Chapter Ten
He needed to do something about Thomas, but he did not know what. One thing was for certain: leaving him there was not an option. His parents were not only angry about their son's sexual interest in men, but they seemed determined to torment him. They would happily have him marry a woman who despised him and marry his sister to the man Thomas truly loved, so he would forever be reminded of his sin.
There was no obvious solution because Thomas, like a fool, was letting them push him around. But no more. If he wanted to be pushed around like a child, at least he should be pushed around by someone who cared about him.
Christopher had committed himself to this. He would simply walk in and take Thomas away. He was all but a Duke, what would the Baron do? It was not as though Thomas were a child. He did not need his parents' permission to seek a life of his own. And with Christopher behind him, he would hopefully find the courage he needed to escape.
Christopher took his check book, just in case the Fitzroys put up a bit of a fight, and his walking stick, in case they put up even more of a fight. Come rain or shine, he would get Thomas out of there.
Walking downstairs, he asked for his coach to be prepared, to leave immediately.
“Very well, Your Grace,” the footman replied, rushing off to make sure the horses were harnessed in record time.
The butler seemed perplexed. “Going somewhere so early this morning, Sir?” he asked.
Christopher nodded. “Yes, I intend on paying a visit to Mr. Thomas Fitzroy. I... I do believe I would like to ask him to live here,” he explained.
The butler shook his head. “I'm afraid Your Grace may have some trouble finding him. I received news this morning that he has vanished from his family home.”
The news hit him like a ton of bricks. “Thomas has what?” he asked, dumbfounded.
“Indeed, that appears to be everyone's response. His parents have not yet informed anyone of the disappearance but... word gets out among servants, Sir,” the butler explained.
“Does anyone know why? Or where he is?” Christopher asked.
The butler shook his head. “Sorry, Sir, but nobody has yet found him. As to why: I believe his living circumstances of late have not been ideal, and his betrothed is... trouble, Sir.”
Christopher nodded. “Very well. I suppose I shall not need that carriage after all. Feel free to cancel it,” he sighed.
Christopher could feel his heart breaking. He wanted to help Thomas. To swoop in and save him like a heroic knight in an old-fashioned tale of romance. But he could not. Because Thomas had already saved himself.
Or had he? Thomas had no real world experience, no streetwise education, he was just a pampered rich boy who had run away from home. There was a chance he was somewhere safe and sound. But there was an equal chance he still needed Christopher to save him. It was unlikely that he had actually saved himself.
No, Christopher needed to find him. But he had no idea where to begin. However much he loved Thomas, and however much their hearts and souls were destined to be together, the fact of the matter was they had not known one another very long at all. And he did not know Thomas well enough to even begin to guess where he would go.
But he had known Thomas long enough to know who would have an idea.
***
“I am not sure,” Delilah sighed. “He did tell me he was leaving, but nothing else.”
“Are you sure? I can keep it secret from anyone else, I just need to know he is safe,” Christopher insisted.
“It's no use,” Delilah said, “he did not tell me where he was going.”
Christopher shook his head. “You are his sister. And you two are close, I could tell that much when I was last here. You have to know something.”
Delilah paused and looked out the window. The sun was shining brightly and she looked away again after a few seconds. Something was weighing on her mind.
“I suppose... Knowing him, he would not have gone to the village. He hates to stand out,” she began.
Christopher nodded. “Even that sort of information, if it is all you have, will help. What else do you know?”
“He did not take much with him. Some money, some old clothes, and I hope some food. He did not want to stand out,” she said.
“So he is walking toward the town?” Christopher asked.
“I do not know,” Delilah replied, shaking her head.
“No, but it is natural. He does not have much with him, he does not wish to be somewhere he is known. The town would let him hide and maybe find a way to make a living,” Christopher replied.
Delilah nodded. “That sounds just like something he would do,” she conceded quietly.
“Then I shall go to town and find him.” Christopher smiled.
“Please do. And tell me if you find him safe and sound,” Delilah replied.
“I will, do not worry,” Christopher said. He would have hugged her again, but a chaperon was present, just out of earshot, but definitely watching them both closely. “I will find him.”
Walking back to his carriage, he asked the driver to begin the trip to town immediately. It would take a few hours, so he needed to start as soon as possible if he was to begin searching the town before dusk.
Christopher was determined. He could not bear the thought of Thomas living out there on the road on his own. He kept an eye out as the carriage sped along the road, eyeing every foot traveler up and down and even stopping to check one or two of them, but none was Thomas.
By the time he reached the town, he knew there were two options. Either Thomas had got on a carriage at some point and been taken to town faster. Or he had been wrong about the whole thing and Thomas was somewhere else. But all he could do was begin to check the town and hope he had been right.
The town was immense, though. This would not be a matter of checking one or two houses and asking in a few bars to hear everyone mention having seen Thomas. The vast majority of people saw new people every day, and none remembered anyone quite like Thomas.
After asking around all afternoon, he was no closer to finding Thomas. The sun was still high in the sky and would be up for a few more hours. But he was becoming disheartened very quickly. This was no way to go about finding anyone. He was not sure why he had believed it would work. He sighed and watched as the people rushed by, all busy, barely noticeable. Nobody would have noticed Thomas either. That was the whole purpose of his being there.
Christopher was feeling more heartbroken than ever. He should have asked Delilah to come with him. But of course, that would have been inappropriate. And would have led the inevitable man hunt right to Thomas. No, he needed to make sure he found Thomas first, and took him home first. If the Fitzroys found their son first, there would be no chance of saving him.
Christopher looked up and down the street again and resolved to ask a few more shopkeepers. They would notice people more than the locals would. They may have seen someone.
He walked into a butcher's. The place smelled strongly of meat and blood. He was not used to being in that sort of place and found his nose wrinkling up.
“What is such a finely dressed gentleman doing in my quiet little shop?” the butcher asked, slightly indignant at Christopher's expression.
“I was wondering if you had seen a young man, a little shorter than myself, dark golden hair, brown eyes, a little messy probably from traveling,” he said.
“I... I think I have,” the butcher remarked, nodding to himself.
“Thank you—” Christopher stopped before getting to the apology. “I beg your pardon, you have?”
He nodded. “Yes, he looked a bit confused. Was asking for directions to an inn so I pointed him in the right direction. Polite chap.”
Christopher's heart skipped a beat. Someone who had seen Thomas! “Could you point me in the same direction?” he asked.
The butcher nodded. “Of course, just follow the road to the bottom, take a left, and there are a few different inns there.”
Christopher felt overwhelmed with relief. “Thank you ever so much,” he said to the butcher, dropping some money on the counter. “Have this for your troubles.”
The butcher nodded, looking at the money. It was not enough for him to be surprised or alarmed, but not so little for him to complain either. And definitely not so little that he would risk Christopher taking it back by feigning humility. So he smiled as Christopher left the shop.
Unfortunately, there were more than a few different inns on that road. It was lined with them, and Christopher knew it would not be as easy for the owners to let him in to look for Thomas.
Sitting at a table in the cafe, he sipped on a cup of tea and wondered whether he needed another slice of cake to energize himself. He would need all his strengths to walk up and down that road, asking after Thomas in every single inn. And then it was possible that Thomas had not stayed in any, or that he had moved on already. Christopher had not thought to ask the butcher when he had seen Thomas. If he saw him last night, then... then he could be long since gone.
Looking up and at the cake display again, Christopher felt his heart almost stop when his eyes landed on a young man in a muddy overcoat, his dirty blond hair uncombed. He waited to catch a glimpse of the face and...
It was him. He was not looking too unwell either. A little muddy from his trek, a little unkempt from a day and a night on the move, and a little bewildered and startled from the sudden change. But still in one piece, still largely healthy, and still with enough money to afford a slice of cake for dinner.
“Thomas!” Christopher exclaimed.
Thomas spun around on his heels in alarm, dropping his coins on the ground and looking left and right for the source of the voice. “Christopher,” he said under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.
Christopher stood up and walked over to where Thomas stood, stunned, and opened his arms.
The young man stepped in and hugged Christopher closely. Looking down, Christopher could see a single tear trickle down Thomas’ cheek. He patted him on the back reassuringly. “Come, let's sit down and eat something,” he said, glancing at the shop keeper who simply nodded and began cutting two slices of cake.
They found their seats again, settled in, and, in a slight anticlimax to their encounter, quietly ate cake and sipped tea, exchanging only smiles and cautious glances.
Christopher wanted nothing more than to hold and kiss Thomas. But of course, he could not. Not there. They could not even talk there. Too many eyes and ears were on them after their big display at the counter. Not to mention they must have looked an odd couple, Christopher older and exquisitely dressed, Thomas looking like he had just come in from cutting a hedge. No, everyone would be paying attention to whatever they said and did.
But as soon as Thomas had finished his cake, Christopher was eager to get back to the inn with him. They needed to be somewhere private, so that they could talk. And so that they could enjoy one another's company and intimacy freely.
The inn was not terrible, but it was still far from pleasant. The room was sparsely furnished with a chest, a table, a single chair and a narrow bed. The air hung heavy with damp and the window was small, narrow, and jarred shut. Sitting on the bed, Christopher could feel that the mattress was old and lumpy and the bedding was not in much better condition. Thomas deserved better than this.
“You came back for me,” Thomas said in slight disbelief.
Christopher nodded. “I... I love you, Thomas,” Christopher confessed.
Thomas scooted closer on the bed and rested his head on Christopher's shoulder. “I suppose... I thought you had got what you wanted and left me to my fate.”
“No,” Christopher replied. “I know I should have waited, at least until I was back from London. But you were so lovely,” he nuzzled Thomas’ hair. It did not smell great, but he did not mind. “I simply could not stand to be apart a second longer.”
“I do not want to be apart from you either,” Thomas whispered, moving closer.
Christopher looked down at Thomas, who looked up into Christopher's eyes with love and trust. They locked lips, collapsing back onto the bed. Christopher caressed Thomas’ body as they kissed, even though he knew that he would not be prepared to do anything in that room, on that bed. He simply wanted Thomas to know he was loved and wanted.
“I think we ought to go back to my mansion,” he said as he planted kisses on Thomas’ neck, “get you a nice hot bath, some fresh clothes... and then retire to my room, where the bed is a bit more comfortable,” he said. “And when we are done, I will not leave, and you will not leave. We will just stay there forever.”
“Forever?” Thomas whispered.
“Yes, just us two, forever,” Christopher replied.
Thomas smiled and pressed his lips to Christopher's. “We would be like husband and wife.”
Christopher broke the kiss and nodded, smiling. “We would be. I would gladly have you for my wife.”
Thomas sighed as his smile faded away. “It sounds wonderful. But however could we? They know to seek me with you, and then...”
Christopher nodded. “I know, that would be a problem. But it would also be my word against your parents', if you are willing to stand by my side.”
Thomas hesitated. “I am not sure I could face them like that,” he admitted. “Running away was one thing, but... I could not betray them to their faces.”
Christopher frowned. He knew that Thomas would not want to upset his parents, but it would be impossible for Thomas to be free otherwise. The young man had to choose between facing his demons and winning or running away again. And something told Christopher that he would always choose to run.
Suddenly, Christopher smiled and kissed Thomas’ forehead. “I have an idea,” he said softly.