Page 31 of Infernal Vices

“Father has arranged a rare treat!” he stage whispered.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, wait a moment. I have something for you.” We stopped walking and Charles put his hand into his jacket pocket and drew out two small seed pearl tie pins. His expression was full of mischief as he made me hold his glass and stand still while he affixed the seed pearl pin to my cravat. I looked down at him and knew he was taking his time fixing the pin in place, and when he teasingly licked his wine stained lower lip my Adams apple bobbed.

“What’s this all about? I saw your father giving these pins out to select collectors.”

Charles wagged his brows and I could see he got quite the rise out of secrets. He affixed a pearl headed pin into his own cravat, and then took his glass back and linked arms with me again. I was uncomfortable at being seen publicly, arms in arm with another man. It was not the done thing and Charles knew damn well I was not agreeable to being touched without consent. Yet he rode roughshod over my wishes and appeared to be delighted push my boundaries to be on my arm. At that moment I missed Sebastian more than I could say.

Soon enough the bids were all made and the crowd of men began to thin as they left the party, until along with Charles and his father, just eight of us remained, all wearing a seed pearl tie pin. We retired to a smoking room for more port and cigars, and then at midnight Feathers arrived and announced,

“The carriages are here, milord.”

None of us asked any questions, seeming collectively to understand that we were the chosen few who had been selected for something secretive and extraordinary. Feeling special and chosen can lock the lips of many a man!

The head butler, under butler and footman helped us all put on our coats, ready for the journey. I rode in the first Clarence carriage with Charles and Henry Ashe, and a fourth man who was introduced as Barnaby Herbert, son of a wealthy industrialist from the West Midlands. The remaining four men took the second carriage. Silence reigned until we set off. Then Henry Ashe’s face split into a wide grin as he asked,

“Have you heard of the Secretum?”

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