“What about Skelton?” Richard asked. “Is he likely to be a problem?”
“Far from it,” Dominic said. “He has accepted the Admiralty post. I didn’t think they’d offer it to him, as it’s a significant promotion, but my friend on the board found him most impressive. Which means he will no longer have anything to do with pursuit of radicals.”
“Really?” Harry yelped. “Oh, thank God!”
“It is a relief,” Dominic agreed. “He knew blasted well that you and Silas had some sort of case to answer. Without his pursuit, I think, if the pair of you can keep out of trouble, trouble may stop coming after you.”
“I really will try,” Harry assured him. “Honestly.”
Dominic didn’t look quite convinced. “We can but hope. Talking of posts, Rich, have you engaged a valet yet?”
Richard blinked. “Not as such, no.”
“Do you not think it’s time you did?”
“I will thank you to leave me to my own business.”
“Then we shall.” Dominic rose. “Come, gentlemen. Richard has household affairs to attend to. Good evening, my dear fellow. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
—
David was somewhere in Quex’s, Richard knew, communing with his allies in the depths of the house. Richard sent a request for his presence along with an order for a bottle and waited alone in the private rooms. It should not take long for him to come; Richard almost wished it would be longer. If he got this wrong…
Soon enough there was the familiar quiet knock, and David came in.
“Good evening,” Richard said. “Will you drink?”
David’s eyes went to the bottle. “Champagne?”
“I think we may celebrate. You have done wonders.” He held out a glass. David took it but didn’t sip. “I am in awe at your gift for forgery, incidentally. The seal held until I broke it. I had no idea you were so talented.”
David shrugged. “I never knew you had such a good right hook.”
“I did say I would make him pay. David, the slander against Eustacia…”
“Sir James was making trouble, I believe. Lord Maltravers has made a number of disobliging remarks about her appearance over the years.”
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t feel you would want to know when you weren’t in a position to hit him.”
“True, but I wish I’d hit him harder. David—”
“Lord Gabriel should be safe now, as should Silas,” David interrupted. “The letter is burned. Lord Maltravers is the object of contempt and distrust, his word worth nothing. I have done what you wished when you summoned me.”
“More than I could have hoped. I owe you a great deal.”
“My pleasure.” David’s face was guarded, inexpressive. Nervous, perhaps, or at least Richard hoped so. “You wanted to talk.”
“I do. I have yet another request to make of you. Even larger than the last.” Richard put down his glass and took David’s from his hands. “I want you back. I want you as my lover, my right hand, my devious, lying, counterfeiting, entirely unprincipled fox.” He took a deep breath. “My valet.”
David’s lips parted silently.
“I want you blacking my boots, solving my problems, and sharing my bed. I want you to accept a situation of gross injustice with no safeguard except your trust in me. I want you to be that foolish, vulnerable creature, a servant who warms his master’s sheets, and only the two of us will know that I am not the master here.” He stared into David’s eyes, praying his own showed his sincerity. “And I swear to you, if you will give me that trust, I will be worthy of it. Whatever may befall between us, no matter whether you change your mind, I will always behave as the man I ought to be. The man you need me to be. As though I had your mother’s eyes upon me.”
David gave a startled choke of laughter. Richard took him gently by the shoulders. “I love you, David. Will you be with me?”
“As your valet,” David said.
“If you will. Or if there is a position you would prefer, as long as it is what you prefer, name it. I will be glad of any means by which you may be by my side and in my bed. Or on my floor, even. Will you please say something?”
David looked down silently, then lifted his face. His eyes were very bright. “How about against the wall?”
Richard grabbed him by the waist and hoisted him up, reaching the wall in just a few swift steps. He pushed David against it. David wrapped his legs around Richard’s hips and his arms round his shoulders, and Richard kissed him without thought of consequence, without care for his bruises or his position, with nothing except David’s lips and teeth and tongue in his mind. David rocked against him with startling abandon, bracing himself on Richard’s body with feet flat against his thighs, and Richard kissed him with hunger and with wonder, until they were both gasping.