Sunshine and Roses

Justin rode out over his land. Lowry rode beside him. He made notes of what the new owner wanted to do, the repairs, the changes.
"This will cost a great deal, " Lowry pointed out hesitantly.
"It will cost even more later on if it is not done now. Look at that home! The bloody roof is collapsing. I would not be surprised to find the wood has rotted around the section."
The inhabitants, an old man and an old woman, came out. They stared sullenly at William Justin. "He plans on fixing this cottage, " Lowry told them. Some of their animosity vanished but their suspicion remained.
"It would be safer to build them a new one but I doubt I'll have the funds to rebuild every old building." Both he and Lowry dismounted, handed their reins to the old man. "Madam, may I enter your home?"
"Tis your place, " she said morosely. "Door's open."
"Nay, I'll not be entering it without your permission, not while you live here. I might own the building and the land but it is your home and I would not do that."
"Let the man enter, Prudence." Her husband turned his head and spat into the grass. He rubbed the bristle on his chin. "So, ye be the new lord?"
"Yes. I am Sir William."
The old man scowled fiercely. "Ye be like that Sir Richard, him and his fancy men parading around naked, their gewgaws stuck out like corncobs?"
It was difficult not to laugh but Justin did not. The man was serious, somber, and the new owner of the land would react in the same manner. "You'll neither catch me nor my friends without clothing."
"Know how many times I could `ve chopped `em off?"
"Nay." Justin stifled a smile.

"Many times. Would `ve done it to but Prudence would not let me. Said it was wrong, she did. Wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong; That Sir Richard trying to get my son up there in that devil's house of his. Promised my Sean a job, he did. Job? What kind of job, I ask you? What kind of position is it where he lies on his stomach all day his bums in the air and open to any and everything? That kind of work he did not need. Sir Richard was a duke, yes, but he wasn't so royal inside. Sent my son away, I did. Told him not to come back until it was safe. Didn't like that, he didn't, but he's a good son and he obeyed." He spat again. "My son wasn't going ta be one of them fancy men of Sir Richard's, not if I could help it."
"You can safely bring him back now, if you choose."
"Guess I could. Guess there's work he can do around here. His mum and me miss him. Wasn't right, it wasn't, having to send him of to keep him safe. That Sir Richard should have been the one to go off and hide, him and those fancy men of his with their bullocks hanging out like a ungelded horse. Yes, guess I could bring him back now that wicked man has gone. Inviting my son to work for him! Wasn't right, it wasn't. You going in then?"
Justin caught his breath and nodded. "Yes, I would like to see how much damage nature has done to this building."
"My son kept the place repaired when he was here." The woman sighed sadly.
"Is your son good at repairing buildings?" Justin inquired.
"There was little my Sean could not do, " the woman said proudly.
"Yes, he was good with his hands, he was." The old man was just as self-satisfied as his wife. "There was naught he couldn't do once he settled his mind on it. Course, now, that wasn't to say he could do everything. Sean was good but there was a lot he still had to learn. I sent him to Beckett to learn brick making. Thought he could have a good living by doing that."

"Is he good at it?"
"Oh, yes, that he is." The old man pride shone through unequivocal and unclouded.
"I had planned on having a house built. The castle is uncomfortable. Is he able to follow plans?"
"He can learn!" the woman said in love.
"Do you think he'd be willing to take charge of the building?"
"Yes." Justin listened politely to the man expound on his son's intelligence, his son's ability, how well he was doing where he was.
An hour later, on their way back to the castle, Justin inquired, "Does he always talk like that?"
"I do not know, Sir. . .Will. . .?"
"Will, " Justin said firmly. "Why?" He waited but the other man did not answer. "Well?" Lowry's muscles tensed. "Didn't you
want to?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you?"
There was a moment's hesitation, then Lowry replied, "It wasn't possible."
"Why?"
"It. . .It just wasn't, that's all."
"Sir Richard again?" the tall, dark haired man guessed quietly.
". . .Yes. . ." He seemed disconcerted, almost embarrassed.
"He kept that tight of a reins on you?"
"He was afraid I'd run off to the church."
"Would you have done that?"
"Yes!"
"I gave you an out when I first came, yet you styesd with me. Why?"
Troubled, Lowry halted his horse. Justin brought his own animal to a standstill as well. He searched the other man's face. Green eyes revealed Lowry's inner emotions, his distress. "I don't know, " he admitted reluctantly.
"You're free to go now, you know. I'd not stop you."
"I know." Yet, the idea obviously did not appeal to him. His disturbed feelings grew.
"You're staying then?" Justin's tone was low and impassive.
"Yes."
"Good." Justin nudged his horse back into motion. A few seconds later, Lowry followed.

It was that very day that Justin began to bath himself. He told Lowry it was because he felt foolish in having him do it when he himself was perfectly capable of washing his own body but the real reason was based on the fact that the effect Lowry's touch was having on him was getting harder and harder to hide. Justin's fantasies of making love to that tall, slim, chestnut haired man grew ever increasingly more vivid. When Fiona made her move, Justin took her up on her offer. He never made her any promises nor asked more from her than she was willing to give. He felt guilty using her but she seemed wise enough to know the score.
Within days, Sean came open. He was tall and husky, long blond hair that curled in feathery delicateness. Justin put him to work immediately, him and several other men Sean recommended, to mending buildings on the estate. When those were well under way, Justin called him in and asked, "Why you ever helped build a brick house?"
"Yes. It takes a while and a wooden under-structure must be put up first. Why you something in mind?"
"I've drawn up some plans. I'm not much of an artist. Lowry, bring the sketches here." He reached out for the folded sheets of paper Lowry was holding. When the other man hesitated, Justin said, "Well?"
"I. . .redrew. . .your plans."
"Why?"
Lowry came forward, unfolded them, and began to point out several flaws in Justin's hand draft.
"I see you have a hidden talent."
"I like art."

***

"Like it?" Sean asked as Lowry watched in fascination. The small chest was still raw wood, not totally carved with the curlicues and embellishments Sean had planned on using. It was work he did on his own free time.
"Its beautiful. Does it take long to learn to do that?" He sat down at the table.
"Everyone is different. Some learn fast, others don't. Would you like to try?"
Lowry did. He'd tried making paints, creating images he had seen in his mind. They were poor and did little justice to the beauty inside him, and Richard the Hunter refused to spend money on good art supplies. There was something about this beauty Sean was creating that touched that sequestered part of his soul. "I've never done it before."

"Watch me for a moment. When you think you can do it, let me know." Sean worked in silence for a moment then remarked in a relaxed, friendly manner, "Sir Richard kept you well hidden. I only caught glimpses of you now and then."
"You were in the castle?"
Sean smiled faintly. "Now and then."
"I never saw you here."
"i had no cause to make myself known."
"Why?"
"My father did not want me here."
Lowry could understand that. Sean was blond and husky and beautiful, and Sir Richard would have eaten him alive if he could have gotten a hold of him.
"Would you like to try now?" 
Nodding, Lowry took the ultra thin knife the other man was using. After a moment, frustrated, he said, "I'm making a disorder out of this. Maybe you should take it back."
Sean smiled. "Nay, let me show you." His huge, calloused hands covered the slimmer, longer ones. "Do it like this."
"I think I see."
There was silence in the room for a moment, then Sean casually said, "You know, my father sent me away to save me from Sir Richard, but I'd already tasted him, more than once, and I liked it a lot." He looked up and saw the uncomfortable look on the other man's face. "I've been to his room upstairs. Have you tried the whip yet?" His eyes searched the other man's.
"The whip?" Lowry felt ill. He had known what his adopted father did up there. There were times he could hear the sound of lashes and screams coming from his room.
"Yes. I wanted to know what it felt like. Sir Richard seemed to enjoy it greatly when I used it on him. I allowed him to fasten me down on my stomach. When he wielded it on me. . ." Sean wiggled in ecstasy. The tall blond gripped the other man's hand in expectant flirting. He rubbed the backs against the bristle on his ecstatic face. "And when he entered me. . ." Sean shivered. Appalled, Lowry just sat there. A change came over the carpenter's face. The ecstatic look disappeared and was replaced by one of hopeful inquiry. As he slipped his fingers gently down Lowry's cheeks, he asked softly, "Did he ever use it on you?"
The illness rose up into Lowry's throat. He rose quickly, jerking his hand free as he did. "Nay." He left the room.
The word echoed silently in the room. . .
Nay. . .but it was Justin in his dreams, Justin who had tied him down and was using the whip on him, thrusting. . .plunging. It was not pain Lowry felt in his dreams, it was delicious abandon, rapture. His own ejaculation woke him. Lowry spent the rest of the night on his knees, in silent supplication.