Read Online A Superior Slave (Ganymede Quartet Book 0.5) by Darrah Glass - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Darrah Glass
Ads: Link
and Philip should go high, then, if you’re correct about what these prospective masters are looking for. You’ve got an excellent group of boys overall, and you’re certainly not helping morale complaining about their imaginary shortcomings! Too thin ! Not colored enough!” Mr. Elliott shook his head as if disappointed in the salesmen. “You should be building them up, encouraging them! Tomorrow is the biggest day of their lives !”
The salesmen divided up into groups and began interviewing the boys in earnest while Mr. Jacob and Mr. Elliott prepared them a light meal of canned soup served up in enameled mugs. If they ate more substantial food, then they’d digest more substantial food, which could cause problems in the morning when they were being examined by prospective masters in the showroom. Martin was used to eating large meals and felt the lack, but was quite sure he could bear it if it meant the difference between finding a master and going back to the farm in disgrace.
Salesmen had questions about his hobbies and schoolwork. They questioned why he was top boy rather than Stuart, who they all seemed to favor. Martin could see why they felt this way. Stuart was exceptionally handsome, slim and fit, not too tall, and very accomplished. Martin wasn’t entirely sure why he’d been designated top, though perhaps it had something to do with his eagerness to be on the bottom in sex. That was definitely Martin’s preference, but given the choice, most of the other boys would prefer to be on top. However, with a master you wouldn’t be given any choice.
Mr. Jacob had Otto and Bradley collect all the soup mugs and then called an end to the questions. “They need to be shown the bathroom,” he told the salesmen. “They need to know where they’ll be sleeping.”
There were five toilet stalls and a long line of shower nozzles in a narrow, tiled room, and the boys took turns in the toilets. For sleeping, they’d be in another narrow room, this one crammed with cots big enough for just one boy at a time. To the boys, all used to sleeping piled together like puppies, this was a rude shock.
“But can’t we sleep with our friends, Mr. E?” Sandy asked, sounding bereft.
“No,” Mr. Elliott told him firmly. “The cots won’t hold two boys. Sleep near one another if you must.”
“But I don’t think I can sleep without Artie, Mr. E,” Sam said. “What if I can’t sleep?”
“We have laudanum if you can’t sleep on your own,” Mr. Elliott said. “Tomorrow you’ll be sleeping alone in a strange bed, or even with a strange boy. Sleeping in your own bed in a room full of your brothers isn’t going to be so bad.”
“Can we sleep together on the floor, then, Mr. J?” Sandy asked, appealing to the more sympathetic Mr. Jacob. “If the beds won’t hold two of us, then isn’t it all right to sleep on the floor?”
But Mr. Jacob wasn’t going to countermand Mr. Elliott’s instructions. He shook his head firmly and said, “No. You’ll sleep by yourselves, in the beds provided,” and refused to listen to any further pleading.
They were shown the viewing area where they’d be on display tomorrow. This was a cavernous room decorated with bunting in Ganymede blue and cream. There were gilt-lettered signs for STANDARD, CHOICE and SUPERIOR hanging over the appropriate daises; the Superiors would be furthest from the curtained doorway where the prospective masters would enter. They were allowed a peek into the luxurious anteroom, designed to resemble a fancy men’s club with carved wooden paneling lining the walls, images of Ganymede and his chalice everywhere, and the House colors setting off the glowing grain of the polished wood. There were huge double doors opening into the auction hall proper, but they weren’t allowed so much as a peek outside, and the stained glass panels gave only an impression of darkness.
“You’ll be seeing it all from the best vantage point in the house tomorrow,”
The salesmen divided up into groups and began interviewing the boys in earnest while Mr. Jacob and Mr. Elliott prepared them a light meal of canned soup served up in enameled mugs. If they ate more substantial food, then they’d digest more substantial food, which could cause problems in the morning when they were being examined by prospective masters in the showroom. Martin was used to eating large meals and felt the lack, but was quite sure he could bear it if it meant the difference between finding a master and going back to the farm in disgrace.
Salesmen had questions about his hobbies and schoolwork. They questioned why he was top boy rather than Stuart, who they all seemed to favor. Martin could see why they felt this way. Stuart was exceptionally handsome, slim and fit, not too tall, and very accomplished. Martin wasn’t entirely sure why he’d been designated top, though perhaps it had something to do with his eagerness to be on the bottom in sex. That was definitely Martin’s preference, but given the choice, most of the other boys would prefer to be on top. However, with a master you wouldn’t be given any choice.
Mr. Jacob had Otto and Bradley collect all the soup mugs and then called an end to the questions. “They need to be shown the bathroom,” he told the salesmen. “They need to know where they’ll be sleeping.”
There were five toilet stalls and a long line of shower nozzles in a narrow, tiled room, and the boys took turns in the toilets. For sleeping, they’d be in another narrow room, this one crammed with cots big enough for just one boy at a time. To the boys, all used to sleeping piled together like puppies, this was a rude shock.
“But can’t we sleep with our friends, Mr. E?” Sandy asked, sounding bereft.
“No,” Mr. Elliott told him firmly. “The cots won’t hold two boys. Sleep near one another if you must.”
“But I don’t think I can sleep without Artie, Mr. E,” Sam said. “What if I can’t sleep?”
“We have laudanum if you can’t sleep on your own,” Mr. Elliott said. “Tomorrow you’ll be sleeping alone in a strange bed, or even with a strange boy. Sleeping in your own bed in a room full of your brothers isn’t going to be so bad.”
“Can we sleep together on the floor, then, Mr. J?” Sandy asked, appealing to the more sympathetic Mr. Jacob. “If the beds won’t hold two of us, then isn’t it all right to sleep on the floor?”
But Mr. Jacob wasn’t going to countermand Mr. Elliott’s instructions. He shook his head firmly and said, “No. You’ll sleep by yourselves, in the beds provided,” and refused to listen to any further pleading.
They were shown the viewing area where they’d be on display tomorrow. This was a cavernous room decorated with bunting in Ganymede blue and cream. There were gilt-lettered signs for STANDARD, CHOICE and SUPERIOR hanging over the appropriate daises; the Superiors would be furthest from the curtained doorway where the prospective masters would enter. They were allowed a peek into the luxurious anteroom, designed to resemble a fancy men’s club with carved wooden paneling lining the walls, images of Ganymede and his chalice everywhere, and the House colors setting off the glowing grain of the polished wood. There were huge double doors opening into the auction hall proper, but they weren’t allowed so much as a peek outside, and the stained glass panels gave only an impression of darkness.
“You’ll be seeing it all from the best vantage point in the house tomorrow,”
Similar Books
