Yes Sir Part Seven
Title: Yes Sir Part Seven
Author: hannah_chapter
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: 18/NC-17
Summary: AU. Victorian England. Matthew is the son of a lord, Dominic is a young and innocent servant: "The moment Matthew laid eyes on the boy, he knew he had to have him."
Feedback: Makes me do the dance of joy.
Disclaimer: Fake as fake could be.
"This is for you, Dominic."
Dominic blinks at the parcel on the table, then at Matthew.
"A gift? Why?"
"Come now, Dominic. Surely you have not forgotten your own birthday?"
Birthday. His birthday. Of course Matthew knows the date, it is but one of the little personal details they have shared while in bed. But he never thought Matthew would remember the date, much less celebrate it.
"You did not have to do this."
"Perhaps not, but I wanted to. Now, open your gift."
Dominic tears off the paper to reveal four beautifully bound books. The smell of rich leather drifts up to him and the gold lettering gleams in the morning light. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the gift, Dominic cannot find the words to thank his master and Matthew mistakes his silence for disappointment.
"I know this is not an extravagant gift, but I thought it best to get you something you can keep in your room. But if you do not like it I could always - "
Dominic is suddenly in his arms, covering his face with kisses. Matthew laughs and draws his servant into a long, tender kiss. They part and Matthew rests his forehead against Dominic's.
"I would like nothing better than to take you to bed, Dominic. But Father is expecting me."
In these last few months Dominic has, with Matthew's most enthusiastic encouragement, become much bolder in his affections. Now he slips a hand between their bodies and cups his master.
"But Matthew, you cannot go to your father with such an unsightly bulge in your trousers. What would he think?"
Dominic kneels and unbuttons Matthew, ignoring his weak protests.
"But ... it is your birthday ... you do not have to ... oh, God...."
The master's words become moans as Dominic takes him in his mouth. The servant has become quite adept at this particular task. He knows how to draw out the pleasure and he also knows how to bring Matthew over the precipice in a matter of minutes, which he now proceeds to do. Matthew throws his head back as he loses all control and spills into Dominic's mouth. Dominic swallows it all, releases the rapidly softening prick and gets to his feet. Matthew leans against the table, eyes closed, breathing in shallow pants. He comes to his senses as Dominic pulls up his trousers and fastens them, eyes opening and fixing on his servant.
"You are a wicked boy," he gasps.
"Then you should be very proud. You have taught me well."
"I suppose I have, at that," Matthew regains his composure and straightens his clothes, "Father and I have business to conduct. We will leave within the hour and we will be out all day. I do not expect us to return until sometime after midnight. You will remain here."
"What would you have me do in your absence?"
"Nothing. Take this day and make it your own."
"You are sure?"
"I am. It is your birthday and I want you to enjoy it."
They enjoy one last kiss before parting. Dominic takes his precious bundle down to his room and places it carefully in a drawer. He goes to the kitchen, looking for his mother. She is busy rolling pastry when he finds her.
"What is it, Dominic? Does your master need something? He cannot be hungry, you only brought his breakfast up an hour ago."
"No, he does not want anything. He has gone away and given me the day off. I thought I could help you."
"Bless you my love, that is most thoughtful of you, but you would only be in the way. Men have no business in kitchens. Wait here a moment," she disappears into the depths of the kitchen and returns with a small pork pie, "here, I do not have time to fetch your gift now, it will have to wait until tonight but, in the meantime, take this along with you."
Dominic hugs her and she kisses his cheek.
"Happy Birthday, Dominic. Run along, now"
Dominic takes his pork pie and goes back to his room. He changes into old clothes and sits on the bed to eat it. The pie quickly disappears and Dominic washes his hands, making sure all the grease and dirt is gone. When he is satisfied he takes his new books and lays them on the bed. Such a beautiful gift and a thoughtful one, too: these books will aid him in his studies and he can hide them from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions. Matthew can buy him clothes and no one thinks it strange, for an unkempt servant reflects badly on any employer. But masters are not usually in the habit of buying gifts for their servants.
He picks up a book at random and turns to the front page. He reads slowly, tracing a finger along each line and reading the long, difficult words aloud, breaking them down so he can understand them. Dominic's ignorance did not trouble him when he worked below stairs but, when he entered Matthew's service, he became aware of it and, in time, ashamed of it. He has worked hard in an attempt to eradicate that feeling. Long hours of study have already begun to yield dividends. Dominic can now read most of the handbills posted around the city and, in the fullness of time, he believes he will be able to read them all.
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Dominic walks down the hall towards Matthew's bedroom, his master's breakfast tray in his hands. He is almost at the door when he hears raised voices and he recognises the shrill tones of Lady Bellamy. Dominic winces, no good can come of this. Matthew is never at his best early in the morning. He is sullen and almost completely silent until after he has washed, shaved and dressed and Dominic never attempts to engage him in conversation before he has eaten breakfast. The servant stops outside the door, unsure of what to do, as the argument rages within.
"For shame, Matthew, he is your brother!"
"He is a drunkard and a bully and, if what I have heard is true, a rapist. Why should I lift a finger to help him?"
"He did not rape that girl!"
"Only because he was interrupted, it was certainly not for lack of trying."
"Do not say such things! It was not rape, it was merely ... high spirits."
"High spirits? High spirits? If you found him standing over a corpse with a bloody knife in his hand, I expect you would explain that away as high spririts, too."
Lady Bellamy tries to defend herself. Matthew will not be interrupted.
"Do you know, when I was a boy, I would sit and watch as you lavished all your affections on Paul and I wished you would spare even the smallest piece for me. But now I am glad you did not, for your love is a poisonous thing and I want no part of it. You destroy everything that you touch."
Dominic shifts his weight from one foot to the other and a floorboard creaks. The door opens and Dominic comes face to face with Lady Bellamy, dressed all in black, dabbing at her eyes with a hankerchief. Matthew is behind her, still in his shirtsleeves, face raw from his shave. Lady Bellamy stops dabbing at her eyes and glares at Dominic.
"My son and I are having a private conversation! How dare you spy on us! This is the last straw, boy. I will have you dismissed!"
"You will do no such thing. You tried that once before, do you not recall? You did not succeed then and you will not succeed now."
"But he is spying on me!"
"Spying? I have never heard anything so ridiculous. Dominic is my servant, he is welcome here. But you, madam, are not. I thought I had made my position clear. If you must speak to me, you send a message and wait for me to attend you. You do not come to my rooms. Are you incapable of following a simple instruction? Must I have Dominic erect a barricade in the hall to keep you out?"
Matthew turns his back on his mother.
"I have said all I wish to say to you, madam."
Lady Bellamy leaves the room and Dominic watches her drift down the hall. She looks like a small, melancholy raincloud. Matthew slumps into a chair and puts a hand over his eyes. He does not look as Dominic sets the tray on a table and closes the door. Dominic approaches his master from behind and massages his neck and shoulders, fingers kneading the tight, knotted flesh. He works in silence and the muscles slowly loosen as Matthew begins to relax. He sighs and reaches up, taking one of Dominic's hands and bringing it to his lips.
"I suppose you heard all of that."
"Most of it. Has something happened to Paul?"
"They took him off to debtor's prison yesterday."
"Oh."
"Yes. I must admit, I am surprised. I did not think he would last this long."
"Your mother has not taken the news well."
Matthew snorts.
"No, as you saw, she is wearing her mourning outfit. Woe is her, she has lost her only child."
"She has four children."
"Try telling her that. I do not much care, I am used to her neglect. She was not happy until she drove me out of the country, after all. But I see her ignoring my sisters and, truly, it makes my blood boil. Emily is getting married in three months' time, did I tell you that?"
"You did."
"And my mother does not care. She roams the halls, weeping and wringing her hands when she should be planning her daughter's wedding. Emily's new family has arranged everything."
"That is good of them. They must care for her."
"They care for her dowry."
Matthew rubs his eyes.
"That was mean-spirited, I should not have said that. But my mother's visit has left me in very ill temper. To come at a man before he has even had his breakfast, it is just not civilised."
"If you do not mind me saying so, Matthew, I think you need to go away from this house, even if only for a weekend. It would be good for you"
"I think you may be right. Pack me a bag and pack one for yourself. We will go north. I will shoot small, helpless animals and you can see your father. It will be a most pleasant weekend."
************************************************************************************************************
"Hello?"
Dominic pushes open the door of his father's hut. The lantern is lit and a fire burns in the stove, but the shed is empty. No, not quite empty. His father's dog, Jack, is splayed out on the floor by the far wall. He raises his head at Dominic's approach, but does not get up. Dominic sits on the floor to pet him and Jack snorts and roll onto his back. His paws flail madly as Dominic scratches his belly. The hinges on the door creak as Mr. Howard shoulders his way inside, a dripping bottle of cider in either hand. He holds them up.
"I put them in a bag, tie it to a branch and let it all float in the river. It keeps the bottles nice and cold. Your master did not mind you coming away to see me?"
"No, he said I could take some time for myself, just so long as I wait on him later in the evening."
As a matter of fact, Matthew spoke at great length about his plans to commit outrageous acts of perversion on Dominic's arse and prick when he returns, but this is not the kind of thing a son can share with his father.
"That is good. Come, have a drink with me."
Dominic gets up and father and son sit at either side of the stove. Mr. Howard hands Dominic one of the bottles and Jack, put out by the lack of attention, struggles to his feet and limps over to the stove, bumping into a table leg along the way. He collapses at Dominic's feet. Mr. Howard looks down at the dog and shrugs.
"It is old age, Dominic, it cannot be helped. We all get old."
"How old is he?"
"Almost fifteen, a very good age for a dog."
"I thought you might have gotten rid of him when I did not see him this afternoon."
"No, he is no more use as a gun dog. His sight and hearing are going and he cannot run like he used to. But he is good company, so I keep him here. He is retired."
The elder Howard toys with the bottle and stares at his son. His father's scrutiny makes Dominic uncomfortable.
"What? Why do you look at me that way?"
"I was just thinking, you would sit on that floor and play with Jack when you came to visit. He was a puppy then and you were little more than a baby. Now look at you, I did not recognise you when I first laid eyes on you this afternoon, all dressed up the way you were. A right proper gentleman."
"I am no gentleman, merely a gentleman's servant."
"And one day you will be a lord's servant. You could not stay below stairs forever, and your mother and I talked of bringing you up here to learn my trade and, one day, replace me. But this new position is more than we ever could have dreamed of. Tell me, is your master a kind man? Does he treat you well?"
"He does. He is a good man."
"Then he is nothing like his brother. When I think of what he did to that poor girl - "
Mr. Howard stops and raises the bottle to his lips, drowning his word in cider. But the son will not let this rest.
"What did he do?" Dominic recalls the conversation he overheard, "did he rape her?"
"No, but that does not make it any better. He came up here, oh, it must be at least two years ago now, with the lord. He never went out shooting with the rest of the party. He stayed in his room all day."
"Drinking?"
"Yes. Then, on one of the few evenings he did come out of his room, he knocked over one of the serving girls and she spilled coffee on his shoes. It was all his fault, but he did not care. He grabbed the girl by the hair and began to beat her and he did not stop until he had broken every bone in her face."
The cider rises up in Dominic's throat and he chokes it back.
"What did Lord Bellamy say?"
"Nothing, he was not here when it happened."
"He was not told? Why? Why would you all keep such a thing to yourselves?"
"We did not have a choice. We know our place here, Dominic. It may be different for you but, up here, we do not speak to his lordship unless he speaks to us first and, even then, we tell him what he wants to hear and nothing more. And how could any of us point a finger at the man who would be our master some day? We never thought the lord would replace one son with the other. For my part, it had been so long since your master had been seen up here, I had forgotten Lord Bellamy even had another son. The older one was the one that mattered"
"What happened to the girl."
"The pain become too much to bear. She filled her coat pockets with stones and she went to the river."
A heavy silence descends. Mr. Howard takes a long drink and changes the subject.
"Your mother is well? And your aunt Ellen?"
"They are."
"And what of your sister? Have you seen Lizzie at all?"
"I went to see her last week, but I did not stay for long. Reg was there."
Dominic's brow darkens as he considers his brother-in-law. Reg was on Dominic the moment he stepped through the door, making fun of his suit, calling him "the little lord" and asking all kinds of impertinent questions: just how many times a day is Dominic called upon to wipe his master's arse? How big is his master's prick? Dominic, cautious after the incident with Milly, was forced to hold his tongue. But, in truth, Dominic can ignore Reg's jibes. His treatment of his wife, on the other hand...
"I do not like Reg," he finally admits, "I do not like the way he speaks to Lizzie."
"But you cannot interfere. What happens between a man and wife is their business and theirs alone."
"I know, but I do not like it."
Dominic spends another hour with his father, finishing his drink. Returning to the main house, he wanders unfamiliar halls, trying to remember where Matthew's room is. He finds it, knocks and enters. The master welcomes him with a smile and Dominic is soon pressed up against the wall with his trousers around his ankles and Matthew's tongue between his arsecheeks, all worries forgotten.
**************************************************************************************************************************
The hall is cold, but Dominic does not mind. This club has a kitchen and Dominic could go there, but he does not care for the place. It is rough and noisy, full of servants playing cards and gossiping about their masters. Dominic would rather wait for his master here. The servant looks up as another gentleman, too tall and broad to be Matthew, appears. Even from a distance, Dominic can smell the drink on his breath and, as he watches, the gentleman stumbles and almost drops his stick. Dominic looks away, but he is too late. The man advance on him.
"You laugh at me, boy? You dare to laugh at me? Insolent young pup."
"No sir, please sir, I was not laughing at you, I swear it."
"Insolent and a liar too, eh?" the stick catches Dominic behind the knee and he falls to the ground, "you need to be taught a lesson and I am just the man to do it."
Dominic curls into a ball as the gentleman beats him. He covers his face with his arms, but the blows rain down freely on his back, buttocks and thighs. Dominic hears footsteps, someone else has entered the hall and he prays for an end to this torment, But the stranger does not interfere and the fury of Dominic's assailant appears to increase with each blow. Dominic could die here. Why will no one help him?
"Stop."
Matthew's voice, cold as a March wind, cuts through the air.
"What? What did you stay to me?"
"You heard me. I told you to stop. Let the boy be."
Dominic raises his head as the other man snarls and charges at Matthew, stick raised over his head. Matthew stands his ground and, at the last moment, steps to one side and sticks out a foot. The gentleman trips and sprawls on the ground.
"Lump," Matthew sneers, "if the likes of you can be a gentleman, then there is hope for every ape in Africa."
Matthew goes on one knee beside the fallen gentleman.
"Do you see that boy on the floor?" the gentleman makes no reply and Matthew repeats the question, enunciating each word clearly. "Do. You. See. Him?"
"Yes, I see him."
"You do? Excellent! I thought perhaps you were blind as well as stupid. Now, hear me and hear me well. That boy is my servant, do you understand? My servant. My property. The next time you presume to lay your hands on something of mine will be the last time you have hands."
The master stands, glances at Dominic, then delivers three short, vicious kicks to the fallen man, two to the stomach and one to the soft parts between his legs. Matthew turns and walks away as the other man begins to vomit. He steps over Dominic without looking at him and, when he speaks, his tone is impatient.
"Get up."
Dominic struggles to his feet and follows Matthew out of the club, past all the people who have spilled out of various rooms and now stand about, gawking. They climb into the carriage and Matthew remains cold and silent, staring out the window and chewing on a knuckle. Dominic huddles in a corner, afraid to speak. Matthew has never been so cold to him. Does he blame Dominic for what just happened? Dominic tries to think. Was it his fault? Could it be so?
In the main hall of the Bellamy house Jenkins appears and takes Matthew's hat, cloak and gloves. He takes note of Dominic's dishevelled appearance and turns back to Matthew.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
"Quite alright, thank you. I have a servant to chastise, that is all. He must learn not to humiliate me in public."
"Oh sir, I must apologise for his behaviour, but I did tell you he was not trained for above stairs-"
Matthew rounds on him.
"Shut your mouth and keep your nose out of my affairs if you do not wish to share in this boy's punishment!"
Jenkins pales and slinks away. Matthew grabs the back of Dominic's collar and marches him upstairs. Someone has been in to light the lamps in the master's bedroom and Dominic stands by the door, watching Matthew as he pulls off his coat and tears impatiently at his cravat and collar. Dominic trembles and tears spill down his cheeks. Matthew faces him again and his expression softens. He reaches for Dominic and the servant cannot help himself; he shies away.
"Oh Dominic, come here. Please."
He reaches out again and Dominic goes to him. Matthew guides them over to the bed and sits on the edge with Dominic in his lap. Dominic begins to cry, sobbing into his master's neck. He hates himself for it. It is a shameful, childish thing to do and he is not a child anymore. But he cannot help himself. The sudden, savage beating and the thought of displeasing his master in some way, it is too much. Matthew puts a hand on the back of his neck and rocks him gently.
"I am sorry, Dominic," his voice splinters with anguish, "I did not want to treat you so badly but, in that situation, with other people present, I did not have a choice. Forgive me, please forgive me."
Dominic's tears finally dry up and he raises his head and tries to explain.
"I, he - "
"Shh, you do not have to say anything. This was not your fault, it was mine."
"How can that be?"
"Your attacker..."
Matthew stops and gathers his thoughts.
"Who is he?"
"He is the only son of Lord Lannister and he is, or was, one of Paul's many drinking companions. You see, Dominic, for every young man who flatters me and tries to be my friend there is another who sneers at me, calling me thief and usurper and blaming me for Paul's predicament. Young Lannister is a prominent member of this second group. He has seen you with me and he knows you are my servant. When he saw you in that hall he saw an opportunity to show me just how little he thinks of me and strike a blow for Paul. As I said, this was my fault, not yours."
"You are not angry?"
"I am angry, but not with you, Dominic, not with you."
Dominic gives voice to his greatest fear.
"You would not send me away, then?"
"No, never."
Matthew's grip tightens and Dominic yelps.
"Damn me, I did not think of your injuries!"
The master pushes the servant off his lap and stands.
"Wait here, Dominic."
Matthew leaves the room and Dominic sits on the bed. The master returns with a glass, half-full of some dark liquid.
"Here, drink this."
"What is it?"
"Brandy. I do not share my brother's love of alcohol, but it has its uses. This will calm your nerves and help with the pain."
Dominic takes the glass and emties it in three long swallows. Heat blossoms on his stomach and spreads out through the rest of his body. Matthew takes the glass away and pulls the servant up.
"Take your clothes off, I need to see what he did to you."
Dominic undresses and lies face down on the bed. Matthew gasps: every last inch of Dominic's back is covered in bruises and raised welts.
"Oh, Dominic..."
Matthew reaches out a hand to touch Dominic's back, then thinks better of it, stroking the servant's hair instead.
"You took care of me when I was hurt, now I will take care of you. You will sleep here tonight."
Dominic protests.
The other servants will - "
"The other servants can go hang. Tell them I forced you to sleep on the floor as a punishment."
Dominic can hear Matthew moving around the bathroom. The master returns to his side and runs a wet cloth over his back. Dominic sighs as the cloth soothes his bruised, burning skin. Matthew takes the wet cloth away and comes back with a dry one and the blue ointment jar. He pats Dominic dry and applies the ointment. It soaks into Dominic's skin as Matthew takes off his cloths. In bed Dominic lies in his master's arms, face pressed against Matthew's neck. Matthew kisses the top of his head.
"You are safe now, Dominic. I will never let anyone hurt you again."
Author: hannah_chapter
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: 18/NC-17
Summary: AU. Victorian England. Matthew is the son of a lord, Dominic is a young and innocent servant: "The moment Matthew laid eyes on the boy, he knew he had to have him."
Feedback: Makes me do the dance of joy.
Disclaimer: Fake as fake could be.
"This is for you, Dominic."
Dominic blinks at the parcel on the table, then at Matthew.
"A gift? Why?"
"Come now, Dominic. Surely you have not forgotten your own birthday?"
Birthday. His birthday. Of course Matthew knows the date, it is but one of the little personal details they have shared while in bed. But he never thought Matthew would remember the date, much less celebrate it.
"You did not have to do this."
"Perhaps not, but I wanted to. Now, open your gift."
Dominic tears off the paper to reveal four beautifully bound books. The smell of rich leather drifts up to him and the gold lettering gleams in the morning light. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the gift, Dominic cannot find the words to thank his master and Matthew mistakes his silence for disappointment.
"I know this is not an extravagant gift, but I thought it best to get you something you can keep in your room. But if you do not like it I could always - "
Dominic is suddenly in his arms, covering his face with kisses. Matthew laughs and draws his servant into a long, tender kiss. They part and Matthew rests his forehead against Dominic's.
"I would like nothing better than to take you to bed, Dominic. But Father is expecting me."
In these last few months Dominic has, with Matthew's most enthusiastic encouragement, become much bolder in his affections. Now he slips a hand between their bodies and cups his master.
"But Matthew, you cannot go to your father with such an unsightly bulge in your trousers. What would he think?"
Dominic kneels and unbuttons Matthew, ignoring his weak protests.
"But ... it is your birthday ... you do not have to ... oh, God...."
The master's words become moans as Dominic takes him in his mouth. The servant has become quite adept at this particular task. He knows how to draw out the pleasure and he also knows how to bring Matthew over the precipice in a matter of minutes, which he now proceeds to do. Matthew throws his head back as he loses all control and spills into Dominic's mouth. Dominic swallows it all, releases the rapidly softening prick and gets to his feet. Matthew leans against the table, eyes closed, breathing in shallow pants. He comes to his senses as Dominic pulls up his trousers and fastens them, eyes opening and fixing on his servant.
"You are a wicked boy," he gasps.
"Then you should be very proud. You have taught me well."
"I suppose I have, at that," Matthew regains his composure and straightens his clothes, "Father and I have business to conduct. We will leave within the hour and we will be out all day. I do not expect us to return until sometime after midnight. You will remain here."
"What would you have me do in your absence?"
"Nothing. Take this day and make it your own."
"You are sure?"
"I am. It is your birthday and I want you to enjoy it."
They enjoy one last kiss before parting. Dominic takes his precious bundle down to his room and places it carefully in a drawer. He goes to the kitchen, looking for his mother. She is busy rolling pastry when he finds her.
"What is it, Dominic? Does your master need something? He cannot be hungry, you only brought his breakfast up an hour ago."
"No, he does not want anything. He has gone away and given me the day off. I thought I could help you."
"Bless you my love, that is most thoughtful of you, but you would only be in the way. Men have no business in kitchens. Wait here a moment," she disappears into the depths of the kitchen and returns with a small pork pie, "here, I do not have time to fetch your gift now, it will have to wait until tonight but, in the meantime, take this along with you."
Dominic hugs her and she kisses his cheek.
"Happy Birthday, Dominic. Run along, now"
Dominic takes his pork pie and goes back to his room. He changes into old clothes and sits on the bed to eat it. The pie quickly disappears and Dominic washes his hands, making sure all the grease and dirt is gone. When he is satisfied he takes his new books and lays them on the bed. Such a beautiful gift and a thoughtful one, too: these books will aid him in his studies and he can hide them from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions. Matthew can buy him clothes and no one thinks it strange, for an unkempt servant reflects badly on any employer. But masters are not usually in the habit of buying gifts for their servants.
He picks up a book at random and turns to the front page. He reads slowly, tracing a finger along each line and reading the long, difficult words aloud, breaking them down so he can understand them. Dominic's ignorance did not trouble him when he worked below stairs but, when he entered Matthew's service, he became aware of it and, in time, ashamed of it. He has worked hard in an attempt to eradicate that feeling. Long hours of study have already begun to yield dividends. Dominic can now read most of the handbills posted around the city and, in the fullness of time, he believes he will be able to read them all.
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Dominic walks down the hall towards Matthew's bedroom, his master's breakfast tray in his hands. He is almost at the door when he hears raised voices and he recognises the shrill tones of Lady Bellamy. Dominic winces, no good can come of this. Matthew is never at his best early in the morning. He is sullen and almost completely silent until after he has washed, shaved and dressed and Dominic never attempts to engage him in conversation before he has eaten breakfast. The servant stops outside the door, unsure of what to do, as the argument rages within.
"For shame, Matthew, he is your brother!"
"He is a drunkard and a bully and, if what I have heard is true, a rapist. Why should I lift a finger to help him?"
"He did not rape that girl!"
"Only because he was interrupted, it was certainly not for lack of trying."
"Do not say such things! It was not rape, it was merely ... high spirits."
"High spirits? High spirits? If you found him standing over a corpse with a bloody knife in his hand, I expect you would explain that away as high spririts, too."
Lady Bellamy tries to defend herself. Matthew will not be interrupted.
"Do you know, when I was a boy, I would sit and watch as you lavished all your affections on Paul and I wished you would spare even the smallest piece for me. But now I am glad you did not, for your love is a poisonous thing and I want no part of it. You destroy everything that you touch."
Dominic shifts his weight from one foot to the other and a floorboard creaks. The door opens and Dominic comes face to face with Lady Bellamy, dressed all in black, dabbing at her eyes with a hankerchief. Matthew is behind her, still in his shirtsleeves, face raw from his shave. Lady Bellamy stops dabbing at her eyes and glares at Dominic.
"My son and I are having a private conversation! How dare you spy on us! This is the last straw, boy. I will have you dismissed!"
"You will do no such thing. You tried that once before, do you not recall? You did not succeed then and you will not succeed now."
"But he is spying on me!"
"Spying? I have never heard anything so ridiculous. Dominic is my servant, he is welcome here. But you, madam, are not. I thought I had made my position clear. If you must speak to me, you send a message and wait for me to attend you. You do not come to my rooms. Are you incapable of following a simple instruction? Must I have Dominic erect a barricade in the hall to keep you out?"
Matthew turns his back on his mother.
"I have said all I wish to say to you, madam."
Lady Bellamy leaves the room and Dominic watches her drift down the hall. She looks like a small, melancholy raincloud. Matthew slumps into a chair and puts a hand over his eyes. He does not look as Dominic sets the tray on a table and closes the door. Dominic approaches his master from behind and massages his neck and shoulders, fingers kneading the tight, knotted flesh. He works in silence and the muscles slowly loosen as Matthew begins to relax. He sighs and reaches up, taking one of Dominic's hands and bringing it to his lips.
"I suppose you heard all of that."
"Most of it. Has something happened to Paul?"
"They took him off to debtor's prison yesterday."
"Oh."
"Yes. I must admit, I am surprised. I did not think he would last this long."
"Your mother has not taken the news well."
Matthew snorts.
"No, as you saw, she is wearing her mourning outfit. Woe is her, she has lost her only child."
"She has four children."
"Try telling her that. I do not much care, I am used to her neglect. She was not happy until she drove me out of the country, after all. But I see her ignoring my sisters and, truly, it makes my blood boil. Emily is getting married in three months' time, did I tell you that?"
"You did."
"And my mother does not care. She roams the halls, weeping and wringing her hands when she should be planning her daughter's wedding. Emily's new family has arranged everything."
"That is good of them. They must care for her."
"They care for her dowry."
Matthew rubs his eyes.
"That was mean-spirited, I should not have said that. But my mother's visit has left me in very ill temper. To come at a man before he has even had his breakfast, it is just not civilised."
"If you do not mind me saying so, Matthew, I think you need to go away from this house, even if only for a weekend. It would be good for you"
"I think you may be right. Pack me a bag and pack one for yourself. We will go north. I will shoot small, helpless animals and you can see your father. It will be a most pleasant weekend."
************************************************************************************************************
"Hello?"
Dominic pushes open the door of his father's hut. The lantern is lit and a fire burns in the stove, but the shed is empty. No, not quite empty. His father's dog, Jack, is splayed out on the floor by the far wall. He raises his head at Dominic's approach, but does not get up. Dominic sits on the floor to pet him and Jack snorts and roll onto his back. His paws flail madly as Dominic scratches his belly. The hinges on the door creak as Mr. Howard shoulders his way inside, a dripping bottle of cider in either hand. He holds them up.
"I put them in a bag, tie it to a branch and let it all float in the river. It keeps the bottles nice and cold. Your master did not mind you coming away to see me?"
"No, he said I could take some time for myself, just so long as I wait on him later in the evening."
As a matter of fact, Matthew spoke at great length about his plans to commit outrageous acts of perversion on Dominic's arse and prick when he returns, but this is not the kind of thing a son can share with his father.
"That is good. Come, have a drink with me."
Dominic gets up and father and son sit at either side of the stove. Mr. Howard hands Dominic one of the bottles and Jack, put out by the lack of attention, struggles to his feet and limps over to the stove, bumping into a table leg along the way. He collapses at Dominic's feet. Mr. Howard looks down at the dog and shrugs.
"It is old age, Dominic, it cannot be helped. We all get old."
"How old is he?"
"Almost fifteen, a very good age for a dog."
"I thought you might have gotten rid of him when I did not see him this afternoon."
"No, he is no more use as a gun dog. His sight and hearing are going and he cannot run like he used to. But he is good company, so I keep him here. He is retired."
The elder Howard toys with the bottle and stares at his son. His father's scrutiny makes Dominic uncomfortable.
"What? Why do you look at me that way?"
"I was just thinking, you would sit on that floor and play with Jack when you came to visit. He was a puppy then and you were little more than a baby. Now look at you, I did not recognise you when I first laid eyes on you this afternoon, all dressed up the way you were. A right proper gentleman."
"I am no gentleman, merely a gentleman's servant."
"And one day you will be a lord's servant. You could not stay below stairs forever, and your mother and I talked of bringing you up here to learn my trade and, one day, replace me. But this new position is more than we ever could have dreamed of. Tell me, is your master a kind man? Does he treat you well?"
"He does. He is a good man."
"Then he is nothing like his brother. When I think of what he did to that poor girl - "
Mr. Howard stops and raises the bottle to his lips, drowning his word in cider. But the son will not let this rest.
"What did he do?" Dominic recalls the conversation he overheard, "did he rape her?"
"No, but that does not make it any better. He came up here, oh, it must be at least two years ago now, with the lord. He never went out shooting with the rest of the party. He stayed in his room all day."
"Drinking?"
"Yes. Then, on one of the few evenings he did come out of his room, he knocked over one of the serving girls and she spilled coffee on his shoes. It was all his fault, but he did not care. He grabbed the girl by the hair and began to beat her and he did not stop until he had broken every bone in her face."
The cider rises up in Dominic's throat and he chokes it back.
"What did Lord Bellamy say?"
"Nothing, he was not here when it happened."
"He was not told? Why? Why would you all keep such a thing to yourselves?"
"We did not have a choice. We know our place here, Dominic. It may be different for you but, up here, we do not speak to his lordship unless he speaks to us first and, even then, we tell him what he wants to hear and nothing more. And how could any of us point a finger at the man who would be our master some day? We never thought the lord would replace one son with the other. For my part, it had been so long since your master had been seen up here, I had forgotten Lord Bellamy even had another son. The older one was the one that mattered"
"What happened to the girl."
"The pain become too much to bear. She filled her coat pockets with stones and she went to the river."
A heavy silence descends. Mr. Howard takes a long drink and changes the subject.
"Your mother is well? And your aunt Ellen?"
"They are."
"And what of your sister? Have you seen Lizzie at all?"
"I went to see her last week, but I did not stay for long. Reg was there."
Dominic's brow darkens as he considers his brother-in-law. Reg was on Dominic the moment he stepped through the door, making fun of his suit, calling him "the little lord" and asking all kinds of impertinent questions: just how many times a day is Dominic called upon to wipe his master's arse? How big is his master's prick? Dominic, cautious after the incident with Milly, was forced to hold his tongue. But, in truth, Dominic can ignore Reg's jibes. His treatment of his wife, on the other hand...
"I do not like Reg," he finally admits, "I do not like the way he speaks to Lizzie."
"But you cannot interfere. What happens between a man and wife is their business and theirs alone."
"I know, but I do not like it."
Dominic spends another hour with his father, finishing his drink. Returning to the main house, he wanders unfamiliar halls, trying to remember where Matthew's room is. He finds it, knocks and enters. The master welcomes him with a smile and Dominic is soon pressed up against the wall with his trousers around his ankles and Matthew's tongue between his arsecheeks, all worries forgotten.
**************************************************************************************************************************
The hall is cold, but Dominic does not mind. This club has a kitchen and Dominic could go there, but he does not care for the place. It is rough and noisy, full of servants playing cards and gossiping about their masters. Dominic would rather wait for his master here. The servant looks up as another gentleman, too tall and broad to be Matthew, appears. Even from a distance, Dominic can smell the drink on his breath and, as he watches, the gentleman stumbles and almost drops his stick. Dominic looks away, but he is too late. The man advance on him.
"You laugh at me, boy? You dare to laugh at me? Insolent young pup."
"No sir, please sir, I was not laughing at you, I swear it."
"Insolent and a liar too, eh?" the stick catches Dominic behind the knee and he falls to the ground, "you need to be taught a lesson and I am just the man to do it."
Dominic curls into a ball as the gentleman beats him. He covers his face with his arms, but the blows rain down freely on his back, buttocks and thighs. Dominic hears footsteps, someone else has entered the hall and he prays for an end to this torment, But the stranger does not interfere and the fury of Dominic's assailant appears to increase with each blow. Dominic could die here. Why will no one help him?
"Stop."
Matthew's voice, cold as a March wind, cuts through the air.
"What? What did you stay to me?"
"You heard me. I told you to stop. Let the boy be."
Dominic raises his head as the other man snarls and charges at Matthew, stick raised over his head. Matthew stands his ground and, at the last moment, steps to one side and sticks out a foot. The gentleman trips and sprawls on the ground.
"Lump," Matthew sneers, "if the likes of you can be a gentleman, then there is hope for every ape in Africa."
Matthew goes on one knee beside the fallen gentleman.
"Do you see that boy on the floor?" the gentleman makes no reply and Matthew repeats the question, enunciating each word clearly. "Do. You. See. Him?"
"Yes, I see him."
"You do? Excellent! I thought perhaps you were blind as well as stupid. Now, hear me and hear me well. That boy is my servant, do you understand? My servant. My property. The next time you presume to lay your hands on something of mine will be the last time you have hands."
The master stands, glances at Dominic, then delivers three short, vicious kicks to the fallen man, two to the stomach and one to the soft parts between his legs. Matthew turns and walks away as the other man begins to vomit. He steps over Dominic without looking at him and, when he speaks, his tone is impatient.
"Get up."
Dominic struggles to his feet and follows Matthew out of the club, past all the people who have spilled out of various rooms and now stand about, gawking. They climb into the carriage and Matthew remains cold and silent, staring out the window and chewing on a knuckle. Dominic huddles in a corner, afraid to speak. Matthew has never been so cold to him. Does he blame Dominic for what just happened? Dominic tries to think. Was it his fault? Could it be so?
In the main hall of the Bellamy house Jenkins appears and takes Matthew's hat, cloak and gloves. He takes note of Dominic's dishevelled appearance and turns back to Matthew.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
"Quite alright, thank you. I have a servant to chastise, that is all. He must learn not to humiliate me in public."
"Oh sir, I must apologise for his behaviour, but I did tell you he was not trained for above stairs-"
Matthew rounds on him.
"Shut your mouth and keep your nose out of my affairs if you do not wish to share in this boy's punishment!"
Jenkins pales and slinks away. Matthew grabs the back of Dominic's collar and marches him upstairs. Someone has been in to light the lamps in the master's bedroom and Dominic stands by the door, watching Matthew as he pulls off his coat and tears impatiently at his cravat and collar. Dominic trembles and tears spill down his cheeks. Matthew faces him again and his expression softens. He reaches for Dominic and the servant cannot help himself; he shies away.
"Oh Dominic, come here. Please."
He reaches out again and Dominic goes to him. Matthew guides them over to the bed and sits on the edge with Dominic in his lap. Dominic begins to cry, sobbing into his master's neck. He hates himself for it. It is a shameful, childish thing to do and he is not a child anymore. But he cannot help himself. The sudden, savage beating and the thought of displeasing his master in some way, it is too much. Matthew puts a hand on the back of his neck and rocks him gently.
"I am sorry, Dominic," his voice splinters with anguish, "I did not want to treat you so badly but, in that situation, with other people present, I did not have a choice. Forgive me, please forgive me."
Dominic's tears finally dry up and he raises his head and tries to explain.
"I, he - "
"Shh, you do not have to say anything. This was not your fault, it was mine."
"How can that be?"
"Your attacker..."
Matthew stops and gathers his thoughts.
"Who is he?"
"He is the only son of Lord Lannister and he is, or was, one of Paul's many drinking companions. You see, Dominic, for every young man who flatters me and tries to be my friend there is another who sneers at me, calling me thief and usurper and blaming me for Paul's predicament. Young Lannister is a prominent member of this second group. He has seen you with me and he knows you are my servant. When he saw you in that hall he saw an opportunity to show me just how little he thinks of me and strike a blow for Paul. As I said, this was my fault, not yours."
"You are not angry?"
"I am angry, but not with you, Dominic, not with you."
Dominic gives voice to his greatest fear.
"You would not send me away, then?"
"No, never."
Matthew's grip tightens and Dominic yelps.
"Damn me, I did not think of your injuries!"
The master pushes the servant off his lap and stands.
"Wait here, Dominic."
Matthew leaves the room and Dominic sits on the bed. The master returns with a glass, half-full of some dark liquid.
"Here, drink this."
"What is it?"
"Brandy. I do not share my brother's love of alcohol, but it has its uses. This will calm your nerves and help with the pain."
Dominic takes the glass and emties it in three long swallows. Heat blossoms on his stomach and spreads out through the rest of his body. Matthew takes the glass away and pulls the servant up.
"Take your clothes off, I need to see what he did to you."
Dominic undresses and lies face down on the bed. Matthew gasps: every last inch of Dominic's back is covered in bruises and raised welts.
"Oh, Dominic..."
Matthew reaches out a hand to touch Dominic's back, then thinks better of it, stroking the servant's hair instead.
"You took care of me when I was hurt, now I will take care of you. You will sleep here tonight."
Dominic protests.
The other servants will - "
"The other servants can go hang. Tell them I forced you to sleep on the floor as a punishment."
Dominic can hear Matthew moving around the bathroom. The master returns to his side and runs a wet cloth over his back. Dominic sighs as the cloth soothes his bruised, burning skin. Matthew takes the wet cloth away and comes back with a dry one and the blue ointment jar. He pats Dominic dry and applies the ointment. It soaks into Dominic's skin as Matthew takes off his cloths. In bed Dominic lies in his master's arms, face pressed against Matthew's neck. Matthew kisses the top of his head.
"You are safe now, Dominic. I will never let anyone hurt you again."