‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
44
The next day Taylor was introduced to the master’s routine. Charlie took him every step of the way, both showing and telling him what he was expected to do on a daily basis. Taylor didn’t really have to do much at all, he was mainly there to learn Charlie’s ways in preparation for what he may or may not be expected to do himself. However if he saw that something was going to be a lot of work – the cooking and cleaning for example – he often stepped in of his own accord to help. At first Charlie resisted when he did so, but by the end of the first day became grateful for the extra set of hands.
Now that Taylor was on a new course, so to speak, the master had returned to training whoever he’d been working on before Taylor’s arrival. This meant that he was gone for most of the day, returning only for his lunch and then later for his dinner. Charlie seemed to spend most of that time keeping the home spotless.
When the master returned in the evening and had finished his dinner, he called both Charlie and Taylor into the living room. Instead of taking their separate corners again, they both knelt at the foot of his chair.
“Charlie, how is he progressing?” the master leant his head in his hand, looking them over.
“Very well, Master,” Charlie nodded, “he has been very helpful.”
Taylor kept his eyes to the ground, even as he felt the master’s on him.
“No sign of disobedience?”
“No Master, none.”
“Charlie, you’re dismissed for the night.”
Taylor’s eyes widened a little as Charlie nodded, then stood from the floor and left the room.
“I’m still not a hundred per cent sure that this isn’t all an act,” he tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair.
Taylor closed his eyes, wondering how on Earth he thought the prank with the gun could have been an act.
“But I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. So here’s what I’m going to do.”
Taylor’s eyes opened as he heard him lean forward a little.
“Tomorrow I want you to pay extra special attention to everything that Charlie does, and the following day I’d like you to take it all on yourself. Is that clear?”
“Yes Master,” Taylor replied automatically.
“If you pass that test, and nothing else happens between now and then, we’ll see about sending you on your way.”
Taylor closed his eyes again, fighting an internal argument as to whether that would be a good thing or not.
“You’re dismissed,” the master gave him a wave.
Taylor gave him a glance before hurriedly standing up and leaving the room. Charlie met him at the bottom of the stairs and walked up with him, Taylor quietly filling him in on the master’s plan for the following couple of days. Charlie gave him a reassuring pat on the back and insisted that he’d be fine.
Taylor decided to start early, and while Charlie was laying out their master’s pyjamas he took the liberty of choosing clothes for the following day and laying them out as he’d already seen Charlie do it. Charlie couldn’t help but smile when he’d seen what he’d done, before quickly ushering him to the bathroom and afterwards securing him to the chain once again. They both sat up and waited until their master retired to bed, before settling down again themselves.
Now that Taylor was on a new course, so to speak, the master had returned to training whoever he’d been working on before Taylor’s arrival. This meant that he was gone for most of the day, returning only for his lunch and then later for his dinner. Charlie seemed to spend most of that time keeping the home spotless.
When the master returned in the evening and had finished his dinner, he called both Charlie and Taylor into the living room. Instead of taking their separate corners again, they both knelt at the foot of his chair.
“Charlie, how is he progressing?” the master leant his head in his hand, looking them over.
“Very well, Master,” Charlie nodded, “he has been very helpful.”
Taylor kept his eyes to the ground, even as he felt the master’s on him.
“No sign of disobedience?”
“No Master, none.”
“Charlie, you’re dismissed for the night.”
Taylor’s eyes widened a little as Charlie nodded, then stood from the floor and left the room.
“I’m still not a hundred per cent sure that this isn’t all an act,” he tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair.
Taylor closed his eyes, wondering how on Earth he thought the prank with the gun could have been an act.
“But I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. So here’s what I’m going to do.”
Taylor’s eyes opened as he heard him lean forward a little.
“Tomorrow I want you to pay extra special attention to everything that Charlie does, and the following day I’d like you to take it all on yourself. Is that clear?”
“Yes Master,” Taylor replied automatically.
“If you pass that test, and nothing else happens between now and then, we’ll see about sending you on your way.”
Taylor closed his eyes again, fighting an internal argument as to whether that would be a good thing or not.
“You’re dismissed,” the master gave him a wave.
Taylor gave him a glance before hurriedly standing up and leaving the room. Charlie met him at the bottom of the stairs and walked up with him, Taylor quietly filling him in on the master’s plan for the following couple of days. Charlie gave him a reassuring pat on the back and insisted that he’d be fine.
Taylor decided to start early, and while Charlie was laying out their master’s pyjamas he took the liberty of choosing clothes for the following day and laying them out as he’d already seen Charlie do it. Charlie couldn’t help but smile when he’d seen what he’d done, before quickly ushering him to the bathroom and afterwards securing him to the chain once again. They both sat up and waited until their master retired to bed, before settling down again themselves.