Chapter 9

Wulf scowled his annoyance at this further interruption, wishing that he and Billy were still alone in the house and able to do exactly as they pleased.

As it was, Billy moved quickly so that he was no longer sitting on Wulf’s thighs, but now standing beside the chair in which he had so recently slouched.

“Just a moment, Miller,” Wulf called out as he sat forward in his chair, elbows resting on his thighs. “We will finish this…conversation later this evening, at which time, I would very much enjoy being the one to giving you pleasure,” he promised softly.

“I—” Billy’s throat moved as he straightened. “I think I should go and check on whether the new cook has everything she needs in the kitchen. I’ve heard that men of advanced years get bad tempered if they don’t have dinner served to them in a timely fashion,” he added mockingly. “Oy,” he complained after Wulf stood and landed a hard smack on Billy’s bottom. “You’re becoming far too fond of doing that.”

Wulf grinned unrepentantly. “Go and check on dinner, by all means, but later this evening, it is fully my intention to return your ministrations by eating you. To that end, you will see to immediately moving your things into the bedchamber that adjoins my own.”

Billy looked horrified. “That’s the duchess’s bedchamber!”

“There will never be a duchess,” Wulf stated emphatically.

“All right, all right.” He held up a placating hand. “’old ya ’orses.”

Wulf’s eyes narrowed. “You read that phrase in the The Iliad?”

Billy gave him a cheeky grin. “I did. Hasn’t everyone?”

Wulf and his close friends, yes. It had been required reading for them during their youth. But it was unusual for a young man from the London slums to be able to read at all, let alone the epic poem that tells the history of the long Trojan war.

“Don’t look so surprised,” Billy chided. “I told ya, me Ma was insistent on me being educated so I could get a proper job and not, as she was so fond of saying, running wild on the streets of London like the other ragamuffin children.”

“Your mother could read too?”

“And write,” Billy acknowledged proudly. “She ’ad this chest of books she insisted I read and made me bruvvers and sisters do it too.”

“Very well.” Wulf nodded, storing that information away to be revisited later. Along with the fact that Billy’s name was William Robbin, whether he acknowledged the William part of it or not. “But as I have no intention of ever marrying,” he said, returning to their original subject, “the bedchamber next to mine will remain empty if you do not occupy it.”

“I’m just a temporary secretary?—”

“You are far more than that to me!”

“And I thank you for that.” Billy gave a rueful smile, his cheeks once again a fiery red. “But educated or not, well read or not, I’m just me, Your—Wulf,” he amended when Wulf glared at him for the formality. “I’m not a lord, nor any other sort of titled gentleman, like the Earl of Chelmsford. You certainly won’t discover that I’m some long-lost heir to a title, like Christopher is.” He scoffed at the very thought of it.

The reference was to the two young gentlemen who were now the lifelong partners of Wulf’s friends, the Duke of Sheffield and the Duke of Lancaster.

“I’m just me, Wulf,” he repeated huskily.

“It’s what you are to me that matters, and that person shall occupy the bedchamber next to my own. You will do it, Billy,” he repeated firmly when he could see the younger man was about to continue arguing. “If you do not, I shall be forced to come looking for you in the servant’s quarters, and I do not think you wish for the gossip that would ensue as a result of my doing that.”

“No more so than the gossip that’s going to abound if—when I move into the bedchamber adjoining your own,” Billy amended when Wulf lifted a challenging eyebrow.

Wulf’s silence was his only indication that he had no intention of arguing further on the subject.

Billy glared at him. “Very well, Your Grace. As you command, Your Grace. Just as you fucking decide, Your Grace. No matter what anyone else should want to the contrary.” He pulled on an invisible forelock, his cheeks ablaze with color, from anger or otherwise, as he crossed the room and threw open the door.

He kept his gaze lowered as he nodded acknowledgment of Miller standing outside in the hallway before he continued on his way.

“He’s a rare one, Your Grace,” the new butler approved as both he and Wulf watched Billy striding in the direction of the kitchen.

“Very,” Wulf agreed as he indicated for the other man to enter the library. Which Miller did, before closing the door behind him. “I would be most interested to hear how he managed to employ not just a butler today but also a cook and the rest of the household servants, grooms included, in the short time I was away from the house.” Wulf quirked a questioning brow.

“Of course, Your Grace.” The butler nodded. “Well, Billy has been very good about visiting my brother since the Apollo burned down. Henry has suffered with terrible headache and dizzy spells since he was struck down during the fire,” he added with a worried frown.

Wulf’s brow lowered. He now felt guilty that he hadn’t bothered to check up on the man who stood as security at the club, who he knew had been injured while carrying out that duty three weeks ago. “You shall give me Henry’s address and I will instruct my own physician to call upon him tomorrow.”

Miller winced. “I’m not sure he would be too happy about that, Your Grace.”

Wulf smiled slightly. “Then it is as well I do not intend to ask for his permission.”

Miller nodded. “Henry is very grateful to you for continuing to pay his wages while the new premises are being prepared for use. He didn’t want any of you kind gentlemen to know about the dizziness and headaches, in case you decided he isn’t fit for purpose.” He gave an awkward shrug. “Henry’s got a missus and three kids to keep, so he needs to be able to return to that well-paying job when the club reopens.”

“I had no idea Henry was married with children. I had assumed… I had no idea,” Wulf repeated before he said something indiscreet.

It had now been proven to him, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Billy did indeed share the same sexual preference he did.

But he had obviously been wrong to assume the same regarding the man who stood guard at the door at the Apollo Club.

“Henry isn’t a man as likes other men,” Miller confirmed before adding. “But he has no problem being around them because he knows that I am.”

“Ah.” Wulf nodded understanding. “Do you mind my asking how old you are, Miller? You seem very young to be a butler.”

“I’m eight and twenty, Your Grace. Henry’s my older brother by a few years. I’ve been in service since I was twelve, working my way up until I became butler two years ago.” He gave a huff of derisive humor. “Admittedly, I had to step up when the old butler dropped dead and the earl was too miserly to pay for the advertising or exert the effort needed to employ a new one,” Miller added with a grimace. “But I promise you won’t be disappointed if you give me a chance to serve in your household, Your Grace.”

“Billy vouches for you, and I know Henry to be a hard worker, so I am sure I shall find your work more than satisfactory,” Wulf accepted mildly.

The other man smiled. “Henry really enjoys working with Billy at the Apollo Club. He says he’s like a breath of fresh air on a smoggy day. And Lord knows we have plenty of those.”

“Henry’s continued employment at the club is safe and will continue to be so, I assure you,” Wulf stated.

He wasn’t sure about Billy returning to employment there. Bearing in mind Billy’s aversion just now to what he had perceived as being told what to do, the two of them would need to discuss the subject further before any decision was made.

Ideally, Wulf would prefer that Billy remain here as his secretary, and he would find employment for Jamieson elsewhere, rather than having Billy be absent every evening working at the Apollo.

If Billy could be persuaded to continue living here in the first place.

“Where were you employed prior to this?” Wulf returned to his original questioning of his new butler. “You mentioned an earl just now?”

“The Earl of Rugby.” Miller nodded. “We were all employed in his household, including the grooms now working in your stable,” he added ruefully.

Wulf’s eyes widened. “All of you? But that means that the Earl and Countess of Rugby will no longer have any household servants or grooms.” And Wulf was very aware, despite enjoying having had Billy to himself overnight and earlier today, of the discomfort such a lack could cause.

He’d been relieved to find there were grooms in his stables to see to the unsaddling of his horse by the time he returned. Grooms it now seemed Billy had enticed away from the Earl of Rugby, along with all the other servants now in Wulf’s home.

“The earl hadn’t paid us in months, Your Grace,” Miller explained. “An’ while that might not be a problem for a single man like meself, who has few outside responsibilities, a few of the maids send money home to their families each month. For some of them, it’s the difference between the family surviving or being put out to starve on the streets.”

It pleased Wulf to realize he would now be paying the wages which would prevent that from happening.

He already liked Miller, enjoyed the man’s straightforward manner of talking. He had every confidence that under this man’s influence, the rest of his new servants would be equally as efficient and pleasant.

Besides, he could not bring himself to feel especially guilty about acquiring the earl’s servants and grooms. Not when he knew the older man spent his money gambling and on the mistress he kept in luxury in a large house near to the one Wulf had once owned in Curson Street.

In preference, it now seemed, to the earl paying his servants at Rugby House.

“Did you come to the library for a specific purpose?” he prompted Miller as he resumed sitting in the armchair beside the fire.

Miller gave a self-conscious grimace. “Ah. Yes. Sorry, Your Grace. I was sidetracked from my task by our conversation about young Billy.”

“The distraction of Billy’s presence is a regular occurrence, I assure you,” Wulf acknowledged dryly.

Miller smiled before sobering. “He’s very loyal to you, Your Grace.”

Wulf felt an immediate warmth in his chest upon hearing that. “As I am, and will remain, loyal to him.” He gave the other man a pointed stare, to ensure there was no mistake as to his meaning.

He believed Miller’s liking for Billy was more that of an older brother than anything else. Even so, he didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings regarding Wulf’s proprietary feelings for the younger man.

“Understood, Your Grace,” Miller acknowledged softly before straightening. “I really came to tell you his lordship, the Earl of Stonyhurst, has called to see you,” he announced. “I was so distracted by our conversation, I’ve left him waiting in the entrance hall all this time,” he added apologetically.

Dear God, Wulf had totally forgotten he had sent a note to Stonyhurst asking the other man to call upon him.

Now the other man would have seen a red-faced Billy pass through the entrance hall on his way to the kitchen.

An occurrence which would have given the other man further cause for speculation after their conversation earlier today.

The conversation they were about to have would, in all probability, add to that speculation.

* * *

“‘You shall move into the bedchamber next to my own, Billy,’” Billy muttered to himself as he threw his few belongings into the carpet bag he had brought with him when he moved into Wulferston House a month ago. “‘You will not question or argue the matter, Billy. You will do as I tell you to do, Billy.”

He paused briefly in those mutterings to glance about the unwelcoming attic space to make sure he had packed everything before resuming his complaints.

“‘I will come looking for you in the servants’ quarters if you do not obey me, Billy,’” he mimicked. “‘I am going to pleasure and eat you later tonight, Billy.’” His voice became husky at the thought of what that might entail.

His cheeks flamed with the heat of a fire, even though there was no audience to his present embarrassment.

He dropped down heavily onto the mattress where he had been sleeping for the past few weeks.

Because he had pleasured and tasted Wulf’s cock earlier.

He could still taste the addictive salty sweetness of that release.

Billy knew it was addictive because he already wanted to taste it again!

He had never thought…

Never imagined…

He had believed his infatuation with the duke to be unrequited. It had never occurred to him that Wulf, a man so much more experienced and socially toplofty, might feel a similar attraction to him.

Enough that Wulf had allowed Billy to unfasten his pantaloons and release and then take the delicious warmth of his heavy cock into his mouth.

To pleasure him.

To swallow the hot spurts of the copious cum he released down Billy’s throat.

It had been a fantasy come true. One he had thought about for so many nights before falling asleep and dreaming about it too.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he was asleep right now and merely dreaming again.

“Ouch,” he complained after pinching the back of his hand and instantly feeling the pain it caused.

No, he was wide awake. Which meant the intimacy in the library must also have been real.

An intimacy Wulf had said he intended to reciprocate.

Before once again telling Billy to move into the bedchamber adjoining his own.

Billy surged to his feet to walk over to the ladder to the attic and begin his awkward descent with the carpet bag in his hand, muttering as he went. “Lord save me from arrogant bloody dukes.”

“How many arrogant dukes do you know besides me?”

“Jesus Christ!” After so recently thinking of him, Billy was so startled at hearing Wulf’s voice below him that he almost fell off the last three steps of the ladder. “What the ’ell are you doing creeping about up ’ere?” he demanded accusingly once he had fully stepped down into the narrow hallway.

“Looking for you, of course.” The duke appeared unperturbed by this verbal attack.

Billy scowled. “It’s only been an hour since I left you in the library. Even you can’t have assumed I’ve done something wrong in that short time.”

Wulf chuckled. “I do not only seek you out when you have done something wrong.”

“Seems like it to me,” Billy muttered. “And didn’t I tell you that it wasn’t a good idea for you to come looking for me in the servants’ quarters? It will cause gossip.”

“I do not give a damn about gossip.” Wulf snorted. “I shall come and go where and as I please in my own house,” he added haughtily. “Especially if that is where you are. Besides,” he continued before Billy could comment, “it seemed a pity not to act upon the information after Mrs. Peck told me she had last seen you as you were on your way to your room in the attic.”

His eyes widened. “You’ve been to the kitchen and spoken to the new cook?”

Wulf nodded. “The lines between servant and employer seem to be rather blurred for me at the moment.”

“Then you should try and get ’em back again.” Billy shook his head in disapproval. “It ain’t seemly for a duke to be going to his own kitchen or for it to be known you’re chasing temporary secretaries up into the attic.”

Wulf’s expression remained unperturbed. “I shall go where you go,” he repeated.

Billy glared. “No one warned me you were insane as well as arrogant.”

The duke chuckled. “The insanity is a recent thing. Very recent,” he added huskily, his pointed look at Billy clearly indicating he was the reason for that madness. “I— Where is your red jacket?” He frowned at the brown superfine Billy was currently wearing.

“I left it in the attic.” He grimaced. “It feels a bit tarnished now someone is claiming I was wearing it when I killed Moreland.”

Wulf frowned. “I have spoken to the Earl of Stonyhurst and he is going to make enquiries that will allow him to ascertain the name of the witness.”

“Didn’t he think it was a bit strange you were asking him to help to clear a footman in your household of having committing murder?”

“The answer to that is no,” Wulf dismissed. “And Stonyhurst knows you. Not as well as I do,” he added firmly. “But the two of you are acquainted from the Apollo Club.”

“Oh.” It sounded to Billy as if the earl was also aware of a…shared interest between himself and the duke.

“Indeed.” Wulferston confirmed before frowning. “I thought you loved that red jacket?”

“I do. But I enjoyed wearing it more because I knew how much it irritated you,” he added with a cheeky grin. “A bit like the way I speak like everyone else from the London slums, rather than the way me Ma taught me, when I want to annoy you.”

A frown formed a vee between the duke’s eyes. “Why would you wish to annoy me?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps I like the attention.”

Dark eyes gleamed with humor. “I have often thought that might be the case.”

Billy eyed him curiously. “Then why did you let me do it?”

“Because, as I am sure you are now well aware, I would allow you to do anything that made you happy.”

But what did that mean, Billy wondered.

Was he just another brief physical interest for the duke, like the young man Wulf had kept at the house in Curzon Street? Or did Billy mean more than that to Wulf?

Considering the circumstances, Billy doubted the latter was true.

No doubt Wulf had become aware of Billy’s attraction to him. An attraction, and Billy’s proximity, that was too convenient to ignore when Wulf no longer kept that lover in Curzon Street and the Apollo Club was still closed for refurbishment.

No doubt the duke was moving him into the bedchamber adjoining his own for the same reason.

Billy would be a fool to ever hope it could be anything more.