Yes Sir Part Eight

Title: Yes Sir Part Eight
Author: hannah_chapter
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG-13
Summary: AU. Victorian England. Matthew is the son of a lord, Dominic is a young and innocent servant: "The moment Matthew laid eyes on the boy, he knew he had to have him."
Feedback: Makes me do the dance of joy.
Disclaimer: Fake as fake could be.

When Dominic opens his eyes he is alone in Matthew's bed. He gradually becomes aware of a familiar sound in the next room, the sound of a man voiding his bladder. Matthew comes back into the room as Dominic sits up and swings his legs over the edge of the bed.

How do you feel, Dominic?"

"Stiff, sore," Dominic winces as he stands, "and I need to piss."

Matthew smiles at that.

"Do you need help?"

"No, I can do it on my own."

Dominic empties his bladder and washes his swollen, tear-streaked face. Returning to the bedroom, he crawls back into bed and the warm cradle of Matthew's arms. The master carresses Dominic's cheek.

"My sweet one," he murmers, "my beautiful boy."

The servant kisses his master's fingertips and settles into his usual position, lying with his cheek pressed against Matthew's chest. Matthew traces intricate patterns on the back of his neck.

"I wish you could sleep in my bed every night, Dominic."

"Your father would not approve."

Matthew snorts.

"No, I cannot imagine he would. I have already received a lecture on the dangers of taking any of the maids or serving girls into my bed."

Dominic giggles.

"Why do you laugh?"

"My mother said something similar to me. She made me promise not to touch any of the girls in this house."

They both laugh at that.

"Then our parents have no cause for complaint, Dominic. We are most obedient and obliging sons."

"I suppose we are," Dominic hesitates, unsure if he really wants an answer to this question, then plunges ahead, "Matthew?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever been intimate with a woman?"

"Yes, but I did not much care for the experience. I find I prefer my own gender."

"And how old were you the first time you did, the first time you were..."

"The first time I went to bed with a man?"

"Yes."

"I was fourteen, younger than you were. I was seduced by one of my tutors, a man named Christopher."

Matthew smiles fondly at the memory.

"I was so nervous, a skinny boy with sweaty hands. But Christopher put me at my ease. He knew just what to do."

Dominic thinks about his first time with Matthew and tries to picture his master as a nervous boy seduced by an experienced older man.

"Did you love him?""

"Christopher? No, I did not love him. I admit I was very taken with him; he was charming, well-read, well-travelled, everything I wanted to be. But it was a schoolboy crush, nothing more than that. I knew our affair would be brief, and so it was. But I learned a great deal from him and we have remained friends. We still write to each other."

Conversation dwindles away to nothing and Matthew strokes Dominic's neck until the boy falls asleep.

**************************************************************

It is the evening of the following day. Dominic lies naked on Matthew's bed while his master applies the ointment and rubs it into his much-abused flesh.

"I encountered one of the serving girls in the hall outside my father's study earlier this afternoon. She fairly fled at the sight of me and she was not the first servant to appear nervous in my presence today."

"They think you beat me. They think I did something to offend you and your response was swift and savage. I told them it was not true, but they did not believe me."

"I see. Well, perhaps it is for the best."

"I do not understand."

"I would rather be accused of mistreating you than be accused of being too familiar with you. My family's fate rests upon my shoulders and I must be careful. I cannot afford to be tainted by even the faintest whiff of scandal, Dominic. If our true relationship were to be discovered, it would be the end of me. We would be forced to flee abroad and my father would have no choice but to have Paul released from prison and restore him to his former position. Such an act would destroy this family. I cannot allow that to happen."

"Do you want to end this?"

"No, Dominic, I never said that. I just think we must exercise the proper caution."

Matthew finishes with the ointment and wipes his hands on his trousers.

"It will take some time for these bruises to fade. Is the ointment helping at all?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Good, that is good," Matthew bites his lip, "when I saw you lying on the ground my blood ran cold. I thought that mindless oaf had killed you."

Dominic sits up.

"What if he had? Would he have been arrested?"

"No, it would have been covered up. It is a strange society that would persecute a man for a homosexual affair and let a murderer go free, but this is the world we live in. Oh, I would have made some token protest, but it would have had no effect. Lannister would have gone free. But then, in six or perhaps twelve months' time he would have become the victim of a most unfortunate accident. Unfortunate ... and fatal. Trust me, Dominic, you would not have gone unavenged."

*****************************************************************

Dominic has just returned from a visit with his sister when he meets Lord Bellamy.

"Ah, Dominic. Would you be so kind as to lend me some of your youthful strength? I cannot find Gregory and this house is too damned big, it takes forever to get from one end of it to the other."

"Of course, my lord. Where do you wish to go?"

"My study, Dominic."

The lord puts his arm around Dominic and rests most of his weight on the boy. They walk slowly through the house, but they are not even halfway to the study before they must stop so that his lordship can catch his breath.

"Are you unwell, my lord?"

"I am always unwell, Dominic. With every day that passes, this blasted gout takes another piece of me. I look at the grotesque, swollen lumps that were once my toes and I want to vomit. It is only a matter of time before I lose the ability to walk. Gregory will have to wheel me around in a bath chair and carry me up and down the stairs."

They arrive at Lord Bellamy's study and the older man releases Dominic. He opens the door and beckons the servant inside.

"Come inside, Dominic. I would speak with you."

Heart hammering in his chest, Dominic complies. Lord Bellamy lowers himself into the chair behind the desk and points to one of the empty seats. Dominic sits and tries to look unconcerned.

"I must confess I do not concern myself with the affairs of my servants and Gregory knows better than to waste my time with stories. But he came to me yesterday and told me something, a most distressing tale, concerning you and my son, Dominic."

"What kind of tale, my lord?"

"A tale of cruelty and ingratitude, my boy. If what I have heard is true, your master has forgotten everything you have done for him and given you a savage beating over some minor transgression. Is this true?"

"No, my lord, it is not."

"Your loyalty to your master is commendable, Dominic. But I wonder, is it loyalty that stills your tongue, or fear? You can speak freely. No harm will come to you, you have my word. But I must have the truth. God has already seen fit to plague me with one unthinking brute of a son. I thought Matthew was better than that. If he is not, then I need to know. Now tell me, Dominic, is what I heard true? Did your master beat you?"

"No, my lord. I was beaten, but not by your son. Another gentleman is the guilty party. Not only did my master have no hand in it, he was the one who put an end to it."

"Why did this man want to hurt you?"

"He said I laughed at him, my lord."

"Did you?"

"No, my lord, but he said I did."

"Does this man have a name?"

"Lannister."

"Which one of the Lannisters?"

"The younger, my lord."

"I see. Well, that does explain a few things."

Lord Bellamy leans back in his chair and studies Dominic.

"I could have the doctor come and examine your injuries."

"My master already made that offer, but there is no need, my lord. I am badly bruised, that is all. I will soon heal."

"You are sure?"

"Yes, my lord."

"As you wish. You may go, Dominic."

"Thank you, my lord."

****************************************************************

Knocking. At his door. Somone is knocking at his door. Emerging from the depths of sleep, Dominic recognises the voice of Gregory.

"Wake up, Dominic!"

Dominic stumbles over to the door and opens it. Gregory stands in the hall, half-dressed, holding a lantern.

"Your bell is ringing, Dominic. Your master wants you."

Dominic steps out and looks at the bells on the wall. There is a bell for each family servant, which their master or mistress can use to summon them. Gregory speaks the truth, Dominic's bell is ringing.

"What can he want at such a late hour?"

"I do not know, but I suggest you go and find out and be quick about it. That bloody noise is keeping us all awake."

Dominic dresses quickly and leaves his room. What can Matthew want so late? He tended to the servant's bruises earlier in the evening and then he left the house, giving Dominic the night off. The servant spent a quiet evening reading in his room before going to bed early.

Matthew is peering at a blood stain on the back of his shirt, or trying to, when Dominic enters his bedroom.

"Ah, Dominic. Help me with this, would you?"

"What happened?"

"I was attacked. Most of the men had cudgels but one of them, as you can see, had a knife," he pulls his shirt off, "I need to clean this cut, but I cannot quite reach it. I need you for that."

"I should send for the doctor."

"There is no need for that, it is just a scratch. Clean it and bandage it. Do we still have bandages in the bathroom?"

"We do."

"Good," Matthew sighs, "it would be nice if I could go an entire year without needing to wear bandages."

Dominic gets a basin of water and sets to cleaning his master's wound. It is a long cut but not deep, as Dominic discovers to his immense relief.

"Did they take all your money, Matthew?"

"What?"

"The thieves, did they take all of your money?"

"Oh, I see. These were not thieves, Dominic. They were hired thugs."

"Hired by who?"

"Lannister, who else?"

"How do you know they were paid to attack you? And how do you know it was him?"

"I saw him, Dominic. He was watching and he did not even have the wit to stop his carriage somewhere in the shadows. It was right underneath a street lamp. I could see him leaning out the window and, when some constables came to my aid, I saw him beat a hasty retreat."

Dominic winds a bandage around Matthew's back and shoulder.

"This cannot be allowed to continue. I must put an end to this nonsense."

"How?"

"The old way, Dominic. A dawn meeting, in a secluded spot, with pistols. That is the gentleman's way."

A cold sweat breaks out on Dominic's brow.

"But you could be killed!"

"I could, but I do not think it likely."

"But it is possible. What of your family, Matthew? What will become of them if you die?"

"I cannot let this go, Dominic. I must do something."

"Something, yes. But not this."

Matthew puts his shirt on and paces up and down the bedrooma few times before appearing to come to a sudden decision.

"I have an idea. We will wait a day or two, and then we will call on Lord Lannister."

"We?"

"Yes, we. You are coming with me, Dominic."

************************************************************

"Tell me, Dominic, what do you think of Lord Lannister's house?"

They are seated in a small room off the front hall, waiting for the lord to grant them an audience. Dominic look around the room, taking note of all the ornaments and ornate, largely useless furniture.

"It appears to be somewhat over-decorated."

"It certainly does. This is what happens when a family has too much money and no taste."

"Your house is much easier on the eye."

"You can thank my mother for that. Much as it pains me to give that woman credit for anything, she does possess excellent taste."

A servant appears and they are shown into Lord Lannister's study. His lordship does not rise to greet them, or waste time with social pleasantries.

"Why are you here?" he asks bluntly.

"I am here because your son tried to have me killed two nights ago."

"Did he, now? If he did attack you, and I only have your word that he did, I should think it was no more than you deserved. You beat and humilated him in public, and all because he dared to give one of your servants a clip about the ear."

Matthew locks eyes with Lord Lannister.

"Dominic, please take off your coat, raise your shirt and show his lordship your back."

Dominic does as he is bid. His bruises have barely begun to fade and his back is still various shades of blue, purple and black.

"That will do, Dominic. You may wait outside."

Matthew waits until Dominic has left the room before speaking again.

"As you can plainly see, my lord, your son did more than just clip my servant about the ear, as you would have it. He beat that boy, without provocation, without mercy. I intervened and cautioned him against trying it again. The matter should have ended there, but your son refuses to let the matter drop. Now, I came here today to tell you this cannot go on. You must control your son or face the consequences."

Lord Lannister is on his feet in an instant, his face turning an unflattering shade of red.

"How dare you, sir! You presume to come into my house and threaten me? Me? I say I will not stand for it! My family is an old and respectable one. The blood of kings flows in my veins and I will not be threatened by the likes of you!"

Matthew laughs.

"You come from a long line of vulger counter-jumpers. Your father bought your title and the blood that flows in your veins is little more than rancid piss. I, on the other hand, can trace my lineage all the way back to the Norman conquest, so please do not presume to put on airs with me, my lord."

The lord's face turns an even darker shade of red and the veins in his temples are clearly visible. Matthew pretends not to notice, keeping his tone casual as he switches to another, apparently unrelated, topic.

"I understand you have suffered some financial setbacks recently, my lord. You have taken out several loans, including a rather sizeable one from my father."

Lannister drops back into his chair, all malice extinguished.

"I will make good on them."

"I am sure you will, in time. But what would you say if I told you I could have your debts called in tomorrow?"

"You cannot do that."

"That, my lord, is where you are wrong. My father already thinks lending you so much money was a serious mistake on his part, one he would not have made if he had not been preoccupied with my brother's bad behaviour. He is already tempted to call in your loan and your son's mistreatment of my servant has only served to harden his resolve. I am afraid, my lord, your son chose the wrong servant to abuse. That boy saved my life and we take a special interest in his well-being. But if my father were to learn of your son's attempt on my life, he would do more than just call in his loan. He would persuade all your creditors to do the same."

"He cannot do that!"

"He can, it would not be difficult. I have met with all of your creditors and they would love to see you ruined. You are not very popular, my lord. I cannot imagine why."

The older man's face has gone from red to white.

"What do you want from me?"

"I want an apology from your son, a public apology, and I want your personal assurance that no harm will come to me or my servant. Agree to my terms and I will persuade my father and your other creditors to stay their hands. Go against me and we will ruin you and laugh while we do it. You will lose everything, from this garish monstrosity of a house right down to the socks on your feet. What say you, my lord? Do we have a deal?"

His lordship rises and proffers a hand.

"We do."

Matthew stands and they shake hands. Lord Lannister scowls at him.

"You are a ruthless little shit. Truly, you are your father's son."

"Thank you, my lord. I will see myself out."

Matthew leaves the study and Dominic follows him out to the carriage.

"Is it over, Matthew?"

"I hope so, Dominic. We shall have to wait and see."