A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen, #2)

by K.J. Charles

They nodded at each other. A brief hesitation, and Frey departed once more, leaving Silas alone with a corpse, an appointment, and a lightening of the heart that would not be repressed, no matter how absurd.

“My friend called me a Whig the other night,” Dominic whispered, and that was perhaps the worst sweet nothing ever offered to a lover but Silas’s expression showed he understood precisely what it meant.

“I, ah, we had information—” Skelton glanced at Zoë, who wobbled her chest at him with a shameless leer. He blinked, and forced his eyes away. “It’s a private matter, sir.” “So is mine,” Dominic said meaningfully. “And I should like to get on with it, and I will speak to you tomorrow.” “I beg your pardon, Mr. Frey. We had reports this was a house of ill repute—” “What does it look like, a fucking nunnery?” Skelton flinched, as well he might: Dominic was not known for raising his voice, let alone for foul language. “Have you any other brilliant insights for me?” “I,

Silas snorted. “Wish I knew. Look, you tell me how you are, all right?” “My grandfather tried to murder me and now I’m rich. Are you in love?”

He’d probably hand over enough to keep half Ludgate warm, but Silas couldn’t and wouldn’t ask because it shouldn’t be fucking charity that kept children from starving and the old folk from freezing, as if the country belonged to the rich by right and everyone else lived at their sufferance and by their whim.

I love you. I am entirely convinced that you love me despite your refusal to admit a damned thing. You are the one person with whom I find talking and fucking and companionship to be an equal and mutual joy. I never thought it possible to understand and be understood as we do. And it is hard enough to know that my friends regard this, or me, with amusement or contempt; it is hard enough for us all to live in the shadow of the gallows; and I am damned if I will let you roll additional boulders in our path with your accursed independence that I have no desire at all to infringe. I don’t want to put you under obligation. Why the devil would I? I want you to accept my help because you’re my lover, and lovers do that!”