The Fifth Ch. 07

"Damn, you're not done yet?" he snorted. "Well I guess there's nothing for it. You have to get to Belle. Maybe you'll be a little more useful to her. But you can't go traipsing around the Lady's house as filthy as you are. Take a fast shower in the bathroom by that room of yours and then report to Belle." Thomas turned and walked away and Jared was too tired to even offer a "Yes Sir." to his back.

He made his way through the back door by the laundry room and to his little room next to it. He was surprised to find two other new pairs of gray trousers and two gray tee shirts, two pairs of socks and a three pack of white briefs all set out on his stool, at the bottom of which were a new pair of work shoes and a pair of sneakers, all of them in his size. That must have been where Edward had gone and what he had brought back. At least he now had some clean and better fitting clothes to wear for his afternoon duties. There was also a towel folded on his mattress. He took it and made his way to the bathroom to hurriedly shower. Five minutes later he was washed, dried and dressed, and he rushed down to the kitchen to report to Belle.

He found her there waiting and he was instantly taken aback. It was not that she was fully dressed in a maid's outfit from the cap on the top of her head to the flats on her feet, but that, to his very surprised eye, she seemed in every way, every inch a female. This was not at all what he had expected.

"Ma'am?" he offered tentatively.

"Here." she finally answered and pointed to the table. "I saved you a sandwich and something to drink. Eat it up so we can get to work."

"Yes Ma'am. Thank you Ma'am." and he meant it sincerely. He went over to the table and found a well stacked ham and cheese sandwich with tomato and lettuce, and a tall glass of lemonade. Not wanting to keep his benefactress waiting any longer than necessary, and also because he was starving, he gobbled and gulped them both down rapidly.

"Okay then." Belle said when she saw that he was finished. "Come with me." she said, not at all sharply. They walked out into the main body of the first floor. "There are three bathrooms on this floor. I'd like you to clean them all while I do the other rooms." She paused as if considering. "Under no circumstances are you to ever go up to the second floor. Cleaning there will be my sole responsibility." She guided him to the supply closet and pulled out a bucket, scrub brush, sponges and a bottle of cleaning liquid, handing them to him before leading him to the first bathroom. "The Lady likes the porcelain in all the bathrooms to gleam." she said. "And make sure you get out all the grit and mildew in the cracks and grout between the tiles." she added almost apologetically.

"Yes Ma'am." Jared answered as she left, and he spent the next four hours up and down off his knees, scrubbing, washing and polishing the floors, tiles, and the porcelain sinks, baths and toilets in all three of the bathrooms he had been assigned. It was Abel who finally came back for him just as he was finishing up in the last one and told him to put everything away and come to the kitchen for dinner. After he had done all that had ordered he made his way to the kitchen to find all of the other slaves except for Michael already there eating. Abel got up to bring them more platters of food, and then a plate full to Jared standing in the corner where he had positioned himself. Not being 'invited' anywhere else, he ate there standing up. When he had finished Edward motioned him over.

"You clean up the table here, wash and put away the pots and pans and dishes, and then your evening duties each night will be to clean all the slave quarters, including making the beds and doing all the slave laundry."

Completing those tasks took the rest of the evening, and it wasn't until close to 11, when having been given no further assignments, that Jared with every muscle in his body seemingly sore made his way back to his room and collapsed onto the mattress. Before getting up to turn off the light he noticed an old fashioned alarm clock on the floor next to him. It was probably just that they didn't want him to miss any work, he thought, but he couldn't help but appreciate the small courtesy as he set it for 5 AM and then turned off the light. He had no trouble falling and staying asleep this night.

And so a pattern was set. In the mornings Jared would work on the grounds outside for Thomas. He was then allowed his daily shower before the afternoons when he was Belle's to use. At her direction this rapidly evolved to where he became totally responsible for cleaning and maintaining the first floor and basement, while she worked exclusively upstairs and took care of the Lady's laundry. His evenings were spent cleaning the other slaves' rooms, and washing, drying and ironing their clothes. As long as his work was completed he was allowed to take his meals at the same time as them, although not at the table with them. He ate either standing up or sitting on the floor in his corner, where he remained unless he was summoned over for some other chore. None of them ever spoke to him except to give him orders and they never called him by name, taking Edward's lead referring to him simply as 'you', or just issuing a curt command. Most of them made little effort to hide in any way their disdain for him.

As his first month there stretched to the end of two there did begin to be a small softening in attitudes though. A number of them couldn't help but develop a grudging respect for how hard he worked, how immediate his obedience was, and how he performed all of his chores without any seeming complaint. While there was no lessening of work assignments they no longer went out of their way to make them more onerous than they already were, beginning to allow him use of more adequate work aids and equipment, and even at times helping him out when it was obvious that more than one slave's efforts were needed. The only one whose attitude didn't thaw was Edward, who continued to make it readily evident that he always found Jared's ongoing presence as never better, and usually worse, than unpleasant.

During this entire time, except for Edward, contact for any of them with the Lady had become much less frequent. She rapidly had become aware of the 'schedule' and except for meals she only came downstairs to the first floor in the mornings, and only ventured outside in the afternoons, and remained exclusively upstairs after her dinner in the evenings.

She diligently returned to her writing and her latest novel. Much to the growing concern of both Edward and Michael as they read the rough drafts, her main character was becoming even more loathsome and despicable. Often when writing in the morning she found her attention drifting to outside her office window when she heard Thomas and his slave working below. She never ceased to admire and enjoy watching Thomas' well muscled physique toiling for her, but her eyes were now all too frequently and almost involuntarily drawn and riveted to the other body there, one that had always, and still beguiled her, and from which she found that she had to consciously force her attention away.

Despite her precautions, in the first month of his unwanted stay, Deanna had had two chance encounters with Jared. They weren't very involved or prolonged as on both occasions he had immediately tried to melt into the nearest wall, as she had rapidly turned on her heels and hurried away in the opposite direction. After both episodes she had been inwardly furious with herself for her childish reaction. This was not how the Lady of the Manor should act in front of anyone, especially a ... a ... That was the issue wasn't it. What was he? She just didn't know. And just as surely she didn't want to find out. She resolved to make every effort to avoid any contact with him in any way until he finally understood the message and exited from the manor... and her life, for good.

As the second month of Jared's stay progressed into a third Edward noted with growing alarm his Lady's increasing isolation from the rest of the household, and how it was adversely affecting them all. Of most concern to him was how it was affecting his Lady herself. He knew it was above his place and station to ever question her, but he felt he had to take some action. After much contemplation and mental preparation, one evening after finishing the ritual of helping her prepare for bed he worked up the courage to proceed.

"My Lady, may I speak?"

Deanna was surprised as she had never required Edward to ask permission if he had issues to raise. She sat up in the bed and propped some pillows behind her.

"Of course Edward."

There could be no hesitance. No beating around the bush.

"Let me send him away, My Lady. As soon as possible."

A stab of fear knifed through her, although she maintained her outward calm. There was no question as to who 'him' was.

"Why?" she asked quietly. "Is he proving unsatisfactory as a slave?"

"No." Edward conceded. "Unfortunately he appears to be performing more than adequately in that regard. The others even appear to be developing a reluctant acceptance, even respect for him."

Deanna wasn't particularly pleased to hear that. "Then why, Edward? You know I've made it very clear that the decision to leave has to be his."

"Because he's made you a prisoner in your own home, My Lady." he cried. "You no longer participate in and enjoy all that you have created here, and it's affecting everyone, most importantly you."

She turned her face away for a moment and then back to him. She needed to change the direction of this conversation right away. "It's the book, Edward. I've been working so hard on it, and I've fallen so far behind."

"Yes ... the book." he replied slowly.

"I know you don't care much for the direction it's going," she said defensively, "but it's the story I want to write and I know that the end will be just what I need it to be." she added more sharply.

"I trust that will be so My Lady." he allowed. "But I think it's all far more than that."

She bowed her head. Edward knew her too well. She looked up at him again. "I just can't give him the satisfaction of being the one to send him away." she finally insisted, almost helplessly.

"I think he wants far more than satisfaction, My Lady, and it's certainly not to be sent away."

"Well that's something he will never have." she retorted vehemently.

"Then make him go My Lady, before his continued presence here poisons everything you've worked so hard to build."

She turned her face away again, and almost involuntarily breathed out "I can't." Then, horrified that Edward must have heard she struggled to gather herself to regain the upper ground. Long tense moments followed before she took a deep breath and continued.

"Perhaps I have been neglecting too long my responsibilities and enjoyment as Lady of the House." And, she thought, maybe 'he' needed to really see everything that he would never again have. She paused another few seconds, considering, then proceeded. "Inform Thomas that tomorrow night he will be bound."

It wasn't all that Edward had hoped for, but it was a first step. "As you wish, My Lady."

"Good. Eight o'clock tomorrow morning, Edward. Good night."

Acknowledging his dismissal he turned to go. "Good night, My Lady."

"Oh, and Edward." she said as he reached the door.

"Yes, My Lady?" he answered turning back.

She smiled serenely. "You will of course have to be punished later for your presumption this evening.."

He returned her smile in kind. "Of course, My Lady."

Perhaps a very good start indeed, he reflected a bit more optimistically as he departed.