Mystery of the Night

They were back in Kitty’s living quarters and tensions were running high.

“You have nothing to say to me? Owen? Truly?” demanded Kitty, clenching her hands beside her hips. Her ruddy hair in dishevelled and her eyes still red through weeping. Through the mists of his numbing sense of shock, he thought it amazing that she should want comfort from him. He averted his gaze to avoid meeting her eye and looked at the wooden cupboard instead. Kitty noticed the line of his stare and stepped over to the cupboard. “What have I not confessed?” she asked tremulously as she pulled open the cupboard door. There seemed to be a black leather garment folded up on a shelf inside. “That’s what I was wearing at the time,” she said glancing at him. “Most men find it attractive, the way it fits like a glove…” Owen gave a start as the memories struck him anew. Kitty certainly had been dressed in tight leather, when she ground him into the floor, but then she had made him unbuckle it… Kitty’s bottom lip quivered and she hastily pushed the leather garment aside. She picked up a leather purse and slammed it onto the bedside table, spilling shining coins. She picked up a large gold royal. “As for your expenses this month,” she began.

“I don’t want your savings,” Owen interrupted.

Kitty glared at him, her green eyes showing that expression he knew so well that conveyed she would not take any argument. “Don’t be an ass,” she said, pressing the gold royal into his hand, “you remember now that you need tiding over.” Owen felt that by rights he ought never to accept financial help from her, but could think of no way to refuse. “The cab ought to be arriving for you shortly,” said Kitty. Owen looked at the floor. “Look at me!” said Kitty, and despite himself, the forcefulness of her voice caused him to raise his gaze to meet hers. Now her freckled face held a look of anxiety. He wondered dizzily how she could care about him still, after hurting him so much and stripping away his dignity. “Trevor may not succour you – I won’t waste words. If he is unwilling to provide support he is unworthy of your time,” said Kitty earnestly. The fretfulness in her voice and the shining tears that had started again in her green eyes caused that moment to stick painfully in his memory.

Once back in the humble lodgings he shared with Trevor he wished that the whole shocking episode with Kitty could have been no more than a dream. But the shallow cut from her knife was still bandaged up. He remembered that he had attempted to fight back and landed her a blow in the chest. That had enraged her. He shuddered. He could barely even attend to what Trevor was saying to him: “A whole gold royal?” Trevor enthused as he turned over in his hands the heavy golden coin that Kitty had given to Owen. “Dearest Owen, our luck is looking up. It would take you months to earn this much at your clerical work in the hospital. But pray tell, how did you come to be hurt? Tell me the brute’s name and I will make him feel my wrath.”

Owen gave him a wan smile. Trevor was so cheerful, as always, his sky blue eyes shining, his hair of purest gold, his whole form so graceful and muscular, showed off well by his tight fitting garments and tight pants that showed his manhood… “Do you hear, Owen?” Trevor’s voice cut through his reverie.

“I was thinking how dear you are to me, my love,” said Owen truthfully. “But I can’t talk about it immediately. Maybe if you gave me a warm bath…”

But even submerged in hot water, Trevor rubbing his back to ease his tension, he could not feel at ease. He closed his eyes and could again see that green face right up against his, Kitty’s breasts mashed into his chest… He gave a start and shook his head vigorously to clear it.

“So can you tell now, Owen?” asked Trevor. “His name…?”

“Not a man dear Trevor, but a lady, I mean…” Owen faltered.

“Come now Owen, you jest,” Trevor replied.

Owen felt his head throbbing. Had Kitty tried to warn him about Trevor’s reaction? “I don’t think I can talk further on this tonight, dear Trevor,” he said wearily. “Maybe if you take me to bed I can unwind?”

But in bed, Owen was not his usual passionate self. He felt he could no longer stand being touched by anyone. He kept giving a start whenever Trevor tried to embrace him. “By Jove, what ails you now Owen?” asked Trevor with a touch of irritation. “I ask you, you are all a flutter tonight.”

Owen felt a rising sense of despair. How could he make Trevor understand? “I told the truth earlier, it was a woman who attacked me and stole my seed…” he began.

Trevor sat up; “she did what?” he exclaimed. “A woman could not take a man’s seed unless he were willing. Could it be that you no longer find the female anatomy so ugly and deficient as you once did and that now you seek to replace me as your lover?”

“No! Never!” said Owen frantically. “But of course a woman can force an unwilling man to give up his seed. My friend Kitty is a doctor now and she could tell you…”

“Oh so now you have another woman who you trust more than me?” said Trevor scornfully. “You do know that if you were not such a capable man most of the time I would question why I stay with you…”

To Owen, this was taking on the proportions of a new nightmare. How could Trevor disbelieve him? It was as though he were wounded afresh.