Twenty-two-year-old Jacob Tomkins is sentenced to seven years’ labour in the fledgling colony of Sydney Town, Australia. The voyage across the sea is arduous. He is travelling with mean, street-hardened criminals, some of whom would like to use him for their pleasure. Fortunately he meets Peter, who takes Jacob under his wing. Together they find moments of pleasure amid the drudgery of the voyage. They share their hopes and dreams, and finally declare their love for each other upon the eve of their arrival in Sydney Town -- a place where the currency is rum, distilled and controlled by the powerful military. But what will happen once they disembark? The chances of remaining together are slim. A lot can happen in seven years, especially when Jacob’s new master takes a liking to him. Is their love strong enough to survive the ravages of time? Can they survive the rigors of their sentences?

Across the Sea

He hurried to the end of the nearest line, avoiding eye contact with the redcoats. If there was one danger about being on deck, it was of being noticed and singled out by one of the redcoats. Most of the other convicts had nothing to worry about. They had nothing the redcoats wanted. However, Jacob was young and slender; his body smooth except for a small nest of dark blonde pubic hair. “Your beauty isn’t just the beauty of youth,” Peter had told him. “It’s almost feminine.” It had made him squirm, though not as much as when he saw the look in the eyes of the redcoats. It was the same look he’d seen in the eyes of some of the convicts. Without Peter’s presence, he’d have been having a very hard time of it. Unfortunately, if one of the redcoats took a shine to him, there’d be nothing Peter could do to protect him.


Chapter 3