A Seditious Affair(49)

“You’re welcome.”

The clothes did fit, very well. Dominic knew his body, of course, none better, but it was still a little odd. Odder for Silas to look in the mirror and see himself appear respectable. A white shirt, a neat neckcloth, a coat that wasn’t torn or dusty. Himself pink with scrubbing, and his brindled hair looking rather more flecked with white than usual.

Dominic came behind him, looking into the mirror, slipping hands around his waist. “Most suitable.”

“Aye, well.” He did look…not a match for his Welsh lovely, fine as ever in a smart blue coat, but the contrast was less aggressive than usual. Fine clothes make the man, people said with a sneer. “Here’s a question, Tory. Why have we got me dressed instead of getting you undressed?”

Dominic didn’t quite meet his eye. “Later. Come through to the study.”

“Why?”

“Come on.” Dom headed off. Baffled, Silas followed, back into the warm book-lined room.

There was a man there. A handsome young gentleman standing by the fire, and Silas had time for one shocked inhalation before he saw who it was.

“Harry?”

“Oh God, Silas.” Harry was in his arms, hugging him ferociously. “Oh God, I am so glad to see you!”

“Harry.” Silas hugged him back, squeezing his eyes shut. “What are you doing here?”

“Dominic asked me what you wanted for Christmas,” Harry said with a choke of a laugh, “and I said you’d want to see me, which I dare say was terribly arrogant, but if he gave you anything else, you’d just sell whatever it was and hand the proceeds over to the first half-starved beggar you saw, and oh, Silas, I have missed you so much. God, it’s good to see you.” He pulled away a little so they could look at one another. “Oh, yes, they fit. You look so respectable I wouldn’t have known you.”

“I don’t know you. Is that an earring? You prancing fop.”

Harry flushed, grinning. “I had it done last week. Julius says we should set a new fashion.”

Behind them, Dominic made a despairing sort of noise. Dominic, who had given him Harry for Christmas. Silas looked around and saw him, standing there, watching.

“Ah, Tory,” he said roughly. “I…” He couldn’t find words somehow. Anger, scathing denunciation or accusation, came to his pen without trouble. This rendered him speechless.

Dominic smiled, with something almost painful in his expression. “The plan is to dine here, as best we can, so you—we—have the whole evening. I’ll let you two reacquaint yourselves. Excuse me.”

Silas reached out, grabbing Dominic’s hand before he could leave the room. “Dom.” He wanted to say, Nobody has ever, in my life, done anything like this for me. He gripped the hand he held harder, looking into Dom’s dark eyes, and saw the smile there.

“I know,” Dominic said softly. “My pleasure.”

Silas let him go and turned back to Harry, who was watching him with a somewhat slack-jawed expression.

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? You know perfectly well what. Good God, Silas. You, uh, you do know he’s a Tory?” Silas glowered. Harry spread his hands. “Well, for heaven’s sake, you must see it’s a little…unexpected.”

“I’ve not changed my views.” It was important Harry should know that. “Fine clothes be damned. I’m not changing, nor giving up the fight either.”

“Well, I know that, you fool. So what are you doing?”

Silas snorted. “Wish I knew. Look, you tell me how you are, all right?”

“My grandfather tried to murder me and now I’m rich. Are you in love?”

“Your grandfather did what?”

“I’ll tell you later. If you answer the question.”

God, he’d have liked to. Harry was the only one he could talk to about this, the only one who knew Dominic’s world as well as Silas’s own and wouldn’t raise an eyebrow at any bedroom doings, randy little sod that he was. “Don’t be stupid. Look at me. Look at him, damn it. Someone like that, what would I be doing—”

“In his home, with him spending all last week planning this for you?” Harry supplied helpfully. “Seeing him at the risk of both your necks, with the Home Office at your heels?”

“Shut your mouth, Harry. Or, no, if you’re going to babble, tell me this. That big cousin of yours.” He wasn’t sure what to ask. Does he still want Dominic? Does Dominic still want him?

“Richard?” Harry pulled a face. “He’s not happy. They’re not speaking, you know, he and Dominic, because of—well, you. Julius says it’s good for both of them,” he added hastily. “Julius says it’s about time they stopped being in one another’s way.”