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.

"Take off your hat," Louis spoke quietly, his chin resting on his thumb, his index finger rubbed his cheek as he looked at her.

Jessica stopped moving. She clasped the bowl tightly against her stomach. Her eyelids closed and a lump caught in her throat. She took a deep breath, why couldn't he let her finish her task?

"Place the bowl on the table and take off your hat."

Jessica glanced at him. His blue eyes darkened, though not to the storm colour they had been earlier. She reluctantly complied and reached for the mop hat. Jessica felt his eyes follow the movement of her hands. She held the hat close to her chest as if to shield herself from his gaze.

Louis straightened in his chair. "Your hair! I want you to let your hair down."

Jessica clenched the mop hat in her hands. The material course and badly woven. Her grip tightened. She looked at the bowl she had placed on the table. Sepia flowers and berries adorned it. Plain but pretty.

"I want your hair down when you serve me." Louis watched her fingers as they grasped the hat. He focused on her eyes. Saw her helplessness and felt his desire. "Let your hair down, Jessica."

Hannah came with their food.

She would not look at Jessica.

She would not look at him.

When her hands were empty he drew her to him.

"Let your hair down, Hannah."

Jessica looked at him; looked at Hannah.

"Jessica does not think I should touch you like this." He moved his hand up and down over her backside.

"Do you think I should not touch you like this, Hannah?"

Jessica looked at Hannah and saw helplessness in her eyes.

Jessica's hands trembled as she reached up to the back of her head. Louis watched as the upward movement caused her breasts to rise and push tight against her blouse. He sipped his brandy once more. His eyes transfixed as she fiddled with the pin holding her hair in place. He shifted in his chair, the feeling of desire growing stronger.

As Jessica's hands released the pin her hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. The urge to reach out and touch it was hard to control. Louis forced himself to stay fixed on his chair.

"Master your food will go cold."

The sound of Alice's voice shattered the pleasant images in Louis's mind. He had forgotten she was there.

"Jessica should keep her hat on and hair up, Master." Alice continued, "To prevent any hair falling into your meal, Sir."

Annoyed by the sound of her voice Louis looked towards her. "I want her hair down," he said sternly then transferred his gaze back to Jessica. "Do you understand that, Jessica? When you serve my meals you wear your hair down and no hat."

Jessica refused to acknowledge his instructions. The burning began once more. It churned in the pit of her stomach, weaving its way to her chest. She looked at the sepia bowl with its vines and gold trim and putting her hat and hair pin into the pocket of her apron Jessica lifted the bowl from the table. She raised her eyes and looked directly at him. The fact that he was so good looking irritated her more.

Impulse drove Jessica, it overtook rationality. She lifted the ladle full of peas as if to place them upon the plate, but instead delivered them into his lap.

Alice threw up her hands to cover her mouth and gasped. "Jessica what have you done! Oh Master," she flustered, looking for something to clean up the mess.

Louis had not flinched and remained calmly seated. His eyes lightened with a flash of amusement watching Alice fluster.

Jessica too, stood still, staring defiantly at him. Willing him to beat her, proving he was no different to any man in a position of power over others. She waited but nothing happened; noticed his humour and wanted to scream at him, force him to hit her. She sucked in a breath then placed the bowl on the table and retrieved her hairpin from her apron pocket then swept her hair back onto the top of her head.

Louis calmly said, "Alice. Please leave us."

"But the mess, Master?"

"Alice please do as I have asked."

Jessica's mind raced. She didn't know how to deal with his calm reactions.

Alice glanced back toward Jessica as she closed the door. She had never seen the master behave so oddly before. Fear for Jessica rushed through her mind.

Copyright © 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

I'm sorry for the late updates. I just don't seem to be able to find time to write lately.  Thank you all for hanging in there and continuing to read.  

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