Brimsley and Reynolds

Chapter 11

The morning after the Queen's unexpected drop in at Kew, Brimsley found himself waiting outside the doors of Buckingham Palace.  The dowager Princess and the rest of her counsel were awaiting a report on the honeymoon of the newlywed King and Queen. Of course, neither Brimsley nor Reynolds wanted to be the one to give this report, so they finally decided to go together. Brimsley picked his head up as he saw a carriage pulling in. Reynolds stepped out, nodding slightly at Brimsley before they both began to walk towards the room that the meeting would take place.

Brimsley turned his head, whispering nervously, "So? What are we to say? Surely we can't be expected to tell them they are not even residing in the same house?"

 Reynolds smirked slightly, "We will tell them what they want to hear. They are happy, they are infatuated by each other. It could be true soon enough could it not?" Brimsley didn't understand how Reynolds always seemed so sure of himself.

 "Will that truly work, lying to the Dowager Princess and her court?" Reynolds inhaled a sharp breath as they reached the door. "Let us hope so,"

The meeting had gone well, by some measures. They had convinced Princess Augusta that all was fine between The King and Queen, but Brimsley didn't feel any less unsettled as they exited the room. 

"The next fortnight?" Brimsley panicked, "The marriage has not even been consummated and she wants an heir by the next fortnight? This is absurd, we should have just told her the truth," 

Reynolds stopped suddenly, looking around before pulling Brimsley into an empty room. "Brimsley, we just lied straight to the face of the dowager Princess and her court, try not to say things that contradict what we said in there at least until we've left Buckingham Palace," 

Brimsley shook his head, "Do not speak to me of lies, sir. I have had quite enough of them," he swiftly turned to leave. 

Reynolds caught him by his wrist, pulling him in close. "Brimsley," his whispered in his ear. Brimsley already felt his frustrated feelings beginning to drain from him slowly. He exhaled. He did not understand this power that Reynolds had over him, but he could not stay angry with him no matter how hard he tried. Reynolds arms circled him, and he kissed him, deeply. His spoke as their mouths connected, breathing each others air. "Please Brimsley, I need you to be patient with me. Please,"

 Brimsley looked up at him. He could not let himself be sucked in, not again. "Let us be on our way," he said coldly.

They had already reached the carriages by the time Brimsley spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "We meet tomorrow during lunch, the gardens in Buckingham House," He looked deep into his blue eyes, trying to will him to understand this is important, "Be there,". 

Reynolds nodded his head reassuringly before stepping into the carriage. Brimsley was not reassured. This was a disaster, and if not amended, there would be extreme consequences. 

The next morning, Brimsley was growing increasingly worried about The Queen. He could sense that she cared for The King, or at the very least cared for the marriage. But The King had to do something, how could he just stay quiet and ignore The Queen's existence?

The time had finally come to meet Reynolds in the gardens. It would be brief, and it would be a very filtered conversation. Brimsley made up his mind as he walked to the meeting place to not speak of their relationship whatsoever, it is not what is important right now. When he arrived, Reynolds was already there waiting for him. "Good day sir," Brimsley greeted him. 

"Good day," Reynolds replied. "So, what is this about then?" He questioned. 

Brimsley rolled his eyes at Reynolds' indigence, "You know what this is about, he must act!" 

"I cannot make him act," 

"You made him consummate the marriage in front of the dowager Princess," 

Reynolds smiled, somehow finding something in this conversation humorous, "What would you have The King do?"

"A gesture?" He responded

"A gesture?" Reynolds repeated sarcastically. 

"A gesture," Brimsley said again.

Reynolds looked around. "I will suggest some sort of gesture," he said reluctantly. They both nodded, hurriedly walking away to the royals it had begun to feel as though they belonged to. 

Brimsley had been in the indoor section of the gardens with The Queen when he learned The King's gesture had arrived. It appeared Reynolds had been listening to him after all. "That's a suprise," Brimsley thought spitefully. He walked behind The Queen to the foyer. A footman stood holding a small wicker basket, containing what appeared to be an extremely tiny dog. "Oh, Reynolds has really gone and done it now," he thought. 

The Queen stared at the thing. "What is that?" She asked. 

"That is the gift from The King, your majesty." He replied. 

"But what is it?" she repeated, sounding peeved.

 "Why...I think it is a dog, your majesty," After further discussion on the creature, The Queen left, clearly uninterested in the small dog. 

Brimsley stared at the thing for a moment before reluctantly taking the basket, sighing as he tried to figure out what to do next. He decided to take the creature back to his quarters. As he stood before his door, he stared at the door next to it. He had specifically chosen a room side by side with another, of course there was no adjoining door this time. He had been hopeful when he first arrived. Hopeful that The King would change his mind and maybe, just maybe, Reynolds could room one wall over again. As he glared at the tiny dog in its wicker basket, that future began to feel more and more unlikely.