CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Twenty

Louis sat at the dining room table thinking of the information his friend had given him. In two weeks Edward had found out that Jessica had been transported on the "Rajah". The ship had sailed from Woolwich on the fifth of April 1841. It had arrived in Van Diemen's Land on the nineteenth of July. She had stolen a brooch and was to serve seven years for her crime. Edward could find nothing of "Adam" or "Loxton" on her records but had discovered she was originally from Carlow in Ireland.

He leaned back in his chair and looked around the room. It was warm and inviting. The candles flickered and the shadows their light made danced and skipped upon the walls and curtains. He loved this room. Indeed he loved this house and was always eager to return when he was away.

The fire in the grate burned brightly, its warmth making him drowsy. It had been a long day. He wearily got up and poured himself another glass of brandy. The door opened. Alice entered carrying some bowls and platters of food. She placed them on the sideboard along with the others already there. They contained roast potatoes, sliced beef, gravy, peas, and pumpkin.

Louis looked at the food, his mouth beginning to water. It seemed an awful lot for one person but he knew it wouldn't be wasted. The others would finish it off. He had told Mary not to prepare so much, but she insisted the bowls must look abundant.

Alice began to serve Louis his meal. Before she could place an item of food upon his plate he held up his hand to stop her. "Where's Jessica?"

"She's in the kitchen helping Mary, Sir."

"Please tell her to come here. This is her job now, Alice."

"I've not trained her yet, Master Louis. She won't know what to do." Alice tried to make an acceptable excuse for Jessica's absence.

"She may never have served a meal before Alice, but I'm sure she will know what to do. If it'll make you feel better, you may stay and direct her to the proper procedure." Louis cocked his head and opened his palms to her.

Alice left the room and returned to the kitchen to fetch Jessica. "He wants you to serve him his meal," she gasped.

Jessica looked nervously at the faces that surrounded her. A feeling of nausea filled her stomach.

"Go on, lass He'll not bite you," George encouraged.

She wiped her hands on her apron, placed her mop hat on her head and looked pleadingly at Alice. "You'll come with me, won't you?"

"Yes," Alice nodded. She felt sorry for Jessica, but all the same she told herself she must get use to Master Louis and receiving orders. It was what she was here for. They returned to the dining room together. Alice held the door opened as Jessica stepped uncomfortably into the room.

She wore a plain calico skirt, apron, and blouse. Her hair was pinned up on the top of her head. A standard mop hat covered it. Louis watched her over the top of his glass. Even in such plain clothes she was beautiful. Her head was hung. She focused on some invisible thing on the floor and seemed more subdued. Louis wondered if the earlier events of the day had changed her attitude. Perhaps he would not need to threaten her again.

His eyes ran slowly from her head to her body. Her right arm was held across her stomach hiding its subtle curve from his view. Jessica's fingers unthinkingly caressed her left forearm. Her breaths were deep and slow, each one consciously taken, as if to ease her nerves. The rise and fall of her breasts teased his senses. Louis sipped his drink, the liquid's warmth travelled down his throat into his stomach. Its effect seemingly caused a warm glow, to blanket his body.

Upon Alice's instruction Jessica moved toward the sideboard and hesitantly lifted the meat platter from its position. She then proceeded to place two slices onto Louis's plate. As she turned to replace the platter on the sideboard Alice informed her, the master usually had three slices. Jessica clenched her teeth and placed the third slice onto the plate. Returning the platter to the sideboard she lifted the jug of gravy only to be told by Alice the gravy should be poured once all the vegetables had been served. Annoyance and anger stirred in the pit of Jessica's stomach. She replaced the jug of gravy and returned to the table with the bowl of peas.