London in the Rain by Ellie Thomas

Author:Ellie Thomas [Thomas, Ellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

“I was wondering,” David said once they had shrugged on their coats and were on the rain-slicked pavement outside the restaurant, “if you might you like a coffee or a nightcap at mine?”

He looked hesitant as he asked this, a million miles from the assured, sophisticated man who had talked so knowledgeably about the lurid delights of Berlin’s nightlife.

Raymond was momentarily stumped for words.

“Why not?” he replied at last. He was rewarded by one of those heart-stopping smiles which made him uncaring if he ended up getting locked out of his lodgings for the night.

“I’m just off Piccadilly, so it’s not far. Thank heavens the rain has stopped.”

After their easy conversation in the restaurant during the meal, the sense of tension between them had returned, and both men were quiet, their footsteps echoing along Shaftesbury Avenue. Eventually, David stopped outside a tall, narrow house on Albermarle Street, fishing for his latch key. “Here we are,” he said, fitting the key in the lock. “I’m on the third floor.”

Once in David’s sitting room, Raymond felt his uncertainty redouble. The room was large and gracious, and although the décor was understated, it reeked of rank and privilege, from the Chesterfield sofas to the original oil paintings adorning the walls. Raymond could imagine all this furniture provided from the vast stores of a gracious country house from which generations of David’s family had sprung.

“May I take your coat?” David asked, his manner suddenly formal.

“Don’t you have a butler for that sort of thing?” Raymond joked as he handed over the damp Burberry, which David placed over the back of a chair.

David laughed, “Not even a valet. Just a daily maid to keep me and the place in some sort of order.” He chattered on, “I could put some coffee on to heat, or would you prefer a brandy?”

“Brandy would be nice,” Raymond replied, sitting on the sofa as David went to the well-appointed drinks tray on the polished sideboard. No doubt the glasses are the finest crystal as well, Raymond thought as David busily produced two brandy balloons from a cupboard.

“Some music?” David asked and moved across to the gramophone. Within moments, the room was filled with Fred Astaire’s light tones singing “Night and Day.”

“One of my favourites,” Raymond said. “From the film, The Gay Divorcee, isn’t it?”

“It is. A splendid film with wonderful dancing. Talking of which,” he paused and held out a hand towards Raymond with a cautious smile.

Raymond stood shyly. Once they were opposite one another, he noticed they were almost the same height, with David only a fraction taller.

“One last thing,” David said, and leaning towards Raymond, he carefully removed his spectacles, putting them in Raymond’s top pocket.

Those golden eyes gazed into his. “As I hoped,” David murmured. “As clear, wide, and grey as a winter sky.”

David drew closer to Raymond as if to gather him in his arms, even to capture his lips in a kiss while Fred Astaire crooned softly of romantic yearnings.

At first, Raymond thought that the shrill sound was emanating from his heightened senses.

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