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

“That took a long time,” he said, doing his best not to sound annoyed.


“I couldn’t get a good look at him from the doorway and then someone saw me peeking so I had to make an excuse and go in.”


Jacob was fit to burst. “And…? Did you recognise him?”


Polly looked at him as if he really had gone mad.


“I can’t be sure, now, but I think it’s Mister Prewitt. A wheat farmer on the other side of the Hawkesbury River. But why? What’s all this cloak and dagger shenanigans about?”


“I’ll have to tell you later,” he said, beaming. “It’s a long story and I should get back to the dining room. But thank you, Polly. Thank you a hundred times over.”


After dessert, the men adjourned to the drawing room for the obligatory port and cigars, and after filling their glasses, Jacob cleared the dining table so Polly could do the washing up. When he’d finished in the dining room and checked the men in the drawing room had full glasses, Jacob hurried back to the kitchen to help Polly with the dishes.


Chapter 41