CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Forty

I thought you might like to see the original photo of where I got my cover from.  I took this photo at the Old Melbourne Gaol and then I tweaked it to make my cover.

Louis knocked lightly on the gatehouse door. He could hear Alice singing softly to her baby. At the sound of his knock she ceased her song. Louis heard her cross the floor.

"Oh! Master Louis, what a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting a visitor today. Please come in, though Aiden isn't here. He's gone into Launceston," she laughed and then added, "But of course, you would already know this."

"Yes, Alice. It's you I have come to see." Louis reached out and ran his finger down the baby's cheek. "How is young Robert?" As Louis spoke he took the baby in his arms and held him out in front of him. "He's a fine looking boy, Alice. Growing very quickly, I see. How old is he now?"

"Three months, Sir." She smiled affectionately at her son and added, "The time has passed so quickly."

Louis handed the child back to her.

Alice said, "Can I offer you some tea, Master though I have not baked today?"

"No thank you, Alice. I've come to ask if you would be ready to begin working once more."

"But why, Master is Jessica leaving us?" Alice's face filled with shock and concern.

"No. I have other tasks I wish her to take on. They would encroach on her duties if I decide to give her these tasks. Someone would be needed perhaps two or three afternoons a week. Do you think you would like to take this on, Alice?"

"Would I be permitted to bring Robert with me, Sir?"

"Of course, Alice." Louis laughed. "I would not allow you to work if you didn't."

Alice beamed. "Then I would be most happy to, Master."

Louis touched the baby on the head. "Good I'll speak to Jessica this afternoon. Perhaps tomorrow you and she could work out which days suit you best. It is of no matter to me."

"Thank you, Sir. I'll be so happy working with Mary and Jessica again." Robert grumbled and kicked his pudgy little legs about.

"I'm sure they'll be pleased to have you back, Alice." He nodded his head in farewell and left her to settle Robert.

When the bell rang from Louis's study Mary and Jessica looked at each other then back at the bell. Louis very rarely rang the bell from this room. He normally didn't like to be disturbed when working on his books. Jessica untied her dirty apron and washed her hands. "Perhaps it is his water jug. It may need filling."

"Didn't ye fill it this morning?" Mary scolded.

"Yes, Mary I did. Perhaps he has drunk it all," she shrugged. "I can think of no other reason for Master Louis to ring the bell is all?" Jessica left the kitchen feeling apprehensive. She knocked lightly on the door and waited until she heard him usher her inside. She stood in the doorway and waited.

Louis was writing something in one of his journals. When he was finished he placed his quill on the desk and turned to face her. "Close the door, Jessica." He reached for the water jug and poured himself a glass of water. Jessica could see it didn't need to be filled. He drank half of the glass and placed it beside his journal. "Jessica I know you can read and play the piano," he paused. "Can you write also?"

"Yes, Master," she looked at the floor.

"How extensive is your education?"

Jessica frowned; she studied him briefly, and then looked back at the floor. "I am not sure what you mean, Master?"

"Can you do mathematics?"

"I have received a very good education, Sir." She lifted her head a little and focused on his boots. The very ones she had polished that morning. His feet were stretched out casually in front of him. Jessica marveled at the length of his legs.

Louis drew his feet under his chair and spun around to face his desk. "Come over here, Jessica," he said as he wrote some figures on a piece of paper.

She took a few steps closer. When he turned and looked at her she wasn't near enough, so he leant over, took hold of her hand and pulled her closer to the desk. When she was where he wanted her he let go of her arm. "I want you to add these figures." Louis handed her the quill.

Jessica didn't take it but instead looked at the numbers he had written. "One thousand and thirteen, Sir," she said.

Louis leaned back in his chair and looked up at her. He tapped the quill on his chin. "And if you took the smaller figure from the bigger, what answer would you have then?"

She looked back at the numbers. "Two hundred and sixty-nine, Master." Jessica glimpsed at him, a smile crossed his face, it was so infectious she couldn't control one crossing her own.

"I am very impressed, Jessica," he chuckled. "Very well." He paused and turned to face her. "I have asked Alice to come back to work two or three afternoons a week. She will choose which afternoons and will speak to you about this. On those afternoons, I will require you to do some bookwork and correspondence for me. Do you have any questions?"

Jessica shook her head.

"Good, let me know what days Alice chooses so we can begin. That will be all for now." Louis turned back to face his journal, a beaming smile on his face.

Copyright© 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rightsreserved.

As you can see I've just learnt how to upload photos at the top. Haha yes I'm a bit slow.

I hope you're enjoying Chains to Freedom.  Many thanks for being here ♥♥