Lewis was beside himself with grief over loosing Emory. He had gotten Emorys London adress from the letters to his mother he posted each week. But he needed money. He had seduced one of the maids, her brother worked for the jeweler. He made fancy paste jewelry and sold it on the side. She got him to make some for Lewis thinking he would give it to her and thinking that was sweet.

Lewis knew once he got to London he could swap the diamonds for cash.

So he replaced her ladys diamonds with paste.

It was the only way he could be with Emory, if he had enough money to support them for a while until he could get a card game going or a brothel again if Emory liked that idea.

Lewis thought he might, he had admitted to having a woman before. Lewis thought it might work.

Because he was in a hurry and didn't think things out, he didn't think that his going missing so soon would be suspicious.

He was a coward as his father had said. If he had been a real man he would have asked her for the money she might have even given it to him. But he was of the thought that nothing bad could ever happen to him, every time it looked bad he fell into a better situation.

He waited until they sent Henry to London to pick up Lord Harding, and he jumped on the back of the coach and crawled on top and slept off and on all the way.

It took him some time to reach the adress in London. When he knocked on the door, a young woman answered. She was very attractive.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I am Lewis Summers, I am looking for Emory, I . . ." he started.

"Oh and why do you wish to see my husband?" she demanded.

"Emory I was wanting to see is too eldery to be married to a beautiful young lady such as yourself," Lewis lied, thinking this was a nightmare. Emory the shy sweet man was married to this woman.

"My husband is not elderly you must have the wrong house," she said, almost laughing.

"Darling who is it?" Emory called.

"Lewis Summers, a nice young man, has the wrong house," she called back then went inside.

Lewis was stunned he had robbed his benefactor for nowt, now what? Oh God why had he done it. He was so stupid.

"Lewis, what are you doing here?" Emory asked.

"I came to find you, you never told me you were married," Lewis said angrily.

"You mailed the letters I assumed you knew." Emory sighed.

"I thought it was your mum," Lewis sighed.

"Lewis I will always love you, I wish things were different, I wish I were free to be with you, but it is impossible," Emory said giving him a quick hug.

"Don't worry I will never come back," Lewis sighed.

"Thank you," Emory said.

"I guess we are both kept men," Lewis growled.

"Emory what are you doing?" his wife called.

"Coming darling," Emory called, thinking how did Lewis know that was the way it was.

He stood alone in the moonlight on the dark street and he envied Emory, maybe he was married to her and she was pretty and did seem nice, but Lewis had no one of his own, he never had, and probably never would.

It took Lewis a week or two but he finally found Penny a girl who at one time told Lewis if he ever stopped whorin and wanted a decent break to look her up.

He flopped in the back room of her fathers furniture store, fuming about Emory, he had been so distracted about his situation and what to do. He forgot about the diamonds.

Emory married, he had ruined his life of pretty much liesure except for errands and small odd jobs which he did not mind at all he needed something to do between eating, sleeping, and sex.

He heard Pennys father talking to someone, the man did not like him, he told Penny he would not hire Lewis but he could stay for a couple of days.

There was one of the kings men and he had a gun.

"You Lewis Devon?" the man asked.

"Yes," Lewis said numbly why was this bloke pointing a gun at him.

"My name is Sargant Harding, empty your pockets." the man said.

The bloody diamonds, there was no way he could avoid it.

"You are under arrest, my brothers wife will be glad to get these back," the man laughed.

Lewis was tossed into a cell with a huge hairy bad tempered Celtic man with red hair and an angry expression.

"Who are you, you fancy bit o fluff, I eat puppies like you for breakfast," the man growled.

For some strange reason Lewis was too terrified to do much of anything, which was probably a good thing.

"What is your name pup and what did you do?" he roared.

"Lewis Devon, I stole jewels," Lewis managed to say.

"Oh Lewis they are going to hang your arse, but first I will have my pleasure with you," the man laughed.

"Oh I might like that," Lewis said smiling slightly. He wouldn't but what could he do maybe the man was bluffing. The man laughed, and said, "I like you, you got pluck."

Lewis shrugged what could he do.

After the trial, Lewis no longer cared, he had a long prison sentence 25 years, he would be too old to do much when he got out.

"I never had a man before, but I need something if you know what I mean it has been a while since I had me a woman," Tom said.

Lewis thought at least the big lout was not ugly. Indeed he was slightly handsome in a rugged rough way.

Lewis and Tom became lovers as well as cell mates.

After laying on their pile of hay for a while, Tom laughed and said, "Maybe I won't kill you, your not bad in bed."

A few days later they were sitting in the cell, and Tom started getting angry.

"I worked my arse off for the money I stole, they are going to hang me probably if I don't rot in here, so I want you to get the money when you get out and give half of it to my woman." he said.

"If you don't do what I say I will kill you, or have one of my friends do it for me Lewis Devon do you understand?" he asked.

"Yes but I am not getting out for at least 25 years," Lewis winced.

"Oh you will be getting out soon after they hang me, if not before, You see I have friends, they will make sure you get out if they can't get me out, you didn't kill a man, I did, they would more than likely forget about a crummy kid jewel theif the only reason you got such a high sentence was because Harding was involved. Your not stupid just young, but I will kill you or have someone kill you if you tell where the gold is or you don't take a share to Millie." Tom growled.

A few days later when Tom was taken out for court the head guard pulled Lewis out.

He told Lewis that if he cooperated, he would be transported immediately within a few days and in seven years he would be a free man, maybe even sooner. He also told Lewis he would move him out of the cell, and give him better rations.

Lewis felt half starved all the time, and thought transporting would be good, he at least would not live in fear some hairy big man would snap his neck like a chicken some night as he had threatened.

Lewis sang like a bird, told the man everything he wanted to hear including the prison break staged to go off tomorrow night.

He was put in with another red headed man, the guard said, "This is Jack one of our cooks, he is to be transported out as well."

Lewis sighed, just then he heard Tom bellow, "I am going to kill Devon, what is his first name I am going to kill Devon."

"Do not worry," Jack said softly, "You will be safe with me gentleman, I would like to be friends."

Jack had a completely different personality. He was calm and quiet and always made sure Lewis had plenty of food, there was the death threat hanging over his head. But Jack said he was sure they would be safe.

Jack liked to dance and he had a very nice arse.

We spent a lot of time playing games and dancing, and making love to each other, he told me he prefered girls but he wasn't particular.

Jack knew a lot, he was about Lewis's age but he had a tough life, and a lot of experence. Jack taught Lewis all he knew about how to bluff others and he was a darn good card player because of it.

So time came when Lewis and Jack bathed the best they could and got ready to board the ship Lewis knew that on the ship he would probably be safe. Jack had taught Lewis a few things about defending himself and about how to make people think that Lewis was a leader. Jack said he could never pull it off but he thought Lewis could.

The End, or Just the Beginning
How ever you may look at it.