AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“Ah, Thomas, come in,” said Gerard the following day, when Thomas arrived at his bachelor pad. “Please, take a seat, make yourself at home. Would you care for a drink?”
Thomas stepped through the threshold and hovered there while Gerard went about pouring them both brandy, though Thomas had not actually asked for any.
The bachelor pad was much as he remembered it. Tidy and sparse, with furnishings that managed to be rather tasteful, nonetheless. Oddly, though, the space felt unlived in—like the mockery of a home, rather than a place one fully settled into.
Perhaps Thomas was reading too much into things.
“Gerard,” he began, his voice thick with hesitation.
Gerard must have sensed the off note of his tone, for he looked up from the brandy and met Thomas’ eyes head on. “Is something the matter?”
Thomas could not help but study him. Gerard, his younger brother, who he had known and loved his whole life. They had played together, studied together, fought one another, and stepped up on each other’s behalf a thousand times over.
Yet when Thomas searched for their father in his brother’s face, he found no trace of him. Their complexions were different, and they both shared the bone structure of their mother.
“Nothing…nothing of import,” Thomas said at last.
Gerard looked as though he did not buy it, but he went back to the brandy nevertheless. He finished filling both crystal glasses and passed one to Thomas before retreating to the little sitting area. “Very well, keep your secrets. But come sit with me awhile. There are things we must discuss.”
Thomas did, quietly, feeling as though his movements were soupy. As though he were in a dream.
Gerard was still his brother. He knew that without a doubt, no matter what his parentage.
What Thomas did not know was whether or notGerardknew the truth…and what it would mean if he were to ever find out.
Should Thomas tell him? Was that his right? Or would that be crossing an even greater line than bringing up the whole situation to Mother?
“So,” said Gerard, after he had sat down and taken a large swig of the brandy. He set the glass aside on the dark-wooded little side table. “You have several options.”
Thomas blinked away his thoughts. “Options for what?”
“For where you are going! Did you forget the whole conversation we had about you leaving London until things calm down?” Gerard shook his head and leaned back before Thomas could answer. “Never mind, I would not be surprised. You had just recovered from a fainting spell, after all.”
Thomas bristled at that. “I was exhausted. I had spent all night walking across London after being beaten within an inch of my life.”
“And who made the decision to do that, against the advice of wiser parties?”
“I hope by ‘wiser parties,’ you are not speaking of yourself.”
Gerard laughed at Thomas’ droll tone. Even Thomas couldn’t help but crack a smile.Thiswas how things should be between them—this was how they’d always been. There was no reason this new information should leave Thomas feeling any different about his brother.
Though…as loath as Thomas was to admit it, he did feel a little different. Not that he loved Gerard any less. No, nothing like that at all.
Yet Thomas could not shake the feeling that he was looking at his life for the first time through a set of much-needed, long-missed spectacles. Things were simultaneously clearer—and more headache inducing—than ever. He still didn’t have the first clue how to move forward with the information he’d learned about Mother’s affair, and he did not know how much longer he’d be able to keeping sitting on it.
“In any case,” said Gerard, calming down from his laughter. “Based on the information I collected from the shipyard regarding possible passages in the coming month, we can put you on a ship to the Americas, we can send you back to the Far East, or we can even—”
“Gerard.Gerard,” said Thomas, waving his hands and cutting him off. “I apologize if in some delirious state I said I would consider leaving, and for my slowness on the uptake today. But this was actually the matter I came with the intention of discussing: I mean to stay in London to see this situation through.”
Gerard’s face twisted in an emotion Thomas could not quite identify. Perhaps disbelief? That would not make a great deal of sense, considering that wavering on these sorts of decisions was rather in character for Thomas, and Gerard certainly knew that.
“Thomas,” said Gerard, sitting forward again, and looking as though he was about to deliver some sort of dire proclamation. “Do you have a death wish?”
“No?” said Thomas.
“Then why must you continue putting yourself in harm’s way?”
