need to be careful, discreet. He said that Henry was very fortunate to have a good boy like Martin looking after him.
Martin had embarrassed himself by crying at this assertion, hunched shoulders and shameful tears, and Mr. Tim had patted him kindly. Mr. Tim had said that Henry had always been a sensitive boy, a stubborn boy, and that it might take him time to get over his hurt feelings, but, “He cares for you very much, Martin, even if it doesn’t seem so now. He’ll come around in time.”
He’d further reminded Martin that Mr. Blackwell was very happy with him and his actions, that he felt Martin had been an excellent investment in Henry’s future and happiness, and that he appreciated all Martin had done for his son. Mr. Tim had assured Martin that Mr. Blackwell would not be entertaining any ideas about removing Martin from his position, selling him off, or exchanging him for some less-capable boy.
“Can you put up with it a little longer?” Mr. Tim had asked. “He’s being very unfair, I know, but if you can bear with it, I’m sure things will improve.”
He’d resolved to get through it. He’d wait, however long it took, and when Henry was ready to hear him, he’d be ready with an apology.
He was so happy Henry had apologized first.
He tugged Henry’s waistcoat into place and held his jacket for him to put on. Henry shrugged into it, then picked up Martin’s jacket from the foot of the bed.
“Here,” he said, holding it ready. “Let me do it for you.”
Martin balked at this for a fraction of a second, imagining the frowning faces of his Ganymede teachers scolding him for overstepping and not knowing his place. But it was a generous offer, sweet and loving, and just as he took pleasure in tending to Henry, perhaps Henry might enjoy looking after him a little bit. He smiled and put his arms into the sleeves.
“Thank you, Henry.”
Henry smoothed the jacket over Martin’s shoulders, passed his hands over the lapels. “You look very handsome,” he said.
Martin kissed him. “We both do. Are you ready to go down?”
To Martin’s happy surprise, Tom was there in the mess with most of the Blackwell slaves, as was Billy’s Jane from next door. Jerry and Arthur were pretending not to see Tom, and Tom was pretending he didn’t notice the snub.
Everyone was deferential with Henry, of course, as they should be, but his presence didn’t seem to be making anyone nervous, and Martin was glad Henry could be incorporated into the festivities without a fuss.
Mr. Tim was at the head of the room and he lifted his chin and called, “Sir? May I have a word?”
Henry looked at Martin, then back at Mr. Tim. “Of course, Timothy.”
Martin said, “If it’s all right, Sir, I’ll just go say hello to Tom while you talk to Mr. Tim.”
“Sure,” Henry said. “Say hello to your guests.”
Henry cut through the crowd to a chorus of Good evening, Sir s. Martin got his own chorus— Happy Birthday —as he made his way toward Tom, who came to meet him.
Tom reached for Martin’s hand and squeezed it. “Happy Birthday, Martin.”
“I’m so glad you’re here! What an unexpected pleasure!”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Tom said cheerfully, and Martin felt a little guilty that he hadn’t even considered attending Tom’s birthday dinner back in November.
Tom glanced toward where Mr. Tim was speaking with Henry. “I’m surprised to see Mr. Blackwell here,” Tom said. “I’m happy for you, though. It means you’ve reconciled with him, I hope?”
Martin blushed a little, embarrassed and happy. He had never wanted to explain his relationship with Henry to his friend, but he hadn’t had to—Tom wasn’t stupid. Tom had guessed. And Tom had promised he would keep Martin’s secrets— Henry’s secrets.
In an excited whisper, Martin said, “ He apologized to me , Tommy! I certainly never expected that would happen!”
“Well, I’m glad he’s sorry. He made you miserable.” Tom
Martin had embarrassed himself by crying at this assertion, hunched shoulders and shameful tears, and Mr. Tim had patted him kindly. Mr. Tim had said that Henry had always been a sensitive boy, a stubborn boy, and that it might take him time to get over his hurt feelings, but, “He cares for you very much, Martin, even if it doesn’t seem so now. He’ll come around in time.”
He’d further reminded Martin that Mr. Blackwell was very happy with him and his actions, that he felt Martin had been an excellent investment in Henry’s future and happiness, and that he appreciated all Martin had done for his son. Mr. Tim had assured Martin that Mr. Blackwell would not be entertaining any ideas about removing Martin from his position, selling him off, or exchanging him for some less-capable boy.
“Can you put up with it a little longer?” Mr. Tim had asked. “He’s being very unfair, I know, but if you can bear with it, I’m sure things will improve.”
He’d resolved to get through it. He’d wait, however long it took, and when Henry was ready to hear him, he’d be ready with an apology.
He was so happy Henry had apologized first.
He tugged Henry’s waistcoat into place and held his jacket for him to put on. Henry shrugged into it, then picked up Martin’s jacket from the foot of the bed.
“Here,” he said, holding it ready. “Let me do it for you.”
Martin balked at this for a fraction of a second, imagining the frowning faces of his Ganymede teachers scolding him for overstepping and not knowing his place. But it was a generous offer, sweet and loving, and just as he took pleasure in tending to Henry, perhaps Henry might enjoy looking after him a little bit. He smiled and put his arms into the sleeves.
“Thank you, Henry.”
Henry smoothed the jacket over Martin’s shoulders, passed his hands over the lapels. “You look very handsome,” he said.
Martin kissed him. “We both do. Are you ready to go down?”
To Martin’s happy surprise, Tom was there in the mess with most of the Blackwell slaves, as was Billy’s Jane from next door. Jerry and Arthur were pretending not to see Tom, and Tom was pretending he didn’t notice the snub.
Everyone was deferential with Henry, of course, as they should be, but his presence didn’t seem to be making anyone nervous, and Martin was glad Henry could be incorporated into the festivities without a fuss.
Mr. Tim was at the head of the room and he lifted his chin and called, “Sir? May I have a word?”
Henry looked at Martin, then back at Mr. Tim. “Of course, Timothy.”
Martin said, “If it’s all right, Sir, I’ll just go say hello to Tom while you talk to Mr. Tim.”
“Sure,” Henry said. “Say hello to your guests.”
Henry cut through the crowd to a chorus of Good evening, Sir s. Martin got his own chorus— Happy Birthday —as he made his way toward Tom, who came to meet him.
Tom reached for Martin’s hand and squeezed it. “Happy Birthday, Martin.”
“I’m so glad you’re here! What an unexpected pleasure!”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Tom said cheerfully, and Martin felt a little guilty that he hadn’t even considered attending Tom’s birthday dinner back in November.
Tom glanced toward where Mr. Tim was speaking with Henry. “I’m surprised to see Mr. Blackwell here,” Tom said. “I’m happy for you, though. It means you’ve reconciled with him, I hope?”
Martin blushed a little, embarrassed and happy. He had never wanted to explain his relationship with Henry to his friend, but he hadn’t had to—Tom wasn’t stupid. Tom had guessed. And Tom had promised he would keep Martin’s secrets— Henry’s secrets.
In an excited whisper, Martin said, “ He apologized to me , Tommy! I certainly never expected that would happen!”
“Well, I’m glad he’s sorry. He made you miserable.” Tom
Similar Books
