Anthony sighed into his mouth and put anchoring hands on Lark’s waist. Lark parted his lips and tasted Anthony, and it was at once exciting and familiar. Kissing Anthony felt like coming home.
“You were right, you know,” Anthony said after they parted gently.
“About?”
“Charlie Ingle.”
Lark cursed. He of course knew the story of Charlie Ingle. Lark had known Charlie mostly by reputation. He was the youngest son of a baron, the scion of an absurdly wealthy if not especially politically powerful family. He’d run afoul of someone, was the way Lark had heard the story, perhaps won a bet against a vindictive man. Lark wasn’t certain of the details. But all it took was one man going to the authorities to explain that Charlie Ingle was, in fact, one of London’s most notorious sodomites for Charlie to be hanged. Lark had avoided the execution, although he’d heard after the fact that it was a spectacle.
Lark had thought society had grown more sophisticated than public executions, but apparently not if it meant hanging a sodomite.
In point of fact, the city had put more sodomites to death than murderers so far this year.
Lark and Anthony had some insulation due to their wealth, power, and connections, but Lark found, until recently, the constant fear that he’d run afoul of the wrong man to be a weight on his shoulders that felt too overwhelming.
But perhaps the fact that Anthony had, in fact, married and fathered a child won him some goodwill.
And perhaps Lark would rather die than live without Anthony.
He pressed his face against Anthony’s shoulder. “I didn’t want to be right.”
“I know. And I want to be able to say that Charlie Ingle was reckless. I mean, everyone knew what he was.”
“Did you ever—?”
“With Charlie? No. I don’t believe I ever actually spoke to him. He stopped coming to society events years ago. But this is my point. I recognize the dangers, Lark, I do, but I also think Charlie Ingle acted in a way that was too risky. You and I, we can keep our relationship quiet and disclose it to only people we trust and… I’ve given some thought to leaving London, perhaps for good.”
“You’re not serious.”
“A year ago, I never would have entertained the possibility, but Henry changes things. I’m all he has. I can’t take risks that I used to feel I could. But at the same time, now that I know the unique misery of living without you? I can’t do that either.”
“Are we at an impasse?”
“No. I view it as a turning point. I will do anything to keep my family safe, and you, Lark, are my family. So if I have to leave London to keep us all safe, then so be it.”
Lark kissed Anthony again. He had no intention of leaving Anthony again because he knew how miserable that would make him, but he’d do anything to keep Anthony and little Henry safe, too.
“I love you,” Lark said.
“Mm. I love you, too. And I’d invite you to bed, but I believe I’ll need to have a chat with my staff before I can allow that. Some of the staff came from my other house and are… aware of us, but I need to stop any gossip before it starts.”
“So that’s it. We’re picking up where we left off a year ago.”
Anthony frowned. “Not exactly. This is…whatever is happening here will be difficult to navigate. But I don’t want towaste any more time doing what Ishouldbe doing. Life is too short. What Iwantto do is be with you and raise my son. I don’t know how to make all that happen yet, but I am determined to try.”
“And you forgive me for my unspeakable idiocy in pushing you away?”
Anthony nodded slowly. “Somehow, I do. I always understood why, I just disagreed with you. But then they hanged Charlie Ingle, and I thought, well, maybe Lark had a point. And I married Matilda, which meant that she spent the last year of her life free of her terrible family. I think she was happy, at least. And she gave me Henry, and I don’t know how to express it, but I love that little boy more than I’ve ever loved anything—even you, no offense—and I am grateful for that. So some good things came of the events you set in motion when you kicked me out of your house.”
Lark laughed softly. He put his arms around Anthony and pulled him close. “I’m so sorry about everything.”
“I know.” Anthony ran a hand up and down Lark’s back, a gesture Lark found intensely comforting. “I know. I am, too. So let’s make the most of the opportunity we have now.”
“When did you get so clever?”
“Lord knows. Some kind of temporary condition, I think. I’m sure it will wear off.”
Lark laughed into Anthony’s shoulder. He loved this man. He intended not to let him go again.
