Page 105 of The Little Shop of Curiosities, The Music Box Part 2

After what feels like an eternity, Ichabod reappears with two heavy overcoats and hands one to me and one to Sam. “Put these on, keep your heads down, don’t talk to anyone if you can help it, and once we get onto the street, don’t dally. Since the murders began, there are extra constables on patrol.”

I nod in agreement and pull one of the overcoats on. It’s heavy and makes my skin itch. It also smells of tobacco. My stomach turns, and I can’t tell if it’s because of the scent or the fact that we’ve just been tossed a century and a half into the past.

My head spins again and I draw in a silent breath, beyond grateful that Sam is here with me. We may still be on rocky ground, but there’s no one else I’d rather have by my side. I’m like two seconds away from freaking out, but curiously, the one thing stopping me from falling apart is Sam’s presence, and in this moment, I realise I need him like I’ve never needed anyone in my life before.

“Come.” Cornelius’ one word pulls me from my thoughts. He looks between us and carefully chooses his next words. “I don’t dare to presume the nature of your…friendship,” he says, although his tone suggests he knows exactly the nature of our friendship, no presuming necessary, “but you do seem very tactile with each other. I do not know what it’s like where you come from, but here it is considered inappropriate for two men to be overly affectionate with each other. At least outside of these walls.”

“We understand,” Sam replies.

He leads us down the stairs, then we head down the hallway. We pass an open door to what appears to be a parlour, and I come to a dead stop. My mouth falls open and my eyes widen.

A completely naked young man with blond hair and a soft, curvy body is bent over a console table while an older man with grey hair, muttonchops, and a very bushy moustache stands behind him. The older man’s chest is bare and his trousers puddle at his ankles as he rails the young man into the middle of next week.

I’m frozen in shock, trying to process what is so blatantly on display for all to witness, when the older man turns and locks eyes with me. His pace doesn’t even falter. He continues to grip his partner’s hips and slam into him, the young man moaning loudly under him.

“Come and join us.” The grey-haired man grins.

Suddenly, Cornelius is beside me, his hands on my arms as he steers me away.

“Admiral,” he greets the other man politely, as if they’ve just bumped into each other at a tearoom and not while the other man is balls deep in another man’s arse.

“Ah, Cornelius, is he yours? Not surprised. You always did have a thing for redheads.”

“Yes, he’s with me,” Cornelius replies carefully.

“Pity. I don’t suppose you’d care to share?”

I gasp at the proposition. It’s highly impertinent and the height of rudeness to solicit someone else’s company before he’s even finished with his current partner. I feel a surge of sympathy for the poor man having his arse pounded.

“Well, I never,” I hiss indignantly.

“Ah, perhaps some other time, Admiral. You enjoy your evening.”

“See you at Bodmin’s a week from Tuesday.”

“Of course.” Cornelius gives him a tight smile and steers me down the corridor to where Sam and Ichabod are waiting.

“How rude.” I scowl. “The nerve.”

“Keep your voice down,” Cornelius hisses in my ear.

“What’s Bodmin’s?” I ask.

“A gentleman’s club,” he answers as Ichabod moves to meet us.

“Cornelius, we can’t go out that way. There’s a constable patrolling right at the end of the street.” His gaze drops to my and Sam’s bare feet. “We’ll have to take the other exit. I’ve sent the carriage around to the back.”

Cornelius nods. “We better hurry before Mr Ames gets propositioned again.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Sam’s eyes narrow.

“Don’t worry, he’s perfectly safe. No one will try to engage him in anything he doesn’t want, but that won’t stop them from sniffing around him. You too. Fresh blood.”

“Charming,” I mutter sourly.

“Come quickly.” Ichabod bustles past us and leads the way.

“A phrase I’m guessing is uttered here a lot,” Sam mutters under his breath, and grabs my arm, keeping me close to him.