Authors Note: Freddie was mentioned in Chapter 2, he was the spy who was captured and who Brian went to liberate in France. It is possible that Justin is thrilled with the amount of porn in this chapter A Link to Homosexuality in the 17&1800's ***** And another link Thank you to my Beta, Big J... who is going on holiday for a month or so.. if anyone would be willing to beta for me I would hugely appreciate it ***** Brian got out of bed slowly, carefully manoeuvring himself out of Justin’s embrace. He lifted Justin’s arm up from off his chest and held Justin’s head up gently as he scooted out from under him. He laid the blond head softly on his pillow. He stood there naked for a moment, staring at the sleeping face, which radiated innocent youth and serenity. He ran his fingers through the soft blond hair and took a step back. He turned and walked towards the window. He lost himself for a while staring out blankly into the dark night until Justin interrupted him. “What do people call what we did?” the soft hesitant voice washed over him. Brian didn’t turn around. “People? Depends on the person.” There was a silence for some time before Brian sighed and continued, “Between married… people the term is… if it is for the sake of having children… copulating, procreating. Or there’s love-making – very rarely though, the circumstances are hide to find.” he huffed cynically. Justin interrupted him. Brian seemed so distant from him. “And you? What do you call it?” “Fucking! Rutting! Mating ” Brian spoke harshly and Justin recoiled at the hard words which seem to resonate through the room. “Do you think what we did… is wrong?” Brian looked over his shoulder when he heard that hesitant question to see Justin sat amongst the white sheets of his bed watching him intently. Sat in the darkness surrounded by white, which reflected the moonlight, Justin seemed to glow. His eyes were dark though, with confusion and uncertainty. “I…” Brian shut his eyes and took a deep breath, aware of the impact he had on this life and it made him feel elated, helpless and guilty all at the same time. He turned back towards the window looking out onto the shady streets of London as he considered his reply. He heard the rustle of bedclothes as Justin got out of bed. He felt Justin approach him and stop at a distance while he awaited his answer. “If I told you yes… that we could be killed for what we just did … would you never do it again?” Brian turned to look at him. Justin was wrapped in a bed-sheet still not comfortable enough in his own skin to stand before him naked. He shone in the moonlight, luminescent and angelic. Justin blinked and looked away as he bit his lip. Brian stepped towards him and took hold of his arms, which were clutching at the sheet he held around himself almost as if it were for protection. “Look at me Justin.” Justin’s gaze met his and he asked again, softly. “Would it make you stop? Would you never do it again?” Brain’s hand let go of the arm he was clutching so that he could brush his fingers over a pale cheek. Blue eyes stared back at him confused, yet defiant and a pair of slim shoulders straightened and tensed as Justin tilted his chin up. Brian smiled sadly and brushed his lips over Justin’s mouth. Brian shut his eyes and a wave of guilt washed over him. “Then why does it matter what they think? If they think it's wrong? What does it matter? What do you think? That’s what matters.” Justin nodded slowly and took a step back. Eyes wide and dark in his pale face, Justin tilted his head down as he let go of the sheet, which had enveloped him. It fell to the floor in a puddle around his feet as he waited. Brian stared at him. Looked and saw every inch of skin offered to him, the lines that made up each muscle, each freckle that decorated his skin. There weren’t many… only a handful and they seemed to enhance the perfection before him and make him shudder. “I… you are without fear and it terrifies me for you should be afraid.” “Of you?” Justin gasped in firm denial “No! Never of me.” Brian said earnestly, “For yourself.” Justin smiled softly. “Then right now, in this moment, I have nothing to fear.” Justin stated calmly. He paused and his breathing intensified, “I want you to touch me.” Brian shook his head in incredulously, amused at Justin’s seduction and unsurprised that it affected him so. “Make me want to.” Justin head sprung up in disbelief, “I… what?” Teach the boy to play with him, “Make me want to touch you.” Brian stated simply in explanation. Justin stood stock-still trying to work out what that meant… for him… what that meant he was supposed to do. “Come now, Justin. You’re not going to disappoint me now, are you?” Brian taunted him and saw Justin’s eyes narrow. “Try and make me want you, Justin.” “Don’t you always want me, My Lord?” Justin said, trying to buy some time so that he could think of what it was exactly that was expected from him, with the added bonus that it would hopefully make Brian shiver. “Good start. But you’ll have to do better than that.” Brian’s voice was soft and low like a caress. Justin felt wide-awake now with a knowledge that he hadn’t possessed a scant few hours ago. A self-awareness that filled him with power and desire and… he needed to find a way to use that. This is what Brian was asking of him. Brian wanted him to use this newfound wisdom to seduce him – he could do that. Justin nodded, accepting his challenge. He needed to make Brian want to touch him. He needed to decide how he was going to go about it – by touching Brian, kissing, licking, driving him over the edge. But he had done that before and Justin wanted to try something different. Justin walked backwards until he was sitting on the edge of the large bed. He shuffled back until his legs hung down, but only from his knee. He needed the extra space in case he decided to manoeuvre his feet. His heart began to quicken its pace and the blood in his body seemed to rush down and begin to harden his sex. Justin kept his attention focused on Brian who had stepped in closer so that he could see Justin’s movements in the darkness of the night. Luckily for him the moon was out and bright and the glow of street lamps also shone through the window. For Brian knew that if he got to near he would be unable to stop himself from touching him. Justin licked his lips and wondered if Brian could see him. He could always close his own eyes and pretend he was on his own. He gasped as the thought entered his mind and blushed. He didn’t know whether that thought made his body harder or his breathing deeper. It didn’t seem to make much of a difference at all. Justin pulled his legs up under him and turned around so that he was on all fours. He needed to reach for a pillow so that when he sat back down he could lay it under his head so that he could still see Brian. He hadn’t really thought of the effect his bending forward with his ass in the air would have on Brian. He almost turned around to see what was wrong when he heard a deep moan from behind him, but once he realised what it was Brian was sighing over he didn’t even try to hide his grin. After all he was the only one that knew it was there. Brian couldn’t see his face. Suddenly he felt hands on his hips as they stroked over his ass cheeks and over the small of his back. He felt the smooth warm plane of Brian’s hands as they brushed over his skin and Justin sighed. As Brian’s fingers began to knead his muscles Justin arched his back and spread his legs open unconsciously. Behind him, Brian bit his lip to hold back a groan. Brian pulled Justin’s cheeks apart and looked at the dark hole, which pulsed before him. He brushed each one of his fingers over the crevice feeling the heat emitted from the warm centre and heard Justin whimper and push his hips back towards his touch, as if trying to force Brian’s fingers inside of himself. Brian closed his eyes and pushed. Justin sprawled on to the bed wantonly. Looking back over his shoulder Justin saw Brian fold his arms across his chest and he grinned impishly. He knew that hiding his hands away wouldn’t aid Brian in his attempt not to touch him. Brian pursed his lips tightly to stop himself from speaking or smiling his amusement. He watched as Justin lay down on his back with his head tilted up on the pillow so that they could maintain eye contact. Justin’s voice was low and husky, “I was just reaching for the pillow My Lord. Could you not restrain yourself for one moment? Was the temptation so great?” Justin lowered his eyelashes and stared up at him from under them coquettishly. “I didn’t even do that on purpose. I hadn’t realised that the sight of me would taunt you so. Imagine what I can do when I put my mind to it now.” Brian raised a brow in challenge and Justin grinned, then settled himself down more comfortably. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath Justin began to explore his chest. The tips of his fingers flirted with his skin, teasing. His capricious touch seemed to make his nerves hum and it relaxed him. He explored up his neck feeling where his pulse beat beneath the surface of his skin. He rubbed his thumb over his lips, which were dry so his tongue came out to wet them and became distracted as it met his thumb. Licking around it he pulled it into his mouth and sucked, moaning his pleasure. His eyes fluttered open and he could see Brian’s body bathed in moonlight. His arms had dropped to his sides and his hands were clenched into fists. Looking down the length of his own body Justin could see that they were both hard and full. Sighing, his other hand began to make big circles around his nipples slowly getting smaller and tighter until they were tracing the line where his pale skin turned pink and his nipple puckered and hardened. Justin pinched and pulled, which made the muscles in his legs flex as he bent them so that his feet were flat on the bed. Pulling his wet thumb out of his mouth he paced it at the centre of his chest and dragged it down. It left a wet trail that reflected the light in the room, which Brian could see and a light breeze whispered over his skin making him shiver. Justin passed it over his navel dipping in slightly and making him gasp and flex his hips, down until it reached the head of his cock, which was curved up over his belly. Justin touched the head lightly gathering the moisture there and arched his head back leaving his neck exposed. He felt and heard and saw as Brian took a step towards him, then stilled. Justin ran his thumb down the underside of his cock until he reached the base where his balls were. He gathered them up, weighing their fullness and rolled them between his fingers. His ass clenched and he whimpered. Letting go he pressed his thumb under them and his mouth fell open as he started to pant. His eyelids felt heavy as he peered out from under them to focus on Brian who was standing over him tense and taut. Brian was using all his self-control to hold himself back. He had given in so quickly earlier when Justin had knelt forward and waved his ass in front of his face. Brian had felt the urge to plunge in and take overwhelm him and he had touched. He had pulled back once more to watch the show and Justin had played it beautifully. Justin lost in the pleasure of his own making was a beautiful thing. He was hard and he could see where this was going as Justin’s fingers began to inch closer to his entrance and play around its edge. Suddenly without warning Justin forced a finger into himself. Brian’s gaze flickered up to Justin’s face to find him staring back at him through dark glazed eyes and his tongue continuously licking over his lips. Brian’s breathing deepened and his eyes flickered back to where Justin’s finger moved inside him. Brian put his hand on Justin’s knee and stroked the inside of his thigh with his thumb. “Speak to me Justin. Tell me how it feels. How it felt.” Justin’s free hand covered his eyes as he keened and breathed heavily. “It fills me… not as you did before, not enough… but sufficient… for now.” The fingers, which covered his eyes curled back so that Brian could see his eyes again but Justin kept them in a fist by his temple so that if anything got… too much he could always cover his eyes again. “Dry!” he announced huskily “if I force a second inside me,” his breath hitched, “it will burn… the stretch will burn.” Brian looked up at him again and Justin stared back at him intently. “But the pain is worth it. The pleasure makes the pain worthwhile a thousandfold.” Brian finally gave in and fell to his knees. Brian’s fingers stroked the pale round globes and felt them quiver with suppressed tension. He saw Justin get up on his elbow to look down at him then reach behind him for another pillow so that he could be even more propped up. Brian focused back on the sight before him. Uncurling one of the fingers that Justin held outside of himself, he sucked on it, making it slick and wet. Justin moaned, the thought of having Brian look at him so close making him feel elated and wicked. Once Brian had pulled back Justin pulled out slightly and then twisted two back inside himself. Brian moaned at the sight and his mouth watered. He watched intently as Justin moved his fingers mindlessly inside of himself. Brian ‘tskd’ and raised his fingers to his mouth to suck on his index. Once it was wet enough he swirled it round Justin’s entrance until it came to rest between both of Justin’s fingers. He pushed in and Justin pushed his own hips down to take him. Justin moaned again at the stretch… but it felt so good. Brian twisted and bent his finger and Justin followed him. When Brian pushed his fingers down and he felt a small bump his hips arched, his head flew back and he cried out his pleasure. “There! Could you find that place now? On your own?” Justin’s brain melted and though he opened his mouth to reply nothing but pleas issued forth. “Brian… Brian I need you now. Take me! Please have me, take me.” Justin’s begging made Brian’s need more immediate and he knelt up. Brian placed his mouth just above Justin’s opening and licked up his perineum along one side of his crotch, where he paused in the crease of his thigh and sucked. Justin’s blood rose to the surface of his skin as Brian marked him and made him his. Nipping gently up his stomach, feeling Justin’s muscles quiver under his ministrations Brian slowly made his way up Justin’s body. Justin’s back arched as Brian’s mouth attached itself to the pulse in his neck. The three fingers he still had inside him did not stop moving, caressing the walls of the muscles that clenched them, keeping him in a permanent state of readiness. Justin felt that the kiss he knew was coming would be enough to send him careening over the edge. Brian looked down at Justin’s face, examining the slack muscles lost in bliss. He dipped his tongue into Justin’s parted lips rolling in over their inside edge, tasting and trying to provoke a reaction. Giving up, Brian settled his mouth over Justin’s and kissed him brutally hard, sucking his tongue into his mouth until he felt Justin’s free hand come up to cup his cheek and pull him in closer. Releasing Justin’s mouth to a loud moan of loss Brian crawled up until he knelt over Justin’s face. Brian pressed the head of his cock against Justin’s lips and the soft lips parted, making way for him. Justin’s eyes fluttered open as he took Brian into his mouth deeper and deeper. His tongue played along the underside of its length and he felt full with hard cock in his mouth and fingers up his ass. Justin hummed his pleasure and his fingers became more insistent. Brian groaned as he felt the vibrations in Justin’s throat work through him. He pulled his and Justin’s fingers out of Justin’s warm hole. It had been a difficult position to maintain and now that Justin had coated him with saliva he would be wet enough, slick enough to enter him without much trouble. Shifting his hips back Brian watched as his cock inched out of Justin’s mouth. Justin groaned and whimpered with the loss of fingers from his ass and then also the slow removal of Brian’s cock from inside his throat and mouth. As Brian repositioned his body over him he tangled his arms round his neck and pulled him down so that there mouths met in a furious, gasping kiss. As Brian’s hips settled onto his and he felt something begun to nudge up between his legs he angled his pelvis up to make an easier target and wrapped his legs around Brian. Justin tightened his grip and thrust up insistently until he felt the heated member push against his resistant opening. Justin lowered one of his hands to grab on to Brian’s hip and pushed down, demanding more speed, more force. Brian tore his mouth away gasping. “Justin slow down… slow… don’t want to hurt you.” “Now… I want you now… I don’t care if it hurts. I need you inside of me.” Justin’s voice slurred and heavy with desire convinced Brian to follow his wishes. Shaking his head, Brian knelt up and grabbed on to Justin’s hips. At the very least Justin would learn from this, to follow his will, for Brian knew that entry could hurt, could harm, could endanger. Better that Justin learnt patience in a safe environment. Looking down his chest to where his cock pressed against Justin’s anus, Brian thrust forward strong and steady. Justin cried out in heat and pain but instead of pulling back or pushing Brian away he tilted his hips up and arched his back sharply and Brian slid in easier and deeper gasping out in surprised, mindless passion. Once he could go no further Brian fell forward, placing a hand by Justin’s neck. He waited, allowing Justin to adjust to his size, to the feeling of having something big and hard so deep inside of him. Justin began to thrust his hips up almost immediately, taking this as his cue Brian began to pull out then push in again. Using the hand that curved around Justin’s neck to pull him up in to a kiss, they breathed through each other their lips always barely touching. They built up a steady rhythm that increased into a fierce pace and intensity. Justin was a constant barrage of moans, whimpers and gasps. He gripped Brian’s hip and his other hand pulled him down to his mouth for a deeper kiss. He begged and pleaded mindlessly for more and deeper, the constant assault on his prostate driving him crazy. Brian could feel Justin’s anal muscles tighten around him and he got lost in the force of his thrusts, the hot wet mouth on his mouth or neck, the arms and legs wrapped around him holding him close. He held on to Justin’s hips tilting them up for an easier fit and he pounded out their pleasure motivated by Justin’s voice and body. Finally both of them felt themselves boil over. Justin arched his head back as Brian feasted on his neck and he felt his body tighten and then release in long shuddering, panting freedom. Feeling the wet heat suddenly discharged between their bodies Brian allowed his mind to soar and filled Justin to capacity with his seed. Collapsing forward, they settled in to recuperate. Justin drifted back into reality as fingers combed through his hair and massaged his scalp. Sighing, his eyes fluttered open and he stared up into the dark eyes that examined him. Smiling lazily he pulled him down and his tongue languidly explored Brian’s mouth. Pulling back out and away from Justin, Brian settled onto his side. He watched as Justin, trying to be discreet inched his hand down the length of his abdomen over his soft sex and between his legs. He touched himself, touched that place which allowed Brian to come into him, to be a part of him, to spill himself deep inside of him. A look of self-satisfied wonder crossed and settled into Justin’s face. Brian closed his eyes and imagined what it was that Justin was doing to himself. Giving in to his impulses, Brian sighed exasperated and moved his hand so that his fingers curled around Justin’s wrist. Pulling it back and towards him until he sucked Justin’s fingers into his mouth, licking their combined essence and flavour off of each finger. Justin gasped in shock, eyes wide with disbelief and blushed heavily. Brian chuckled, amused that Justin could fuck like a demon one moment and then blush like an innocent in the next. Justin turned and tucked his face into Brian’s neck to hide his red cheeks and shining eyes. What Brian had done… it was wicked, sinful and worse was that he could feel his nether regions stir with renewed desire. He made a move to stroke himself but Brian’s grip on his wrist tightened. “You’ll be the death of me.” Brian muttered mutinously then sighed and let go of Justin’s hand to stroke through his white blond hair and down the length of his back. He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the angelic youth that lay beside him. “I'll burn in Hell for this.” His voice was hushed and verged on remorseful. Justin lifted his face away from Brian and shifted so that every possible inch of him touched Brian’s body. Justin smiled and sighed burrowing into Brian’s warmth. Pressing his lips to Brian’s chest his eyes began to drift shut. “I'll make it worth the trip, My Lord.” Relaxing, Brian hesitantly moved his arm to curve around Justin’s shoulders. His other hand searched for the bed covers and he pulled them up and around them both. Justin muttered half asleep, “I could never give this up. I will never give you up.” ----- Brian woke first the next morning, sitting up and looking around the room until his eyes settled on Justin. He was laying on his front; the bed sheets pulled down so that they barely covered his ass and Brian could not prevent a smile from escaping. As his eyes caressed the soft pale skin, Brian settled down onto his side and explored the milky expanse of skin with the palm of his hand. He stroked from Justin’s neck down, over each vertebra, along the fall of the small of his back and up over the swell of his lush ass and then back again. Justin began to fidget. His head turned and his eyes opened blearily. Closing them again once he had figured where he was and remembered why it was that he was being touched, he sighed his absolute contentment. After a few minutes of silence Justin spoke drowsily “Will you be staring at it for much longer, My Lord? Or will you be ravaging and plunder me as you should be – shortly.” “You do not ache?” Justin stretched, languidly, testing out each muscle and hissed. “Yes!” Justin answered, smiling slightly with a half shrug and Brian was sure he meant – “Yes, but I don’t care. Have me anyway.” Shaking his head Brian reached over to bedside table. He pulled a drawer open, shuffling around inside until he pulled out a large tub of cream. Kneeling up between Justin’s legs, he pulled his hips up until Justin was on all fours. Justin turned his head to look over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “Taking a closer look, My Lord?” Brian glared at him and spread open the pale cheeks in front of him. Justin’s hole was red and inflamed and Brian bit his lip, passing his thumb down along the crack and Justin flinched. Brian opened the tub of cream and stuck two fingers into the sticky mess, scooping it out and spreading it over Justin’s anus. Justin gasped and jerked forward “It's cold.” “Yes and you are hot and red and swollen, so it is fitting punishment.” Brian began to massage round the tender opening trying to soften the tense muscle and aiding the red skin to absorb the healing balm. He heard Justin sigh and felt him relax, which for some unknown reason riled him up. He removed his fingers and scooping up some more cream began to work on the inside walls of Justin’s hole. Justin moaned and started panting, Brian hardly noticed. “Justin, when I ask you whether you are in pain you must tell me the truth. This is dangerous. You must tell me if it hurts or… you could tear… I could tear your skin on the inside and… like any wound, except it is situated in a much harder place for a doctor to reach and in a place prone to infection and…” Brian closed his eyes and his fingers became more insistent. “Brian, if you are trying… to teach me…” Justin moaned and lowered his head until his forehead pressed against his pillow and his ass rose higher and pushed more of Brian’s fingers into it. “…a lesson and expect the lesson to stick while two of your fingers are up my ass… you are not as intelligent as I gave you credit for.” He finished in a rush knowing that he had only a limited amount of time before his mind shattered and he’d only be capable of gibberish. Brian rolled his eyes, annoyed with Justin and with himself for not be more alert… or more annoyed with Justin now that he thought about it. Then he grinned wickedly and felt his blood flow downwards. His fingers changed their purpose and Justin groaned and pushed back again. “Is this what you want?” Brian began to stroke over Justin’s prostate and Justin’s breathing started to stutter. “Yes… God yes.” “But I'm teaching you a lesson. I should make sure that you are in a position to pay attention.” Brian’s hand stopped still and he watched in wonder, getting more and more turned on as Justin began to drive his hips back against his hand to pleasure himself. “Bad boy.” Brian removed his hand and Justin cried out at the loss and his own hand made a move towards his cock. Brian stopped him and Justin fell forward on to his stomach. “You are not paying attention.” Brian stroked down the length of Justin’s body, both his hands spread out across the width of Justin’s back and made him look so small and fragile. Brian’s need became more immediate. Justin’s body curved up and pressed against Brian’s touch as it passed over his body. “It's pleasure… only pleasure… always, Brian.” “But in the same way that pain can become pleasure so to can pleasure quickly turn to pain. A bad kind of pain that can harm you…. and what use, may I ask would you be to me, if I can not use you, fuck you, ravage you to my hearts’ content?” Brian’s voice was low and insistent and Justin could not suppress his moan or the shiver that ran down the length of his body. He shifted his hips against the mattress trying to seek out some relief. Brian watched his wanton creature and froze. He would not be able to stop himself from thrusting into that willing body if he did not… if he… he could barely think. Seizing on to Justin’s waist he flipped the boy around. Justin gasped out his alarm and he opened his eyes to stare up at Brian. Seeing him again for the first time in the morning light with his eyes actually awake enough to take in the sight, he reached out to stroke the hard bronze chest that loomed above him but Brian grabbed a hold of his wrist and pinned it down. Brain stayed still waiting, not moving, not pleasuring. Justin’s need intensified and his mind focused blindly on the touching and loving that he was being deprived of. Brian had always given him everything he had asked for, never held back his pleasure, never stopped him from finding completion. This was new and strange and Justin wasn’t sure if he liked this. Justin forced his hips up and arched his back hoping that his sex would make contact with something, anything. He licked his lips and wished that Brian would kiss him. Brian stared down at him intently, heat blazed suddenly across Brian’s eyes and Brian straddled his hips. His wrist was released and he felt fingers force themselves back inside him in quick succession. He watched as Brian’s fingers began to caress his own cock and he arched his back from the stimulation to both his body and to his sight. With hands on their own cocks and Justin with Brian’ s insistent fingers up his ass it wasn’t long before Justin was crying out his unrestrained pleasure. Brian came soon after throwing his head back gasping and falling forwards. As they both recovered their breathing Justin placed a hand on Brian’s head and turned it to face him. He required the closeness, the intimacy of shared breath and lips pressed, and tongues and bites and sucking. When Brian finally got up. Stretching, each muscle quivering, firm and tight, Justin laughed. “Can we not just remain in bed all day long?” Brian looked at him over his shoulder. He traced the lines and curves of Justin’s body, his arms flung out dramatically as his small frame spread out across the entire length and width of his enormous bed. “Get dressed and then join me in the study. We need to decide how it is we will get your cousin to sell us all that extra land.” Brian watched as Justin untangled himself from the bed sheets and then finally, freeing himself, made his way naked to his room. Brian shook his head in an attempt to free himself from the hold that image would have on him if he let it. “Don’t forget to make your bed look slept in” Justin turned then, to look at him in mystification and Brian clenched a fist and turned his back to him. “Oh!” Justin said realising what it was that Brian wanted from him. Of course… no one could know that they had shared a bed last night and would be sharing their beds again in nights to come. Justin continued on in to his chamber. ----- A while later Justin entered Brian’s study to see the man seated at his desk reading his pile of correspondence. Brian glanced up and motioned him towards a few scattered sheets of paper. Justin sat to read them. Brian began to distractedly explain what it was he was looking at while still opening, reading and throwing away letters. Brian stopped mid-sentence and his brow furrowed and he gave his full concentration to the letter he held. Justin looked up to see what was wrong and waited. Standing suddenly Brian walked around his desk and towards the door of the study. Opening it he called for Jenkins. Justin crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow, still waiting. Jenkins brought his Master’s hat and coat to him and Brian put them on hurriedly. Turning to look around his study one last time he looked startled when he saw and remembered Justin’s presence. “I am going out. I do not know how long I shall be.” He met Justin’s gaze quickly and then turned to continue speaking to Jenkins “Do not wait on me for dinner.” Justin sighed; taking the comment as a veiled hint that there was a possibility that Justin would be sleeping in his own bed, alone. Brian left before Justin could fully process his parting words. ------ “I came as soon as I read your note.” Brian spoke as he got rid of his outer garments and followed Alasdair up the great staircase of the club. “At two in the afternoon!” Alasdair said half in admonishment and half curiosity. “I sent you that note at daybreak expecting for you to appear an hour later. There is nothing I can count on in this world but you being awake to greet the dawn every morning. Since we were teens you were always up at that ungodly hour and now at the ripe old age of thirty you decide to sleep till midday? Next I'll hear that you are eating real food, never exercising and complaining excessively about your gout to anyone who listens. Shall I fetch you your pipe, My Lord? Some port, My Lord? Laudanum for the ache, My Lord? Your boy to ease the pain and pressure, My Lord?” “Alasdair! Enough!” Brian was used to Alasdair’s teasing, expected it really but that last had been said with a bit of bite. Placing an unmovable hand on his shoulder and turning Alasdair to face him at the top of the stairs Brian examined Alasdair’s face, baffled. “What is this?” “Nothing.” Alasdair averted his eyes then sighed and returned his gaze forcefully. “You must take care in breaking your habits, that is all.” “This is about my safety?” Brian asked doubtfully. “Of course! What else could it be about?” “Are you angry that I have taken a boy to my bed? That I shall be keeping him there for a while instead of cruising St James’s Park for a sailor man or the Swans for a molly? Why do you care who I'm fucking all of a sudden?” Brian said matter of factly “It has nothing to do with that.” Alasdair said clearly, sharply. “Good! Then what’s the problem? If this isn’t envy… what is it?” “It has nothing to do with sex.” Brian raised a brow questioningly and patiently waited. Shaking his head Alasdair turned away and walked down the hallway Shrugging and deciding to let it go Brian followed after him, “Is he awake then?” “Stirring.” Alasdair was sure to emphasise “and we do not know what state his mind will be in when he finally gains consciousness. He’s been tucked away in these rooms recuperating since you arrived back from France. The doctor is baffled that he is not already awake.” “It was a head wound.” Brian said “And a bad one. Don’t forget that it was some time after Freddie received it that the doctor actually examined the thing. It had healed a bit by then.” Brian approached the bedside and sat down. At least he did not look like death warmed over as he had done before Brian had put him on a ship to cross the Channel. He needed Freddie to wake up. Not only was he an old friend but he also had information pertinent to his investigation. “We always joked that he had a soft head. Too sweet, too kind and all the Ladies loved him, then broke his heart. But not to worry, he’d fall back into passionate love within the week.” He paused and then turned serious and tried to reassure him, “He will wake, Brian. Guilt is unbecoming to you.” “He is one of my men, Alasdair.” Alasdair nodded knowing that there was nothing he could say that would help right now. He left for a while to do something or other, leaving Brian alone by Freddie’s bed. When he returned Brian’s eyes flew open startled as if he had been asleep. Alasdair sighed and began to speak. He needed to clarify some things. “It was about…” Brian turned to examine him, “Brian you must not allow yourself to become distracted. You of all people know that we must always be vigilant, that there is danger lurking at every corner. We are England’s first line of defence against invasion. We cannot get caught napping.” He added in an attempt at levity. “Alasdair, you are worse than an old woman. First time ever and last time in a long time.” Brian clarified smiling, “You needn’t worry.” Brian reassured. “When has anyone or anything for that matter, ever caught me off guard.” Alasdair raised a brow. “I'm not sure… but I'd be willing to bet a substantial amount that you would have never guessed that you would be a widowed father with a pretty young blond lover permanently in your bed.” “Permanently? That’s a bit of an exaggeration.” “Ahhh, but you did not deny that he is pretty, young, blond or your lover.” Brian rolled his eyes, exasperated and settled back into his seat to ignore Alasdair and hope that Freddie woke up soon.