The Beauty of Coincidence | manxman | (Historical Fiction)

XVII - Hints of Love

Reynold didn't know what to expect upon arriving at the estate, but it seemed even Gabriel was in the dark about what exactly was going on with Victor. The moment the horse stopped before the manor, he was guided to the doors of the back veranda since the main entry was still locked. Without guidance, he hurried up the stairs and through the halls until reaching Victor's bedroom. The door was cracked, Todd standing on the outside of it. As Reynold approached, he could hear the faint sound of light sobs.

What on earth could have troubled him so much? Reynold thought. He'd been struggling to get to sleep at his own home, but was nowhere as bothered as the lord apparently was right now. Coming face to face with Christopher had certainly shaken him to a great extent, but Victor was obviously struggling with something far worse, something he hadn't mentioned to either of his most trusted footmen.

Starting away from the doorway now that Reynold was there, thankfully, Todd left to his room as the other man let himself in. Reynold was nervous upon seeing the condition Victor was in.

The beautiful man was sitting in the middle of his large bed, dressed now in a fresh nightgown and a thin yellow blanket was draped over his slight shoulders. They trembled as he sobbed, and he looked up the instant he heard a familiar pair of boots knocking against the floor. Eyes taking on a reddish tint given all his woe, Victor's blues were dimmed, and the tears flooding down his face halted. Instead of voicing his pure exultation of seeing the man he'd longed for, Victor stood from atop the bed, nearing the edge as if to dive for Reynold as he approached, but Reynold caught him before he could fully do so.

With Victor secured in his arms, Reynold held fast and delicately, not wanting to squeeze him too tight and he sat down at the foot of the bed. The blond lord merely wrapped himself around the other man, face turned into the crook of the earthy scent he'd become pleasantly possessed by. Finally, after being berated in his night terrors by the haunting eyes and hands of the clothing shopkeeper, Victor was reassured, promised now that the next time he opened his eyes or felt a touch anywhere upon his body, he knew it was him, it was Reynold and no other. He never wanted it to be any other.

Finding his ability to breathe and center himself, Victor backed off a small way, not stealing himself from Reynold's lap for a moment, but brought his gaze to the other man's. Reynold's brown eyes were almost black when the sun wasn't shining against them. During the day, they were splendid, worldly with a autumn leaf hue swirled deep into them, but under the moon, at this hour, his eyes were so absent light.

Still, they were so stunning to Victor; he would give up anything to get lost in their shrouded sepia, to be a constant reflection in the windows of Reynold's soul. Now that he was where he'd wanted to be, the sadness that'd burrowed into his being slowly dissipated and he wiped his face from the glistening tears he hadn't been able to control. A slim appeased smile came to his lips and he tucked himself comfortably against the other man's chest. "Oh, Reynold," he voiced at last, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming. I wouldn't know what to do if you'd have denied me. My heart couldn't handle it."

"Couldn't handle what, my lord?" Reynold asked, assisting in clearing the blond man's face from tears. "Why are you so troubled?"

"I thought I was not so affected by the events of the shopkeeper," he said, "But he entered my thoughts as I tried to sleep. I could not forget how revolting his hands upon me were. I wish I could forget, Reynold." Victor swallowed a lump in his throat. "I never want to feel another man's hands on my body. You are the only one who has ever seen me, enriched me with all you have; from your own hands upon me, your entirety inside of me, Reynold, you are all I want, all my body and mind yearn for. I will beg if I must. Please...won't you remind me? Remind my body of your touch."