CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Forty-Five

The journey home was much more comfortable. Louis was pleased with himself. He felt he hadn't lost any ground with Jessica this time. He chose to ride in the wagon with them and had tethered his horse to the back. George and he took turns at driving. Jessica was sat between the two men. "Would you like to hold the reins, Jessica?"

She looked at Louis in surprise. "Yes I would." She beamed.

Louis handed them to her and then pulled them back in doubt. "You do know how to drive, don't you?"

"Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I cannot do things a man can do." Jessica tilted her head and peered at him from the corner of her eye. She grinned cheekily, took the reins and added, "There are lots of things a woman can do as well as a man."

"Oh yes, and what would some of those things be exactly?" Louis had trouble keeping a straight face. He and George exchanged glances.

"We can ride horses as well as a man and if we had more opportunity we could be better," Jessica said haughtily.

Both Louis and George burst into laughter. Jessica looked disgustedly from one to the other.

"Yes, Jessica I agree." Louis chuckled. "You certainly gave us a fine example of just how good a rider a woman can be."

George and Louis laughed some more as he added, "Where did you find that horse, George?"

Jessica sat rigid between the two men. She felt the fireball that was her temper, ignite. Why did he always want to make her feel small? Yes, her ride had been a failure, but she was an excellent rider. She fumed inside and wished for a chance to show him just how good she was. Jessica held her head high and glared at Louis. She shoved the reins at him. "I don't think I want to drive, Master!"

He picked up the anger in her voice. Louis sighed and passed the reins to George. "Are you going to sulk, Jessica?" When she looked crossly at him he raised his eyebrows and added. "Well?"

Jessica clenched her teeth, trying to stop him from getting under her skin. She stared straight ahead and ignored him.

"Uh, uh, don't you do this." Louis took hold of her face and made her look at him. "We're just having fun. A joke."

Tears formed in Jessica's eyes. She tried to turn away. She felt so foolish for taking their jesting to heart.

Louis looked over her head at George who just shrugged. Louis said, "If it makes any difference, Jessica, I thought you were very brave that day. Some men I know would not attempt to ride "The White" like you did."

A tear spilled over onto her cheek as she looked at him.

Louis grinned in a boyish way. "Really, I mean what I say, it was a brave ride." He raised his eyebrows. "Though I have to say, being a man, I would have done it better...of course." He grinned and cocked his head at her.

"I'm sorry, Master." Jessica blushed and smiled back at him. "For being so sensitive."

Louis took a deep breath. "Sensitive is fine, Jessica. It's the temper you have that goes with it that I'll have to do something about." He over looked at George. "What cure do you say, George, a good beating or make her clean out the pig pen?"

"Make her clean out the pig pen, Master." George chuckled. "After that, I guarantee she'll never lose her temper again."

Copyright © 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

A very short chapter this one.

Thank you all for reading. I'd love you to vote, comment and even follow if you'd like.

I really appreciate all your support xoxoxo