Elizabeth 02: Revenge

Her jealousy was soon set aside, though, when dapper Benjamin Townshend entered the dining room. A regular at the men's baths and the pubs where Irene and Elizabeth often went for drinks after a bath, he had caught Irene's eye several times with his wavy dark hair and impeccable manners. More than once she had found herself imagining him sharing her bath or her bed while enjoying herself alone at home, and of late she had come to hope for a drink and a dance with him as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Benjamin was looking particularly adorable today, in a dark suit and freshly shined shoes. Irene sat up straighter and hoped to make eye contact with him, but he was looking back into the cloakroom as if waiting for a friend. After a moment, Irene's heart sank again when she saw she was right: he'd been waiting for none other than Tamara, who now appeared on his arm in a prim, crisp dress. The two made their way into the dining room, laughing together at some comment Benjamin had made, and paid little mind to anyone else they passed.

Irene began to turn away lest she be noticed...and then abruptly changed her mind. She didn't deserve to be lonely any more than Elizabeth had deserved to be abused, and hadn't she just encouraged her best friend to strike back? Irene stood up, straight and proud, and stepped into the aisle just in time to meet them. "Benjamin!" she said. "How lovely to meet you here."

"Ah, Irene, hello." Benjamin shook her hand. "Haven't seen you at the pub lately."

"It's been a bit cold for going out at night," Irene said. Thinking his clothes looked strikingly new up front, she asked, "Did you get that suit tailored at Drake's? I use them too." That was another advantage of wearing pants: a source of small talk with men.

"Yes, I've always been fond of his work," Benjamin said. "I didn't know he did women's clothing as well, but those do look great on you."

"Well, thank you!" Irene turned now to Tamara, wondering if Elizabeth's nemesis recognized her best friend. "Sorry, hello, I'm Irene."

"Forgive me!" Benjamin exclaimed. "Yes, Tamara, Irene is a teacher at your old school, I believe." To Irene he added, "Tamara has just moved to the city after several years abroad, and I'm helping her look for jobs at the moment."

Tamara squeezed Benjamin's arm. "Now, that is not all you are doing with me and you know it, you silly boy!" Turning to Irene, she added, "Don't men always have to keep such a distance!" The two women made eye contact, and Irene was relieved to detect no recognition.

"Yes, well, in any case," Benjamin cut in diplomatically. "Irene, I believe Tamara and I are both going to the baths this afternoon, perhaps around five, and then we're planning on dinner at the pub. Perhaps you'd like to join us?"

"Wouldn't miss it for all the world, Benjamin," Irene said, managing to keep her tone calm while her heart was flying high inside. "I'll meet Tamara at the baths, then?"

"Certainly," Tamara said with a smug smile, looking impatient for her lunch.

"Oh," Benjamin added, "Feel free to invite Jonathan and --"

Irene faked a loud sneeze. "Sorry, my dears! Yes, of course, Benjamin, I will invite them as well."

"Splendid, then," Benjamin agreed. Tamara had by then taken it upon herself to flag down the hostess for a table. "I guess I'd better not keep her waiting any longer," he said, and the pair were off to a corner by the window.

Irene continued along to the cloakroom, and was ready and waiting with her coat and hat when Elizabeth and Jonathan emerged. They were, she realized, clearly in the midst of more strategizing. "I just wish I could think of a way to corner her," Elizabeth said. "But that's going to be quite a trick."

"Maybe not," Irene called out.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"Let me assure you I am not teasing you here," Irene said gently. "I mean this in the greatest sincerity. Elizabeth, Jonathan, I do learn the most remarkable things while waiting for one or both of you to wee."

Chapter 3

The trio made their plans on the walk down the high street before going their separate ways back to work. Irene and Jonathan would be at their respective baths a bit before five to ensure they would be there to greet Tamara and Benjamin (Irene longed more than ever for just one glimpse inside the men's bath!), while Elizabeth would be fashionably late. This would ensure that Tamara would witness her usual unabashed entrance to the ladies' bath. The afternoon thus passed rather slowly and frustratingly for Elizabeth, for her thirst for revenge was unavoidably tempered by apprehension at having to actually spend time with Tamara, and in the nude no less! But she knew she would regret it soon enough if she missed the chance, and so she longed for the plan to get underway.

Five o'clock did eventually arrive, of course, and Elizabeth locked up her office as usual and boarded the streetcar for the baths. A few familiar faces looked knowingly at her as she took one of the few remaining seats -- other ladies who were also on their way for relief from the bitter cold. Normally at such a time she welcomed the camaraderie, for she had always been tickled at the knowledge of which of her fellow passengers would soon be soaking privately alongside her. But today, she had to force a smile as she thought of the vulnerability she was putting herself into just now.

That, though, made her feel stronger and more defiant as the streetcar ambled toward the baths. That inner sanctum, and the celebrity she enjoyed within it, had been the greatest remedy to the lingering memories of the trauma Tamara and her friends had subjected Elizabeth to in her most tender years; she would not let Tamara destroy that wonderful comfort for her now. By the time they reached the stop for the baths, Elizabeth's usual confidence had returned, and it was with a cocky grin that she stood up to exit.

Maggie, from the florist's shop, was among the other ladies on their way to the baths. As they stepped down from the streetcar, she asked Elizabeth, "Say, I heard an old friend of yours paid a visit here yesterday? That must have been a treat!"

"Yes, and as I understand it she will be joining us again this evening," Elizabeth said as they entered the lobby. I missed her yesterday, so it should be most interesting to see her this time." Truer word was never spoken!

Maggie was among Elizabeth's unabashedly curious admirers. Elizabeth knew the type well, casting furtive glances down below as she undressed, trying not to be obvious but usually failing, a rare case of discomfort in a place where she was proudly exhibitionist. So, both to save Maggie the trouble and to put herself in the randy mood that would make coping with Tamara so much easier, Elizabeth followed Maggie to the locker room and made a point of choosing a locker near hers to provide an uninhibited view. Maggie flashed a nervous smile at Elizabeth, as if she knew, which perhaps she did. This was of little consequence to Elizabeth. "I can hardly wait to get in that water!" she exclaimed to Maggie, as she kicked off her shoes and untied her dress sash. "It's a wonder I ever get out of the pool when the weather is this frigid, don't you agree?"

"Oh, I do," said Maggie, who like Elizabeth was now down to her underwear and stockings. Clearly grateful for her vantage point, she enjoyed the view as Elizabeth stepped out of her panties. Elizabeth had traditionally saved the best for last, but her mixed feelings about the way she looked in panties had led to her removing them first. Maggie clearly enjoyed the show as Elizabeth finished undressing with her legendary lady-garden already on full display. Elizabeth basked in the appreciative attention; it was just what she needed for what was soon to come.

Maggie was a bit quicker in locking her belongings away. "I shall see you in the water," she said with a last admiring look at her friend. Elizabeth nodded her agreement and took just a bit longer setting her stockings neatly atop her shoes and underwear than she really needed to. No sense in putting off the inevitable, she knew; but that could not stop her from trying.

As usual the door made its inimitable squeak, and as usual Elizabeth was unashamed and unabashed as she stepped into the pool chamber. The numerous welcoming smiles this time included Maggie and Eunice and half a dozen or so other regulars, and of course Irene. And at Irene's side, clearly forcing a cordial smile at Elizabeth's arrival, was Tamara. Her reddish brown hair was a bit matted from the humidity and wet as the ends bobbed in and out of the water, but coiffed just as stylishly as it had always been back at school. Beneath the water, Elizabeth could see her dainty little sprinkle of pubic hair, looking like a teenage boy's moustache just as it had back in school. And her eyes had the same condescending gleam Elizabeth had known so well for so long.

Elizabeth managed to mask her contempt when their eyes met. "Tamara!" she exclaimed with the most radiant fake smile she could muster. "Lovely to see you! I heard you were in town."

"Hello, Elizabeth," Tamara replied, an arrogant look of victory in her eyes as if she saw through her old nemesis' act. "Irene here was just telling me the pair of you are tight friends."

"The tightest," piped up Lindy, a boisterous regular who had played a bit part in forging Elizabeth and Irene's friendship. "We rarely see one without the other."

"They're the belles of the baths," added Eunice. "And I'm afraid they know it!"

"I see that," Tamara said. "I must say, I admire all you ladies' comfort with your nudity. It is not something a country girl like myself is accustomed to!"

"One does get accustomed to it," Irene told her. "Indeed, in this nasty weather one can get addicted to it."

"Too right," agreed Lindy. "When it's cold and gloomy outside, it's always steamy in more ways than one in here!"

"We're glad you and Elizabeth were able to meet up today," Eunice chimed in, oblivious as usual to the full state of affairs. "The two of you just missed one another yesterday."

"I know," Elizabeth said, still feigning joy at the reunion. "We actually did cross paths in the locker room, and I said to myself, 'I wonder is that Tamara?'"

"I, on the other hand, knew beyond any doubt it was Elizabeth," Tamara chimed in. "No one else looks quite like her naked, after all."

An uproar arose, and Elizabeth swallowed her fury -- she had to admit that her hairiness was a frequent topic of conversation in the baths and that normally she did not object. To do so now would betray her secret, after all, and so she pretended to laugh along with the others.

"That is true, Tamara," Irene added when the laughter had died down, "But Elizabeth knows we all adore her self-confidence in her uniqueness."

"We certainly do," added Eunice. "She is an inspiration to us all to embrace our individuality."

"Yeah, and the men love it too," Lindy piped up. "The hairy ones are the horny ones, and all that."

"Oh, good heavens, Elizabeth, have you ever heard that from a man?" Tamara asked. "Really?"

"I've heard it, and I've repeated it," Elizabeth said proudly. "And it's true."

"Worked like a charm for her, too," Lindy said with a knowing nod. Eunice for once was aware of the danger and touched her on the arm, and Lindy was silent.

"Well, that's pleasant to hear," Tamara said. "Back at school I think Elizabeth struggled with her condition, frankly, as though it were something to be ashamed of rather than a harmless aberration. I am relieved to learn my dear old friend has at last made peace with herself, then."

Elizabeth's blood was boiling. Irene reached discreetly under the water and held her hand in solidarity. Elizabeth squeezed back and managed to keep her temper under control.

"I never knew that," Eunice announced, "And I have known Elizabeth intimately for years. Which of us are not awkward when we are very young, though?"

"Thank you, Eunice!" Elizabeth said, still gripping Irene's hand. To Tamara she said, "Most of us do grow up sooner or later."

Tamara looked back at her defiantly, but then she chose to change the subject, and Elizabeth knew she had won the first skirmish. "So, the men," she asked, looking around the pool. "Are they as cozy and intimate in their bath as we are?"

"In my imagination they certainly are!" hooted Lindy, drawing laughs and hearty agreement all around.

"We can ask Benjamin and Jonathan at dinner," Irene suggested. "But the consensus is they are probably not nearly as open as we are."

"Probably all talk of cigars and brandy and how many women they nailed last week, am I right?" Tamara asked.

"If so, that's not all that different from us!" replied Eunice.

"She's right, Tamara," Elizabeth said. "Here in the city women and men are not as different as you think. You'll see if you start dating here."

"Who is to say I haven't started?" Tamara demanded. "Irene can tell you, I've been going around with Benjamin...oh, well, I can't recall his last name, but --"

"Townshend," Irene interjected, not hiding her contempt nearly as well as Elizabeth had done.

"Thank you dear, Townshend. He's been lovely to me all week, after a mutual friend put me in touch with him. Well, he's been a perfect gentleman to me so far, but I know how to work through that!"

"Ben is a lovely young man," Eunice said knowingly. "But you would likely know by now if he were interested in you. Trust me, I know!"

Tamara glared at the older woman, clearly unsure as to whether or not she wanted to know more.

"I understand we'll be dining with him tonight, in any case," Elizabeth said, her anger having now given way to a certain sense of control. "Perhaps we shall see then what his intentions are."

"You will be joining us?" Tamara asked. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"My cousin is her gentleman friend," Irene explained, "And he and Benjamin are soaking next door as we speak."

"Oh, to be a fly on that wall," Elizabeth said with a grin.

"Indeed," Tamara said crisply. Elizabeth was delighted to see she was rattled.

Chapter 4

They had agreed to meet the men for a cab to the restaurant at half past six, and Elizabeth had initially feared that hour and a bit in the bath would seem forever. But when the quarter hour arrived and it was time to dry off and dress, her concerns had vanished. Tamara had never regained control of the conversation, nor had the other ladies allowed for any of her passive aggressive comments to go unchecked; and Elizabeth was feeling as radiant and refreshed as usual when Irene took her hand and helped her out of the bath. Tamara followed; she had a modesty-cloak waiting by the poolside, while Elizabeth and Irene remained comfortably nude as usual for the walk back to the locker room. They were comfortably quiet as usual as they toweled off , and it was up to Tamara to fill the awkward-for-her silence. "So, Benjamin tells me the restaurant we'll be going to is a favorite for single people," she offered. "I hope he intends that as a hint for myself and him."

"We shall see," Irene said through clenched teeth. She was as much annoyed at Tamara for interrupting her imagination of Benjamin being just as naked as she was next door at that very moment as she was at the silly content of her remark.

Elizabeth, recalling how Irene had helped her restrain her temper, now returned the favor. "You heard Eunice, Tamara. Benjamin is a man who tells you what is on his mind. If he were playing games, you would know."

"As you say, dear," Tamara said. "In any case, Elizabeth, I am certainly interested in meeting the man who took a fancy to you. Many of our old friends have heard you are now quite the woman about town, and we did wonder just what sort of gentleman would know how to appeal to you." And with a snotty grin she added, "Not to mention you to him," just as Elizabeth hurriedly pulled her dress back on to cover up what her panties couldn't.

In the cab, Irene was careful to seat herself across from Benjamin so that looking at him would seem as natural as possible. He appeared grateful for the diversion, as Tamara hung on his arm and prattled about how lovely she had found the baths. Benjamin replied only when it was unavoidable, and acknowledged Irene's many sympathetic nods and smiles. Jonathan sat by Irene's side; Elizabeth situated herself across from him and next to Benjamin, so as to avoid any contact with Tamara if she could help it. The victory in the baths had been hard won, and she longed to be alone with either Irene or Jonathan -- or both -- to decompress. There was little talk beyond Tamara's inane ramblings, though Elizabeth and Jonathan could see in one another's eyes that there was plenty to discuss once they had some privacy.

Fortunately for all concerned, the ride to the restaurant was a short one. As the hostess showed them to their reserved table, they overheard a band tuning up in the corner of the dining room. Benjamin explained to Tamara, "There's dancing later on, if you're interested. But for now I just want my dinner!"

"Amen!" said Elizabeth. "Such a long day at work."

Tamara eyed the dancing floor. "I assure you, Elizabeth, if you want to stay off your feet, Irene and I can keep the gentlemen busy!"

No one acknowledged her comment. The quintet took their seats in Elizabeth's favorite corner booth -- so cozy for relaxing with friends after a long day and before the evening's real fun -- and Jonathan ordered a carafe of wine for the party. Elizabeth put an arm around him and stretched her legs out, and could almost pretend Tamara wasn't there. Once they were alone, Benjamin put into action the phase Jonathan had explained to him in the bath. "So, Tamara," he asked, "How did you like your first visit to the baths?"

"Oh fine," she said. "As I was telling the girls, though, it takes some getting used to that much intimacy at once. But I think I like it a lot." She did not notice that Irene and Elizabeth exchanged knowing smiles at her expense, nor could she have known the reason why. Jonathan had accomplished his mission of filling Benjamin in on the plan, and Benjamin was now doing his part by steering the conversation exactly where they all wanted it to go.

"Yes, it's definitely a very intense experience," Benjamin agreed. "Jonathan and a few of the other chaps told me all about what a time it was settling into that community. Easier for some than for others, I suppose. I wonder if it mightn't be more intense for women than for men?"

"Could just as easily be the other way around, Benjamin," Elizabeth suggested. "I'm just guessing based on the stories Jonathan has told me, relative to what I know."

"Well, to be fair, Elizabeth, your experience may be somewhat unique," Benjamin pointed out. To Tamara he added, "I don't know if you know, Elizabeth has a singular talent for putting other ladies at ease in the baths. You may have even experienced it."

"You could say that," Tamara said. Putting on a saucy grin, she then said, "I don't know about you men, Benjamin, but honestly I longed for some male companionship in the bath. Dishing with the ladies is all well and good, but how much more fun to have mixed company?"

"Wouldn't that be delightful, though?" Irene added, as if on cue -- Tamara was playing right into their hands! "It'll never happen here, though; the presence of the single-sex baths is already controversial enough."

"Well you know," Jonathan followed up, "A chap in the baths did tell us of a resort just out in the countryside where you can rent private baths. Very discreet, and you're free to share with whomever you like."

"Oh, I'd be up for a trip there!" Irene couldn't resist looking Benjamin in the eye as she said it, imagining his nude body soaking gently alongside herself. "How nice to get out of the city for a day with just our closest friends!"