Chapter 2: Years:

August , 1712

    It's been three years, living in Dutchmall turned into a nightmare. Jaylyn was given a room in the servant quarters where she works tirelessly day and night with little or no food. Turning twenty in three months time made matters worse. Her uncle plans to sell her off to the highest bidder, once she reaches twenty. Once again, she plans on running away but this time, she has no money. Her sufferings are endless. She starts her day with daily torment and anguish. The blessed memories of her parents kept her moving everyday. She had learnt to treasure every little moment of peace she gets. 

As she lay down in her small bed in the attic, she sang herself to sleep daily. Nothing was holding her back from finding her own happiness, she held on to her locket containing the pictures of her parents. 

   The mornings were the worst in the Bennett household, Lady Alfreda barks orders here and there, hitting and punishing any servant who crosses her path. Throughout her years with the Bennett , she had learnt many ways to avoid them and the

Rule number 1: Avoid Lady Alfreda every morning, even her shadow. 

Rule number 2:Never argue with them, always accept you at fault and a lesser person. 

  As Jaylyn starts off her daily routine, she heads out to the market to fetch fresh food stuff from the daily market. 

       The morning was her favorite part of the day, it prevents her from being a morning pawn for Lady Alfreda. 

Jaylyn walks down the part that leads to the stream, a place she calls her sanctuary. She sat on the grass and listened to the morning birds sing above the trees before taking her bath in the stream. While bathing, she noticed someone moving in the bushes. 

"Who is there? " she shouted. 

     Immediately, she grabs her clothing after waiting a while for responses. It's never safe for a woman outside alone in the open, hooligans are mostly spotted at secreted places. 

  After buying everything she needs she returned to continue her chores. After cleaning her cousin's room, she set out to clean the drawing room but stumbled upon Lady Alfreda on her way out after cleaning. 

"Jaylyn, you are not lucky today" 

She whispered to herself disappointed. She bowed her head low to greet Lady Alfreda who was in a vicious mood after seeing her..

 "What are you doing here, standing like a wrench?!. "

 Jaylyn remained quiet. 

"What were you doing there? Are you planning on stealing from me! " Lady Alfreda yelled but Jaylyn remained quiet, afraid to say anything that could offend her. Only one word from her could lead to a bigger drama. 

    She bit her lips so hard as she lowered her head. Furious that she couldn't get her way, Lady Alfreda stroked her across the face so hard that tears began to row down but she didn't make a sound or moan. Lady Alfreda dragged her out vehemently to the kitchen. 

"Camila!, Camila, " she called the cook. 

"Yes Ma! " 

" Make sure this freeloader doesn't get any food till sun down tomorrow ". She ordered still holding Jaylyn down on the ground. Miss Camila nodded in reply. Mrs Camila helped Jaylyn to get back on her feet as lady Alfreda left the kitchen fuming since she didn't get any chances to hit Jaylyn.  

    While Jaylyn dusted off her skirt, the housekeeper said sadly and frowned 

 " So she caught a pawn today," she wept the blemishes off Jaylyn's face. 

"How many times have I warned you not to talk or reply to her wobbling , this is the third time this week, if I don't know better, I'll believe she's out to kill you. "

"Oh!Miss Camila don't look sad, at least it was only a slap "she hugged her from behind. 

"I didn't answer her. "

"Oh! You troublesome child!. " 

Miss Camila said pulled her body from her grip with a pretentious angry face. She grabbed a basket and handed it over to Jaylyn

 "Take this basket!..... Now you better leave for work before you cause me more troubles. " 

She yelled at her. 

    Jaylyn kissed her before heading out. 

She chuckled as she remembered Miss Camila's face when she pretended to hate or yell at her.  

She unwrapped the fresh bread and ate as she set off to her workplace .

Miss Camila had helped Jaylyn right from the day she entered the Bennett Manor.

It was her love and advice that helped her through difficult times. Miss Camila pretends to hate her in front of everyone but treats her like her daughter in secret to avoid problems for Jaylyn.The Bennett's had warned everyone to be strict with her. 

Jaylyn walked all the way to her work place. After her uncle turned her into a slave, she worked as a laborer in both his farm mill and a baker in his bakery in Bareville market. He claimed it was the only way she could pay back all her father's debt before he sells or marries her off to a man of his choice with or without her consent. The bakery manager is a mean man, he doubles her task everyday just to make her suffer. To please his master, he made sure Jaylyn goes home with a sore knee and a strained back.In order to ease her pain, she uses hot water to press her bruised body every night. Sometimes Miss Camila helps her. 

    As she got home, she sighed as she looked at her damaged room, the windows are old, worst during the rainy season, when she was so cold at night. The last time she complained she ended up with not only a beating but was sent outside to sleep. Nowadays when it wants to rain she gathers her mat and sleeps at the stable. 

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Her uncle being her guardian gave him the right to treat her anyway he wanted. No day passes without her being reminded who she was..... How she came into this world..... How she was meant to live her life. 

Her cousins treat her like a stain in their name, irritated anytime she comes close or anywhere near them. Her grandmother, her only surviving grandparent. The dowager baroness refused to accept her, even refused to see her anytime she visited her son and his family. Blaming her for the death of her husband who died of heart attack when her father left. 

   Miss Camila has been her source of strength to carry on,someone she confined all her problems to. 

She gave her rules on how to deal with her uncle and his family. Most times, they tried framing her up in order for people to think she was a thief. 

Jaylyn grew more beautiful than her cousins no matter how harsh, crude and wicked they tried to be, her good heart shined and made people admire her. To the envy of her cousins she receives compliments no matter how much they keep bad lashing her and tries to create false impressions and unpleasant stories to scare people away from her. To avoid any wealthy suitors from marrying her before their daughters, Lord Bennett lied  to have married her off to a suitor who took her to live in Spain .