“I think you should call it a day Deirdre. You’re strong enough, but not fast enough and you ‘re too fond of attacking and leaving yourself wide open. Give it up, I’m begging you, darling!”

Deirdre made no reply for a while, but continued to dab away at her face inspecting the wreckage in the mirror.  She and Amanda were in the bathroom together on the day following Deirdre’s second ring appearance and second spectacular defeat.  From the first, the encounter had not gone well for the poor girl. Amanda had watched in horror as the battering had continued and been mightily angry at her friend’s second’s refusal to throw in the towel.  It was almost as if the whole thing had been set up to produce exactly the result it did.  They inspected the damage a little more and then Deirdre spoke.

 “What do you know about it, Amanda?  Just stick to things you DO know about!  I don’t tell you how to swim or play tennis because I know you’re so good at them.  And this is my sport, now and I’m going to get better and better at it - just you watch!”

“I know a whole lot about it, Deirdre. My friend Edward at the neighbouring boys’ school was Captain of their boxing team, (before some litigious parent had it taken off the curriculum after their poor precious little darling came home with a few measly bruises)  and he was a fabulous boxer, so quick on his feet with a lovely fluid style and a really hard punch when it mattered - just like your opponent yesterday.  I used to watch him every Saturday - he was poetry in motion!  It wasn‘t nice yesterday watching the same thing in reverse, though, if you see what I mean. They should have stopped it very early on - you could have been badly hurt, or worse. And that nasty crowd, especially the women - ye Gods, but they were a sadistic bunch and I told a few of them so! Give it up, sweetie - that‘s my advice!”

Even as she spoke these words, she knew it was hopeless.  Poor old Deirdre was hooked and it would be a while before this new enthusiasm burned itself out.  But Amanda was convinced that the girl, strong and brave though she might be,  simply lacked the razor sharp reflexes she would need, and also her build slowed her down. In fact she knew perfectly well that SHE would have made a better show than her friend - at least she’d have kept constantly on the move and well out of range and not been a breathless and battered wreck at the end!

Never again would she go and watch her best friend suffer, not only at the hands of a superior opponent but through the jeers of as psychotic a bunch of sub humans as she had ever mingled with. She still burned with fury at the memory of their cheering at every punch that landed on her dear friend. Not a nice world at all, her mate’s present milieu!

“And another thing, Deirdre.  Why did they insist on you all boxing topless? Pure exploitation!  There are legitimate bona fide events for women and at them they dress properly.  I know, because Edward was talking about it once. He was against it , himself, even then.  Thought women should not intrude into such aggressively male activities! I agree - even more so after yesterday, but I’ll say no more. I can’t come again, though, so please don’t ask me!”

Deirdre’s face crumpled into a mask of grief at this. Something the girl the day before had not succeeded in doing to her had been done by her best friends desertion! Amanda hastened to assure the sobbing Deirdre that she would, of course,  be there as and when needed , if it was that important - her heart sinking to her boots as she did so!

The conversation turned again to Amanda’s affairs.

“What happened the last time you met this guy?  You said it was when Peter and I arrived?”

“Yes. I was on my way to bed, after sitting alone for a while alone after you two had left. I went up to the room on a sort of whim and there they were, Richard - Lord Ark worth - and Harry his lovely faithful dog.  We talked for a while and he held me in his arms and kissed me again and again and told me he loved me. He asked me to marry him and I accepted there and then!  Then he said he’d go and get me something to wear so I could go down and meet all the servants and his old mother.  Before he had come back, I decided to take a peek out of the door and when I got out of the room, I was back where I had been. I could hear you two giggling away in your room!  I’ve been up there several times since, but nothing!”

“What year is it supposed to be when you go into the room and meet this fellow?”

“Sixteen eighty five.  It’s summer, but not exactly the same time of year - about eleven days earlier.  Yes, that‘s it - eleven.”

Deirdre looked most interested at this.

“I was sure you were making this up in a way, Amanda, but that last bit is very singular. Do you know what happened in seventeen fifty two?”

Amanda shook her head.

“Well” Deirdre continued.  “That’s when they introduced the Gregorian Calendar into England and Wales.  We lost eleven days.  That’s why the tax year starts on April the Sixth rather than Lady Day - the Twenty Fifth of March - like it always did before.  So really you are going back exactly to the same time of year! I wonder if you knew about this and were making a kind of sub conscious adjustment.

Amanda shook her head. “History was never my subject, Deirdre. All those Kings and Queens and dates and battles. Bored me to tears!”

Deirdre suggested they go up to the room together and have a look.  After breakfast that is what they did. It was exactly as Amanda had left it after her cleaning up operation.  They walked over to the window together and looked out at the familiar view.  They could see the lawns from where they stood and the sun was getting nice and high already. It all looked very tempting!  They made their way out into the sunshine and disrobed, lying side by side again and letting the rays do their worst with them.

Deirdre in particular was most grateful for the sun’s healing warmth on her bruised body which Amanda could scarcely bring herself to look at. Still tired out after the previous day, the lady boxer was soon asleep.  Amanda, with no one to talk to was soon dozing off herself when Deirdre suddenly became wide awake.

“There’s got to be an explanation for all this, Amanda! Some common factor which we’ve not thought of.  Think, Amanda! Think!”

“I don’t know!  It seems to be just a hit or miss thing. Some days he’s there and it’s in his time and most others it’s just another room in the house - like this morning. I must be off my head, I suppose!”

“I’ll give it my most thorough attention, sweetheart” said Deirdre, looking proudly at her bruised ribs and wincing a little as she moved herself into a more comfortable position.  “I’ll help you get to the bottom of it, I promise!”  Then changing the subject, she moaned.  “Oh!  I do wish Peter would hurry back and kiss all these bruises better!”

Amanda  giggled. “Don’t be such a softie, Deirdre!  You’ve chosen this pursuit - learn to live with the consequences or give it up!”

Deirdre looked annoyed for a moment then saw the sense of what her friend had said. She lay beside Amanda for a while and then got to her feet and put her clothes on.

“I’m off for a bit of training.  Got to keep fit!  And I’ve another fight the week after next.  Drop by and watch me in half an hour or so when you’re bored with lying here!”  And she was off, leaving Amanda to continue wondering if and when she would see  Richard, Lord Arkworth again.
 
 

As Deirdre had implied, Amanda became bored after an hour or so and went down to the lake for a swim.  She was in the water a very, very long time and when she came out she was totally exhausted, but happy.  Taking  advantage, for once,  of the liberal regime, she wandered naked into the house and up to the temporary gymnasium  and stood watching her equally naked friend pulverising a punch bag with the same ferocity that her opponent had been directing at her only twenty four hours ago!

The nude Amanda did a few graceful gymnastics on the parallel bars for some minutes, revelling in her youthful suppleness and a naked Deirdre pounded away at the bag.  Then Deirdre stopped, her gloved fist in mid air.  She almost shouted at Amanda, who nearly missed her footing.

“I’ve got it, darling.  It’s so bloody obvious. We must be slipping, you and I! Let’s go up and meet this  man together!  I can‘t wait to see my best friend‘s future husband!”

With these words, Deirdre took off her gloves and pulled the wondering Amanda towards the staircase and the door.

“What’s going on, Deirdre?  Stop pulling me around, will you!  Let GO of me!”

She was furious and Deirdre apologetically released her.  She explained that she had worked out what the common factor was linking all Amanda’s sightings of and meetings with Richard Arkworth. Then Amanda herself realised how simple was the explanation!  The two gilrs hurried up the stairs and into the room.

“Come on Deirdre!  Keep that guard up, girl and keep in close. Work on her body, Deirdre. Body shot, Deirdre - Oh, well done!  Keep at her, now! Don‘t let up!”

Amanda was hoarse with shouting and red in the face from excitement and exertion as her friend made her way back to her corner at the end of the seventh round of this, her fifth fight.  Her statistics were looking a little less dismal by this time. 4 - 1 win,  3 losses,  2 KOs.  Admittedly she had been on the receiving end of both KOs and had only won once, and that by a split decision which Amanda would have awarded quite decisively to her opponent.  But - a win is still a win!

Edward, Amanda’s school friend had been contacted after Deirdre had pleaded with her initially reluctant friend to see if his aid might be enlisted and he had acted as Amanda’s trainer and seconded her at the last two contests. He was waiting to go up to Oxford in October and had unenthusiastically agreed to lend his aid to what he considered the tainted and tacky cause of women‘s boxing.

He had always had a soft spot for Amanda, having never quite believed his good fortune in being so favoured, as a callow schoolboy, by the companionship of the loveliest girl in the world, as he still thought of her! Knowing that this ravishing creature was in the audience for his every contest had acted as a wonderful spur to him. He would sooner have died a thousand times than let her down by losing! Nor that there had ever been any danger of Edward  losing.  He was streets ahead of all the competition!

However, something must have happened to delay him this week and Amanda had stepped apprehensively and uncertainly into the breach.  How could she let her friend down?

After a rather uncertain first round in which poor Deirdre had seemed to be well on her dismal way to a third knockout, Amanda had started to warm to her task.  In the next round, she had been very pleasantly surprised to find the experience highly exhilarating!  A great deal of expertise must have rubbed off on her as a result of watching Edward over two years pretty well every week.

In the short interval she had scathingly pointed her friend’s many shortcomings. After that she had been ruthless in the way she directed her friend from the wings, and it was paying off handsomely so far.

Then Edward arrived with his girl friend of the moment, halfway through the one-minute break, and Amanda prepared to retreat to one of the ringside seats, a little disappointed to have lost her temporary starring role.

“How’s it going, Deirdre” he asked.

“OK, for a change, Eddie.  Amanda’s really keeping me up to scratch in your absence. She knows a whole lot more than she ever let on! I think she might have a talent for this!”

So a non too reluctant Amanda was asked to carry on for the remaining three rounds, which she did, steering her friend to a unanimous points decision, but making her throat sorer than ever as she kept a running barrage of encouragement shrewdly mixed with criticism.

“I still don’t like the set up ” said Amanda still a little hoarse as the four of them made for the Three Horseshoes after the bout was over. Deirdre would have liked to watch the remaining bouts to pick up a few hints, but Irena, Edward’s latest girl-friend had already had more than enough!

Amanda continued. “I think it’s degrading for you to have to appear bare-breasted for all those wankers to ogle you.  You’re good enough to be appreciated on your merits as a boxer by this time - as are all the other girls.”
 
 
 

Deirdre indicated, somewhat forcefully,  that she was not fussed about boxing topless, so what was Amanda’s beef?  Our heroine subsided into a moody acquiescence.  A frosty silence came over the gathering as they entered the pub, took their seats by the window and waited for Edward to order and bring over their drinks.  Amanda  ordered a Green Chartreuse and the other two girls were on some horrible disgusting  soft drink or other (Coca Cola, actually). There were times when she was ashamed to be seen with Deirdre!

As soon as the cheerful Edward arrived with the beverages, the atmosphere lightened.  He was one of those fellows who are always laughing about something or other and nobody was ever miserable in his company for long.  Amanda was reminded how much she had liked him for his sunny nature, almost as much as  she had so admired him for his fighting skills.

He asked her if she had a current boy friend and Deirdre and she exchanged glances.
“Shall we tell him, Deirdre! He’ll think he’s with a pair of loonies!”  The couple giggled conspiratorially.

Edward looked intrigued. Irena looked worried.  She was staring goggle-eyed at Amanda, as she had since being introduced to her earlier on. In all her born days she had never, but never, seen a girl who looked so utterly and unbelievably lovely!  And Edward preferred her, Irena,  to this celestial and delectable vision?  She could hardly believe her luck and  put her arm around him with much  possessive affection.  She hadn’t liked the experience of watching women fighting, but if Amanda thought she was getting Edward back, she would fight her  for him - that was for sure!

Amanda reddened. She seemed to be having trouble saying anything and became quite upset.  Deirdre spoke up for her.

“Amanda is engaged to be married, Edward.  He’s just about the most good looking fellow I’ve ever seen.  Seems sort of right, in my view,  for two such beautiful people as he and Amanda to be united in holy wedlock. Trouble is, there are problems! And how!”

“And that’s as much as we’re saying” broke in Amanda, her poise restored. “I’ll ask you both to the wedding of course - if there ever is one!”

As Edward and Irena chattered to Deirdre about the recent fight, Amanda became silent.  She was thinking of that  day when the two of them had raced up the stairs to the room of mystery!

……………………………….............................................................................................................

“Every time you’ve seen him in the past, you’ve been naked, Amanda.  That’s the common factor.  All the other times you’ve been in that room you’ve been dressed - right?

“Right”

So that was it!  If they went up to the room now, without a stitch on, then  they should see Richard and Harry!  Worth trying anyway!

As they entered the room Deirdre was disappointed. It was empty and looked as it had the last time she had seen it. Amanda, with her more practised eye,  knew better!

“Go and look out of the window, Deirdre.  You’ll have a real shock!”

Deirdre did as she was told.  As soon as she saw the formal geometric garden she new Amanda had not been lying.

“So, Amanda!  We are indeed hundreds of years in the past. There were so many gardens like that once, until the craze for more natural layouts swept the country in the eighteenth century.”

Amanda said she had only ever seen one other garden like it.

“That was at………..”

“Ham House” completed Deirdre. Yes. There aren’t many others left - if any!”

“I suppose we’d better sit on this nice couch and wait” said Amanda. “I bet he won’t be long in coming up to see if I’m here!”
 

“Sure of our self, aren’t we?” joked Deirdre, although she shared her friend‘s confidence.  What man would not be anxious to see a marvellously beautiful girl like her dear friend Amanda?

The girls sat and chatted together for about twenty minutes.  Then there was the sound of footsteps. The door opened!

November.  The first frost of the year.  The sun loungers had long since been consigned to their winter storage and the windows of the old house closed up against the cold.  The central heating system, so different from, and so much more efficient than,  those amazing log fires of three hundred years ago, was fully turned on, except in the gymnasium, where Amanda had decreed, firstly,  that the temperatures must not be artificially raised and, secondly, that the windows be kept open in all weathers.  Deirdre spent a lot of time in the gym, naked as ever, being put through all manner of routines by a comfortably clothed and well wrapped up Amanda.

Sometimes Edward would come along, with his loving,  but still slightly suspicious and jealous,  Irena in tow and express himself well pleased at his ex-girlfriend’s regime and its obvious success in terms of bouts which Deirdre was winning - some of them very decisively. Edward had been up at Oxford for a few weeks now, and Deirdre was now totally and, on the whole happily,  in Amanda’s hands.  What time she did not spend in ever more rigorous training she spent in the library, partly researching her friend’s family history and partly just satisfying her own deep love of learning.

Amanda often wondered why such a clever and erudite girl should be so keen on getting her head beaten in every Saturday!  She herself had never been much of a scholar, preferring subjects such as domestic science and sport, especially tennis and swimming, at which she had always excelled.

Every day, as soon as it was light, Amanda dragged Deirdre out for a two hour run around the grounds of her house as a sort of entrée before the main course of training proper, which took up the remainder of the morning. In the afternoon, Amanda would undress and go up to the upper room to meet her beloved.

This was the first frosty  morning of the year and Deirdre’s bare feet were sending the clearest possible signal to her brain that all was very much not well! Finally the agony became too much and she shouted out to the bicycling Amanda that she could not take any more.

“I take it you no longer require my help, Deirdre?  I can get back to living my own life and you will resume your former horizontal role each Saturday?  I thought not!  Just keep on running until I say otherwise!  You go inside as soon as I see you sweating and not a second before!”

Amanda herself was perspiring quite freely under her fluffy sweater and Lycra tights.  The long white scarf around her pretty neck really set off the colour of her hair and the healthy redness of her cheeks.  The freezing and naked Deirdre thought,  amidst her pain, just how lovely the girl looked, this day even more than ever.

Amanda was thinking of Richard and the coming afternoon, when she would talk to him about the different world he would be coming to when they were married.  Maybe she would go and sit in front of the roaring log fire in the main hall and reflect once again just how much and yet how little had changed in three hundred years!

Richard’s poor old mother was sinking every day.  Amanda had been introduced to her, but no word had been spoken of the couple’s impending marriage.  It had been decided that they would only marry after the old lady’s death, which could not be far away now.  Then Richard would walk out of one century and into another!

She brought herself back to the present with a massive effort and increased the rate of her pedalling, forcing Deirdre to run a little faster.  She looked at her and saw that the exercise was beginning to warm her up.  This was a relief.  Amanda was soaking with sweat and feeling most uncomfortably hot!  She eased off her scarf,  draped it over the handlebars and pulled up her sweater a little,  exposing her sweet little midriff - still lightly tanned after the summer -  and letting a bit of lovely cold air cool her over heated body down a little. Deirdre saw all this and cursed her friend for the sadistic tyrant that she had recently become.

After more than two and a half hours, Amanda detected a sheen of perspiration beginning to cover her friend’s body and she slowed down and came to a stop, dismounting and telling Deirdre to make off for the house.

“What are you going to do Amanda?” she asked.
“I’ll be with you in half an hour, Deirdre.  You can utilise the time by skipping non-stop until I get there. Now leave me alone!”

 Deirdre ran off as bidden and Amanda waited until she was out of sight.  Then she cycled down to the lake and dismounted again.  The water looked VERY cold! She took off all her clothes and stood by the water’s edge, shivering a little.  Then she plunged in and swam until the pain in her feet and hands made it unbearable to stay in a second longer. She walked back to the house, very, very slowly and with her clothes festooned about the bicycle.  When she got indoors, she was almost out on her feet with the cold. Without dressing, she made her way to the waiting Deirdre and was soon as warm as her friend after some energetic sparring.

Deirdre had not seen Richard since the first time, when it had been her deductive reasoning that had enabled the lovers’ meeting to take place whenever they wished them to. On that occasion, Richard had been most taken with Deirdre! At first he had thought that she had been in some kind of accident and was most concerned on her behalf, but Amanda had explained that her friend had been injured in the course of a fight with another woman as part of a public entertainment.  He had looked her up and down and pronounced his opinion that such a sturdy wench could indeed take many a mighty drubbing and be none the worse. “Go to it, girl, go to it”! he had cheerily said.

He had been very interested since to know of her various  matches and when Amanda had taken over Edward’s role, he had expressed the greatest pleasure!  The first thing he hoped to do on entering this amazing new century (once he had married Amanda) was to go and see Deirdre in action!

He was full of questions about the new era he was about to enter, and for the first time Amanda regretted her inattention at school.  She became an avid reader of newspapers and also of books detailing her country’s history since 1670.  Richard had not been at all surprised to hear about the deposition of the present King’s brother in 1688.

He had contacts at Court and had already formed a pessimistic view of the then Duke of York’s chances of being a successful ruler.  He himself was a sound, if somewhat worldly,  adherent of the Church of England and knew that no Catholic King would have an easy ride.  When Amanda told him that Charles himself would convert on his deathbed, he laughed and said he was not surprised, but that the Merry Monarch was too canny a man to “come out” until it no longer mattered from his point of view.

“I do wish I was a bit cleverer, Deirdre!” said Amanda as she indicated that the day’s session was over.

“You are clever, darling! It’s just that for some reason you shut all sorts of things out of your mind because you thought it didn’t matter. Let’s face it, you’re a fantastic cook and I bet you’ll be the most marvellous mother and wife.  And you’ve a capacity for loyalty that approaches greatness.  I should know!  Don’t run yourself down.”

Amanda blushed, making herself look prettier than ever, then she recalled something important.

“Richard asked me to say, he would like you to come up with me today.  He’d like to show you round the house!”

And so the pair showered, made themselves smell nice and went up to the room.

Richard and Harry were waiting. Amanda quickly put on the clothes that her fiancé  had brought for her to wear and Deirdre put on the garments her had provided for her.  Clothes, they went out of the room and found themselves in Richard’s house, rather that Amanda’s.  Deirdre was over the moon at this chance to see the past as it really was. Amanda was terribly blasé  about it by this time!