The Master Finale | manxman | (Book Four: The Master Collection)

XIII - From One to Another

Timothy was on the road to a place he had been to hundreds of times before, and after this night, he wasn't sure how often he would visit it. With all the days he had spent already at Jasper's side, his thirst for stinging beverages and gambling his nights away had come to an abrupt stop. He was on his way to Reynolds to see Simon who was more than likely already there with his lover Lucian.

When he arrived, he stalled his buggy in front of the furniture shop, and there was a little boy about eight years old, sitting on the walkway. He suddenly perked up when he laid eyes on Timothy's horse.

Coming down from the driver's seat, the dark-haired man smiled at the boy, and said, "Make sure she doesn't wander, and I'll give you some pence in return."

"A'ight, sir!" the boy's grin spread wide and he stroked his hand down the horse's mane. "She ain't goin' nowhere!"

Timothy then made his way around the furniture shop in the alley, knocking his fist on the metal door to get inside. When the woman who inspected patrons slid the opening to get a look outside, she unlocked the door and greeted him kindly. "Welcome back, Timmy boy. We've missed you here."

Timothy huffed a laugh and started down the steep, narrow steps, and turned into the bar area. It was nearly filled with the usual faces, and to his surprise only Lucian was seated at the counter. When he approached the effeminate, black-haired man, Timothy placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Is Simon working late tonight?"

Lucian flinched from Timothy's abrupt appearance, "Oh, hello, Tim. No, Simon should be here in just a few minutes. He stayed behind at the butcher shop with father. One of the pigs got loose today and broke the fence, so to make a good impression, Simon offered to fix it. You know how he is. Always trying to impress." Lucian sighed then, and faced Timothy when he took a seat beside him. "I wish he would act naturally sometimes. After all, father loves Simon. My only guess is that he always tries to impress just in case one day we get caught. Perhaps he thinks father wouldn't care too much given all the help he's brought my family."

"We do what we can," Timothy said, waving off the bartender when he was offered a drink. "If Simon thinks playing nice with your father all the time is what helps hide the fact, then perhaps he is still on the right track."

"For the record, Tim," Lucian said, his tone sounding a little ominous. "Thank you again for taking care of that job I requested. Still, I wish you hadn't killed him, but I cannot say I'm not glad I will never see his face again." He scrunched his button nose cheekily and nudged Timothy's shoulder. "Simon needn't know of our wee little secret, yeah?"

Timothy opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off when Simon poked his head between him and Lucian. He looked tired from a hard working day, dressed in tan trousers and a dark red buttoned shirt, a thin and worn coat over him, and his brown hair was tucked beneath a black cap. "You two look like you're getting on quite well without me," he smiled and then kissed his lover's waiting lips.

"Why, yes!" Lucian leered, going red as Simon hugged him from behind. It was a surprise to see he could still get flustered given all the years the two had been together. "I was considering offering myself to Timmy here if you had taken any longer."

"Then I would have had no choice than to put him on a list of my own!" Simon then met Timothy's gaze, taking a seat in the middle of the two. "What brings you down from Castle Lancechester? Did you grow to miss us lowly peasants?"

Timothy shook his head in amusement, "I came in search for the two of you actually. There is something I want the both of you to have."

Lucian and Simon shared a confused look, and then they glanced back at Timothy, looking him over as if he was carrying an object for them to see.