Temptation ~ The second novelette from "Different Desire", a Gay Victorian Romance and Erotic novelette collection

index finger slowly, a gestured that Oliver found oddly provocative.
    “What do you want to do with your life?” Oliver said suddenly before he could stop himself. He paused gathering his books and quills from the desk. The question was all too personal and direct , and it bordered on being impolite.
    Winston looked up at him, his brown eyes slightly widened by the blunt question.
    “What do I want to do with my life?” Winston repeated , and a sad look swept over his face. “It is not about what I want to do; it is what I can do. And I can do absolutely nothing.”
    “What do you mean?” Oliver asked carefully.
    “I mean that the options in my life are severely limited. After I got expelled from Eton, my father decided not to provide for me when I came of age and turned one-and-twenty,” Winston said and paused. “It will perhaps not surprise you if I told you that I got expelled for being involved in an ill-chosen relationship with another boy? And that my parents were – to put it mildly – not too pleased with it?”
    Oliver shook his head. He had suspected that much. Relationships between boys at boarding sc hools were neither uncommon nor unheard of , and although Oliver had never dared to enter one himself when he was younger, he had often dreamt about it.
    “My father has chosen to disinherit me. I ow n nothing, not even the clothes on my body , and I have to o bey my parents without questions. They support me only by letting me stay here at Wycliffe Castle to protect their reputation.”
    “I see,” Oliver said slowly.
    Winston continued with a sad smile, “I live in this great castle, surrounded by expensive furniture and paintings. However, I am not allowed anything, not even the smallest leisure or freedom. Sometimes my mother will let me get away with smuggling books to my room, but that is my only source of enjoyment. I am not allowed to send post or meet friends–not that I have any friends left anymore, and I never join any social gatherings.” Winston paused. “I cannot even leave the grounds. Once I tried to run away with a touring theatre troupe. My father hired men to bring me back and made sure the theatre company faced financial ruin. He had me locked into my room for three months.”
    “I am sorry to hear that,” Oliver said quietly. An idea started to form in his mind. Perhaps …
    “Ah, well. Do not be,” Winston said with a new sad smile that made Oliver’s heart ache. Winston tried to make his tone light. “I am sorry if I have burdened you with my troubles. You must not listen to me. After all, I am just a spoiled noble son.”
    Oliver was silent. He removed his brass spectacles and cleaned them without thinking of what he was doing using his shirtsleeve.
    “Actually,” Oliver said after a while. He put his glasses back on again. A small smile started to spread over his lips. “I think that I may have a solution for both of us. Would you care to listen to a proposal?”
     
    *
     
    The weeks went by. May gave w ay to June , and June was followed by July. The summer was – as most English summers – rather wet and rainy ; however , that mattered little to Oliver and Winston , who spent most of their time indoors studying.
    Lord Henley was sincerely surprised, but rather pleased to notice that his latest hired tutor did , in fact , seem to have some kind of success with his impossible son, much to Lord Henley’s private astonishment because he had not put much faith in neither the nervous-looking scholar nor his teaching abilities. Nevertheless, somehow young Mr Sanders had brought Winston to heel , and Lord Henley would not question his methods. As long as his son appeared each morning neatly dressed, shaved, and with water-combed hair, Lord Henley did not care what kind of draconian punishment or threats Mr Sanders used.
    Winston’s altered behaviour was also recognized by Winston’s mother. Lady Henley had a vague suspicion that was distinctly different from Lord Henley’s firm conclusions. However, Lady Henley also noticed that Winston seemed happier and more cheerful than he had been in many years, so she quietly decided after some silent pondering not to mention anything about her speculations behind his changed behaviour to her stern husband, who often was too hard and strict with their youngest son, in Lady Henley’s opinion.
    What the servants may have seen or heard is unknown. All we know is that in the end no one at Wycliffe Castle dared tel l