CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Sixteen

In the days that followed, Alice taught Jessica her other duties. She told Jessica which days were best for which tasks. Polishing silver, sweeping, mopping, and dusting all needed to be done.

Jessica was overwhelmed with this list of things to do in the first hour or so of the day. She wasn't confident of remembering half of it.

Time spent with these people was healing for Jessica. She warmed to their company.

Every Sunday they gathered, just before breakfast, inside the little chapel to pray. Opportunities to get to the church in town were rare. Louis wasn't religious but he had no problem with their praying in the chapel.

"We're going on a picnic today," Alice whispered in Jessica's ear, so as not to disturb the others.

Jessica raised her eyebrows in question.

"To Plummet Hill." Alice beamed.

"Where's Plummet Hill?" Jessica whispered back.

Alice covered her mouth with her hand and pointed at the wall of the chapel. "Over that way, you can see the house from there. It's beautiful."

Mary stood from kneeling and faced them with her hands on her hips. "Well really! You pair are worse than a couple of schoolgirls, whisperin' an carryin' on." She ushered them outside with her hand. "Get out with ye, go and finish gatherin' the picnic things while us worshippers get on with it."

Alice and Jessica giggled and scurried outside, across the courtyard and into the kitchen.

"Oh, Jessica, do come down to the lake and see the ducks. They're so pretty all dressed in white."

Jessica covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, "Won't Miss Nosworthy mind?"

"Nosworthy, Blosworthy," Millie chanted. "We won't tell her. Come on, while she has her back turned." She took Jessica by the hand. They ran and ran until they rounded the corner of the path.

"Stop, Millie. Please stop!" Jessica laughed trying to catch her breath. The two held hands and giggled all the way down to the lake. "Millie you're such a scamp! If father found out half the things I get up to with you, I'm sure he'd give me a good walloping."

Millie huffed. "Now, Jessica, we both know your father would never raise his voice to you, let alone his hand."

Jessica giggled and threw herself down on the long green grass. "Oh, Millie, do you think we'll always be such good friends?"

"Of course we will!" Millie flopped down beside her. "Perhaps I'll marry your cousin, just so we'll have reason to see each other forever."

Jessica screwed up her nose. "You'd do that for me?"

Millie laughed and looked intently at her. "Just because you don't like him doesn't mean everyone shares your bias."

Atop Plummet Hill stood a tall mountain ash, its branches swayed in the gentle winds. They laid the blanket under its canopy and sat watching a plover glide on the breeze then abruptly swoop toward the ground only to catch the next air stream and be up-lifted by its invisible force and then carried further across the valley.

"Why is it called Plummet Hill?" Jessica asked. She smiled as the wind caught her hair and made the web-like wisps, flitter behind her. Without any notice the wind reversed direction and wrapped the hair around her face. She grabbed it and laughed.

"It's so good to hear your laughter, Jessica." Alice beamed and caught her own hair in the gust of wind.

Jessica blushed and smiled shyly back at Alice.

"It's called Plummet Hill because of the birds." Alice looked across the valley. "The way they swoop and plummet on the wind. Silly name," she said with a grin on her face. "I like to name things." Alice shrugged and opened the lid of the picnic basket.

"I like it." Jessica reached across and touched Alice's hand. "I think it's a wonderful name."

Copyright © 2018 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

Gosh I wrote big chapters when I first started writing. The last three chapters including this one were the one chapter. I've split it up so I hope it works.  Two short and one long instead of one really long one.  Thanks again for reading.  Please comment and vote. ♥♥♥