The Servant and the Gentleman by Annabelle Greene

Author:Annabelle Greene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-10T14:37:36+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Captain,

Events in Bath are unfolding as Mr. Hartley and I had wished. We have settled into the inn without trouble, with the unexpected but welcome addition of a guest—Mr. Samuel Gibbs, my cousin, who fortuitously happened to find us on the morning of our departure.

No. This would never do. It was a letter that gave rise to questions. Josiah scored through the lines of text so deeply that they were unreadable, dabbed his pen in the inkwell on the desk, and began again.

Captain,

First of all, allow me to express my sincerest apologies for the disruption my cousin may have caused outside Headquarters on the morning of our departure. I hope his conduct gave no cause for concern—he does, of course, have no idea about...

This was even worse. For all he knew Frakes had no idea that his cousin had come to London at all. The scene would have caused comment, but that didn’t mean said comments had reached the captain’s ear. Gritting his teeth, Josiah scored through the text again before giving up. He tore away the offending part of the paper as precisely as he could, picking up his quill with tense fingers.

Captain,

Events in Bath are unfolding as Mr. Hartley and I had hoped. We have settled into the inn without trouble, and I have purchased new clothes suitable for an evening in fine company. Mr. Hartley generously agreed to use a portion of his own funds, so those of the society will not be disturbed by such trivial matters. I intend to return the garments as soon as they are no longer needed.

And Mr. Hartley kissed me in public today—well, the closest safe thing to public—and it has left me in pieces. Far more in pieces than all of the flagrantly carnal things we’ve also done.

Imagining such a thing written down was shocking enough to be laughable. Josiah shook his head, trying to recover a sense of normalcy despite the memory of the kiss.

What did he normally write to the captain about? Trivial, everyday things, more often than not worries that he could technically solve alone but didn’t feel capable of solving. Trying to conjure up some witty anecdote, some fact from the last two days that didn’t lead directly back to Hartley’s lips on his or the feel of the man’s cock, was a task beyond his limited strength.

I hope Mr. Atkins’s management of my duties continues to be smooth, and that Mr. Guppy soon returns to service. I will be back in headquarters to resume my duties as soon as possible.

Really, what else could be said? Nothing more interesting than that. Quite when he would be back in headquarters, relegated to his usual life rather than the dreamlike existence he was currently living, Josiah didn’t wish to guess.

They were, of course, meant to return as soon as the head of the Cambrill Club was known to them. That was all they needed to do, and anything more than that would be a waste of time and money.

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