My Home From Home (ManxMan)

Chapter 3

"You know Papa, I was reading that homosexuality was quite normal with the Ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Celts, and even the Vikings." Explained Georgina matter of factly. "And if it weren't for European imperialism imposing our ways upon the colonies, many of their cultures were once open to the idea and even celebrated it as well."

"God in heaven." Granny muttered disapprovingly, glaring at her granddaughter with a mix of confusion and fear. "We've a Bolshevik in the family."

"Georgina you're far too young to know what a homosexual even is. As your Papa, I order you to retire to your room at once." Papa muttered mutedly to young blond haired girl.

"I am not. I am sixteen years old and perfectly capable of holding adult conversations. Therefore I most certainly shan't be leaving." Argued Georgina vehemently, earning her a frustrated huff from her father; his eyes only momentarily glazing over his disgraced youngest son before staring mindlessly at nothing at all with his jaw clenching furiously.

"Papa, I'm sorry." Henry said softly, watching as his father clinched his fist with his emotionally exhausted brown eyes sheathed behind his eyelids; his body language practically seeping with disappointment. "Though if I'm being terribly honest, I should think it all could've been worse..."

"Worse?! Worse?! How the devil could it possibly have been worse?!" Papa roared angrily, causing Henry to flinch patiently. "Caught in a dark alleyway, in a the arms of a man, no less." he muttered lividly.

"Are you more put off by the 'man' bit or the 'alleyway' bit?" Smirked Henry, momentarily forgetting he was quite literally skating upon terribly thin ice.

"I'll have no cheek out of you, boy!" Scolded Papa angrily as Henry's smirk fell clear off his handsomely chiseled face. "You're bloody lucky young Daniel was the one who caught you, or I daresay you'd likely be in His Majesty's Custody; rotting away in a prison cell somewhere in Essex."

"Heavens, Essex." Scoffed granny with a  cheeky smile. "What a ghastly prospect."

"Ten men had been arrested last night and await trial." Papa muttered angrily, simply ignoring his mother's interjection. "If even one of them so much as mention that the son of the Duke of Hertford was in that.. that... place, then God help you, Henry."

    Henry felt a pang deep within his chest as he heard his father call him 'Henry'; the only people who called him Henry were teachers, professors, and strangers. To friends and family he was Harry, always Harry.

"None of my mates have been arrested, Papa. It's highly unlikely I'd be given away by anyone." defended Henry, though his father clearly wasn't having it.

"But why were you even there, Henry!? What on earth would possess you to do something so obscene!?" The Duke scoffed as he threw his hands up in disbelief.

"I think you already know the answer to that Papa." Henry trailed off as his father's dark brown eyes, fiery with anger flashed towards him.

"God in heaven." The older man shook his head as Henry's Mama grimaced at the thought.

"Surely you can't be that naive Papa, you sent me to an draughty old all-boys public school in the middle of bloody nowhere. Surely you can't find notion to be so outlandish, not when you yourself went to an all-boys boarding school as well. Surely you must know what goes on there behind closed doors." Reasoned Henry, but to no avail.

"You mind your tongue, boy. There are ladies present." Papa seethed angrily, once again refusing to look Henry in the eyes. "I'm only sorry your poor Granny had to witness this day."

"Why?" Granny craned her neck to look at her son. "I've been alive for a long time, Richard. I've seen  more than you can imagine."

"I don't believe this, are we honestly having this conversation?!" Papa huffed frustratedly at the whole overwhelming situation that he saw himself entangled in. "Disgraceful..." He straightened his posture ever so slightly as the door came crashing open to reveal Henry's eldest brother Edward, his wife Sybil, and their darling little three year old daughter Anna.