CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Forty-Seven

Jessica drew the dining room curtain back a fraction and watched Rachel Templeton step gracefully from the carriage. Louis held his hand out to her and helped her to the ground. He kissed her on the cheek. The smile on his face told Jessica he was very fond of Mrs. Templeton.

Rachel was tall and slim. She wore a cream stylish velveteen dress with a guipure lace yoke, finished with a silk bow and deep lace cuffs. Her skin was milky white, her hair as black as ravens feathers. It was pulled tightly back in a bun and held in place with a cream ribbon. The late afternoon sun glistened and sparkled in each strand. It was so shiny. Jessica thought if she put her face close to it, she would probably be able to see her own reflection.

The woman giggled at something Louis said to her. She gave him a coy look and hid her face behind the matching cream lace fan she was holding. Jessica felt suddenly ill. A feeling of foreboding came over her. Rachel Templeton was beautiful. What did she expect? Did she really think the master would select someone who was ugly, to bed with? He was so beautiful himself. Jessica gasped, shocked at her thoughts. She had never thought before that she saw the master as being beautiful. Handsome yes, but beautiful? Jessica shook her head to try and clear her mind. She realised then that she was jealous of Mrs. Rachel Templeton.

Louis rang the bell from the drawing room. When Jessica entered he was standing pouring brandy into two glasses. Rachel stood beside him. Her hand resting lightly on the sleeve of his jacket. Jessica instantly looked to the floor. She could feel the intimacy between them and was embarrassed to have walked in on their private moment. A tight feeling knotted in the pit of her stomach. She knocked gently on the door and waited for Louis to respond.

"Are yes, Jessica come in. This is my good friend Mrs. Templeton." Jessica curtsied but didn't look at Louis or Rachel. "I would like you to be at her disposal," he said.

"Yes, Master." Jessica kept her head bowed.

Louis frowned. He hadn't had this problem with Jessica for some time. They had been working well as a team and she had given up her habit of not looking at him. "Jessica!" he said sternly. "Look at me when I speak to you!"

Jessica hated hearing the anger in his voice. She lifted her head and briefly met his eyes with her own as she said, "Yes, Master." Then quickly cast her gaze to the floor once more.

Louis couldn't believe she was doing this. He had felt so much closer to her lately and thought she was beginning to feel the same way about him. Now this. He moved across the room, forgetting Rachel was there, he gently took hold of Jessica's chin and lifted her face. He looked into her eyes, gave her a quizzical look then quietly said, "Why are you doing this?"

How could he not understand? He had been treating her almost as an equal and now she was back to being a slave, to do his mistress's biding. If that's what he wanted, that's what he was going to get. Jessica quickly glanced at Rachel, back at Louis, and then to the floor.

Ah...he got it. She knew about Rachel. How he wondered? Rachel had not been to "Ashton House" since a month before Jessica's arrival. The truth of it was he had not thought of Rachel since then. Mary or Alice must have told her. It couldn't be done now but, he would somehow explain later. "Look at me when I speak to you, Jessica. If Mrs. Templeton speaks to you, you will do the same. Do you understand?"

"Yes...Master..." Jessica's eyes blazed with fury. She emphasized the word Master as she spoke. Louis's grip tightened on her chin and under his breath, so Rachel couldn't hear, he murmured, "Don't do this, Jessica."

She sucked in her breath and pulled her shoulders defiantly back. "No, Master. Will that be all, Sir?"

He released her chin saying, "Have you put water in Mrs. Templeton's room. I'm sure she would like to freshen up a little before dinner."

"Yes, Master there is water on the washstand." Jessica looked at him briefly as she spoke, bowed her head and curtsied.

"Thank you. You may leave us now," he said and then turned to face Rachel.

Rachel wondered what was going on. She sensed his agitation so placed her hand on the hair at the back of his head and purred, "She seems to have upset you, Louis."

Louis pulled away a little too quickly. To cover his action he took her hand in his, squeezed it and smiled. He turned back to the drinks he was preparing.

"My, she has upset you, Louis. You have never pulled away from my touch like that before, what is the matter?" All manner of thoughts ran through Rachel's mind.

Louis waved his hand absent-mindedly. "I'm sorry, Rachel It's nothing really. She can be a bit defiant. I'm not in the mood to put up with her at the moment." He turned and handed Rachel her drink. Taking his tumbler and the bottle with him Louis slumped in his armchair. He swallowed the liquid in one gulp, and then refilled his glass.

Copyright © 2019 Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

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