The Beauty of Coincidence | manxman | (Historical Fiction)

XLVII - Happy Birthday, Victor Ramsey

Norman and Gabriel wouldn't be arriving.

As Victor stood at the soaring window of his bedroom, fully dressed and prepared for the night ahead, he watched as though a phantom in his own home as individual horse drawn coaches rolled down the private road leading to the estate, and not a single one of them resembled the travel coach owned by the name of Ramsey.

With the late afternoon approaching now, the sun was still relatively high in the sky, but would surely be making its descent in no time. While the manor was in a ruckus due to the impending party, preparations had been made, but there were still many housekeepers running about to make certain things were as perfect as they should be.

Victor had seen how beautiful the decorations were on the lower floor. Giant ribbons hung about the walls, massive flower-filled vases, anything and everything extravagant one would think belonged in an esteemed lord's home was within the manor today, and that especially went for the garb.

Dressed far more finely today then any other, Victor stood in black, heeled shoes that offered a few good inches to his height, and dark, near-transparent stockings that disappeared into the openings of his black, high-waisted and golden buttoned shorts that cut off mid thigh. Around the leg openings was an intricate design that'd been sewn beautifully into the material, resembling golden vines, and around his slender waist was a loose chain speckled in blue rubies and white pearls. A dark matching vest was buttoned over a white shirt with long sleeves, and a flowing train flared out down his backside much like an elegant gown that almost reached the floor. Around his collar was a ruffled cravat studded with a large blue centered ruby, and buttoned around his shoulders was a lengthy cloak.

Lastly, as Victor brought his eyes away from the approaching guests, he looked down at his left ring finger. He was wearing a pair of black gloves today, and when he laid his gaze upon the stunning marriage ring placed upon his finger, his dismal heart found a portion of ease as he stared into the honeyed, amber tint of the jewel atop it.

He heard his chamber door come open then, and when Victor looked over his shoulder, he met the pair of eyes he was so relieved matched his ring so perfectly.

Although Reynold had certainly grown used to seeing Victor dressed fashionably, he paused for a moment in the doorway as his vision took in the absolute beauty of the man across the way. Before his tongue could become too stilled, he neared the nobleman and stood alongside him in the window.

"Many have come to see you, my love," Reynold said, placing a comforting hand at the small of Victor's back. He, too, watched as additional coaches rolled onto the grounds, knowing without any doubt that these people were anxious as ever to lay eyes upon the lord of these lands.

While Victor's face was not so unfamiliar as it had been in the first weeks he'd called this area home, only those he conducted business with knew his face, and the others had only heard of him by word of mouth. Whether that be through utterances of his looks from those who'd already glimpsed the young lord, or the manner in which he conducted business, or carried himself not quite like a Ramsey, everyone arriving today had at least some portion of expectation regarding what kind of man's home they would be entering today.

"It seems you and I will require a trip to Childermass after all," Victor noted. "With my father's and Gabriel's continued absence, I would like for you and I to leave at our earliest convenience."

"Of course," Reynold nodded.

"But, for now," Victor took in a chest full of air before releasing it as coolly as possible. "I have a number of false smiles to greet."

At the mild sourness in Victor's voice, Reynold took hold of the young lord's hand before he could distance himself. "Victor," he said, gently pulling the other man a bit closer, and when they were both stood before the window, cast gingerly in a ray of sunlight, Reynold's heart grew heavy upon being able to see just how unspoken and frantic his lover was to have to endure this day without the one person he'd tried to cling to his entire life. "Asking that you not fret," Reynold said, "seems a useless request. However, my love, as I know you'd hoped for this day to be a bit brighter as once anticipated, let us attempt to get through this together so that tomorrow hurriedly reaches us. As you said, we will travel at the earliest convenience."