Janus chuckled. “Oddly enough, he only has a stick up his rear end when it comes to the care of his horse. And in answer to your question, he’d ride every day if given the chance. He absolutely adores being on horseback. You and he are alike in that way, at least.”
Relief spread through Felix. A man who loved horses couldn’t betoomuch of an arse, surely? As long as Felix remembered his manners around him, he’d be fine.
As if reading his thoughts, his father patted his shoulder. “Keep a hold of your tongue and take good care of Blackbird, and you’ll get along fine.”
“Blackbird?”
“The king’s mount. She’s a gorgeous great thing, black as a raven and sweet as a nut, and he’s besotted with her. Guard that horse with your very life, son.” He hesitated. “Of course, when I say guard her with your life, I’m speaking as the captain of the guard. As yourfather,I say if someone wants to take her badly enough and you’re in danger, let them have her. The king can always get another mount, but I only have one son.”
Felix swallowed the lump in his throat. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll try and remember that if I encounter any vicious-looking horse thieves.”
“See that you do. I want to see you grow old, settle down, and find yourself a nice lass,” Janus said, and something about the way his eyebrows were raised made the comment feel very much like an invitation to tell his father the thing that Felix suspected he already knew.
He swallowed again. “About that…”
His father stayed silent, and Felix knew he was waiting, doubtless aware that Felix regarded silence as an enemy to be bludgeoned to death under the sheer weight of words.
“I don’t think I’m inclined to lovely lasses, actually.”
It wasn’t allthatuncommon for like to be attracted to like, and most people didn’t seem to care what other people did in bed, but it wasn’t something Felix had ever explicitly shared with his father either. He stared at the ground as he walked, his chest tight.
Janus gave a noncommittal hum, and when he spoke there was no judgment in his tone. “I had wondered. A good-looking boy like yourself, living in a kingdom the size of Fortescue, yet your letters never once held any mention of romance.” Felix risked a sideways peek and found his father regarding him with a soft look. “It’s all right, son. You’re in good company.” Janus lowered his voice. “Royal company, if the stories are to be believed.”
Felix almost stumbled over his own feet at that. “How do you know that?” he asked, intrigued. “Has the king said—”
His father chuckled. “Nobody has said a word. The castle staff have been the very soul of discretion, as they always are when it comes to lovers. But I didn’t become the captain of the guard by failing to see what’s in front of my face. And the fact is the king has turned down seven marriage proposals from princesses in surrounding kingdoms in the past two years since he took the throne.”
“That doesn’t mean anything, though.”
“Not on its own, no. But very occasionally I’ve admitted young men to the castle for private meetings with His Majesty, and I do not believe that there is any business so urgent that it needs to be discussed in the king’s bedchamber at midnight.”
“There might be other reasons. Maybe it’s espionage and he’s meeting his spies.” Felix wasn’t sure why he found it so hard to believe that the king held the same inclinations as him, but even considering it made his heart flutter in his chest.
“Yes,” his father said drily. “Jim, the baker’s lad, is highly trained in espionage. That must be it.”
That startled a laugh out of Felix. They approached the small side door to the castle that led in through the wet room and laundry area to the kitchens. “Fine. Your explanation makes more sense.”
It was cool inside the stone walls, the shade a welcome relief from the midday sun, and Felix and his father both splashed cold water on their faces at the washbasins that were set on a wooden trestle for just that purpose. Janus wiped the sweat from the back of his neck with a damp cloth. “You keep what I’ve told you quiet, mind,” he said. “Not because it’s wrong, but because it’s nobody’s business but the king’s.”
Felix nodded. Hecouldbe discreet when the occasion called for it. Felix had no desire to jeopardise his father’s position by failing to hold his tongue. Besides, if anyone could appreciate the freedom a little privacy afforded, it was him. Still, he was glad he’d shared with his father today. It meant that if whispersdidget back to him about Felix bedding the occasional lad around the castle, at least his father wouldn’t be too surprised.
“Are you moving into your cottage today?” His father’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Felix nodded. “I’ll finish moving my things after lunch and then spend the afternoon with the horses.” Felix’s new position as the king’s groom came with his own small cottage adjacent to the stables, and after six years of bunking in shared quarters at Fortescue, he was looking forward to the privacy.
“And when are you meeting the king?”
Felix made a face. “Matty said—”
“You mean HisExcellency—”
Felix rolled his eyes. “Fine!His Excellency, Chancellor Mattias Allingdon,says he’ll arrange something next week, but that Leo—HisMajesty, I’mtrying, all right?—is snowed under for the rest of this week with some sort of quarterly meetings. But Matty also said there’s no rush because Leopold won’t have time to ride this week anyway.”
His father was obviously fighting to hold back laughter. “You really do struggle with titles, don’t you?”
“I swear, they’ll be the death of me.” Felix let out a frustrated sigh. “Maybe when I meet the king, I’ll just nod and smile and stay silent.”
His father did laugh then. “I’m remembering now why we kept you away from King Leopold when he was still only a prince.” He patted Felix’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Try not to worry, son. As long as you take good care of Blackbird, I suspect the king will forgive you anything. And Felix? It’s good to have you back.”
