The Novelty Maker by Sasha L. Miller

Author:Sasha L. Miller [Miller, Sasha L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: M/M romance, fantasy
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Published: 2013-01-09T16:00:00+00:00

*~*~*

Cole dropped into a chair in Dwight's library, flipping open the book he'd pulled off the shelf. Dwight glared at him from the chair situated on the opposite side of the table.

"You can leave if you're just going to abuse my furniture," Dwight said, but he pushed the tea tray closer to Cole.

"Like you don't do the same to my poor chairs." Cole helped himself to a cup of tea and a scone, scowling at Dwight when he didn't reply. Dwight didn't even look up from his book, and Cole wondered why he'd let his mother talk him into visiting Dwight when Dwight very obviously preferred no company.

"You can leave if you're going to stare at me or try to get me to talk about it, too," Dwight said, flipping a page. "I'm only tolerating this because mother won't get off my back."

"She keeps pestering me about it, too," Cole grumbled, and didn't add that it was easier to do what their mother wanted than to think about how he hadn't been able to see Harlowe in nearly a week. "I tell her you're fine—" Cole paused, squinting at Dwight. He did look worse for wear, with his wrinkled jacket, mussed hair, and the dark circles prominent under his eyes. "Well, not dead, at least."

"Shut up," Dwight said, but his lips twitched slightly. "You could go visit your mechanic. I'll tell mother you were here pestering me all afternoon."

"Nah," Cole said, aiming for flippant. "He's been busy with a bunch of projects lately."

Dwight snorted, but didn't reply to that, flipping through his book half-heartedly. "So I'm stuck with you, is what you're saying."

"Lucky you," Cole said, crumbling his scone into small pieces. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"Not even a little," Dwight said. He tossed his book onto the table. "Come on, then. If you're going to be staying all day, we can play snooker and drink."

"Excellent," Cole said, perking up. Books were all well and good, but he might have died of boredom if Dwight had insisted on reading the afternoon away.

It was late by the time Cole left Dwight's house and headed for his own a few blocks away. He'd had more brandy than he'd meant to, but Dwight seemed in better spirits so Cole counted the afternoon a success. Letting himself in the front door, Cole was surprised to find the butler waiting for him inside the door. Usually Allen was abed by this time of night.

"You have a visitor, Master Elliot," Allen said, his face and tone giving away nothing. "She was quite insistent on waiting for you."

"Who?"

"She didn't have a card." Allen's nose wrinkled at the lack. "She gave her name as Ella Aste."

The name wasn't familiar to Cole, but if she didn't have a calling card she was likely lower class. Could she be one of Harlowe's friends? Perhaps he was sending a clandestine message. "Thank you, Allen. You can get to bed now."

Allen nodded stiffly and disappeared into the back of the house where the servants' quarters were.

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