by EE Ottoman
“I’m sure we’d manage somehow.” William let his head fall onto Augustus’ shoulder. What would it be like, to be with Augustus without the lawbreaking and intrigue? To share meals and evenings together, to talk about work and research? He thought he’d like that.
He straightened up finally, brought the roast over to the hearth and set it on the cooking grate over the fire to heat. When he turned again, Augustus had left the kitchen.
Moss was seated by the fire in the parlor watching it burn. He turned when William opened the door.
“Is dinner ready?”
“Not yet.” William came and sat in the chair across from him. He regarded Moss for a moment. “So, you are a spy for the government.”
Moss looked at him, eyebrows raised. “I work for the government, as I told you. I pass on information they might find useful concerning the rule of law, and, in rare cases, national security. But mostly, I keep books and draft correspondence for various businessmen and merchants.”
“Does the merchant you were working for know you were arrested?”
Moss grimaced at that. “Undoubtedly, if he chose to go looking when I didn’t turn up for work. Another loose end for Thornton to deal with.” He rubbed his forehead. “It will be very difficult to clean this up. I don’t know when I’ll be able to safely go back to New York or whether I’ll ever be able to work there again.”
“You’ll be lucky if Thornton can keep this from going to the papers. Otherwise, the story will become notorious.” William had been trying not to think about that possibility over the last few days.
From what Augustus had said, Doctor Cooke had no doubt kept the facts of the case quiet while Moss had been in his keeping, the better to bathe himself in glory once he could examine Moss personally and announce his findings to the world. Now that Moss had gotten away how long would it be before Cooke or someone else went to the papers? Would Thornton be able to suppress it in time? William had to believe so.
“Will you continue to work for the government even if you can’t go back to New York?”
Moss rubbed his eyes again. “I don’t know. This will all have to be sorted out first, but eventually, yes. They can send me somewhere else, you know. Boston, Washington, London, or Paris even. So we will see what happens. Still, I’ll be sorry to leave New York for good if it comes to that.”
There was a knock at the door. Augustus ducked in. “Dinner will be done in a few minutes. Have either of you any idea where the dishes and cutlery are?”
“I think I saw them earlier; let’s see if we can find them again.” William stood and Moss followed suit.
They ate together in the dining room.
“I found a tub in the linen closet,” Augustus said to Moss when all three of them were seated. “I was wondering if you’d like to use it first.”
“I don’t want to put us through the trouble of heating the water for a bath.” Moss’ expression was wistful, though.
“Well, Blackwood and I would also like a bath this evening, so we’ll be heating the water either way.”
“In that case, I’d love one.” A small, pleased smile lit Moss’ face, and he sat a little straighter in his chair. William mentally thanked Augustus for thinking of the idea in the first place.
After dinner was eaten and the dishes washed, William and Augustus carried the large metal tub from the linen closet into the parlor and set it on a number of cloths they’d laid on the floor in front of the fire. It was not the most elegant choice, but neither of them felt like carrying first the tub and then the heated water up and down the stairs to the bedrooms on the second floor. Privacy would not be an issue with only the three of them in the house.
When the tub was full with steaming water, William gave Moss a folded length of cloth to dry himself with and a fresh bar of lavender-flecked soap, and then closed the parlor door behind him.
He found Augustus outside, behind the kitchen, standing on the path that led to the garden, looking up at the stars.
It wasn’t raining anymore, but the air was still cold enough to make their breath hang in white clouds, and William’s lungs prickled as he inhaled.
“I was thinking about when this is all over.” He stopped beside Augustus. “How much I want to know you when it can just be the two of us, talking about medicine, living our lives.”
Augustus didn’t smile at that; if anything, he seemed to draw into himself a little more. “When this is all over, I’m not sure I can go back to New York Hospital. I can’t work with Doctor Cooke and the other senior physicians, not anymore.”
“Where will you go if you leave New York Hospital?”
Augustus shook his head. “I don’t know. And my savings are almost gone.”
William reached for Augustus. “There will be plenty of practices that will want to take you on, and if you decide not to join an already established practice, you can start your own.”
They both knew that starting a practice took money, or someone willing to invest in it. William wished he could offer to become an investor, to take a little of Augustus’ worries onto himself, but he didn’t have the funds either. Maybe he could speak with his brother Joshua, convince him to invest, although William doubted he would. Joshua ran the family shipping company, and he was extremely careful with the finances as well as meticulously cautious when it came to where he invested his own money. William understood why. Given how hard their father had worked to secure the life of a respectable merchant for himself and his family, neither of them could jeopardize that.
Of course, though, you already have. What would it have done to the family name if you’d been arrested and charged with kidnapping and sodomy?
William closed his eyes and took a long breath. That was not going to happen. The worst was over now; they were going to find a nice house for Moss and put all of this behind them.
“I’m not sure I want to try to start my own practice, not in New York,” Augustus went on. “I’m not well enough established to be successful. It would be a waste of my money and the money of my investors. But I’ll find something else.” He tightened his grip on William’s hand.
William was already thinking of the doctors he knew in New York and Philadelphia to whom he could write. They had to know of positions available for a doctor who was both intelligent and quick on his feet. Augustus was right. Together, they’d find him something perhaps even better than his position at New York Hospital. And in the meantime, Augustus would have cataloging Doctor Russell’s collection to fall back on. Even if he were to leave New York Hospital tomorrow, one way or another, he would not need to go without work.
Back inside, they parted, with Augustus heading up to the second floor to start the fires in the bedrooms while William put one of the large pots of water and the kettle on to heat. He wasn’t sure if Augustus would still be interested in a bath once Moss was done, but even if he wasn’t, William could use a cup of tea before he went to bed. There was a bottle of apple brandy in the pantry; maybe he’d put a splash of that in as well.
The door to the parlor opened, and Moss walked into the hall wearing just trousers and shirt, his hair damp, and a cloth still wrapped around his shoulders.
“Do you want a cup of tea?” William called from the kitchen. “I just put the kettle on. Or there’s apple brandy in the pantry if you’d prefer.”
“I think I’m just going to take a book and go up to bed. It’s been a long day.” He turned towards the stairs, drying his hair off with the cloth as he went, his tread soft in bare feet.
William could hear the heavier tread of Augustus coming down the stairs and then the murmur of voices as he greeted Moss. William located the tea and teapot and took the kettle off the fire.
“Would you still like a bath?” he asked as Augustus entered the kitchen.
Augustus’ eyes lit. “Yes, please.”
In the parlor they cleaned up from Moss’ bath and prepared the tub for Augustus to use. William left him pouring hot water into the
tub and went to fix two cups of tea with a generous splash of brandy in both. Moss had said he’d rather go straight up to bed, but the fire had just been laid in the upstairs bedrooms, and they were still probably drafty and chilly. A cup of tea would probably be welcome if Moss intended to stay up reading long.
William carried the cup upstairs. One of the bedroom doors had light seeping out from under it, so he knocked on it.
“Come in,” Moss called from the other side, and William opened the door, carefully, balancing the teacup and saucer as he did so.
Moss was indeed already tucked up in bed, a book open in front of him and a candle burning on the table beside the bed.
“I know you said you weren’t interested in tea, but a pot is too much just for me to drink. If you don’t want it, just leave it, and I’ll wash the cup in the morning.” He sat it on the table next to the candle. “There’s some brandy in there as well, so you’ve been warned.”
Moss’ lips quirked up a little at that. Up close, William could see how deep the lines in his face seemed, and his eyes were red-rimmed. William very much hoped he hadn’t been crying.
“Are you all right?”
The words were out before William could think better of it. Of course, Moss wasn’t all right. Moss didn’t answer him anyway, just stared down at the book in his lap. Carefully, William sat beside him on the edge of the bed.
The book Moss had chosen was opened to a beautiful colored print of delicate purple flowers. “Tomorrow, when we look at properties, I think I would like to choose a house with a garden. I’ve never had a garden before, but I’d like that.” Moss traced a fingertip across the plate.
“Then tomorrow we’ll buy a house with a garden. Get some rest.”
Moss rubbed his face. “I’ll try. Goodnight William.”
“Goodnight.” William gave him a small smile and went across the room to the door.
Downstairs, the parlor door was shut, and William could hear the faint sound of water splashing. He retrieved his cup of tea and took the bottle of apple brandy and a tumbler with him for good measure.
Augustus was indeed in the tub, his clothes piled on a chair, when William entered the room.
“William?” He sat up, making the water splash against the side of the tub, and raised his eyebrows.
William held up the bottle and glass as if in answer. “Apple brandy?”
“Sure.” Augustus leaned back into the hot water again, and William put his teacup on a table and poured apple brandy into the glass.
He leaned over the tub to hand Augustus the glass. Wet fingers hooked into William’s collar and tugged him forward as Augustus sat up to kiss him.
Water and brandy sloshed. William braced his free hand against the edge of the tub and kissed him back. Augustus’ hand left his collar to slide against the back of his neck as they kissed—the way he’d done the night before. It sent heat through William, made him wish he had a hand free to touch Augustus’ very naked body. His skin would be heated from the water and the fire. His lips were full and soft, sliding against William’s.
William bit at his lower lip very gently. Augustus groaned and reached up to wrap his other arm around William’s shoulders. They kissed again, fierce and hot. Augustus’ grip on the back of William’s neck had gone hard, demanding, in that way that made a little thrill go through William every time.
More water sloshed, this time out of the tub completely, and William sat back with a small laugh. “If we keep on like this, I’m going to end up in there with you.”
“Not a bad idea.” Augustus let go of William, lifted the glass of apple brandy William had been holding, and took a sip. “Take off your clothes.”
William untied his cravat and shrugged off his coat and waistcoat.
Augustus swallowed another mouthful as he watched William.
The room was quiet except for the drip of water, the sound of coals settling in the fireplace, and the brush of cloth against cloth.
William draped his coat and waistcoat carefully across the back of a chair and then sat and removed his boots and stockings.
Augustus’ cheeks were pink, his eyes gone heavy-lidded.
William picked up his teacup and carried it back over to the tub, where he perched on the edge by Augustus’ feet.
“Moss says he wants a house with a garden.”
Augustus was still flushed across his cheeks and neck, even if he now looked slightly confused. William smiled at him and drank his tea.
“That sounds very nice for him. We should make sure we get a house with a garden.” Augustus sat up fully, causing quite a bit of sloshing and splashing, and put his glass on the floor next to the tub. Then he leaned forward and reached for William.
He got his arm around William’s waist and tugged hard enough for William to make an undignified noise and slide halfway into the tub.
Most of his tea spilled, but he did manage not to drop his cup. Not getting wet was a lost cause at this point, so he shifted himself onto Augustus’ lap, trying not to elbow or knee him anywhere painful. Once he was situated, he leaned back against Augustus’ chest.
“Well, now my clothes are wet.”
Augustus stroked down William’s chest where his shirt was sticking to his skin. “You were being a tease.”
William inhaled. “I was, and I suspected I’d end up in the tub when I came back over here.” He leaned forward so he could set his teacup next to Augustus’ tumbler.
Augustus was still trailing his fingers up and down William’s chest—down under the water to stroke across William’s stomach, and then back up, to trace the contours of his chest. He rubbed a nipple through the wet, translucent fabric, and then pinched it lightly.
William sighed at the touch, letting his head tip back a little against Augustus’ shoulder. “Yes, do that again. A little harder this time.”
Augustus pinched a little bit harder, and William groaned. He wanted to press into the touch, but there wasn’t enough room. Augustus touched his chest again and then down his stomach to unbutton his trousers and push down the fall at the front. Augustus didn’t even try to untangle his shirttails, just stroked William’s cock through the cloth. William made a noise of pleasure at the extra layer of sensation, the way it teased out Augustus’ warm grip. The water was still pleasantly hot against his skin, and Augustus’ chest was against his back, his thighs bracketing his waist as he stroked him.
“I want to fuck you.” Augustus bent his head so he could suck the curve of William’s ear into his mouth. He flicked the flesh with his tongue and then bit at it lightly.
“Yes.” It came out breathy. William’s whole body shivered at the feel of Augustus’ mouth on him—at his hand on William’s cock, with its slow, light touches that left him hard and wanting but were never quite enough to bring him to the edge.
“Kneel forward and hold onto the end of the tub.” Augustus voice was deep with lust but also tinted with amused affection. He circled the head of William’s cock with his thumb.
They both shifted, awkward in the small space. William knelt as he’d been told and then bent forward at the waist, his forearms braced along the edge of the tub. Augustus shucked off his sodden trousers and slid his shirt up to bare his ass and thighs.
“Right when I need two hands, I seem to have misplaced one.” Augustus smoothed across William’s skin, the small of his back, the curve of one cheek. “Can you touch yourself? Or do you need both hands for support?”
William spread his legs as much as he could in the confined space, to balance himself as he took one arm off the edge of the tub and reached down between his legs.
“That’s it. Slowly.” Augustus’ voice was approving, and then he was stroking between William’s thighs to cup his balls. Augustus palmed him gently while William fisted his cock, keeping his movements as slow as Augustus’ had been.
Augustus’ hand left his balls and slipped back up to his ass. He caressed him there, rubbing across his still damp skin. Wi
lliam made a sound, high and breathy, his fingers tightening on his cock. Augustus touch dropped away and then came back, slick with soap. William tensed for a moment when Augustus’ fingers touched him again, and then relaxed. Augustus slid into him with ease and thrust into him slow and deep. William rocked his hips back as much as he could with his legs spread so wide, grip tight on the cool metal of the tub, the other working his cock in time with Augustus’ thrusts.
“So beautiful. You feel so hot and slick and good.” Augustus’ voice was strained. He pushed hard enough into William to make him gasp and moan with the feel of it.
Another finger thrust into him again, and William arched into it, crying out. “Yes, please yes.”
“Easy.” Augustus’ forearm came up to rest across the small of William’s back as he fucked him, still slow and devastatingly thorough. “You don’t want to be too loud, Moss might hear.”
William gasped before he could stop himself, his body shaking and cock twitching at the idea.
“Would you like that?” Augustus’ voice was dark and amused. “For someone to hear us and come looking?”
The idea shouldn’t have been arousing. It should have been terrifying, but William’s whole body heated at the words, his breath coming harder. He shook his head, and Augustus laughed.
“No? But I think you would like that. Would you like to be watched? Or is it the idea that we could be found out that excites you?”
William didn’t know, didn’t have enough wits left to think about it, much less form a reply.
Augustus was still fucking him, ruthlessly hard and sure. William was caught between the pleasure of it and the agonizing awareness that Moss could come down the stairs at any moment and find them here like this. William bent over the edge of a bathtub being taken up the ass.
He thrust back against Augustus as much as he was able, given the angle, biting his lip to try and keep the noises in. He was close, he could feel it, the pleasure building inside him, filling him up, caught between Augustus’ touch and his own.
Augustus thrust deep inside of him, and William spent with a long shuddering gasp.