Page 6 of The Labours of Lord Perry Cavendish

“Good evening,” he said, then cleared his throat.

“Ah, Perry,” Adam replied, rising to his feet. “We were just talking about you. Let me fetch you a glass of wine.”

Cavendish’s gaze darted to Jonny and away again very quickly. He fidgeted awkwardly on his feet while he waited for his wine, not seeming to know where to look.

“Thank you,” he said when Adam handed him the glass. He took a large gulp, then added, “So, why were you talking about me?”

“Jonny was just saying he’d like to paint you, weren’t you, Jonny?” Adam replied.

Cavendish glanced at Jonny then, who forced a smile and hoped he appeared more at ease than he felt. “Did you know I’m an artist?”

Cavendish blinked. “I thought you must be when I heard you talking about a studio earlier with Lysander.”

“Of course,” Jonny said, smiling brightly. “Then you’ll understand my desire to capture your form”—he coughed—“as it were.”

“My form?” Cavendish had a panicked look now. “Listen, Mainwaring—”

“Please, call me Jonny,” Jonny interrupted. “Mainwaring is such a mouthful, don’t you think?”

Oh, Christ—a mouthful?Why did everything he said sound filthy suddenly? He felt betraying heat creep over his face.

“I—um, all right. Then I suppose… you must call me Perry,” Cavendish replied. It had to be said, he sounded rather less than delighted by the idea. Or perhaps Jonny was being overly sensitive?

Jonny pasted on a bright smile. “Perry. Delightful name. Makes me think of pears. Though I like Peregrine too, I must say.” Oh dear God, and now he was babbling! Perry was just staring at him, seeming puzzled.

“Um, thank you?” Perry said uncertainly.

“We could make a start tomorrow,” Jonny said. “If you’re free?”

“Make a start on what?” said a new voice from the doorway.

It was Lysander, dressed less formally than anyone else and looking twice as lovely, damn his eyes.

Jonny watched Lysander stroll towards Adam, possess himself of Adam’s own wine glass, and drink from it, his eyes on his lover.

Jonny chuckled fondly. “Are you going to let him away with pilfering your wine, Adam?”

Adam winked. “I’ll punish him later.”

“Why not now?” Jonny pouted. “We want to watch, don’t we, Perry?”

It was the sort of thing he’d say to anyone, but when he glanced at Perry, it was to find the man flushed with embarrassment. The poor fellow mumbled something that Jonny couldn’t even make out and hurriedly drank from his wine glass again.

“Stop avoiding the question, Jonny,” Lysander said. “What exactly do you plan to make a start on?”

“Painting,” Jonny said. “Your lovely friend has agreed to pose for me.” He was warming to the idea now. The thought of getting Perry out of his restrictive clothes and seeing the clearly powerful body beneath was getting him quite excited.

“Why do you want to paintme, though?” Perry said. He sounded genuinely bewildered.

“Why, you’re the very epitome of a Greek hero, my dear!” Jonny exclaimed. “I’ve been working on a series of paintings of classical Greek figures, and you’ll be a wonderful addition. Besides, now that I have my very own studio here, I’m eager to try it out.”

Perry blinked. “Oh, I see. All right then. I suppose I’ll give it some thought.”

“You do that,” Jonny said. “But let me assure you, if you’re hesitating because you think you’ll feel awkward being naked in front of me, you needn’t worry. I’m very used to painting people with no clothes on. Besides, I’m more than happy to put you at your ease by disrobing too—truth to tell, Ienjoypainting in the nude.”

A crimson wave of heat had washed over Perry’s face as soon as Jonny said the wordnaked, and now he stared at Jonny, aghast. “Nude?” he repeated hoarsely. “You want to paint menaked?”

“Jonny, stop teasing him!” Lysander said.