A Regency Tale - 17

[ismenin]

Primmie's Wonderful Pics!


Hello! Here is this weeks episode of the Doings of Two Hawt men in Regency times!! Woot!!

Hope you all like it.





Thanks to the lovely Lady Sunrope for beta.



Part 17 - Crime and Punishment


Dom was not a stupid man, and, as he had sat in the carriage with Cedric, travelling the long road to London, he made plans to ensure that his friend would not gossip about what he had noticed between himself, Dom, and Elijah.

"I beg that you will not tell a soul of my being with Lij all this time, Ceddy," Dom began, as the carriage bowled along the bumpy London Road.

Cedric slewed around in his seat as far as his tall cravat would allow him. "You may rely upon me not to bruit it abroad, Dom, for am I not the most discreet of fellows?"

Dom smiled, and pulled the cuffs of his shirt from under his sleeves. "This is very true, my friend, and you must allow, that, as I have kept your secret for five years, we are now equals."

Cedric stared at him in astonishment. He had no guess at what his companion meant - none at all. "What secret, Dom? You have no secret of mine to protect, of that I am sure."

Dom met Cedric's gaze unwaveringly, and spoke in even tones. "Do you forget that I was there when Fanshawe accused you of cheating at cards - at White's, was it not? I observed the two aces fall from your sleeve, and I put my foot on them until I could discreetly retrieve them, whilst Fanshawe raved on, demanding that you remove your coat so that all could see that you were a liar and a cheat. Did you never wonder what had become of them?"

"The chagrin Fanshawe displayed when you were found to have no hidden cards up your sleeve, I shall remember for the rest of my life. He is not a kind man, Ceddy, and you, he would have ruined, if he could have proved the story true. That is the secret that I hold - and you must allow I kept it well if not even you knew I was privy to it. I trust you will do the same for me, dear friend."

Cedric was now as pale as his cravat. He was very well aware of the reason Dom had now divulged this information, and hastened to assure his friend that he would remain as silent as the grave upon the subject of Dom and Stanford.

Dom had leant back against the squabs and closed his eyes. He had no desire to learn why his friend had behaved in such an ungentlemanly fashion, he was sure it could not but detract from his good opinion of Cedric. Ignorance, was, in this case, indeed bliss. Dom was also quite sure that Ceddy valued his skin above a piece of gossip - he would remain silent.

Dom was still distressed by what had passed between Elijah and he, and he needed to think. Elijah would benefit from a period of calm reflection. He understood why Elijah was so upset by what he had overheard, but he could not understand why Elijah had not come to him with his concerns. He thought that they had built up a tolerable understanding over the past weeks in Ireland - however, he did realise that Elijah was very new to feelings of love. He would, in time, grow accustomed to them.


Dom had lain in bed after the Regent's soiree and mulled over the evening's doings. When Dom had entered the salon at Carlton House, he had been amazed to see the warmth in Elijah's eyes as he gazed at him across the room. This would never do! He had moved forward and bowed formally to the two men sitting together, and, as Lord Sefton, in his bluff way, offered him a hand of whist, he accepted with alacrity.

He was relieved, therefore, to discover, when the card group returned to the Regent's company, that Elijah had adopted his formal company manner, and all was now safe. At least for a time.

He would have to speak straitly to Elijah on preserving a formal demeanour in public when they were together. They could be seen to become friends, that would help them considerably, but Elijah could not, must not be seen to gaze at him with such obvious devotion emblazoned upon his countenance.


The next morning, Dom, mindful of his duty, had sent a note to Elijah concerning the fifteen hundred pounds the Duke had insisted that Dom repaid him. It could be Elijah was desperate for funds - Elijah had not spoken at all of his financial position, so Dom was completely in the dark about it. He wrote formally in case anyone other than Elijah opened it. He did not wish an informal note to fall into the hands of a secretary.


To the Most Noble the Duke of Stanford, Elijah Wood.

Your Grace.

I am writing to inform Your Grace that I have sent, to the direction with which you furnished me, the sum of Fifteen Hundred Pounds, which is the balance of the Outstanding Amount I owed to Your Grace as a result of a Gaming debt.

I trust Your Grace will find this a satisfactory Conclusion to the matter. I hope to have the pleasure of your Company at dinner in Two Weeks time, at my House in Berkeley Square, as was previously Arranged.

I remain, Your Grace's most Humble Servant,

Dominic Monaghan.

PS As a reminder to Your Grace, the dinner appointment is for the 17th of May at 8 pm. DM


Elijah's predominant feelings on receiving this missive were those of surprise and extreme irritation. Surely Dom realised that Elijah had not meant the hasty words he had spoken in the parlour at the inn? They were uttered solely from a desire to wound. Now that Elijah was in full possession of the facts of the matter, he had not wished this request - demand - to be implemented. He was embarrassed by his own behaviour that day, but he would not allow it, even to himself.

Instead, he converted it into anger against Dom, who had acted, Elijah thought, in a very high-hand manner throughout. Elijah had made no such an appointment to dine with Dom. Elijah meant to task Dom with this, and the money, at dinner on the appointed night - appointed by Dom. Lij audibly ground his teeth at Dom's peremptory behaviour, and then relaxed into a smile. He looked forward immensely to challenging Dom, and he also rejoiced at the thought of seeing and talking with him in private. Just to be in his presence again would be such a pleasure.

The nights were lonely in his bed, however comfortable it might be. Everything that he did, every place that he visited was lacking one thing. Dom. Elijah sighed, and tried to put it out of his mind.


A timely interruption occurred to facilitate this forgetfulness. Barney had returned to the City, and hearing from a mutual friend that the Dowager Duchess of Stanford was from home, immediately repaired to Elijah's house to hear all the news concerning his friend's protracted absence from town.

Elijah welcomed his friend with a smile of such blinding intensity that Barney's breath was almost taken away by the sight of it. Not for the first time did Barney wish that Elijah's glance would fix upon him as a potential bed-mate, but Barney was not stupid. He knew that the light within Elijah had nothing at all to do with him - and so it proved.

"... and there you have it, dear friend. Dom and I have been... are... lovers. At last!"

Barney examined his friend's visage carefully. There was no doubt there was something that Elijah was not telling him, but he was unable to fathom what it could be. The difference in his childhood friend was incalculable. There was a new confidence about his bearing. It was not that he had lacked confidence before this - his demeanour had always been correct and courteous in public, but he has lacked a certain something which was now perfectly apparent in him. Elijah had come into his own, and if Monaghan had had something to do with this, he was to be greatly congratulated.

Elijah rose from his chair and refilled Barney's glass.
" It is so good to have you in town again, Barney. I have longed, these past few days, to talk with someone close to me."

Barney quelled the hasty questions that crowded into his mind - why not speak with Dom? - and thoughtfully sipped his drink. Elijah interrupted his train of thought.

"Will you come with me tomorrow to Angelo's Academy? I have been taking lessons there. Dom began to teach me in...during our sojourn together. However, I thought that it would be good for me to take some private lessons also. Angelo says I am becoming quite adept."

Barney left Elijah's home that night with many unanswered questions still in his mind. Where had they been together - Elijah and Dom? Elijah had refused to answer directly. Why did Elijah long for someone to talk with, when Dominic lived six houses further down the street? What caused the slight shadow behind Elijah's eyes? Barney well recollected that look. It had usually occurred when Elijah's father had been particularly cruel to his son. What was the cause of it now?

As he walked back to his lodgings, Barney wondered why it was that he felt he was Elijah's protector. It stemmed, of course, from the quelling indifference the Duke and Duchess had shown all their children. Barney was adamant that Elijah would not follow his brother into an early grave for want of a confidant. Not if he - Barney Corsham - had anything to do with it. He also wondered why Elijah’s brother had not gone to Elijah with his problems, then remembered how the dear departed fool had treated Elijah with the same withering disdain as he showed to all his acquaintance. He would never go to Lij for help, not in a million years!

Barney determined to wait until Elijah took him into his confidence - there was nothing else he could do. There was, however, something that he could rectify. He would find another excuse for leaving town other than visiting his grandmother in Wales which Elijah had warned was already wearing thin. He had many relatives and friends living at a distance - he would utilize one of these in the service of his smuggling activities. It did not matter which - none of them ever came to town, so he would not be caught out in the lie.

Although he had told Elijah nothing of his last sortie into the world of free trading, all was not well with the Gentlemen, or with those who aided them. Barney was beginning to feel that all the fun had gone out of what used to be a thrilling adventure. These days it was dark and threatening. It would not be long before he gave the life up, he was certain.


The next morning, promptly at eleven, Barney and Elijah left Elijah's house for Angelo's Fencing Academy, which, fortunately for both men, was situated next to Jackson's boxing salon in Bond Street. Barney had a sparring bout arranged with Jackson early in the afternoon and so the two men decided that they would have a nuncheon in a handy little place across the street, before Elijah accompanied Barney to his appointment there.

"I had engaged with Jackson before I left town, Lij, for you must know how difficult it is to make an appointment with him. He refused Bedford, outright. Told the Duke he would have to engage in some serious practice before he'd let such a rank amateur pop a hit over his guard. True! Bedford couldn't land a facer on his youngest brother - and he's only fourteen, as you know! Glaringly abroad the poor soul, however hard he tries!"

Elijah laughed. It was very good to have someone to talk with informally, like this. So many of his acquaintance were only too aware that Elijah, besides being a Duke, was also an Earl twice over, and had so many estates in England, Scotland and France it would take him years to visit them all. Therefore, his closest friends were those he had had from childhood - those he had grown up with - his cousins and Barney. He was never quite sure whether any new acquaintance liked him for himself or for the vast wealth he was known to possess.

Except, of course, for Dom. Dom, who was so odiously rich in his own right he made Golden Ball seem a veritable pauper. Dom. Shrugging off these intrusive thoughts of his lover, they entered the Academy and Elijah removed his outer apparel and cravat so that he was suitably dressed for the exercise he was about to undertake.

Henry Angelo, whose father had set up the school some years before, was the first to observe the little Duke take a turn with one of the instructors and was very pleased with the way his Grace had come on in the two weeks he had been applying himself to the task of learning the foils.

Indeed, thought Angelo, he has a natural talent as well as grace and motioned several casual observers towards the two men. Soon a small group had formed to watch Elijah and his instructor as they practised.

"No, no, your Grace - keep your guard up!" called the instructor, and Elijah, grinned and threw up his hand in a gesture of defeat as his opponent touched his shoulder with the buttoned foil.

Angelo came forward. "Very well done, your Grace! You are improved each time I see you. If it would please you, I should like to see you with Lord Monaghan, here, as your partner. You would learn a thing or two from him, I am sure - he is a master exponent with the foil."

Elijah, with a strong effort of will - for he wanted to swing around and search the group for Dom - turned slowly and affected to glance about the men gathered there. His eyes alighted on Dom, and he smiled in a friendly way and said, "of course, Angelo, I would be delighted to engage with his Lordship."

Dom! What is he doing here? Is he following me? It was, after all, his stricture that we should not meet until a month is past - now we have met twice in one sennight. It seems fate conspires against me - for the more I see of him the more I realise that I want him now. I do not need a month to know it - damn him!


Dom came across the room and took the foil from the instructor, checking that the guarding button on the tip of the blade, which prevented the men being hurt by a careless thrust, was securely fixed.

Elijah, regaining a little of his composure, bowed to his opponent, as Dom, with his back to the group, bowed and gave him a cheeky grin which Elijah could not return as it would have been observed. It seemed singularly unfair to Elijah that Dom was allowed to act as he would and Elijah had to watch his own behaviour so carefully.

It soon became apparent to the watching men that Dom was an immeasurably superior exponent in the art, but as one observer commented, "he's as game as a pebble, the little duke! He'll give it all he has." The words ‘little duke’ merely added to Elijah’s determination to acquit himself well.

It soon became obvious to Elijah that Dom could have touched him with the button of his foil several times, but it seemed he was holding off for some reason. Dom stood, negligently resting his weight on his right hip, his arm outstreched, parrying, with an easy flick of his wrist, any move that Elijah tried to deliver.

Elijah, feeling patronised, stepped up his offensive, and a particularly wild lunge which caused him to cross swords with Dom, caused some wit in the group to call out - "put him out of his misery, Monaghan, it is nearly time for luncheon. You may call a halt at any time. You outmatch him by far!"

Elijah could hear the men making bets on the outcome of the match, and felt anger rise inside him. Surely no Stanford duke before him had had his lack of skill in any sport bet upon by such a rabble as this! The fact that the rabble contained a duke and three earls did not weigh with Elijah. He was incensed, and he let it show.

Elijah was also extremely angry with Dom. Why did Dom not strike him and have it over with? Each thrust Elijah attempted was met with a parry and riposte that only went to display Elijah's lack of skill, and his opponent's superiority, as if Dom revelled in it. It was not to be borne and he decided to act.

He attempted another wild lunge at Dom, causing the tip of his foil to brush against the voluminous sleeve of Dom's shirt and Barney called out to him, " 'ware, Stanford, the button is off!"

But Elijah did not hear Barney, and neither did Dom, apparently, for the cheering, raucous crowd was now baying loudly, for blood no less, and Dom made no move to stop the match. But Angelo had noticed it - it was his business to do so - but before he could obtain his foil to strike between the blades and end the match, Elijah had lunged forward once more and struck Dom in the top of his left arm.

Dom stopped immediately, and saluted Elijah with the foil, but Elijah was staring at Dom's arm where the blood was seeping through the fine linen.

"Dom..." he began, trembling with shock, and then stopped.

The crowd had changed its tune and was now calling "foul play! shame!" at Elijah, who was mortified at the turn of events.

He stepped forward as if to speak with Dom but Dom had turned his back on Elijah, and was leaving the room.

Elijah rushed up to him, all prudence and propriety forgotten, and would have taken Dom's uninjured arm if Dom had not turned swiftly and struck Elijah lightly on the cheek.

Elijah stopped dead as if struck by a tree. He stared at Dom, his senses slowly returning to him. "Dom...?" he whispered, for Dom's ears only.

"That was unfair play, your Grace," said Dom in a clear, cool voice, as the group went silent, wishing to hear what was being said between the two men. "I cannot allow such intemperate behaviour to pass unnoticed. I will send my seconds to meet with yours, as soon as it may be contrived, in order to arrange a convenient time and place for us to meet. Good day to you, my Lord."

Amongst the murmur of voices that accompanied Dom’s departure, Barney’s voice could be heard.

“That’s torn it, Lij, there’s no getting out of this. Looks like you’ll be fighting a duel with Lord Monaghan. Fuck me! I hope you is prepared. He’s the best shot this side of the Channel!”


Glossary

Glaringly abroad - couldn't hit a barn door at 6 paces

Plant a facer - boxing cant - punch in the face

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!
I did not expected that! You certainly don't take the easy way out! I'm impressed. Wow, I have no idea as to what will happen next!
Those two are veeeery proud men and Dom seems to be back in the insufferable mode a bit.

Oh, and I enjoyed the fencing description a lot. I love that sport!

Nimue

[verangel.livejournal.com]

oh this is horrible...cruel..I'm sad now.. :*( v

[bluelillie.livejournal.com]

Okay...

I guess Dom is trying to give him and Lij a way to meet officially. By doing that in-front of people they can then be friends?

I hope that is what Dom is trying to do, and not to fight a duel with Lij!!

Cant wait for more!

Lillie :)

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

What a horrid shock! Now what will they do? I can't imagine how you'll extricate them from this dilemma.

[trianne.livejournal.com]

Poor Elijah! *mothers him mercilessly*

[slipperieslope.livejournal.com]

Noooooooooooo! Dom's a prick! Why was he picking on Elijah? Arrrrrrrrrrgh! Dueling is serious shit! Arghhh!!!

Next chapter please, NOW!!!

[primula-baggins.livejournal.com]

Oh oh! I can't imagine Dom would challenge Elijah to a duel. Something is amiss here.

Again, I can hardly wait for the next chapter!

[frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com]

Wow - I didn't see that one coming!! Dom does seem to like to torment poor Elijah but challenging to a duel seems a little extreme!! It wouldn't give them a chance for a private meeting - won't there be witnesses? I am so enjoying this tale and can't wait for the next chapter.

[chickenlegs-11.livejournal.com]

What the...? Well I didn't see that coming Issi. You trickster you! Goodness me, I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[lireeli.livejournal.com]

Oh My God!
*blank*

[laeliacatt.livejournal.com]

Ack! And "ACK!" again!

Dom toys with Elijah like a cat playing with an unfortunate mouse and now a DUEL???

Oh, dear. *tries not to chew off nails and fingers until next week*

[pattilovesviggo.livejournal.com]

You always write the unexpected, it is very entertaining not knowing which way a story will go. Great stuff.

[ourdramaqueen.livejournal.com]

Oh sh*t!!! I guess that's the only thing Dom could do, to save face for both of them! But eeeeeh, a duel!!! *gulp*

Elijah needs to stop being so mistrustful towards Dom and his intentions!

[http://users.livejournal.com/saura_/]

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!!! *shivers* I KNEW the button was going to go off as soon as I heard "Monaghan" being said!

Man!!! I can't wait for the next chapter! I think that Domlijah battling in duel is a fine image! (ok -so I read the aclaration and I understood this whole dueling thing much better *teee*)

[summershobbit.livejournal.com]

Ah, now that earlier post makes sense. Oh, can't wait to see what happens next.

[janejanejane.livejournal.com]

Another brilliant chapter, dearest Issi! Just hope that Elijah survives the duel, a Dom is an expert... 0_0

These two are meant to be together!

Thanks for your hard work and to LSR for beta as always.

*hugs*