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

“It’s going to be a long night,” said Peter. 4


Sydney Town was no more than a small village dominated mainly by the military, and by men in general. The women were either out of sight at home or there weren’t many of them to begin with. The buildings were small, though solidly built, and the roads were pressed earth. In the distance, in almost every direction, was thick bush.


“Not much here,” said Jacob as he surveyed his new surroundings.


“I suppose that’s why they sent us here,” said Peter.


They’d been marched down the gangplank and were being escorted towards a long building, which apart from its length, had little else to distinguish it from the other white-washed, thatched buildings that proliferated near the harbour.


Chapter 13