CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Fifty-Three

Edward held his hand out to Louis. "You received my letter?"

Louis nodded as he shook Edward's hand. "It was welcome news."

"Come, come inside." Edward held out his palm and said, "You must be tired from your journey. We have your usual room ready."

"Later." Louis shook his head. "I'll rest later, Edward. The woman, where is she?"

"Down at the docks. I have obtained accommodation for her there. But, first let us eat." Edward patted Louis on the back.

"Can you tell me her name, Edward?"

Edward and Louis sat facing each other in Edward's drawing room. Louis had washed and eaten, grateful Edward had insisted he should. Edward turned to him. "Before you go to see her I want to tell you about the other." He paused. "It would seem, Louis, that it is very possible, your convict is in fact a lady."

Louis smiled, he knew Jessica was special.

Edward continued. "I have had the pleasure of meeting with the Commandant and his wife. They have acquired a new governess who happens to be Irish. It came out in conversation that her place of birth was Carlow."

Louis raised his eyebrows. "Please go on."

"If her information is correct, your convict is really The Lady Jessica Loxton. Her father, before his death, being Lord Loxton of Loxton Hall. The Hall's landmass encompasses the village of Carlow. According to the Commandant's governess he died apparently two years prior to your Jessica's transportation. His nephew, Adam Reily Loxton inherited the title and is the now Lord Loxton. Not a nice man according to Miss Price. He became guardian to Lady Jessica at the death of their father, and also her benefactor. He would control her wealth no doubt." Edward paused. "Miss Price's story is that Adam was very jealous of Lady Jessica's closeness to her father and after his death Adam's hate for her grew. He told the people of Carlow, Lady Jessica was too grieved to live in the house where her father died, and that she had decided to reside in England. No one has ever seen her again apparently. I do not know if your Jessica and the Lady Jessica are one and the same, Louis but, from the two descriptions I have been given, they would seem to look very much alike. The names you said she used, were Adam and Loxton." Edward shrugged and poured himself a drink, then refilled Louis's glass.

"So what can be done, Edward?" Louis asked.

Edward smiled. "The question is, Louis, what is it you want done?"

Louis looked into his glass, and then back at Edward. "I want her freed. An unconditional pardon."

Edward raised his eyebrows and looked uncertainly at Louis. "Then you must write a petition to the Governor. I shall be happy to take it to him and argue the case." Edward rubbed his chin in thought. "Though I feel it will take some time, Louis."

"I understand Edward but it must be done. If she is a lady she cannot live as she is."

"It would benefit us greatly if we knew the true story behind her transportation and if, in fact, she is Lady Loxton." Edward took a mouthful of his drink and then nudged his glass at his friend. "That, Louis is up to you to find out as only she can tell us the truth of it."

Louis gulped down his drink and nodded his understanding and tilted his head. "Thank you, Edward. That news is very welcome. Before I can do anything in that regard I have to deal with the lady down at the docks."

Gabrielle closed her eyes as she saw his fist being driven into his opponent's face.

She closed her eyes to this man's blood, his pain and his hate.

Instead she opened her heart to his love, his tenderness and his warmth.

All she wanted now was to take him home, to take him in her arms and feel his love deep inside her. She wanted him to stop this war of hate he continued with himself. Though she knew she could not, so she loved him instead.

Gabrielle sat in front of this handsome young man and wondered what he wanted and why he had brought her here. Her son George sat beside her. She held onto his hand and waited.

"My name is Louis Copeland," he said.

She had heard his name before. The ship she had arrived on was one that flew the Copeland House flag. "Yes I have heard of you and was told you would be coming to see me." Gabrielle bowed her head in respect.

"Your son's father, George Withers, was he a boxer by the name of "The Reaper"?"

"You know of him?" Gabrielle gasped, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Yes." Louis nodded. "I saw him box. I need you to tell me for certain that George Withers and "The Reaper" are one and the same?"

Gabrielle smiled with her mouth, but Louis could see sadness in her eyes. "Yes, Sir he was. He was killed while trying to escape, I believe."

"Then you are his wife?" Louis needed to know as much about her as he could before he said any more.

"No we never married. There was no time. They took him away before we had the chance." She looked affectionately at her son. "I was with child by then." When she turned and looked back at Louis, there was something different in her eyes. "Why do you ask me all of these questions? Did he leave something to be passed on to us? To his son? It would help us greatly now that we have traveled all this way to settle here." She cocked her head and added, "Though I am very grateful for your help with our passage and the prospect of a better life here, I am curious as to why you would help us."

"Perfectly understandable." Louis peered at her, not sure how she was going to take his next words. "George is not dead. He works for me. Is assigned to me. I have come to take you to him if that is what you wish." Louis smiled and pulled an envelope from his pocket. "I have here, his conditional pardon."

Gabrielle gasped back a breath, her eyes wide in shock. She covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. Louis and her son watched as her chest heaved. The little boy wrapped his mother in his arms. She clung to him and said, "Your father is alive, Georgie. He's alive."   

Copyright © 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

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