Gothic Romance - (LGBT)

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven 

Lord D'Anvers deposited Jonathan, still unconscious, in his old room and locked the door behind him. For a moment, he leant back against the cool wood and closed his eyes, tried to get his unruly thoughts in order. 

Much as he wanted to be there when Jonathan woke up, he really needed to go upstairs and see how Harry was getting on today.  

~~~ 

Jonathan opened bleary eyes and blinked. Where on earth was he? Had he fallen down and knocked himself out?  

He looked around the room. Hell's teeth! He was at Castle Blackstone, lying on top of his bed! Fear spurred him to his feet and he staggered across to the window. As he had more than half suspected, there would be no way out down the ivy a second time. Someone had removed all the ivy for a good ten feet around the window. He went to the door and turned the handle, to no avail. He was locked in. 

He turned back to the room, knowing there would be no point in banging on the door. At least there was a pitcher of water beside his bed. He drank thirstily and sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to gather his scattered thoughts. How much time did he have before D'Anvers came to see him? He knew his Lordship was the stronger man, physically, but was there something in the room he could possibly turn into a weapon? 

He had another drink of water and then got up to search the room. 

He was resting uneasily, after a fruitless search, when he heard the key turn in the lock, about an hour later. Lord D'Anvers came into the room as Jonathan scrambled to his feet. He wasn't going to face him from a prone position. 

"What is the meaning of this, my lord?" he demanded immediately, trying to seize the initiative. His heart was beating fast, afraid that D'Anvers would want to kiss him again, or worse. Why else had he brought him back? 

"But what did you expect, my dear Jonathan?" asked D'Anvers, earnestly. "I could hardly let you run off like that!" He dangled a silver pin between two long fingers, "Not with such a valuable object in your possession." 

"But I never-!" Jonathan protested hotly. Then stopped, as he saw the knowing smile on D'Anvers' face. 

If Lord D'Anvers accused him of stealing, he knew full well whose word would be believed. Evidently, the other man was ready to apply threats as well as force to keep him there. 

"I won't stay here!" he insisted. "You can't keep me here against my will!" 

"Can't I?"  

Lord D'Anvers had entered the room with good intentions. Not of apologising, that would have been admitting too much, but of assuring Jonathan he had nothing to worry about for the future, but he couldn't help himself. Jonathan was so delicious to tease. 

He raised an eyebrow as Jonathan lifted his fists, ready to defend himself to the last breath. To Jonathan's fury, rather than causing concern, the action brought a genuine smile to the other man's face. "Amusing as this is, you know my dear chap, there's really no need for these Cheltenham tragedies. You are here as Evelyn's tutor, he's taken a liking to you for some reason. That's all." 

"Is it?" Jonathan was disbelieving. "But what about-" 

D'Anvers cut him off before he could finish. "That's all. Whatever else you may have imagined." D'Anvers dropped his eyes for a moment, looking down to brush a speck of mud off his coat. 

So, thought Jonathan, he wanted to pretend nothing had happened between them, that he hadn't forced a kiss on him in this very room. He wanted more than a vague promise. "You'll give me your word on it? Nothing else?" 

D'Anvers frowned, a haughty expression on his face. "I said so, didn't I?" 

"Your word, my lord!" Jonathan was adamant. "Your word as a gentleman." 

D'Anvers' eyes narrowed and Jonathan swallowed, wondering if he had pushed him too far.  

Then, "Very well, you have my word on it." At least, while Harry is still alive, D'Anvers added, silently. 

Jonathan was just about to give a relieved sigh, when his lordship continued smoothly, "On the condition that you give me your word not to try and leave here again, without my permission."