Page 36 of Restored
“My solicitor wrote it up. It explains that I’ll either transfer the Paddington Green house over to you with the sitting tenant so you can collect the rent, or pay you the equivalent value. You’ve only to decide which you prefer. And of course, I’ll pay you the three hundred pounds you ought to have had, and the back rent you’ve missed.”
Christopher thrust the letter back towards Henry, the neatly written pages shaking in his grip. “I don’t want that,” he said angrily. “Not any of it!”
For a moment, Henry could only stare at Christopher, shocked. Then, slowly, quietly, he said, “We made an agreement. You must allow me to honour it, Christopher, I shall be wretched if you don’t.”
Christopher stared at him in astonishment. “I must allow you to”—he broke off, giving a harsh laugh—“I think you’ll find that I can do whatever I please, Henry! You didn’t give two hoots what happened to me eighteen years ago, but now your honour can’t bear it if I won’t let you pay up late?” He snorted disgustedly. “Well, here’s the thing, Henry: I’ve made my own way in this world without your money, thank you very much. I neither need nor want it now!”
“Christopher, please,” Henry said. “It’s not about need, or even want—it’s about what’s fair. It’s only just for me to make amends to you, and I—”
“Don’t give me that!” Christopher said sharply. “This isn’t about fairness, or justice. Or you making amends. It’s about you trying to buy off your guilt. But you can’t do that, Henry. You owed me that house and that money,eighteen years ago.Thatwas when I needed it.Thatwas when I suffered the consequences of not having it. You can’t balance the ledger between us simply by giving me that sum now, when I no longer need it—not even if you add compound interest—because there’s no cost to you. Not really. You’re so wealthy you could give me that money ten times over and still not notice its loss. So how does that—thattransaction—make amends for what you did?”
Henry stared at him, horrified. Horrified… and mortified, because there was something in what Christopher said, wasn’t there? Henrywastrying to buy his way out of the guilt that had been dogging him since the day he’d sent Parkinson to Christopher’s door. Oh, he’d dressed it up in the fine clothes of principle and honour and fairness, but was he more driven by the desire to have his own sins forgiven, his own slate wiped clean, than by an honest desire to do right by Christopher? Was he even thinking about what that would entail?
“I'm sorry,” Henry said desperately. “I do want to make amends to you, just tell me what you want and I will see it done.”
Christopher’s expression was all bitter fury. He gave a harsh laugh. “What could I possibly want from you now? Wait, I know—perhaps you should earn the money you owe me the wayIhad to earn it? On your knees, and on your back, taking my cock like a whore.”
Henry blinked, stunned—and, mortifyingly, aroused—by the filthy, furious words. He was suddenly aware of his cock pressing against the placket of his buckskin breeches, and when Christopher’s gaze dropped to his groin, his eyebrows slowly rising, Henry’s cheeks burned.
“Well, would you look at that,” he said bitingly. “It seems youlikethat idea.”
They stared at one another, the silence between them oddly charged.
Christopher stepped closer to Henry. He was still a very beautiful man, but his face did not have the uncomplicated comeliness it had once had—it had more character now. More grit. There were faint lines of experience etched onto it. Creases at the corners of his eyes that—despite his current fury—suggested he smiled often.
“Perhaps itwouldbe interesting,” he said now, “to invert our transaction.” His gaze on Henry was curious. “I’m not sure you’d be up to the challenge though.”
“What makes you say that?” Henry managed, his mouth very dry.
“You’re aduke,” Christopher said, his tone making the title sound like an insult. “You’re used to being in charge, used to having your desires indulged, used to being the user—rather than the provider—of services.”
Services.
Henry did not want to let that pass.
“I realise that is how you see our arrangement now,” he said. “As some hard-nosed exchange of services for money—and perhaps it was like that, at the beginning. But later… well it was not like that for me.” Heat stole into his face as he made himself admit the truth aloud. “Maybe I am being very naive, but… I felt that we were making love together.”
For just a moment, Christopher looked wrecked, but then he gave a derisive snort. “Pathetically enough, I would probably have agreed with you once, but then I did used to be a perfect idiot.”
“Don’t say that,” Henry breathed. His heart felt raw and bleeding, but he felt oddly alive too, for the first time in a very, very long time. Christopher might hate him, but he was looking at him, reacting to him. Reacting to Henry, as a person in his own right.
In this moment, Henry wasn't the Duke of Avesbury, or the father of the Asquith children.
He was just… Henry.
Christopher said flatly, “Before you get carried away, Henry, consider this aspect of our arrangement: I was always the one on my knees—or my back—and you were always the one shoving your cock in a hole.”
Henry’s blush had faded, but now it returned, heating his cheeks.
Christopher laughed, not particularly kindly. “Providing services, you see. Holes to be filled, just as often as you’d like.”
“Christopher—”
The man smiled brightly. “Would you like to give it a try? Earn back the money you owe me by letting me useyourholes?”
“Christopher, please,” Henry said weakly.
Christopher laughed again, and this time a bitter edge crept in. “Oh, don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not really going to ask you to service my cock, Henry. But it was worth saying out loud, just to see your face.” A strange smile twisted his lovely mouth. “And now I think it’s time you left,your grace. I do believe I’ve had enough reminiscing for one day—for one lifetime actually. So, let us leave it at this: you have made your apology, and I have accepted it.” Christopher moved towards the bell rope, stretching his arm out to pull it and summon the footman.