Lionel was probably in pain, and he was worrying how Jim’s room was. Jim wasn’t certain what to make of that. He answered quickly. “It’s grand. I was getting ready to slip into the big, soft bed, and it occurred to me you might like a valet, with your shoulder and all.”
Lionel relaxed. “I was just starting to wonder how uncomfortable it would be to sleep fully clothed.”
Jim was not going to allow himself to start imagining the alternative again. He gave Lionel a little push into the room, not unlike the one he’d just been imagining. “Not something you need to worry about now.” He pulled the door closed behind them.
Lionel’s room was a little larger than his but similar in comfort. It certainly wasn’t the way Jim had imagined undressing Lionel, but he took control. “I’ll get the sling off then hold the coat wherever it needs to be; you just concentrate on getting your good arm out first. Then we’ll worry about the other.”
Jim untied the sling and left it on the end of the bed then gently peeled the jacket away from Lionel’s good shoulder and moved it around until Lionel got his good arm free. “Now hold still, and I’ll get this over your other arm.” Jim eased the coat gently over Lionel’s left shoulder and down his arm. “There we are. How does it feel?”
Lionel shrugged with his right side. “Not bad if I don’t move it.”
“But you can move it?”
“Oh yes, I keep trying that.” Lionel moved his left arm up and down a little, then to the side. Small movements, but definite movements. “I think that means it’s not broken.”
Jim was relieved to see the movement. “That’s what I’ve always heard. Ready for the waistcoat?” They went through the same motions, although it was trickier without the long sleeve to guide Lionel’s right arm out. Jim folded both pieces of clothing neatly and stacked them on the chair. “And now the shirt.”
Lionel looked ready to protest, so Jim hurried forward before he could. He gathered the bottom of the shirt and pulled it free of Lionel’s breeches then slid it upwards, trying to avoid touching Lionel so he wouldn’t make him more nervous than he was. “Just slide your right arm out when you can.”
Lionel obeyed, pulling his arm out of the voluminous sleeve and letting it fall to his side. Jim was trying not to touch him, but he couldn’t help looking. Lionel had a nice amount of muscle, not too much, just enough to give a tongue places to play. And there was a dusting of hair across his chest, enough to follow down to the thicker curls disappearing into his trousers. Jim forced his attention back to the shirt and pulled it over Lionel’s head, passing it from one hand to the other behind his neck. The motion had been instinctive, to get the shirt in position to bring it down Lionel’s left arm, but he hadn’t realized how close to Lionel it brought him, with his arms more or less around Lionel’s neck, held together by the shirt he was trying not to drop. If he leaned in just the littlest bit more, his lips would brush Lionel’s. And Lionel was not pulling away.
Jim caught the shirt and quickly brought it down over Lionel’s left side. “There we are. All done.” He folded the shirt clumsily and left it on the chair. “Does his lordship need me for anything else?”
Lionel forced a smile. “Giving me titles I don’t have now? I think I’ll be all right now.”
“Can get your own trousers then?” Jim immediately wished he hadn’t said it, although he couldn’t resist a glance to see if the closeness had affected Lionel as much as it had affected him. From the tenting of those well-fitting buckskin breeches, the answer seemed to be yes. Jim edged towards the door. “I’ll come back in the morning and help you get all that back on. I hope your arm is better.” He didn’t wait for an answer but darted out the door and across the hall to his own room.
Safe behind his own door, Jim let himself begin constructing the fantasy again, this time with a focus on what he knew. He could clearly imagine running his tongue along the planes of Lionel’s chest, up to the flat nipples, where he would nip and suck until they were hard. And then he would kiss his way up to Lionel’s lips, brushing his own against them just enough to tease before following the dusting of hair down to his waistband. Jim climbed into bed and put out the candle. Best to get all of this out of his system now, then maybe he wouldn’t be tempted to think of it in the carriage tomorrow.
When Lionel woke up, his first thought was to wonder if Jim would come back to his room. He’d been too nervous the night before to enjoy his company. When he’d seen Jim outside his door, he’d assumed Jim had come to share his bed, and he hadn’t known how to feel about that. It would have been wonderful to have someone as beautiful as Jim trying to seduce him, but he had the feeling such a gesture from Jim would have been meant as payment for the room and the carriage, and he didn’t want a transaction between them. Jim in his bed because he wanted to be there as badly as Lionel wanted him there was one thing; repaying him for a few small favors was something entirely different.
But that wasn’t why Jim had come at all. He’d realized that Lionel would need help with his shoulder and had come to offer friendly assistance. Lionel had felt guilty the entire time for ascribing a venal motive to the visit, but after Jim had left, when Jim wasn’t standing in front of him with his hands brushing against Lionel’s skin, he realized what Jim’s coming meant. Friendly concern clearly meant that Jim considered him a friend. And that pleased Lionel to no end.
He managed to get his buckskins on one handed by sitting on the edge of the bed and moving carefully, but the stockings defeated him. He was considering shoving his bare feet into his shoes when he heard a brisk knock on the door that was already familiar. He quickly unlocked it and found Jim smiling back at him. “I see you started without me.”
Lionel wasn’t sure how to answer that. He wanted to ask if Jim was disappointed, but he wasn’t sure he could manage the teasing tone necessary to hide the fact that he really did want to know if maybe Jim had wanted to see him naked. Not something he should have thought of just then. He swallowed and stepped back to allow Jim to enter. After far too long of a pause, he managed to say, “I’m afraid I have been bested by my stockings.”
“Then maybe we should gang up on them and wrest them into submission. If you’d sit on the bed, I’ll see what we can manage.”
Lionel sat obediently and tried to ignore the idea of wresting Jim into submission along with the feeling of Jim’s hands sliding up along the skin of his inner calves as Jim got the stockings in place and fixed to the garters just under the cuffs of his breeches. If only his hands would move a little higher—and that was not something he should be thinking of.
“All done,” Jim said with a cheerfulness that sounded forced and made Lionel wonder if Jim had been able to sense the direction of his thoughts. Perhaps he was more attuned to such things, a way to let him sense who might be a lucrative client. “Let’s see about your shirt now.”
Lionel got to his feet and obediently followed Jim’s directions as his friend—at least he hoped that was the proper term— eased his shirt over his left arm then got it over his head and helped steer his right arm through the sleeve, all while barely touching his skin so all Lionel could feel was the heat from Jim’s steady hands as he manipulated the shirt over Lionel’s arm and then his chest. It meant Jim had to stand very close to him again, had to pass the shirt over his head and behind his neck to do that, had to wrap his arms around Lionel. If he’d step forward just the littlest bit, it would be an embrace. And then the shirt was in place. Jim touched the hem then let go and stepped back, leaving Lionel to tuck it in one-handed. Lionel wasn’t certain if he was relieved he wouldn’t have to pretend that action wouldn’t have affected him or disappointed to have missed the chance to feel Jim’s hands against the skin of his hips. Either way, it was clearly for the best. “Leave the waistcoat,” Lionel said. Obviously, the less he had to twist his arm to get it into clothing, the better. It had nothing to do with needing this to be over before his control snapped and he... What? What did he really think he’d d
o? Probably kiss Jim, Lionel realized.
“No need to be so formal among friends, eh?” Jim picked up the jacket. “Now, how is your shoulder? It looks less swollen.”
A safe topic to discuss. “It feels much better. Barely hurts, in fact, as long as I don’t twist to the side.” He moved his right arm to demonstrate the motion he was avoiding. “But I can move it otherwise.” He lifted his left arm slowly so Jim could see. “That didn’t hurt.”
“That seems promising.” Jim shook out the jacket and brought it over. “I’ll wrap it in the sling for you anyway if you’d like. Then people will know it’s hurt and not be surprised when you can’t move it.”
“Thank you.” He should not be thinking such venal thoughts about Jim. The man was being kindness itself, and all Lionel could think about was the way his lips looked when he licked them and the way his arms felt as he eased the jacket around Lionel’s back, the touch of his fingers against Lionel’s as Jim caught his right hand and helped it find its way through the sleeve.
“There we are. A proper gentleman again. Except for the cravat.”
“I can manage it,” Lionel said quickly. He didn’t want to think how he would respond to having Jim’s face that close to his neck. It certainly would not be the way he responded to Baxter. He went to grab the cloth and realized he wouldn’t be able to keep his left arm in any kind of position to be helpful. “It’s lost all of its starch. I’ll just wind it around and be done with it.” He went to the mirror and did just that. When he turned, Jim was holding the cloth that had been used to bind up his arm.
“Very nice, for a one-armed man.”
Lionel grinned. “We did say we were being informal.”
“That we did. Now, what would you like for your sling? A mathematical? A Gordon? Mail coach?”
Lionel made his best effort at gentleman fop sits down and answered, “I’ll let you decide.”
“A square knot it is then. Now if you’d put your arm how you’d like it.”
Lionel held still as Jim got his arm tied neatly in place. “How does that feel?”
Lionel moved it around. “Very good. Thank you so much, Jim.” He tried to put all his sincerity into those words and hopefully none of the other feelings being this close to Jim was bringing out.
Jim patted Lionel’s good arm. “Think nothing of it. Shall we go to breakfast? I want to see if it lives up to that dinner last night.”
Chapter 6
***
LIONEL HAD NEVER BEEN HAPPIER to have an estate in a remote part of England than he was in the carriage with Jim, but at the moment, he was wishing it was in the north of Scotland, or even the Outer Hebrides—anything to give him a little more time with Jim Smith. He knew their time together was almost over when he recognized the fields outside the window, the first houses, and then the village. If it had been his own coach, perhaps he could have suggested they travel somewhere else or a long way round, but he would have had to do that a few towns back, and Jim would have figured it out, and Garrett would have thought he’d lost his senses. No, all he could do was smile at Jim and ask, “What are your plans now that we’re almost there?”
“Go to the inn, I suppose, and get my bearings.”
“You could always come to Hensley House as my guest.” But Lionel knew what the answer would be.
“No, I’d better get settled in the area on my own. Thank you, though.”
Lionel had known it was too much to hope for. “I’ll have the driver leave you at the White Hart then. It’s a nice inn. Mr. Danvers is the proprietor, and he’s friendly and makes a good lunch at least.”
“Thank you.” Jim turned to the window and started to watch the scenery pass by.
Lionel wondered what he ought to do. He wanted to enjoy these last minutes with Jim, but the fields outside were lovely, and perhaps, if Jim saw in them what he had when he had first traveled this way, he might like the area well enough to decide to settle here, near Hensley House, near enough where they might run into each other in the village or even one of the dances that were held at the inn. Of course, then he’d have to start going to the dances. If Jim moved to the area, Lionel thought perhaps he might open Hensley House’s ballroom for dances on certain occasions. Then there would be a chance of seeing him. “If you’d like, I could take you around in my carriage and show you the area.”
Jim didn’t turn away from the window. “That’s very kind, but I should get settled in.”
“Of course, I meant after you’re settled.” Then he would have an excuse to see Jim again.
“It isn’t necessary.”
“If you change your mind.” Lionel leaned back and pretended to look out of the window while watching Jim out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps Jim was enjoying the scenery outside the window. Perhaps it would be enough to get him to settle somewhere nearby. Lionel stayed quiet and let Jim look as the houses became more frequent and finally the village itself came into view.
“Is that the inn ahead?”
Lionel turned his attention to the window. “It is. Almost there.”
Jim nodded but didn’t express an opinion either way.
When the coach stopped, Lionel got out with Jim, ostensibly to give directions to Hensley House, but really to keep an eye on the driver. Lionel made sure to stay by the man as he brought down Jim’s bag, but he didn’t say a word about Jim’s past. When everything was ready for departure, Lionel turned to Jim. “It’s been a pleasure traveling with you. Do keep in mind my offer. Anyone in town can point you towards Hensley House if you’d like to visit or to have a tour of the area.” Or come to dinner or stay in the guest room.
“Thank you. You’ve been more than kind letting me travel with you.”
Lionel noticed Jim didn’t turn down the offer directly. He took that as a sign there was still hope. “It was my pleasure. Good luck with your quest.” He couldn’t come up with another excuse to stay, so he climbed into the coach. As it pulled away, he could see Jim gathering up his bag. As the inn moved out of his line of sight, Lionel reminded himself that Jim hadn’t said he wouldn’t come to Hensley Hall. There was still a chance of seeing him again.
Jim watched the coach drive away with Lionel inside. It had been a wonderful two days. A wonderful break in what was becoming an increasingly difficult time. He had carefully figured his money before he left London, and Sir Lionel had saved him quite a bit with his generosity, but if he wanted to be certain he had enough for his little house, he’d have to be more careful. When the coach was out of sight, he went to the back door of the inn and asked for Mr. Danvers.
Mr. Danvers was a large, friendly man. Jim read him quickly. He seemed honest—that was good—and he had a wife, Jim was sure. “Need something?”
“I’m a bit stretched on funds, and I was hoping I could have a few days’ room and board in exchange for work.”
“Sorry, I have all the help I need.”
“I’d do anything. Fetch and carry, kitchen, stables.” Mr. Danvers didn’t seem the sort to tolerate an offer to work at his former profession.
“Sorry, I’d offer you something if I had it, but I don’t. See that fellow over there minding the horses? My wife’s younger sister’s oldest. And the two waiting table, her oldest sister’s twins. She has four sisters, all married, and three brothers. I have all the help I can handle and a ready source when I need more. I can give you lunch for firewood today, but not on a regular basis.”
Jim knew the man was just being kind. “No, I have enough to pay for lunch today.”
“All right. I’ll give you a little off if you want to eat in the yard.”
Jim nodded and waited until he was brought a piece of chicken and some peas. Lionel had been right. The food was good. He hoped no one would remember he’d arrived with Lionel. He didn’t want his friend’s name associated with someone looking for work in exchange for a bed. And he didn’t want Lionel to know either.
When Jim had finished his food, he planned his day. He would g
o explore the village first. He considered trying at one of the farms or private homes to see if he could find temporary work, but what if Lionel found out? He spotted a newspaper that had been left outside the pub and picked it up. If he didn’t find any sort of work, there was always the forest. He’d spent enough nights sleeping on the streets of London—how hard could it be in the forest?
Everything seemed a bit less colorful without Jim around. Lionel hadn’t realized how dull his life was until Jim had made it a bit more interesting. He looked around his office at Hensley House, trying to see it as Jim would. It was filled with antiques, just as Jim had guessed. Lionel wondered if Jim would like the understated elegance or be intimidated by some of the more valuable pieces. Or perhaps it would be old hat for him. Lionel had been to Madame Rosamond’s once or twice with Robert, and he remembered an elaborate interior filled with decent but gaudy reproductions of the sort of pieces he had here. Maybe Jim would see his study and prefer the glamour of the places he’d worked, or simply find the whole thing boring and move on. But Lionel hoped he’d like the study. It had always been the room he’d been most comfortable in.
He should really have insisted Jim stay at the house. There was plenty of room, and he got all of the newspapers. It would have been easy for Jim to look at properties from here, and cheaper than the inn if that was a concern, and Lionel rather thought it was. Perhaps Jim was still at the White Hart. He could just ride down and extend the invitation.
Lionel sighed. He couldn’t ride down yet. First, he’d have to go and tell Perkins he had returned and was ready to take up his duties. Then there would be briefings on what to look for, no doubt. And the stack of mail on his desk looked ready to topple over. His own pleasure would have to wait a little while at least.
For once, Jim’s luck seemed to be holding. He’d been wandering through the woods on the edge of the village, trying to tell himself there was no reason to try and find Hensley House since it was quite certain that Sir Lionel would not repeat the casual offer of a room again, and even if he did, there was no way Jim could accept, when he ran across an abandoned campsite. From the leaves piled up in the fire pit and against the lean-to, he was fairly certain it had been abandoned for some time, but he decided to be cautious and circled the area of the forest for most of the afternoon, finding an apple tree for his dinner with the rest of the chicken he’d brought from the inn.
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