Read Online A Free Choice (Ganymede Quartet Book 4.5) by Darrah Glass - Free Book Online
Authors: Darrah Glass
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everyone likes these foods, though.” For both Henry and himself, Martin had dished out macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, ham, potato croquettes and potato salad, green peas, baked beans, fresh-baked rolls, and applesauce freckled with cinnamon. There were as-yet-untried dishes waiting on the sideboard. “Let me know if you want more of any particular thing, Sir.”
“I will,” Henry said. “Thank you.” He bumped Martin’s knee with his own.
When Martin went back to refill their plates, several of his colleagues approached and delivered birthday wishes, but also relayed their happiness that his closeness with his master was restored. Martin was a little worried that Henry would overhear and be mortified that everyone knew his business, but Henry was talking with Mr. Tim and seemed quite oblivious.
As Martin finished his second plate of food, Tom touched his thigh under the table.
“Martin.”
“Yes?”
“I have something for you.” Tom reached into his jacket pocket, then held out a closed fist. “Hold out your hand.”
Martin did as he asked, and Tom placed something small and cool on his palm, and closed his fingers over Martin’s a moment before letting go.
It was a vivid blue stone bead, perhaps half an inch in diameter, chased in golden ivy, with a little bail so that it could be hung from a chain or pin. It was obviously real jewelry, something valuable.
“Lapis,” Martin said softly, startled by the expense of the gift. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Tom, but you really shouldn’t have—”
“Don’t,” Tom insisted, keeping his voice low. “I wanted to. You’re so important to me, Martin. You know I’m not asking for anything more than your friendship. I’m just asking for what you can give me.”
Lapis was for friendship, of course, but it was for special friends, intense connections. It was a grand declaration, not made lightly. It was an honor for Tom to offer this degree of caring and concern to Martin, and he would not insult his friend with further attempts to deflect his gallantry.
“If you’re worried it’s too much, you should show it to Mr. Blackwell,” Tom said. “You can tell him what it means, and if he doesn’t want you to have it, I’ll take it back, all right?”
That seemed fair. “Thank you so much, Tommy. I-I don’t really know what to say.”
“Thank you is enough.” Tom wrapped his fingers around Martin’s wrist and lightly squeezed. “Or if you want to say more, say that we’ll always be close. I want that more than anything.”
Martin smiled at him, his poor, lovely friend. “We will,” he told him. “We definitely will.” He leaned closer to Tom and gave him a brief, loving hug. Tom clung, and Martin pretended he didn’t notice Tom breathing him in.
On Martin’s other side, Henry touched his arm. “What do you have there?” he asked.
Martin turned to face him. “Tommy gave me a present, Sir.”
“Will you show it to me?”
Martin leaned close, his mouth at Henry’s ear. “May I show it to you upstairs, Sir? Later? I don’t want to share it with everyone.”
Henry seemed startled by this, perhaps intrigued. “Uh, sure. I suppose that’s fine.”
“Thank you, Sir.” He dared to touch Henry’s thigh just briefly.
At the conclusion of the meal, there was a flurry of activity as dirty dishes were gathered to be returned to the kitchen. Henry tried to help, but Martin and Tom both insisted he stay put and let slaves take care of things.
During clean-up, Martin always made sure to do a little more than his share. Despite his position in the family hierarchy, he thought it better to be humble and do his part than expect the others to wait on him, and he knew Mr. Tim approved of his attitude. He added plates to the careless stack in a big enamel tub and made as if to lift it, but Jerry elbowed him aside.
“You’re not hauling dishes around on your birthday,” Jerry said in mild chastisement. “Go be with your
“I will,” Henry said. “Thank you.” He bumped Martin’s knee with his own.
When Martin went back to refill their plates, several of his colleagues approached and delivered birthday wishes, but also relayed their happiness that his closeness with his master was restored. Martin was a little worried that Henry would overhear and be mortified that everyone knew his business, but Henry was talking with Mr. Tim and seemed quite oblivious.
As Martin finished his second plate of food, Tom touched his thigh under the table.
“Martin.”
“Yes?”
“I have something for you.” Tom reached into his jacket pocket, then held out a closed fist. “Hold out your hand.”
Martin did as he asked, and Tom placed something small and cool on his palm, and closed his fingers over Martin’s a moment before letting go.
It was a vivid blue stone bead, perhaps half an inch in diameter, chased in golden ivy, with a little bail so that it could be hung from a chain or pin. It was obviously real jewelry, something valuable.
“Lapis,” Martin said softly, startled by the expense of the gift. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Tom, but you really shouldn’t have—”
“Don’t,” Tom insisted, keeping his voice low. “I wanted to. You’re so important to me, Martin. You know I’m not asking for anything more than your friendship. I’m just asking for what you can give me.”
Lapis was for friendship, of course, but it was for special friends, intense connections. It was a grand declaration, not made lightly. It was an honor for Tom to offer this degree of caring and concern to Martin, and he would not insult his friend with further attempts to deflect his gallantry.
“If you’re worried it’s too much, you should show it to Mr. Blackwell,” Tom said. “You can tell him what it means, and if he doesn’t want you to have it, I’ll take it back, all right?”
That seemed fair. “Thank you so much, Tommy. I-I don’t really know what to say.”
“Thank you is enough.” Tom wrapped his fingers around Martin’s wrist and lightly squeezed. “Or if you want to say more, say that we’ll always be close. I want that more than anything.”
Martin smiled at him, his poor, lovely friend. “We will,” he told him. “We definitely will.” He leaned closer to Tom and gave him a brief, loving hug. Tom clung, and Martin pretended he didn’t notice Tom breathing him in.
On Martin’s other side, Henry touched his arm. “What do you have there?” he asked.
Martin turned to face him. “Tommy gave me a present, Sir.”
“Will you show it to me?”
Martin leaned close, his mouth at Henry’s ear. “May I show it to you upstairs, Sir? Later? I don’t want to share it with everyone.”
Henry seemed startled by this, perhaps intrigued. “Uh, sure. I suppose that’s fine.”
“Thank you, Sir.” He dared to touch Henry’s thigh just briefly.
At the conclusion of the meal, there was a flurry of activity as dirty dishes were gathered to be returned to the kitchen. Henry tried to help, but Martin and Tom both insisted he stay put and let slaves take care of things.
During clean-up, Martin always made sure to do a little more than his share. Despite his position in the family hierarchy, he thought it better to be humble and do his part than expect the others to wait on him, and he knew Mr. Tim approved of his attitude. He added plates to the careless stack in a big enamel tub and made as if to lift it, but Jerry elbowed him aside.
“You’re not hauling dishes around on your birthday,” Jerry said in mild chastisement. “Go be with your
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