The Blue Ribbon by Katherine Marlowe

Author:Katherine Marlowe [Marlowe, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gay, Historical, Romance
Publisher: Less Than Three Press, LLC
Published: 2016-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Judith's Story

By the end of the week, February had turned to March, and Philip's wound had begun to knit.

He became increasingly restless and irritable with each passing day. Theo chafed at being in the room with Philip's impatient temper and fretted at being away from it.

"Have you no books other than chemistry texts?" Philip groaned, tossing the book onto the bedclothes.

Curled up in a chair by the fire and half dozing, Theo cracked an eye to look at him. "I haven't. Nor have I the money to buy them."

"I have only money enough to buy the next shipment of brandy, and no way to reach it while I am kept abed." Philip drummed his fingers on the quilt, scowling with impatience.

"It is your own fault for getting shot," Theo scolded. He sat up and reached for the tumbler of brandy he'd left on his desk, finding it empty. They were both of too restless a temperament to fare for long in a sickroom, and it had been days.

"It is hardly as though I seek out the bullets of the constables, Theo."

Theo's heart roiled with both guilt and irritation, wishing that he had the patience to serve better as nursemaid. "You might reform. Leave off the smuggling…"

"Free-trading."

Slamming the tumbler down on the desk, Theo stood. "It has got you shot, Philip."

Philip held his gaze. "And may again."

His colour had improved, and he spent most days awake, though Theo knew he had trouble sleeping through the night from the pain.

Theo clenched his fists. "I am entirely sincere, Philip. Reform. You have sanctuary here, and my affection. What more will you?"

Philip snorted, and then winced from the pain. Averting his eyes and furrowing his brow, he propped himself up on his elbows. "Think you that the constables should fail to recognise me in the disguise of an innkeeper? Shall I put on an apron and dust my hands with flour, and the customs men shall tip their hat to me with a by-your-leave?"

"If you ceased causing trouble, they should cease seeking you."

"How long?" Philip asked.

Hesitating with uncertainty at the question, Theo frowned. "What mean you?"

"How long do you suppose it would take? A month? Three? Years? Shall I stay locked in your bedroom all that while, Theo?" Philip pushed himself up, then turned and set his feet upon the floor.

"Philip…"

"After a three-month span, I suppose, they would believe that I'd moved on or died. But the locals would still know me as the brandy-smuggler. As would the constables, and constables do frequent inns as they go about their business. I rather think that even the oak-brained Masters Button and Nash might notice that the tow-headed innkeeper in residence here always seemed to duck into the cellar at the sight of them."

Gathering his strength, Philip pushed himself to his feet.

Theo scrambled to his side, catching him with an arm around Philip's waist and another around his ribs to help support his weight. "Philip!"

Philip's brow creased with pain. Carefully, he rested his arms over Theo's shoulders, accepting his support.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.