Joshua threw the chits down in front of Christophe. “Here,” he said.
“Consider your debt to me to be cancelled.”
Joshua watched as Christophe took the papers and tossed them into the fire
behind him. “Why, thank you, your grace,” Christophe said. “It always pays
to do business with a gentleman.”
Joshua leaned on the desk, his eyes peering menacingly. “You will stay away
from the Countess de Chante now, correct?”
Christophe laughed. “Is that what you want Joshua?”
“That is what I expect, Christophe.”
“Then I’m afraid you’re in for a bit of a disappointment,” Christophe
said. “I have every intention in making the delectable Countess my wife.” He
laughed hollowly. “Yours are not the only debts I have, Joshua.”
“And you think forcing Britney into marriage is the right thing to do?’
Joshua asked.
“Who cares if it’s right or wrong?” Christophe scoffed. “She’s wealthy,
and I need a wealthy wife.” His eyes narrowed. “And her father and I had an
agreement.”
“Not a binding one, only verbal, and one he rescinded in his will.”
An evil smile split Christophe’s face. “Not according to the document I have
in my possession, Joshua.”
“Taking to forgery now?” he asked.
Christophe shrugged. “I also have witnesses. And the ear of the King. The
Countess, can be ordered by the King to marry, regardless of her father’s
will. You know that, and I know that. And the King, who never liked her father
much, knows that.”
“I had no idea a man could be so low,” Joshua spat. “Have you no honor?”
“I can’t afford honor,” Christophe said bitterly. “I can’t afford
anything.”
“That’s your own fault,” Joshua pointed out. “Your father left you a
vast fortune when he died. You’re the own who squandered it. Why make Britney
pay for your mistakes?”
Christophe shrugged. “Because I can,” he said simply. “And you know what?”
he continued. “It’s even better knowing that it’s bothering you, too. I
didn’t realize how much I would enjoy your discomfort, but I find I really,
really am!”
Joshua reached out and grabbed Christophe’s shirtfront, pulling the other man
across the desk toward him. “You are making a mistake, Christophe, in angering
me,” Joshua warned. “You may want to rethink your actions.”
A shimmer of doubt flashed in Christophe’s eyes, but soon disappeared.
“I’ll take my chances, Joshua,” he said, pulling away from the other man.
“Isn’t time for your new toy to get out of school?” he chided.
“Remember my words, Christophe,” Joshua said, wiping his hands in distaste.
“Leave Britney alone, or you will regret it.”
Joshua returned to his house and found Justin hunched over account books.
The sight caused the older man to smile. In the short time he’d know Justin,
Joshua had found out that the younger man hated the bookwork associated with
running the business he’d inherited. But he trudged through the accounting,
feeling it his responsibility. One more facet to the puzzle that was Justin du
Lac. Joshua had found that the boy had so many layers, and by peeling each one
off, a new and exciting part of him was revealed.
One part of Justin that Joshua already knew about was how much he loved Britney.
So returning with the news that Christophe still planned to press his suit was
not something he was anxious to share.
“Joshua!” Justin had looked up and found the older man standing in the door.
He rose from the desk and approached the center of the room. “How long have
you been home? What did he say? Can we give Britney good news or bad?”
“One moment, please, Justin,” Joshua said, handing his cloak to a footman.
“Thank you, Rene,” Joshua said. “A brandy, please, Justin,” Joshua asked
as he crossed the room and sat on the sofa. “Get yourself one as well,” he
advised.
Justin poured two snifters of the amber liquid and joined Joshua on the sofa.
“That bad, was it?” Justin asked, handing the glass to Joshua.
Joshua took a sip of brandy. “He still insists he’s going to force her to
marry him, Justin,” he said. Joshua explained that the document, forged or not,
and the witnesses who would testify at court that Britney’s father had signed
it was damaging. “But it’s the King’s own feelings that will sway it in
Christophe’s favor, I’m afraid.”
“Why is that?” Justin asked.
“Because the King hated Britney’s father,” Joshua explained. “I didn’t
know him, but I’ve asked some court regulars. Seems the Count de Chante
refused many requests by the King to bring Britney to court once she came of
age, and the King found that to be insulting.”
“So, the King can just order someone to marry someone?” Justin asked,
appalled.
Joshua snorted a laugh. “I forget how ignorant you are of court drama,” he
said. “The King can do just about anything he wants, Justin,” Joshua
explained. “This one, Louis XV, isn’t nearly the man his father was. He’s
a small, bitter man who is struggling to get out of the shadow of a great man,
and I’m afraid it’s a battle he’ll lose.”
Joshua drained his glass and lean back on the sofa, closing his eyes. Justin
took Joshua’s glass out of his hand, and placed both on the table. He scooted
closer to the older man and lightly traced a finger across his brow.
Joshua’s eyes opened at the touch and their gazes locked. “I have faith in
you,” Justin said, lowering his head to whisper in Joshua’s ear. “We’ll
come up with something, some way to help Britney,” he continued, nibbling on
Joshua’s lobe with tiny bites.
Joshua shivered at the feeling. “You have too much confidence in me,” he
protested, pulling away a bit and locking gazes with Justin again. “I’m not
sure there is anything that can be done, Justin.”
Justin shook his head. “No, I refuse to believe that,” he protested.
“There has to be someway to get Britney away from him.” He quickly lifted
his leg and straddled Joshua on the sofa. “We just have to think harder.”
Joshua blinked amusedly. “Now, how can I think at all when you’re on top of
me like this?” he asked, fingers quickly unfastening the buttons of the shirt
Justin was wearing.
“You find me a distraction?” Justin asked, grinding his hips down, letting
Joshua feel the hardness of his erections. “Funny, my mind is as clear as a
bell.”
Joshua raised a brow. “Is it?” he asked, pulling the shirt from Justin’s
shoulders and flicking his tongue against a nipple.
Justin moaned as he felt Joshua’s teeth and tongue on his chest.
“Yesss…” he insisted, though his short and shallow breathing proved
otherwise. “I guess I just have better powers of con…cen…tration than you…oh…yess…”
Justin’s eyes closed and he groaned as Joshua pulled open the boy’s pants
and grabbed his throbbing erection.
“Better than me?” Joshua accused with a smile. “I think you’re bragging
a bit too much.”
Justin opened his eyes again, smiling brightly. “Why yes, I am,” he said,
pulling Joshua close and pressing his lips against the older man’s in a
searing kiss.
Joshua laughed and pulled away. “You know, there’s only one way do deal with
braggarts,” Joshua proclaimed.
“Hmm, is there?” Justin asked, bending close and sucking on Joshua’s neck.
“Yes, there is.” Joshua positioned Justin up on his knees and engulfed
Justin’s length with his mouth.
Later
that night, Joshua lay awake, Justin close to his side. The younger man moved in
his sleep and Joshua pulled the boy to him, arranging him across his chest.
Justin settled down back as Joshua pondered their relationship.
They’d been together three weeks now. For Joshua, that was a record for a
relationship. Most of his affairs lasted no more than a few days. Either the
other person got possessive, or Joshua got bored, but either way, Joshua was not
a long-term lover. For some reason, his feelings for this man were different.
And Joshua wasn’t sure he liked it.
But he wasn’t going to end it anytime soon, either, he thought, bending a bit
to kiss the curly head resting on his chest. He was enjoying himself too much.
Whatever happens will be dealt with when it happens. For now, he was going to
enjoy himself. And make sure Justin enjoyed himself, too. There was something
there, something hidden deep inside Justin that Joshua hadn’t found out about.
But he would. He thought about asking Britney, but decided against it for now.
The girl had her own problems.
His anger rose at the thought of Christophe conspiring to coerce her into
marriage, but then felt a wave of guilt. His own past wasn’t exactly pure.
He’d done things to people for his own gain and pleasure. He looked down at
the boy in his arms, realizing that he went after Justin because of a bet. But
he hoped he’d never really hurt anyone. His mind raced through his past deeds.
No, he hadn’t really hurt anyone. Most had been willing participants, and
those that hadn’t at the beginning, became so.
However, Christophe didn’t care if Britney was hurt, or didn’t want him, or
would never want him. Christophe was after Britney for her money, and for
revenge for rejecting him when her father died.
“I’ve got it!” Justin exclaimed, waking from a sound sleep. He sat up
quickly and reached over to the bed table, striking a match to light a lamp.
“I’ve got the solution to Britney’s problem!”
Joshua regarded him with a smile. “And what is the solution, pet?” he asked.
“I’ll marry her!” Justin proclaimed. Joshua burst out laughing, giving
Justin pause. “What’s wrong with me marrying her?” he asked, somewhat
insulted by Joshua’s laughter.
Joshua wiped his eyes. “Justin, you forget yourself,” he said. “This is
France. Where the nobility is the nobility, and merchants will never be anything
but merchants.” He sobered a bit, holding Justin’s hands. “As much as I
think you’re a noble person, the King would never allow a member of the
nobility to marry a mere merchant.”
Justin shook his head. “I’ve seen it before,” he protested. “I’ve seen
the daughters of my father’s friends marry into the nobility, so it happens.”
“Daughters, yes,” Joshua explained. “They’re women, and they’re
married for their money by noblemen with titles and no income. That is allowed.
But a woman cannot marry a some of the merchant class. It adds nothing to the
noble ranks, and will be seen as demotion in rank for her.”
“You mean,” Justin pondered, “that a man can marry out of his class, but
not a woman? No matter how rich the man is?”
Joshua nodded. “It would be seen as degrading for a noblewoman to marry
beneath her.” He held up a hand as Justin protested. “I know Britney
doesn’t see you that way, but the King would never allow it.”
Justin’s shoulder’s slumped. “Then there’s nothing to be done, is there?
No help for Britney?”
Joshua regarded him for a moment before speaking. “There is one way,” he
said.
“What?” Justin said, his eyes bright. “Joshua, please. You have no idea
how scared she is right now. She’s even talking of leaving France if forced
into the marriage. So tell me your idea.”
“I could marry her.”
Justin blinked owlishly at his words. “You?” he queried. “I don’t
understand. Why would the King agree to you marrying her instead of
Christophe?”
“Because I could pay him more than Christophe can, Justin,” he said simply.
“The King is fond of revenge, yes, but he’s much more interested in money.”
“You would do that?” Justin whispered. “You would not only marry Britney,
but pay the King to do so?” Joshua nodded. “Why?”
“I’m not sure,” Joshua said honestly. “I have discovered I like the girl
immensely. And that I dislike Christophe, also immensely.” He reached out a
hand, running a finger lightly down Justin’s jaw line. “But I think the main
reason would be for you.” He placed a finger over Justin’s’ lips as the
questions erupted. “No, don’t ask. Not yet. Just accept it for now,
please.”
Justin looked at Joshua in confusion, then nodded his acquiesce. He smiled
against the finger on his lips, then opened them slightly and pulled the finger
into his mouth. He sucked lightly causing Joshua’s breath to catch at the
action. “Keep that up, and I’ll ask the Pope to marry me,” Joshua joked,
replacing his finger with his mouth.