CHAINS TO FREEDOM.✔

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After a small search she found the bridles and slipped one over The Whites head. The horse stamped its feet in agitation. Jessica led it outside talking to it in calm soft tones. Once she was outside the courtyard gate, she searched for something to stand on, so as to climb upon its back. She noticed an old pew beside the rear wall of the chapel. Jessica stood on this and pulled the horse closer. It snuffed and jittered, unsure of being so close to the building. Jessica cooed to the horse. She ran her hand down its neck. The horse relented and allowed her to slip onto its back. Jessica rode slowly across the home paddock. She wanted to get a feel for the horse and it a feel for her. It had been a long while since she had ridden bareback.

"Oh no Miss, if his Lordship should find out, I'd lose me job."

"He won't find out, Will. I'm certainly not going to tell him."

"And what if you have an accident, Miss Jessica?"

"I won't, I promise you I won't." She sighed. "Please, Will. You know I'm a good rider, and I can't imagine to ride bareback is much different."

"It tis, Miss, you don't have as much to hang on to."

Jessica positioned herself more comfortably and pulled her skirt up and out from under her legs, so she could have a firm grip on the horse with her knees. Once she got to the far gate she felt confident with the animal. She leant down and lifted the timber catch which held the gate closed and pushed it opened with her foot, hoping if there were other gates, they would also be as easy to open. Once Jessica was in the open paddock, she kicked the horse a little to encourage it to canter. The horse responded instantly and bolted straight into a gallop, causing Jessica to almost loose her balance. She reined the horse in but it fought against her pull. She decided she'd just have to hang on and hope the horse would run itself out before they got to the scrub. She felt the animal's muscles rippling beneath her. The sweat on its coat wet against her legs. She was tiring and tried to pull the horse up once more. It responded and slowed to a canter. Jessica was relieved. She had started to wonder if The White was ever going to tire. She looked behind her. The homestead was no longer in sight. She realised the land had slowly risen, the house being nestled in a valley. In front of her, she could see the tops of some scrubby trees and knew she was heading in the right direction.

The land unexpectedly dropped away into a dry creek bed. The scrub began on the opposite side. The horse leaped across the unleveled ground not slowing its pace. Jessica's hands slipped from the reins. To stop from falling she clung onto the horse's neck, it continued to canter up the other side of the bank, breathing laboured with foam leeching from its mouth.

Once up the embankment The White headed straight into the scrub. Jessica kept her head down, branches and leaves caught her with every lunge the horse took.

Pain seared through her arm. She was thrown violently to the ground, landing on her side, the breath forced from her. She wheezed as agony choked her. Jessica rolled on her back, fighting to breathe, taking small quick gasps. She closed her heavy eyes trying to calm herself.

"You hang on, Miss hang on with your legs!"

Jessica looked over her shoulder and laughed. She waved at Will as he stood at the gate, his hands held to his mouth calling after her. She felt so free. She flicked her head so her hair trailed behind her.

Jessica's eyes closed, preparing to sleep. She fought to keep them opened and tried to focus on the sun filtering through the leaves.

"Jessica! Send for the doctor!" He screamed at her and she ran. Ran down the stairs to the kitchen where she found Will eating his morning tea.

"Will! The doctor! His Lordship wants the doctor to come! Go now!"

She turned and ran slowly along the corridor to the doorway. The longer she ran the further away it became. Jessica grew cold, she looked at her feet, they moved, but barely touched the ground. Through her tears she saw she was no longer in the corridor, but outside in bush land she did not recognize. Her breaths were laboured and short.

As the trees reached out towards her, she stumbled and fell. Wind howled around her and out of the darkness she heard Louis call to her. He stood there in front of her, held his arms out and beckoned her to come to him.

Jessica Struggled to her feet. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked behind her. Hannah lay in the straw, in the grips of pain.

She was alone.

Jessica hesitated, not sure of what to do. Her heart pounded. She fought harder to breathe. She looked at Louis. He was slowly moving away. Panic seized her. She feared if he left her in this wilderness she would die. Jessica looked back at Hannah. A fire blazed brightly and Mary sat with her.

"Go...go...to him!" She was smiling and waved Jessica away.

Jessica felt her tears roll down her cheeks; she nodded and began to run toward Louis. He reached out for her, took her in his arms, and kissed her. Jessica felt his strength, his warmth. It enveloped her. She closed her eyes as she kissed him in return. She was caught in that kiss. It carried her to safety. She kissed him harder for fear if she stopped he would leave her and she would be lost forever.

"I always knew you would come to me," he whispered against her mouth. When Jessica looked up at him she screamed and pushed away. This was the other, darker man, not Louis. She tried to wipe the feel of his lips from her own. He stood laughing down at her. Jessica stepped backwards, shaking her head.

"No!" she cried but he continued to laugh and held his arms out to her.

"I always knew you would come to me."

Jessica shook her head harder. She held her hand out behind her and pointed.

"Hannah! Hannah is having your baby!"

He shook his head and laughed, pointing toward her. "You are having my baby."

Jessica covered her face with her hands and shook her head, she turned to run, but her feet wouldn't move. His hands grabbed her. She screamed and looked through the trees for someone to help her. The wind blew harder. Branches swept across in front of her, scratching her face.

"Jessica...!" Alice came through the mist, her hair hung over her face as she bent in pain. "Jessica! You must run! Run for Aiden!"