Laurent couldn’t take his eyes off William even though he couldn’t truly see him from such close proximity. “You need to know, William, that I do have boundaries.” Ones that didn’t include being touched all over. In that matter, his heart was open. And did William just call him ‘sweet’?
William hummed and leaned back, trailing the handle of his walking stick down Laurent’s neck before directing him into one of the three doors leading from the hall. “What other boundaries do you have?”
Laurent swallowed, navigating the corridor based on what he could see far away and remembering any potential obstacles. “I believe a man should have an open mind to live his life to the fullest.”
“A man of my own persuasion, I see. No man should deny himself what he thinks rightfully his,” William said, leading Laurent down a walkway where their combined footsteps resonated in the silence.
“I do not mean to be rude, but where are the servants? I believe a house this gloriously clean must be taken care of by many.”
William pulled on Laurent’s shoulder and directed him to a staircase that had been beautifully crafted in stone and dark wood. The balustrade was of an intricate design that cast long shadows in the faint lamplight. Columns topped with sharp arches stretched tall toward the sky, making the stairs reminiscent of a gothic tower without keeping the space truly enclosed. It spiraled upwards in a gentle curve that left space in the middle, which was now occupied by the statue of a gargoyle perched on the postument with its bat-like wings spread wide.
Laurent felt a sense of unease when the sculpture’s ghastly features sharpened in the light, but he didn’t dare question Mr. Fane’s choices in art. Perhaps the sculpture had been transported all the way from the Old World, and asking about it would have made Laurent seem uncultured.
Fane ignored the statue and dove straight into its shadow, touching the wooden panels. Something clicked, and a section of the wall moved, revealing itself as a hidden doorway. Cool air swiped Laurent’s face, and when the glow cast by the lamp snuck into the space behind the secret entrance, a hidden flight of stairs leading to the cellar was revealed. The walls beyond it were curiously naked, too mundane for a man as fine as the wealthy William Fane. William closed two locks on the door as soon as they stepped inside.
“Ah, they are not allowed to come here.”
Laurent got a queasy feeling in his stomach when he looked down the stairs, where light died in the pitch-black gloom. But then again, if they were to do something illicit, wouldn’t it be better to make sure no servant heard or saw them? He held the books closer to his chest. “Oh.” His mind began to wander and draw on the only experience of the forbidden that he had. “Do you own… books that should not necessarily be seen?”
William was silent for a few moments as he took the lantern out of Laurent’s hand and led him down the stairs. Just as they neared the floor, an intense, fruity smell started dominating the air, as if the walls had been impregnated with perfume. “Those things are not spoken of. We need to be cautious about what we do in these rooms.”
Laurent smiled as his heart fluttered erratically in his chest. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he’d be taken to William’s secret rooms, nor call Mr. Fane by his Christian name for that matter. “Do we? What are they for?” He looked down the corridor with a low ceiling and several doors on each side. All the walls were covered with beautifully carved wood, but there were no other decorations, which made the place look unfinished. Were those William’s private chambers?
“Speak your mind,” William said, opening the last door and leading Laurent inside. Fire buzzed in the fireplace, but the room itself, with a low ceiling and wood-covered walls, was curiously empty. A large bed made of solid wood stood in the corner, a chest of drawers, some trunks, a piece of furniture covered with fabric, and not much else, leaving the bare wooden floor empty. The scent of perfume and incense was particularly strong here, so strong in fact it was choking Laurent a bit, but he did not want to displease his host by saying he disliked it.
From his throat, all the way down below his navel, shivers crawled up and down Laurent’s body. He pulled an apple out of the bag with books and presented it to William with a hand that was pathetically trembling.
He was a man who would reach out for what he wished for so dearly. He would show William his intentions and deem himself worthy of the man’s attention. “I brought this one just for you.”