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Mission in action

“I guess you have all had rest and hopefully adapted to our Dransvalle weather.” Tom said as he addressed the immigrants. “I have all got you documented and will submit the file the company for records and the they will have to let the kingdom know about you as part of the protocols. I have three families here, though some of the families are compound.” He was referring to Mr. Jerry’s family. Jerry looked fifty five and had a wife with nine children. His first child looked forty and also had a wife and three children while his second child looked thirty five and had a wife and three children. Tom knew the so-called first and second child were not his children but different families infused into his just to keep the limit of three families since there was no limit to the number of family members.

“There are eighteen able men that can work and your duties have stated and your wages arranged. You will have for the first time what is called Grace Wages which means you will have your first wages before you start work.”

The men cheered and clapped.

“This is to enable you settle down and work with more comfortably because thirty days is a long period. You have also being with provided with reasonable amount of food and this will only be given to you for two months and you will start fending for yourselves. With at least five people earning from each family, you should be able to take care of yourselves and you are the first to enjoy such ex-gratia.”

They cheered and clapped again. While Tom spoke, he still stole glances at Rose within intervals and her expressionless face was tuck to him. This damsel was doing things to his nervous system.

He had never felt this way in his entire life, not even in his world. Since the day he saw her, she had become a constant feature in his mind.

Last night, he dreamt of her but he did not know what to do about it. He knew Isabella was obsessed with him and the plan to kill Wellington and get married to him was becoming more concrete. He was not really keen about it and now it was worse since he saw Rose. He had only seen her twice since the day came which was four days ago and he noticed that she never really paid attention to him.

He had interviewed her and she was a bit taciturn and very formal so she gave him no chance to go further than the official interview.

He was tempted to employ her as his secretary but that would have been too obvious and Isabella may raise an eyebrow.

The women were employed into the fabric factory and she was among them.

On one fateful Saturday. Tom had gone into the city to get some materials when he sighted her and her thirteen year younger brother, Marcus. They were buying vegetables from a grocer and Tom felt his heart melting.

From her back view, the shape of her derriere was like something out of an imagination. It was  round with perfect curves and promisingly succulent. There was something different in her style of fashion, and her moves that made her stood out.

A huge man with rough beards walked up to her. He seemed to be talking to her but she did not respond after giving him a glance and turned back to the grocer.

She collected her vegetables from the grocer, paid and as she was about to walk away with Marcus, the man held her and drew her back forcefully.

She was taken aback and screamed out of fear.

Tom felt his bile rising and at once, his eyes became a thin vicious line. He took long strides and yelled, “what the hell are you doing?”

The man turned at once and glared at Tom. Who was this stranger yelling at him?

“Get away kid!” The man said sinisterly. “or you get a black eye for the month.”

“Let he go.” Tom said. “Or you will face prison.”

The man looked at Tom keenly before he guffawed.

“And who are you? A little lad from Yorkshire like this little damsel here?”

“Guards!” Tom shouted and three armed guards that were waiting by the expensive cart appeared “If he does not let her go and behave himself, he should be taken away.”

“Yes ,sire!”The guards answered .” Let her go mister.” A guard ordered fiercely. These were the guards attached to Tom and they were so loyal because he gave them extra money.

The man looked at Tom again. These were the guards attached to Sir Wellington, the most influential man in Dransvalle and one of the richest men in Europe. Who was this young kid who commanded such respect? He never knew Wellington had such a son.

He let her go.

“The next time you or anyone else touches or try to molest her or any one of them again, I swear you will pay the full price of debauchery, lawlessness and stupidity.”

“Did you just call me stupid, kid?” The man said with a frown.

“I am sorry I did not add i***t and any more word from you, you will be taken away.”

The man said nothing.

“Let’s go Rose.” Tom said and she followed him along with her brother.

Tom wished he had his phone to capture this moment. He was enjoying it. He was like a price here and it was fun.  

“Come on.” He said and gesticulated for her to get into the cart while people watched in admiration. She got into the cart made for two and Marcus was asked to climb a horse with a guard.

“Let’s go to the farm.” Tom ordered. “You know where the Yorkshire quarters is.”

“Yes, sire.” A guard said and told the man who was on the front horse. “To the farms, Yorkshire Quarters.”

The cart and horses began to move. Tom did not look at her or say a word. That was not because he did not want to but he had noticed that she was kind of lackadaisical towards him and he began to wonder if she disliked him. He was also nervous and uncertain. Why did she have so much impact on him.

“Thank you, sire.” She said and her soothing voice pierced through his heart and he guessed settled in his soul.

“You are welcome.” He said without looking at her. “He is a jerk.”

“A jerk?” she acted as if she did not know what that meant. Was the word not in use at that period? “I meant thank you for everything. You gave us a new life and everyone says the new welfare packages were your ideas.”

“Everyone?” he glanced at her. Her eyes were like cosmic and as she spoke, her immaculate white teeth showed and he fought the urge to grab and kiss her. Calm down, Tom “Who is everyone?”

“The farmers, the slaves, a management workers.”

“Yeah I feel workers welfare is paramount and you can force fear into someone but not love and loyalty. If you take care of your workers, they would love you and not fear you. They would be loyal and you will have that sense of satisfaction, plus such acts attract blessings from above. Money can’t buy rain or stop natural disasters so good acts attract divine blessings and protections. USA is a superpower but it still faces natural disasters and pandemics that is hard to control.”

“USA?”

“Yeah, it’s a country so far away.”

“How far?”

“About two hundred years horse ride.” He said thinking about 1774 when America would be founded.

“I have never heard of it. I have not traveled wide. Just Yorkshire, Suthaland which is close. I have never being to England.”

“I have not being to so many places. Grew up in the Cathedral.”

“Oh, I see why you have the heart of gold.”

“I will take that as a compliment.” He smiled. “I am Tom..oops! I am Tim.”

“Did you forget your name?”

“No, my friends used to call me Tom in the cathedral so that is a nickname. Bible-Tom in full.” He chuckled.

There was a short silence.

“How do like it here?” He asked.

“I prefer being in Yorkshire but with the job we all have now and better standard of life, I think life is better here.”

“I can relate. That is your home and where you have friends, and childhood memories.”

“Yeah. You are also not from here, right? I am told you are Madam’s cousin.”

“You seems to have an ear to the ground.”

She smiled and he wished she did not do that. Her smile was so infectious he felt like grabbing her again.

“How do you expect us not to ask about you? You got us here and Gaius told us about you before we came here. He feels you are a blessing to us.”

“I don’t think I deserve these. I am just so ordinary. Okay, yeah she is my cousin and happens to be her favorite cousin.”

“Gauis said that. He said he had never seen anyone who has an influence on her like you do.”

“But I told him to keep that on the low. I told her your family helped me…”

“We got that part of the story. I say this because it’s just you and me here.”

“Yeah..” he smiled and they exchanged glances. Their eyes met, and imaginary rays radiated and collided to explode. Sputters of shiny stars scattered, electric pulses and beautiful butterflies all around.

The cart stopped and Tom regretted that the journey was over so soon.

“I guess you have to go, right?”

“Yeah. I am home.”

“I wish I could go home.”

She raised her eyes.

“You have a luxury cart, riders and guards to take you home so why the wish?”

He looked into her eyes for a few seconds and looked away.

“Horses, carts and guards can't take me to my home. My home is not a castle in Rome. My home is not mine even though I use a possessive noun to qualify it. My home is can't be mine if you don;t give it to me. My home is place I find solace, privacy, delectation and love. My home lies in your heart and you have the right to let me have it or not. Your heart is where I want to dwell because that is the only place I feel safety, serenity and hope.I wish you could let me into your heart and dwell forever”

She did not say a word but just alighted. Marcus also alighted and he waved at Tom. Rose took some steps towards the entrance of their cabin and turned to give him a glance before she went inside.

Tom smiled at her and the cart began to move. She filled his heart and soul. He was in love and knew there was nothing else he needed more than being with her. If he could get what he came for and send it to his world, he would not mind dwelling here with Rose.

This was love! He was ready to sacrifice anything for her.

As the cart moved , he realized that there was something that he was trying to figure out since his encounter with the thug. What was it.

Yes, he remembered. It was something he said in his mind. He said he wished he had a phone to capture those moments.

What was the point he was trying to make? Why was he trying to figure something out and what was it?

He wished he had a phone to capture the moments.

He wished he had a phone to capture the moments.

Phone!

Yes, he had a phone and that was the last thing he was holding before he found himself here.

Phone in a polythene  pack!

“Stop the cart!” He yelled suddenly and the guards were amazed at his sudden burst. They obeyed. He came out of the cart.

“Give me a horse and take the cart back home. I need to go for a ride.”

“Yes sire.”

He mounted the horse and began to ride into the city. He got to the pointy he met the old man who called him James. From that point,. He began to take a ride back, hoping he would remember the route he had used to come into the city. He was riding fast and felt he was on the right track. He got a point he turned and climbed a narrow farm road. After twenty minutes, he stopped the horse and it did  take five minutes when he found the spot he buried his clothes after changing into Wellington’s clothes.

He dug them out and searched the pockets of his pants. He removed a small water proof pack and found a i-phone inside.

Now he remembered how he got here and knew the phone contained a lot. Mission in action.