The Fall of Prejudice

Frank awoke the next morning to a fully dressed Gerard leaning over him and giving him a kiss on the forehead. “Are you leaving already?” Frank’s voice was gruff from sleep.

“First light does have a habit of coming very early.” Smiling at his joke, Gerard stroked Frank’s cheek. “Go back to sleep, Frankie, it is very early and I would hate for you to be unhappy the rest of the day.”

Ignoring his husband’s request, Frank swung his legs off the side of the bed before standing and reaching for his robe. “I will see you off. I would like to say a proper goodbye.”

The two men wrapped each other in an impossible knot of arms before making their way to the front entrance. The door opened to reveal a lone horse with a packed and heavy saddle being calmed by one of the stable boys.

Frank pulled away from the taller man and turned towards him. “You have not yet eaten.” He commented, hoping to prolong the goodbye.

“A tray was brought up even before I was awake. I am fine, Frankie.” Gerard wrapped his arms around Frank’s waist, pulling him close.

“I know you are doing this for my sister, and I thank you, but I need you to promise me that if anything should go wrong, if the situation should become dangerous, that you make sure you come home safely to me.”

“I promise, my love.” The older man leaned in and kissed the top of Frank’s head.

“This is a very large house and I do not fancy the idea of living in it by myself.” Frank buried his face into the crook of Gerard’s neck as Gerard laughed softly at his husband’s joke. “I love you, Gerard.”

Grabbing the sides of Frank’s face, Gerard moved in a swift motion so that their foreheads touched. “I love you too. I will be home before you know it and we shall have this whole unsavory situation sorted out.”

With a kiss, Gerard let go and mounted his horse. The horse had not made it far down the long path when Gerard looked over his shoulder to give Frank a sad smile, which was returned by the now lonely man standing in the shadow of a great house.

~***~

It was three days before Michael arrived at the house. He came without warning, surprising Frank in the library on a rather slow day.

The two men embraced quickly before sitting down to tea and cold meats. “I have news from my brother.” Michael began as he stirred the sugar into his tea. “He and I were not too far apart as we both traveled and so I believed he assumed I would be faster than the postman.”

With this Michael pulled out a thick envelope from his coat and handed it to Frank. “Although, I do insist that you open it in private as it is undoubtedly filled with all the romantic poems and verses that Gerard has always been so fond of.” Michael waved his hand nonchalantly, as if to tell Frank that he did not understand his brother’s poetic pastimes.

“He is well then?” Frank held the letter in front of him, running his fingers over where his name had been etched in in the small cramped handwriting Frank had come to know as his husbands.

“Oh yes, yes, from what I can tell, but he did not make it easy to make out since all he seemed to want to talk about was you. I dare say I am now fully capable of informing you that you seem to be adapting well to life here and that it seems to suit you.” Michael smiled knowingly as the tips of Frank’s ears burned slightly. “You have made my brother very happy, Frank. I was beginning to wonder if he would ever be happy again after our father died and he inherited this house. You have proved me wrong.”

There was a comfortable moment of silence as the two men drank and ate in each other’s company.

“What news from my home then? You were staying with Mr. Toro and I wonder what else could be happening besides my families small tragedy?”

“Oh, well, Toro continues to mope around the house over the loss of your brother. He seems to be under the impression that there was some way that relationship could have worked, despite the fact he was already engaged. He was, I dare say, enraged at the face that James went after your sister. I believe he would rather your brother stay safe with him for all eternity.”

Frank nodded along, not wanting to offend Michael with his distain for Mr. Toro. “And James? Do you know how he fairs with the condition?”

Michael sighed and leaned back into his chair. “I believed both men to be very much in love, it is a shame because they could have been truly happy, like you and my brother. But I think your sister’s distress will act as a distraction and may help James recover faster. I know your friend Mr. Bryar is watching over him.”

The two continued to talk well into the evening, until the tea was cold and there was no more meat to pick at.