Chapter Ten

Dominic scoured the dancefloor hoping to spot Callum's graceful form but to no avail. The last time he had spoken to Callum, this morning before he had left the Fitzrovia apartment, he'd confirmed he had been invited to the Marlborough's ball, attending alongside his parents and escorting his little sister, and he could slip away to spend time with Dominic.

A hand curled about his bicep and he turned, hoping to see Callum, instead it was the unwelcome presence of Henry Wellin. "Dominic, I've been trying to get in touch with you for weeks."

"Why would you think I would wish to speak to you? I made it clear in our last encounter that I no longer wish to waste my precious time with you."

They were standing to the side, no one in earshot but they would still need to be careful of their language. "I made a mistake. Please, give me a few minutes."

He tried to free his arm, but Henry gripped him tight. "Let go."

"If you want me to cause a scene, I can easily make it look as if you are in the wrong. A few minutes, that's all I'm asking."

His father had been explicit in his need to retain his good relations with Henry, but he had not known the truth. "Two minutes. Then you will leave me be."

"Thank you."

He followed Henry out of the ballroom, there were many guests so it took longer than Dominic had hoped for them to find somewhere they could talk. They were now in what looked like a steward's office in the more business side of the house, where no one should accidentally happen upon them.

Henry tried to take his hand, but Dominic wouldn't let him. "Say what you feel you must and let us leave the matter in the past."

"Dominic, I am sorry I hurt you. I was unthinking and I am remorseful for losing the depth of our connection. Please, let me try and make this right."

Henry seemed sincere, and Dominic had been shocked to find out that he had been intimate with another man, not thinking Henry capable of such betrayal. "There is no way to make it right. You fucked Clive when I thought we had an understanding that we would not seek out others."

"It was once, and I was drunk. He is not interested in more and neither am I. We have been friends for years, he was upset at losing a loved one and we forgot ourselves in the moment and overstepped. Please, you know I have to marry Lucinda, but I love you and do not wish to lose you."

A few months ago, he would have been thrilled to hear Henry say those words but now he didn't care. He had Callum, and with the past life memories of Baniti, he had never felt as deep a connection to someone. "You have lost me, at least in that way. We are men in a world where we cannot be our true selves to the public, which makes it so important that we are honest with each other when we are alone."

"Dominic, you can't mean that. I have been bereft without you. There must be a way."

Henry reached out to grab him but this time he stepped away. "No there isn't. And even if I could forgive your overstep, as you chose to call it, I do not wish to go back to what we had. I am worth more."

The door opened and Callum stood there, a smile on his face. "Ah, there you are, Lord Fairweather. I have been looking for you."

He saw Henry's expression turn sour. "We are having a private conversation, you would do well to learn some manners."

"Appears to me like your conversation is over." Callum raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Unless Lord Fairweather would like to correct my understanding."

It sounded like a simple statement, but it was laced with meaning. If Dominic stayed, then Callum would think he had chosen Henry. He had yet to confide in Callum on the nature of their past relationship or how it had ended but knew how it must look, the two of them sequestered away here. He knew the Ton was riddled with talk of his closeness to Henry but Callum had not asked and he had not volunteered any information, and now he was in a room on his own with the man.

"You are correct, Mr Gething. You said you were searching for me?"

"Dominic!" Henry snapped. "We aren't finished here."

"I think we are." Dominic walked towards Callum, not turning. "I meant what I said, Henry. There is no going back. There is only the future, and mine does not include you."

Once outside the office, Dominic could tell Callum was waiting for him to say something. "The weather is mild this evening. Let's take the air while there is still light."

Dominic hoped Callum would give him the chance to explain. He'd been caught on his own with Henry, them standing close enough for it not to appear innocent, and in Henry's mind, he had hoped for it not to be. Callum had struck him as a sensible soul but the influence of Osahar's memories would not help.

They were crossing the camomile lawn and Dominic thought they were in a safe enough place to talk. "You have nothing to worry about over Henry Wellin."

"I saw from your demeanour that you were not happy to be there, Dominic. But if you'd like to talk to me about what was going on, then I am happy to listen. I was told that you two did have a special friendship."

The relief was palpable that Callum hadn't jumped to the worst conclusion, knew he had some sort of past with Henry but had still given him the benefit of the doubt.

"You remember I went to Egypt to visit my brother-in-law?" Dominic continued when Callum nodded. "I went because I needed to get away for a while after learning my lover had been unfaithful."

"Henry? And I take it, you don't mean his engagement," Callum said.

"He needs to continue the line, and for that he needs a wife. I had come to terms that I would have to share him with a woman, but I would not share him with another man. We'd been lovers for nearly a year, I had made my stance clear, and he betrayed me."

Callum brushed his hand with his fingers, as public a display he could make while out in the open. "Did you care deeply for him?"

"I thought I did. But after I had some distance between us, I realised that I had no real future with Henry. Not like us…"

"I'm sorry he hurt you. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Henry had asked his friend Clive to be his best man, it's him he betrayed me with. A mutual friend told me Clive had confessed he had done something stupid. I confronted Henry who said it was true and tried to explain but I left, not wanting to hear his excuses. What you saw was Henry trying to excuse his actions and apologise."

"Did he expect you to accept his apology and take him back?"

"Probably. He said it happened once, and I believe him on that. Maybe, if I didn't have you, I might have given him a second chance as I don't think he is a bad man. In time we might be able to be friends, but he's ended up doing me a favour."

Callum frowned. "How do you mean?"

"If he hadn't been unfaithful, I wouldn't have gone to Egypt and wouldn't have brought back the ushabti." He squeezed Callum's hand for a moment and let go. "And I wouldn't have you."

"You are a silver-tongued devil."

"I speak the truth."

Any amount of hurt over Henry would be insignificant compared to having lost his chance to find Callum. The idea he would have missed out on finding someone who completed him as perfectly as Callum made him queasy.

They reached a pathway where they could head somewhere a little more private and Callum took his hand. "We still have much to learn about each other but we have many years ahead of us to do that."

"I will do whatever it takes to ensure we get the life we deserve."

Callum smiled. "I've decided that I am not the marrying type. I know we discussed it as an option, but I said I couldn't do it, and the more I reflect, the more it is true. I'm not good enough an actor to hide my feelings and pretend I care for another."

"You intend to be a committed bachelor."

"One who cares deeply for his friends, and whose best friend of all is the son of the Duke of Richmond." Callum took a step closer. "I know we said no wives, but I'll understand if you feel you need to marry, that your family won't accept otherwise, and we will find a way. I will not lose you because of something you cannot help."

Dominic had also given the situation some additional thought. He knew what his father would expect, but the fear of losing Callum was greater than anything his father might threaten him with. While it might be an option to have a wife as a cover, the risk was they would put their safety into another's hands, and he would not do that. "No, I will find a way to prevent any marriage. I think we will be both confirmed bachelors."

"It would make sense to find a place we could live in to share costs and keep each other company." Callum brushed their lips together but they'd daren't risk more here. "We could travel, see the world."

"I would like to take you to Egypt, show you the pyramids." Baniti's memories reminded him of their other life, and he thought they would both relish seeing where they'd once lived and loved.

"I can't imagine anything better. I am sure I could convince my father that it could be a potential business venture and I knew the perfect man to guide us. He would be delighted at the connection I have made."

Dominic checked his pocket watch. It was still early but he thought no one would miss them if they were to leave. "Then let us head to my rooms, we can make plans."

The future was theirs for the taking, Dominic would not miss the opportunity. Baniti and Osahar had been happy, and now he and Callum would get the same chance.