The Gentleman's Code

Chapter Ten

"I will need you to escort me to a place. We have to get a present for a lady." Callum was saying while putting his hat on.

Oliver eyed him and the Lord said "A real one, not like the ones you met the other night."

Oliver tried not to linger too much on the we part. He had thought way too much of him and Callum together anyway.

The carriage took them to Savile road.                                      

Callum was greeting everyone on his way, smiling politely and Oliver had to admit- the man seemed to fit everywhere.

Despite his scandalous behavior and cheating on cards, he looked like a real gentleman when he wanted to.

The tailor took his measures and they arranged to meet later next week for final preparations. Normally, noblemen had the tailors take their measures at home, but he was beginning to think there was a reason behind why Callum didn't follow the tradition. And the reason was 

the man didn't seem to be following anything prescribed by the etiquette if he didn't want to.

They went to a jewelry store afterwards, and the place was lavishly furnitured.

Men were most likely picking gifts for their beloved ones. The season lasted from April to the end of August and most bachelors had probably chosen their future wives in the earlier months.

In there, the shop keeper showed them a beautiful box with jewels.

Oliver assumed the family frequented the place and judging by the many different jewels his mother Lady Charlotte wore, this wasn't the only store they visited.

He had seen the mistress only a few times so far- and briefly at that, but now Oliver knew where Callum had taken the red hair and beauty from.

"May I ask who the present is for, Lord Fernsby?"

"A very dear and special lady." Callum provided shortly.

Oliver knew what Jenny had said and, of course, with his 26 years, Callum had most likely already chosen a woman he wanted to marry.

Despite Tennyson's concerns, his sons were going to marry eventually and considering the family's position, no matter what bad reputation Callum might have had so far, Oliver was sure many ladies would be more than willing to have him as a husband.

He knew it, and still, for some reason, his heart sank when he saw Callum pick up the different pieces with interest.

"I will leave you to choose, then." the shopkeeper said, "Please, let me know once you've made your mind up, Sir."

"Thank you, Allistair."

Callum bowed back over the velvet-covered tray, a lock of stray hair falling over his eyes. Oliver's hand twitched with the need to smooth that strand back.

"Which one do you like?" the  Lord was asking.

Oliver hesitated.

He didn't know anything about jewels, although that was probably expected from a valet.

His eyes landed on a beautiful pendant with amethyst gemstones. Next to it was a ring- an emerald-eyed snake eating its own tail. Oliver pointed at it, but Callum shook his head.

"No, it symbolizes eternal love."

"And no feelings are eternal?" 

Callum smiled at the bold question. 

"I wasn't implying anything," he explained. 

"No no. It's not that." Callum shook his head. "But maybe something else, less engaging. "

Oliver pointed to the amethyst he'd noticed first "All right. I'd choose this one."

"This one? Why?" Callum picked it up and observed it closely.

Oliver answered without thinking "It would make your hair stand out even more." He instantly realized what he'd said and their eyes locked. The Lord looked taken aback and tried to say something when Oliver quickly said "I didn't mean to..."

"Well, gentlemen, I see you've made your mind up. "

 Alastair came back and smiled at Callum who was still holding the pendant, bewilderment drawn all over his face.

                                                               ****

Oliver stood before the shut door and paused before knocking. Tennyson was having an obviously heated argument with someone. 

Whoever it was, something had probably gone wrong, and Oliver hesitated for a second whether or not to leave and come back later. But no, he knew it couldn't be later, so he knocked. 

"What?" 

The Lord's gruff voice came from within. 

Oliver opened the door and saw Tennyson among the pile of scattered documents and papers all over the big  desk. 

An old man was standing opposite him. He looked almost as angry as the Lord himself; only less menacing. 

"For God's sake, who called you?"

"The maids said you wanted to see me." 

Oliver said and made a step in. 

"I'm busy, Abram, can't you see that?"

Oliver pushed his hands in his pockets and approached. He propped himself on the small bureau by the door to the secretary's surprised expression. 

"I just thought ...."

"Don't think, what are you doing? Just get out of here. And I'll call you if I need you."

"Uh...all right. Apologies, Sir. " 

He pushed away and headed for the door. 

“I’ll be back later, then. “

"God, I'm surrounded by utter fools.” Tennyson said “Complete, hopeless fools. First the ridiculous maids, now this.. "

The Lord turned back to the other man and began . “ So what do you want to…”

Oliver left the room, the men inside had resumed back their argument.

                                                           ****

The next morning Callum was waiting for Oliver in the dressing room.

"The maids advised you needed a shave, My Lord. "

"Good morning, yes."

The Lord was reading the paper and he seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood. Oliver looked at the headlines. 

The one  on the front page of the The Manchester Guardian said

"Government Losing Its Political Stance"

"The radical changes of the Conservatives lead to dropping their popularity."

There was a picture of Lord Tennyson with other members of the Parliament under the headline and the text was saying

 "Landlords insisting on returning to the era of the Corn-laws. Will there be another strike of the workers?"

Callum got up and left the newspaper next to the other one on the table. The London Times Headline was

"Will there be a repetition of the great famine in Ireland?"

The end of the protectionists is near or the tyrannical power of the landlords is invincible.

The corn laws meant higher taxes for the working class and the import below a certain price was impossible. 

It was, of course, beneficial to landlords, but led to the starving of the people. The law made it too expensive to import grains and the administration raised food prices.

Callum was just sitting in his chair when he looked at Oliver, noting he'd read the news too.

"My father would be distressed." he tipped his head back and closed his eyes. "His party has been trying to impose those  taxes again."

Oliver moved closer and his eyes lingered on the man's neck. He began untying his cravat and saw the veins under the skin around his collar. Oliver wanted to trace them, slowly and each one of them. 

Instead took the soaped brush and followed Callum's jaw with it.

"What do you think?"

"About taxes or your father?"

A slow smile spread on Callum's lips. It wasn't the usual, arrogant one this time.

"I'm well aware you're the one with the blade, but don't decide to act upon your disagreement by cutting me. Please. "

Oliver realized the Lord was very different when he was in a good mood. That was in fact  the first time Callum was speaking so casually with him.

"I will try my best." 

Oliver took the blade and began cutting the short red stubble. He wondered whether Callum's hair was red everywhere. That one time in the bath the Lord faced away when he had taken his clothes off and he had never called for Oliver again while he took his bath.

Oliver shut the images threatening to flood his mind and returned to the conversation at han. 

 "Can I speak honestly?" He said. 

"Now, yes."

That was the second joke the Lord had shared with him. He knew Callum was referring to that time in the brothel, so Oliver smiled quietly and said

"The government is new, but it's made up of the same people. Same conservatives, who...."

He paused with the blade midair.

"I won't go tell my father you disapprove of his policy, go on."

"Do you support it?" Oliver asked and quickly added "Sir."

"You'll never stop using titles with me, will you?"

"Is that a misleading question?"

This time Callum laughed and Oliver's heart stuttered painfully.

"As far as I'm aware, you're the one in advantage now."

"I won't abuse it." Callum opened his eyes and looked at Oliver.

The blue crystals were holding that peculiar glimmer, the one that sometimes made the whole place look brighter.

It was at that moment when Oliver thought  for the first time ever he'd do anything he could afford to make this person smile more often if it meant smiling changed the Lord so much. It lasted for only a second and Callum asked.

"And?"

 "And if there's no change, there can't be progress. We are bound to repeat the same mistakes."

"History repeats itself." Callum closed back his eyes and Oliver continued shaving him.

"Not when it costs millions of people's lives."

"There will always be a price that has to be paid."

"I see only one of the sides paying." 

Callum didn't betray any reaction to what Oliver had just said, besides the crease that formed on his forehead.

"It's not only one," he said quietly.

Oliver noticed the dark shadows under the Lord's eyes and the intricate grid of the tiny veins, scattered all over Callum's eyelids

He hadn't realized he'd leaned so close until he caught Callum's scent and felt the man's breath on his face.

Callum snapped his eyes open.

"Oliver?" he whispered, surprised.

Hearing his name spoken took Oliver out of his trance. He squeezed the blade he was holding until he felt it digging in his palm and quickly pulled back.

"You're done, My Lord." 

He left the razor on the table and stormed out of the room, wiping the blood trickling from the cut in his hand in a  handkerchief,  leaving Callum staring after him.