‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
55
Taylor ignored the curious onlookers as best he could, feeling their eyes on him even as he closed his. He was hugging his knees in to his chest as he sat on the floor behind the woman’s chair, the chain attached to his collar pooled around him and looped around a chair leg.
He was startled back to reality toward the end of the meal when a hand appeared in front of his face holding a bread roll with a mixture of salad inside. He looked up in surprise to see that it was the woman handing it to him.
“Eat,” she said simply, still holding it out to him.
Taylor frowned a little, but took it from her hand.
“Thank you Mistress,” he said softly, looking confused.
She turned back to her table as Taylor looked it over, not remembering the last time he’d eaten anything like it. Being around so much food without having eaten for almost twenty four hours had made him start to feel sick again, but not wanting to offend her he quickly began to eat it.
As he ate, he noticed the man who sat next to her gesturing towards him as he spoke to her in Spanish. They entered a short but heated argument before he got up and left. Taylor watched after him worriedly, getting the distinct impression that he didn’t like him being there. The woman offered no explanation.
When she was done, she stood from the chair and took his leash in her hand. He quickly stood up as she spoke to some of the nearby children, before she began to lead him from the dining hall.
They made their way down a few different corridors, Taylor getting a grasp on just how huge the place was, before entering what looked to be a cross between a small library and a large study. She closed the door behind her before instructing him to kneel on the floor. He did so.
“What is your name?” she asked as she looked down at him.
“Taylor,” he glanced up as he responded.
She stared at him for a moment, before nodding.
“It suits you. You can keep it.”
She made her way over to the desk and picked up a small book before leaning against the front of it.
“Thank you Mistress,” Taylor closed his eyes gratefully.
“Miss.”
Taylor looked up questioningly.
“I prefer ‘Miss’. ‘Mistress’ makes me sound… underhanded.”
“Sorry Miss,” Taylor blushed a little, feeling like he was in trouble already.
There was silence as she leafed through the booklet.
“Boundaries. I believe those will become apparent over the coming few days,” she murmured to herself, “you are not to go anywhere unescorted, at least for the first week. Duties and expectations…”
She paused as she read the page, before setting the book aside and looking down at him. He didn’t lift his eyes from the floor.
“Your main duty here will be to tend to the children,” she announced.
That made him look up.
“Mine only, at first. Other members of the family are… not as understanding of Americans, you see. I’d like you to tutor them in English, and once your hands are healed, piano.”
Taylor’s face visibly brightened, but he held any other reaction at bay.
“However it will be a few days before I’ll allow you to meet with them.”
He was startled back to reality toward the end of the meal when a hand appeared in front of his face holding a bread roll with a mixture of salad inside. He looked up in surprise to see that it was the woman handing it to him.
“Eat,” she said simply, still holding it out to him.
Taylor frowned a little, but took it from her hand.
“Thank you Mistress,” he said softly, looking confused.
She turned back to her table as Taylor looked it over, not remembering the last time he’d eaten anything like it. Being around so much food without having eaten for almost twenty four hours had made him start to feel sick again, but not wanting to offend her he quickly began to eat it.
As he ate, he noticed the man who sat next to her gesturing towards him as he spoke to her in Spanish. They entered a short but heated argument before he got up and left. Taylor watched after him worriedly, getting the distinct impression that he didn’t like him being there. The woman offered no explanation.
When she was done, she stood from the chair and took his leash in her hand. He quickly stood up as she spoke to some of the nearby children, before she began to lead him from the dining hall.
They made their way down a few different corridors, Taylor getting a grasp on just how huge the place was, before entering what looked to be a cross between a small library and a large study. She closed the door behind her before instructing him to kneel on the floor. He did so.
“What is your name?” she asked as she looked down at him.
“Taylor,” he glanced up as he responded.
She stared at him for a moment, before nodding.
“It suits you. You can keep it.”
She made her way over to the desk and picked up a small book before leaning against the front of it.
“Thank you Mistress,” Taylor closed his eyes gratefully.
“Miss.”
Taylor looked up questioningly.
“I prefer ‘Miss’. ‘Mistress’ makes me sound… underhanded.”
“Sorry Miss,” Taylor blushed a little, feeling like he was in trouble already.
There was silence as she leafed through the booklet.
“Boundaries. I believe those will become apparent over the coming few days,” she murmured to herself, “you are not to go anywhere unescorted, at least for the first week. Duties and expectations…”
She paused as she read the page, before setting the book aside and looking down at him. He didn’t lift his eyes from the floor.
“Your main duty here will be to tend to the children,” she announced.
That made him look up.
“Mine only, at first. Other members of the family are… not as understanding of Americans, you see. I’d like you to tutor them in English, and once your hands are healed, piano.”
Taylor’s face visibly brightened, but he held any other reaction at bay.
“However it will be a few days before I’ll allow you to meet with them.”