The man had a son and a daughter a bit older then me. He was quite full of himself and she was beautiful.

As soon as my father left I was taken to a long building that had been a barn once I guessed. My master Isely instructed a red headed lad there named Shawn to see to my training.

I looked at the others they seemed to be very good at making dishes.

"This is group one, they are all beginners except Sean, and he will be your mentor," Mr.Isely said.

"We make forty dishes a day, you will do good to make ten," Shawn said looking down at me.

"There will be no horseplay Devon, you will follow rules or be whipped," Master Isely said. At this comment I saw several of the boys wince. I knew I was in dire straights.

I saw the only chance of survival is that I had to befriend one of the others, not Shawn, he had took one look at my clothing and I could see he saw me not as a peer

I studied the others and decided the first one who spoke to me I would try and befriend.

I struggled with the machine, Shawn just told me what to do he did not show me, suddenly the bosses son came in. His name was Conrad, and he had kindness about him the master did not.

He helped me and glared at Shawn.

I made a great effort to make a dish, a simple thing you might say, any cretian with half a brain could make one.

I could not, I could spin the wheel and get a disk and that was about all. I was a failure as a potter.

"You will get it Lewis," he said gently and squeezed my shoulder, and I hoped he would help me. I really tried but no matter what the plate was not good enough to fire.

The other boys seemed to fly through plates, and Shawn said, "Joseph you will soon be moved to bowls, but the new boy has to make plates first.

Joseph glanced at me and I could see he did not like me either.

It was hot in the shed and hard to concentrate. I soon found myself drifting off in thought about happier times, and thinking about my girls, and how much fun we had together, and I realized I really needed a woman.

I really tried but no matter what I did it seemed I could not get the nack for the potters wheel.

At night we slept exhausted on hay and besides breaks to eat and use the out house, and the hour or two to socialize after the evening meal that was the life of a potter. I realized I was not cut out for this life. I was a thourobred not a plodding work horse like these boys.

It was hot in the attic garret where we slept because at night the furnices ran baking the goods we had made, well others had made.

A week then two had gone by and still everything I made was rejected. Shawn was short tempered and not above smacking me but I was tall and fast and his blows did not often caused serious pain.

Others were moved up to better projects finally Master Isley gave me the task of cleaning and stacking the dishes and getting them ready for shipment. Shawn was peeved about this.

I did not know I was stepping on Shawn's toes that it was his job and he thought of it as a break from making dishes.

Shawn plotted to get me tossed out he did not like me at all. Any other apprentice would be sent away that had my lack of talent.

I had my own thoughts, and wondered how I could escape from the potters were were kind of in the middle of no where. But once a week a wagon came for the goods. I could stow away perhaps in a crockery barrel.

Conrad would often seek me out and talk to me during our free time. None of the other boys would have much to do with me, and I had taken to sleeping in the materials shack where it was cooler. He asked me if I could write and read, I could but not the best.

Somehow Conrad convinced his father he needed help in the office writing inventories and the like. His father was very busy trying to sell the goods we made.

I was much better at doing invoices and lists of stock and sales lists then making dishes.

Every day Conrad's sister Laura would bring us lunch and flirt with me.

"You should come home with us tonight, father is in Birmingham on business, mother has gone to her sisters for a visit, I think my sister fancies you." Conrad said.

So I did, and we had a nice meal. Afterwards we set in the parlor where the other boys were never allowed.

I should have been suspicious of Conrad, but I was young and nieve, and I found myself admiring him as I had once admired one of my mothers men.

Conrad was gentle and softspoken, a bit fussy about things.

Finally after his sister had gone up to bed, he said to me, "Go to the room on the right at the top of the stairs. But sit down here until nine of the clock before going up.

Oh how she could kiss, it was all I could do to get out of my clothes and then she did things with her mouth I had never esperienced.

"No I don't want to get pregnant, I will show you another way you can pleasure me and I can't get pregnant," she whisphered in the dark.

Had I been more experienced and not in such a state of excitment I would have noticed the coarser skin and I was puzzeled

Imagine my shock when I realized those lips belonged to Conrad not Laura.

"Oh Lewis," he said, "that was wonderful."

I was very upset, but then I thought, it was good, maybe not quite as good as a woman, but it was good in another way. I could not believe this I had lain with a male.

I knew I had felt something towards certian men, but I had always assumed it was admiration.

Conrad furthered my education.

Conrad of course did not want to share me with his sister, but we found our way but it was difficult.

Things went along great for a while, I was not half bad at being a clerk. Not bad being Conrads lover, it was nice getting special food instead of the stews of the potters shed.

I spent all the time that Master Isely was gone in Conrads bed.

It was not bad at all in fact I really felt like I was enjoying being with him. But I still longed for women.

One day we were in bed and his father caught us.

"Out out! Son of Satan, I knew you were no good, you golden haired bastard," Mr. Isley screamed.

"No father," Conrad pleaded.

"Out you viper," Mr. Isley screamed.

I grabbed my clothes. I ran out of the room, no clue to where I would go or what I would do I just need to get out of here.

He slept in a barn that night and was walking along the road when it started to rain. Just his luck his shoes leaked.

He wished he could find a mile marker so he could see how far it was from London, once in London he could hustle again. he had taken some rings to sell from Conrad. He had planned on going but after he had gotten new shoes and a winter cloak.

The coach slowed as it approached and Lewis peered at it curiously. He had gotten laughed at and almost ran down yesterday.

"Are you lost young man?" the driver asked.

"No sir, I am going to London," Lewis announced.

The coach drew to a stop and the man looked at Lewis, and said, "Young man, you are going the wrong way."

"Oh," Lewis said with some imbarassment.

A beautiful woman, who looked like she should be in one of those paintings Conrad was always raving about stepped from the coach.

"Where do you live in London?" The lady asked. She studied him carefully his clothes were well tailored a little worn, his hair was well cared for he was clean, and very handsome.

He gave her the adress of the last business they had lived at, knowing better then to give the adress of his mother, everyone knew who lived on that street.

"Are you sure. Why don't you come home with us I could use someone to work in the house doing errands and odd jobs if you do not like it I will have Henry take you to London," She said. She liked him, and was pleased with his build as well.

She got back in and Lewis hopped up on the box beside the driver.

"You are so kind." Lewis said, thinking he had fallen into a bit of luck.

"Do you know how to read and write?" the lady asked.

"Yes my lady I have been to school," he said thinking it best not to tell her he had only completed six years of schooling.

"Good, let us move along Henry." the lady said.

"Who is she, she is so beautiful," Lewis asked in a soft voice.

"Lady Elizebet Harding Foxworthy, her father was the famous Lord Morton Harding," Henry whisphered, "Her husband is Lord William Foxworthy."

The names meant nothing to Lewis but the way Henry had said them they were important people, here he was just a penniless save for Conrads trinkets son of an Earl born to the wrong side of the blanket.

For the first time Lewis began to worry about his future, he would have to completely abandon any thoughts of seeing his mother again. If his father found out about his most recent escapades he would beat him or worse. A coward dies a thousand deaths a brave man dies once. His father had told him.

He also worried what he would do once he reached the Foxworthy home. Would she really give him a job, would he like it. When he had gone to the potters with his father his mind was numb from jail from his fathers scolding and threats.

"Do not look sorrowed boy, I have the feeling you would fall into a bin of rotton apples and find a golden challice," the old man said.

Lewis looked at the old man and wondered what exactly he meant, but it gave him courage.