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

“Don’t be so hasty to scold yourself. I purposely and selfishly withheld the letter in the first place. It was wrong of me, and again, I apologise. I never wanted to hurt you, and as you may have deduced, it was my own insecurities and selfishness that urged me to resort to such tactics.”


Jasper’s big words were confusing and Jacob quite often found he had no idea what his master was saying. However, he understood enough to know Jasper truly regretted his actions, and with all he’d done to prove he was genuinely sorry, how could Jacob stay angry at him?


“I’m sorry,” he said, hugging Jasper to him. “I behaved like an absolute cad.”


Jacob pulled away from the hug. “One more thing,” he said. “Did the letter and the Certificate of Freedom arrive on the same day? I mean were they both waiting for you when you picked them up?”


Jacob shrugged. “No reason. Just wondering.”


Chapter 48