Myriad of Pleasures (boyxboy) LGBT

Chapter 1 - Wimbledon Park

“This is a gift for the lady of the house.” William pressed a red leather book into the hand of the maid. “Be sure to give it to her when she is alone, I daresay my brother would not approve.”

“Your latest novel I presume.” The young girl gave him a quick smile and a wink. “If my lady doesn’t take to it I know I will enjoy it, you have a way with words sir.” She tucked the book under her arm and received his coat.

“Thank you.” He wandered through to the living room. His niece had her back to the small group of adults, her hands working the piano keys as fast as she could. He sighed, dipped his head and slipped into the back row of the crowd. He gave his applause with gusto, several heads turned to disapprove of his enthusiasm. As the party goes made their way towards the dining room he swept his brother into his arms. “I little birdy told me that my eldest niece has found a rather eligible bachelor.”

“William, I am warning you now behave or I will have no choice but to throw you out of my house.” He shrugged his brother’s arm off his shoulder and handed him a glass of wine. “They are friends of our father.”

“Honeybone?” William sipped the wine and his nose crinkled in disgust. “I don’t have time for messing with Politian’s, or hopefuls, I am here for Florence.” 

“You are here for free spirits.” His brother retorted. “And I daresay my cigars.”

“Harold, that is no way to greet your brother.” William pulled a cigar from the silver case in his breast pocket. “I have more than enough wealth to procure my own.”

“Your filthy books have become a success?” Harold shook his head and strode towards the door. “You are going to hell, father tried to save you, I have tried to encourage you to continue in medicine but you are determined to follow the road to damnation.” He gave his brother a silencing glare.

“I will not speak of it here.” William pushed past his brother and joined the other guests.

Dinner conversation was as dry as the single malt whisky and the mother in law’s high pitch laugh nauseated William as he tried to engage in light-hearted banter. “I am a doctor by profession.” He cut his response short as his brother’s heated glare caught his eye.

“I have not heard your name mentioned in our circles.” Mrs Honeybone laid her silverware down on the plate and grasped the neck of her wineglass firmly. “I am surprised such a good-looking and well-mannered young man is not mentioned more often.”

“I have a very select clientele, and my niche is a little misunderstood by many.” William downed his drink and focused his attention on the plate before him.

“But you still know basic practice I presume?” Mrs honeybone sat down her glass and eyed him suspiciously.

“He could indeed ma’am, but our father’s death hit him a little hard.” Harold interrupted.

The table fell into an awkward silence, no one dared to look at one another directly, only the sound of silverware on ceramic and the clinking of glass filled the air. “So how did you meet this strapping young man Florence?” William broke the silence and leaned back in his chair.

“The circus,” Florence wiped her face with a napkin. “I was completely enthralled by the aerial displays that I failed to notice my purse fall from my lap and onto Edwards head.”

“It gave me quite a fright, I thought someone was challenging me to a boxing match, but no it was the purse of a very beautiful young lady.” Edward rested his hand on that of his fiancé. “I invited her to Sudsbury’s summer ball and she blew me away with her foxtrot.”

“Sounds wonderful.” William raised his glass. “To Florence and Edward.”

*****

A heavy haze of smoke filled Harold’s smoking room as the men discussed politics and puffed on an array of cigarettes and cigars. William ran his hands down the heavy velvet curtains as he watched the streetlamps explode into life as the sun set behind the triple story houses.

“You seem a little distant William.” Mr Honeybone’s heavy hand slapped William on the back.

“I apologise, my brain has wandered to my latest novel.” William forced himself from the window and tried to find a place the current conversation.

“You are a writer?” Mr Honeybone pushed a large cloud of smoke from his lungs. “Anything I may take interest in?”

“I’m not supposed to mention it.” William gestured towards his brother.

“Forget your brother.” Mr Honeybone huddled closer to William, his protruding belly wobbling as he turned his back on the main conversation. “Now tell me how I have yet to hear your name?”

“I write under a pseudonym, to protect my family and my job as a doctor.” William rubbed the sweat from his palms.

“Oh my, you write those filthy novels that get young lady’s all in a quiver?” He sucked a little too hard on his cigar and coughed hard. “How does a doctor get into such profanities?”

“My speciality is in sexual health and gynaecological disorder, I took to writing as a study of the effect of erotic writing on female desire.” William pulled the man closer to the corner to avoid being overheard. “I had no idea at that point how popular they would be, I never thought I would give up my father’s profession to fulfil the wants of restless women.” 

“You should stay clear of it and go back to medicine. Real medicine.” Mr Honeybone forced his finger into William’s chest. “I will not have you ruin my son’s chances of making it into parliament.”

“Then perhaps he shouldn’t have had his way with my niece before he asked for her hand.” William felt his excitement rise as the man before him turned purple with rage. “Anyone in my profession knows the glow of pregnancy in the early stages.”