Chapter 10

  The persisted knocking had Thadeus grumbling as he made his way to the door. Sparing a glance sideways, he found Hektor right as he had been for the past few hours; sitting absentmindedly with the open book in his lap.

  The boy was less than ten meters from the door and hadn’t even registered the noise.

  Thadeus worried, but before anything he had to attend to the knocking. He was getting tired of being popular enough to get visitors two days in a row. He jerked the door open, his scowl deepening due to the glare of sunlight, surprising the visitor to take a step back.

  “Afternoon, Mister Thadeus,” greeted a young man. “Is Hektor here? I was told that he was,” the newcomer stuttered.

  It took a second for Thadeus’ irritation to be replaced by approval. “Yes, Jamie. Come in,” he invited with an enthusiasm that caught Jamie unawares.

  Thanking him, Jamie knocked his boots to shake off the dirt before entering. Thadeus left him to close the door as he went and shook Hektor by the shoulder.

  “Jamie has come to see you,” he said in a raised voice. Thadeus had quickly come to the conclusion that a friend was exactly what the boy needed.

  In a daze, Hektor looked round Thadeus to spot the guest and rose stiffly. He shook Jamie by the arm, smiling, “Jamie! Glad to see you.”

  “Call for me if you need anything,” Thadeus announced and promptly left the boys alone.

  Used to the eccentric pair, Jamie didn’t notice the tense atmosphere and slumped into the nearest seat.

  “Would you like something to eat or drink?” Hektor asked, ever the well-mannered host as he busily tried to tidy up whatever he could.

  “No, I was thinking we could go for Larry’s. You are not busy, are you?” Jamie invited to a hangout that had been popular amongst the young crowd looking to come together for some fun.

  Levity and easy laughs were what exactly what Hektor needed, yet somehow he couldn’t bring himself to agree.

  Jamie stopped dangling his leg, picking up on the reluctance. “You can’t?”

  “Sorry, Jamie. I am just not in the mood.”

  “All the more reason to go then!” Jamie insisted, all the more intent now that he knew that his friend was feeling down. “What is it? Did you get ill again?” he asked with concern.

  Indecisive, Hektor floundered. He did not want to lie, but neither was he sure about what he should reveal to Jamie.

  “Alright, we can go,” Hektor agreed with mock exasperation. Jamie would hound him for the whole day, and he would end up agreeing anyways. He was being useless indoors regardless.

  Jamie saw his friend’s reticence, but he had learnt over the years that there many things very different between the son of a Duchess and a commoner like him.

  “You can tell me, you know?” Jamie offered.

  Hektor shrugged. “You will find out on your own soon enough.”

  That made Jamie curiouser. “Why did you have to say it like that?” he groaned. “Now it will drive me mad thinking about it.”

  Hektor laughed, his mood brightening. “Sorry, Jamie,” he apologized, still smiling.

  “Is it bad, or is it really bad?” Jamie fished.

  “I, I don’t really know to be honest,” Hektor hedged.

  Jamie sighed and fell back into his chair. He guessed that Hektor would only be so tight lipped with ‘official’ matters. And despite his curiosity, Jamie knew that he wasn’t owed an explanation. “Can’t do anything about it then,” he uttered. “So, when are you going back to your apartment? Missus Hudson was unsure when I met her.”

  The mention of Hektor’s housekeeper had Hektor scratching his neck in thought. “Not sure,” he answered. “I should have informed her,” he reprimanded himself.

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  Jamie looked around the house. “How does Mister Thadeus not have a telephone? Missus Hudson had her complaints about it.”

  Hektor smiled. “Mother offered him a line, but he says he does not like the telephone because then anyone can reach out to him at their convenience without being mindful of inconveniencing him.”

  “Fancy way of saying that he is a grouch and doesn’t want to meet people,” Jamie said with a smirk.

  Hektor gave him a scolding look. It was discourteous to talk behind someone’s back in their own home.

  “Sorry,” Jamie easily apologized, unrepentant. “But I have had enough of people being mean while pretending to be polite.”

  “How’s work?” Hektor quickly deduced that Jamie’s irritation had to do with his job.

  “It’s all right,” Jamie replied. “It just irks me some time. Always smiling, being courteous and proper like, all the while plotting when they think no one’s looking,” he sighed. “But I shouldn’t complain.”

  “You can complain all you like to me, Jamie,” Hektor comforted his friend.

  Jamie quickly took Hektor on his offer. “It was the same old, you know. Paisley and Horton were at my heels again. Don’t like me budging in on their action. Backstabbing pricks! Not my fault I am more pleasant company than those sniveling brown nosers! This time they tried sticking me with the cleaning crew, even when it was my shift to be on the serving floor. But Mr. Bosco caught them switching assignments,” Jamie chuckled vindictively. “Miss Violet was on stage for the two nights and the crowds are always bigger with her singing. I raked in the tips! Mr. Bosco was impressed and even allotted me more time on the floor.”

  Jamie was lucky to find work at a reputable gentleman’s club, but his humble beginnings had left him at a disadvantage. Jamie had to learn on the job and compete with those who had started out much better in life.

  A respectable gentleman’s club was all about its service, decorum, and class. An orphan like Jamie had the cards stacked against him even more so in such a place, especially when he had his eye set on promotions and better things. For him to succeed would be at the cost of someone else. Hence, the sabotage at his work.

  Proud of his friend’s success, Hektor felt himself come up short to Jamie’s industry and endeavor. Jamie was only three years older than him and was already working for more than year. And here he was, of better means and not having worked for a coin in his life, floundering the one time he was asked to do something.

  Hektor felt ashamed and there were embers of a determination to match his friend.

  “Do you want me to put in a word?”

  “No, no,” Jamie quickly denied. “That will do me no good. I already owe you for getting me the job.”

  Hektor sighed, but decided not to comment on their repeated argument. “So how was your week? Any news?” he asked instead.

  Jamie went on to regale Hektor with snippets of his day to day. There was nothing of great consequence, but Hektor listened avidly to his friend talk about this and that. He only needed to say a few words and let Jamie talk for the both of them.

  Jamie had the gift of gab and drew people to him. He never ran out of anecdotes and gossip, from scandals between a certain merchant’s son and a hostess, to when a young scion who was taken to the cleaners by at the gambling dens.

  The city of Faymoren felt so much more vibrant when Jamie talked about its happenings.

  Time flew by and Hektor was swept up by Jamie’s exuberance. Around four o’clock, they hailed a taxi carriage to their destination.

  Jamie had been liberal in primping himself up with Hektor’s help. Jamie had poured on Hektor’s perfume, borrowed one of his scarves and a shiny trouser belt, along with a silk handkerchief that was fluffed in his vest pocket.

  The finery stood out on his plain clothes, but Jamie knew how to make it work.

  Hektor realized all too belatedly that more than anything else, Jamie was eager for mingling with the fairer sex and had taken Hektor along like a little brother as a chore. Not to mention that Hektor would offer to pay and Jamie would happily agree.

  “So?” said Jamie when Hektor raised a fuss. “You’re the odd one out. Why not flirt and laugh, drink and dance with the ladies? It is what everyone does. Or wants to anyways,” Jamie wiggled his eyebrows. “Only you go there as a chaste school boy and return even more chastened,” Jamie laughed.

  Hektor chuckled. Jamie wasn’t entirely exaggerating as Hektor did only enjoy the music and jokesters that performed at Larry’s. What Jamie always seemed to forget however, was that Hektor was not even sixteen whereas Jamie himself was nineteen. Hektor was both grateful that Jamie treated him as an equal, and exasperated when Jamie took him along to flirt with girls while he was too young for either the company or the drinks.

  At least he could keep a sober eye on Jamie not making too much trouble.

  They arrived at the Merry Larry like the many other young people looking to socialize and have some fun. The place was lively and beginning to gather pace for the nightly rush. It was a slightly odd place in that it was a combination of dance hall, stage and pub all rolled into one. The uniqueness added to its appeal where drinking and eating were secondary to music and good company.

  No one stopped Hektor from entering, but the message was clear at Larry’s that no one underage would be allowed to drink or enter without adult supervision.

  The music was already playing, but the main act was to perform much later. The upper floor balcony looked onto the stage with tables and counters close to the walls. Hektor looked for a table, leaving his friend behind as Jamie had wasted no time to mingle.

  Hektor reserved a table a nice distance from the stage and sat down to be entertained. He took a few calming breaths as Jamie sauntered over with two girls in their late teens. He couldn’t help the jitters sometimes with strangers.

  The girls seemed nice, but they were the last thing on Hektor’s mind. Nonetheless, he wouldn’t be rude and stood up to greet them.

  Gratefully, Hektor knew that Jamie would keep them occupied, leaving him to enjoy the performers on stage without too much hackling. He spoke from experience as he always ended up being the forgotten man in such instances.

  He didn’t mind. Jamie certainly didn’t, grinning with all his teeth with a girl on either side of him.