clothing and she became uncomfortably chilled.  She then made her way slowly upstairs, pausing to look at some of the paintings hanging on the walls.  Grim loking lot, Gwen's ancestors, she thought - all looking down  on her disapprovingly.  Small wonder she feels she's a lot to live up to.  I'd sell them all off if it were my house and replace them with something more cheerful - Jim's painting of me, for instance!  She continued her leisurely way up to the first floor.

As she neared  Gwen's room - where she had spent three wonderful nights - on her way to her own,  she heard that terrible noise - that sound that she had hoped never to hear again.

From inside that room came the all too well remembered sound of leather being viciously applied to skin and Gwen saying "Forty-Five".  She ran along the corridor until she reached the door, which was locked.  Five more blows were landed even in that short time as tried to open the door.  Gwen's voice sobbingly cried out "One".   She banged her fists against the panel and screamed at Janet to leave her friend alone.  The hideous noise and her Gwen's counting continued and Harry thought she would go insane with rage and frustration.  Jenkins, alarmed by the commotion came hustling along the corridor.

"I'm sorry, Lady Harriet, but the Countess is not to be disturbed.  She left strict instructions."

"Bollocks" cried a tearful and angry Harry.  "You can hear that can't you?   OPEN THAT FUCKING DOOR  - NOW!!!. You love Gwendoline don't you!  Known her since she was a baby.  Do as I say.   I'll take the consequences!   If she sacks you,  then  you can come and work for me."

In truth Jenkins did not need much persuading and he took out his bunch of keys and let Harry in, following her into the room.

Harriet flew across the room,  her eyes blazing with rage,  and knocked the belt away from Janet with one hand and felled the dominatrix with another.

She turned to Gwendoline, who was still bending over in obedience to Janet's command,  and shouted with contemptuous fury,

"Get up out of that ridiculous position, Gwen.  You make me ashamed of you!   This creature's reign over you is over!"

Gwen sat on the edge of the bed,  buried her head in her hands and sobbed.   She quickly calmed down and a look of relief spread over her face.  She looked up at the other two.

Harriet turned to the hated Janet, who was rising from the floor with a look of unholy hatred on her face.

"You started this Lady Harriet but I don't think you have what it takes to finish it!  I'm going to spend the next hour or two making you wish you had never been born."

"You and whose army?"  sneered Harry.  "We won't fight in here  - I won't have your blood, snot and gristle all over this nice room which I love and you have defiled.  I hate you , you evil cruel cow and I hate this terrible hold you have over the dearest,  loveliest friend I have ever had.   I won't share Gwen with any woman from now on.  Not Jessica, not you and not anybody.  Get that stinking carcass outside on the terrace!

"Jenkins - pack this dirty object's things for her,  put eveything in her case apart from her car keys,  lock the case and flush its keys down the toilet.  When I've quite finished with her,  what's left of her can drive home naked"

The two went out to settle their differences, Harriet shedding her clothes as she went,  and Jenkins came up to Gwen and patted the trembling, shaken girl on her shoulder.

"It's going to be all right now, your ladyship.  Just sit there while I do what Lady Harriet told me."

Gwen sniffed and came over to help Jenkins pack her cruel lover's effects.

She smiled at Jenkins through her tears.

 "I think it's time we made it Roger and Gwen, don't you?  I mean we've known each other long enough!"

Jenkins blushed scarlet and mumbled something about old dogs and new tricks.  Gwen grinned,  shrugged her beautiful bare shoulders and kissed him again, this time with warm and exceedingly  moist lips.

They carried on with Janet's packing and Gwen sat on the bed.  Suddenly she leapt to her feet, eyes shining.
 

"Hell's fucking Bells,  Jenkins, we're missing the fight.  Come on - don't stand there like a fucking lemon.  MOVE IT!"

"It might not be a very pretty sight, your ladyship!" he said as they both hurried along the corridor.

Gwen howled with laughter - if only he knew what sights she had seen in the last few months!

" Hurry up, Roger!  I want to see if my training has paid off.  I rather think she'll come through OK, but it doesn't matter.   She broke the spell  I've been under for far too long - that's her real victory and nothing can take that away from her!"

The two made their way hurriedly to the terrace, following the trail of Harriets dicarded clothes to the terrace,  where the first thing they saw was a bleeding Harriet  sprawled on the ground.  Gwen's heart sank and then lifted as she saw her friend jump to her feet and aim a kick at Janet which sent that lady reeling backwards.  Janet recovered and blackened Harry's other eye - the first was closing rapidly and blood was coming from a very nasty cut over it  and from her nose.  Gwen itched to go and help her friend but knew she must stand aside and let things take their course.  She crossed her fingers and prayed.

The contest swayed one way and another for the best part of half an hour until Harry, almost beaten, saw Gwen standing there, looking on, smiling encouragement and giving her the thumbs-up sign.  This galvanised her to come back into the fight.  Sheer burning hatred of this ghastly woman and love for her darling and abused friend  came powerfully together and enabled  her to surge to a decisive triumph.  A broken and senseless Janet  finally lay prostrate at a bleeding,  triumphant Harry's feet.  She remembered that fight in the barn and put her foot on her hated rival's stomach in a wearily elated victory pose.

Gwen clapped and cheered ecstatically, jumping wildly up and down, joined by Jenkins, who had been shaken, for once,  out of his usual dignified calm.   She then calmed down and,   on an impulse rushed into the house and came out with a camera.  The terrace was lit up by  flashbulbs as Harry's famous victory was captured and immortalised on film.  And then the three, Gwen and Jenkins with their arms wrapped around Harriet's shoulders,  waited for Janet to come round.

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"I'm sure all she ever wanted was your money, Gwen.  She knew who you were from the first.  She had her eye on your millions - stands out a mile.  You're well rid of her, even if you have ended up with me!"

Harriet was snuggled up close and Gwen smiled happily at that battered face.

"Such a fucking shame about that nice old nose Harry!  I doubt it'll ever be straight again."

"Fuck off, Gwen!   I don't want it to be straight again.  I shall always cherish my broken nose.  Whenever I look at it in the mirror, I'll remember tonight and feel happy!  The time I saved my favourite human being from a fate worse than death and beat the living shit out of a nasty evil bitch!  Now let's get some rest and don't go easy on me tomorrow merely on account of what's just happened!  It wouldn't be good for me."

"I   never ask you to do anything I couldn't do myself, Harry!  But you know that anyway."

"Is it OK if I kiss you Harry?" Gwendoline went on, "Or would it hurt your poor old face too much?"

"It would hurt horribly, but it would hurt much more if you didn't.  Kiss me and hug  me till you feel my ribs crack, my darling Gwen!  Please,  my sweetest ever friend!"