Page 10 of Vanquished by a Viscount (Tales from the Brotherhood #3)

“A railway line to Maidstone would increase the fortunes of the town significantly,” Gray said, his thoughts turning to the welfare of the people who lived and worked around Hawthorne House. “Do you trust this South Eastern Railway company to deal fairly with landowners along the proposed line?”

“I trust them a good deal more than other people,” Charlie said sharply.

Gray balled his hands into fists, clenched his teeth, and picked up his pace. Leave it to Charlie to rebuff him the moment he attempted to even hint at a truce. He most definitely would not make that mistake again.

“It is not as if you would care about something as mundane as railways,” Charlie said when Gray inched ahead of him by a few feet and remained quiet. “I dare say you will be headed back to the Continent and your brown-skinned boys in no time.”

“Oh, yes,” Gray said sarcastically, holding back a bit until they were jogging side by side again. “I intend to depart England at my earliest possible convenience to enjoy all the cocks of the world.”

His words dripped with acerbity, but underneath that, he was loath to tell Charlie that he had already booked passage to Australia. He suddenly felt uncertain about his grand adventure.

“I have been told mores and expectations are far more relaxed in Spain and Italy in particular than they are here in England,” Charlie said.

Gray frowned and peeked to the side. There was something startlingly serious about Charlie’s question. It lacked the derision Gray would have expected.

“It’s true,” he said, looking straight forward as they drew nearer to the house, anxious to avoid Charlie’s eyes as he went on. “What we do is not illegal, as such, in those warmer climes. One can find any number of willing partners to explore and enjoy without fear of imprisonment or worse.”

“Guilt-free?” Charlie asked.

Gray had to fight not to look at the man to puzzle out why he was asking. Charlie would not have been the first man like them to let guilt and shame prevent him from enjoying himself and gaining harmless experience.

“There are entire quarters in many cities that are designated for our sort,” Gray said, his tone fair and informative rather than bitter.

“Restaurants and inns cater to us. To be honest, more than a few of the village lads earn a fair bit from those of us with titles and reputations who wish to indulge away from home. They are freer than we are on this stodgy island. I knew some young men with sweethearts and wives at home who had no qualms about earning their daily bread with their mouths or more.”

Gray risked a peek at Charlie. His expression was surprised and intrigued, and just a bit overwhelmed and innocent.

As soon as Charlie realized Gray was watching him, however, that softer expression vanished, replaced by malice.

“Of course you would debase yourself by paying for entertainments,” he huffed.

They were closer to the house and the outbuildings surrounding it than Gray wanted to be if he and Charlie were to have the argument that hung in the air between them, so he came to a stop, panting and resting his hands on his hips again.

“At what point did I say that I myself paid for anything?” he asked as he caught his breath.

Charlie slowed to a stop, then jogged back to rest close to Gray, bending forward with his hands braced on his knees for a moment.

“Is that not who you are now?” he panted as he glanced up at Gray, sweat dripping from his face.

“A shameless hedonist who would offer his arse to any attractive man with a cock big enough to fill it?”

Gray wasn’t only furious at the tasteless comment, he was hurt. “Is that truly what you think of me?” he hissed. “That I am no better than one of those penniless young men attempting to fill their families’ bellies in whatever way they can?”

Charlie winced, as well he should. If there was one thing Gray had learned in his time abroad, it was that many of the men who used their bodies with foreign tourists to make their living kept their loved ones from sinking into the direst circumstances imaginable.

He had stopped judging them early on. But even though he had paid a few for small things out of kindness, he had reserved his more involved love affairs for his peers.

“I do not know what to think of a man who has gained a reputation as a libertine,” Charlie said, pushing himself to stand straight. “I do not know how someone so innocent and eager can become so open to experience .”

Gray scowled at him. “Did you expect me to join the cathedral choir and sit primly with my knees together and my bum cheeks squeezed tight for the remainder of my life after you callously cast me off?” he asked, every bitter feeling he possessed returning.

“I—” Charlie huffed out a breath and wiped a hand over his pink and sweaty face. “I do not know,” he said with a hopeless shrug.

If Charlie had not made his last insult, Gray might have been inclined to feel sympathy for his old lover’s clear frustration. But that final barb had crossed a line.

“We are trapped together at this house party for a month at least,” he said, as cold as he knew Charlie was. “Because neither of us can do a blasted thing about that, I propose that we stay deliberately clear of each other’s paths for the duration.”

“I could not agree more,” Charlie said, standing straighter and looking down his nose at Gray. “We will avoid each other at all times.”

“I do not even wish to look at you,” Gray went on, though he felt a bit ill. “If you enter a room, I will leave.”

“If you are in the garden, I will be in the house,” Charlie agreed.

“We need not catch more than a glimpse of each other throughout this entire ordeal,” Gray said.

“Agreed.” Charlie nodded.

Gray nodded right back, then turned to walk on to the house.

Charlie followed, less than a half step behind him.

They made it almost all the way to the house and were prepared to go their separate ways when Barbara came striding out of the house, a happy smile painting her face.

“There you are,” she said, moving to stand directly in their path so that neither of them could move on. “I have been searching for you everywhere.”

“Good morning, Barbara,” Charlie said, his tone softening, though his stance remained stony. “I would kiss your cheek, but as you can see, I am in dishabille.”

“It does not matter,” Barbara said. “In fact, your current state is all the better for the task I need the two of you to accomplish for me.”

Gray glanced warily at Charlie, then focused on Barbara. “The task?”

“Together?” Charlie added warily.

“Yes,” Barbara said, clapping her hands together. “I need the two of you to go to the gardener’s shed at the end of the spring garden to retrieve the archery targets so that we might enjoy shooting this morning.”

Charlie glanced Gray’s way. Gray frowned and refused to meet his eyes.

“Why us?” Charlie asked his sister. “Is this not a task for the footmen?”

“It would be,” Barbara said, her expression suddenly suspiciously innocent.

“The footmen are all engaged in other tasks, however. There is much to be done in the house with so many guests attending the party and with more expected today. There is no one who can complete this small task for me but the two of you.”

Gray did not even attempt to hide his sigh. His sister-in-law fancied herself a matchmaker of some sort.

“Barbara,” Charlie appealed to her, “as you can see, I am in no condition to go rummaging through garden sheds.”

“What’s the matter, Broxbourne?” Gray goaded him. “Do you not have the strength to lift and carry a few, simple archery targets?”

Charlie’s demeanor changed in an instant. His back snapped straight, and he glared at Gray. “I will do your bidding this once,” he said, turning back to his sister. “But your motives are transparent.”

“Motives?” Barbara asked, batting her eyelashes as if in shock. “I have no other motives than keeping my guests entertained. It is a lovely day and we should take advantage of it by spending our time outside.”

“Very well,” Charlie said with a sigh. “Where is this garden shed?”

“It is that way,” Gray said, pointing to the side of the house, then starting off without checking to see whether Charlie followed him.

The faster they could complete Barbara’s silly task and separate themselves from each other the better.