It appeared there was no need to knock on any doors with all the young children playing kick-the-ball along the front lane. All of them were fleshy white, making Jedidiah and Deklan believe there was a slim chance the owner of the house was the skin tone they were looking for. But, no telling by what they saw, really. There could be servants or ranch hands hanging around who might be black.
The children took off running to the front porch and stood there staring at the carriage coming up the drive. The smallest child, who appeared to be less than thirty-six inches tall had run into the house and slammed the door behind him.
Shortly after the door banged shut, a tall man reopened it and stepped out onto the porch. Quite a change from what had just run through the doorway. Call it a magic trick. It surely seemed like one. Standing with his hands on his hips and the tiny kid wrapped around his leg, he waited.
“Should we just turn around and go?” Jedidiah asked. “This doesn’t look promising.”
“We can’t turn back now. If we do, the man will find it strange. Keep going. We’ll talk our way out of it when we get there,” Deklan replied, scanning the place for any odd activity other than the rambunctious kids racing around like jungle animals.
“That man at the front door doesn’t come close to matching your description of the fellow you met the other night. Look at him. He’s huge, and white.” Jedidiah pointed out. “This visit seems futile, and the seventy two children he has running around should tell you he prefers not to share his bed with another gent. Let’s get out of here.”
“We mustn’t be rude.” Deklan was becoming distraught with Jedidiah’s nonsense. “If we turn around now, he’ll only think we’re up to no good and will chase us down with a blazing shotgun.”
Jedidiah pulled back and sat tight. “I’ll stay here. You go.” He flicked a pointy finger.
As soon as they arrived at the front porch, the man that appeared to be towering seven feet tall marched up and leaned over the two of them like a full grown redwood tree. “What brings you here?” he growled with a big voice that sounded like timber cracking.
Covering his eyes to block the sunny halo behind the great big guy, Deklan had given him the reason they were there.
The tall father of eight, nine, or maybe ten plus, confirmed there wasn’t anybody on the premises matching their description. Politely, but firm, he asked them to leave.
They had taken his advice and turned the carriage around. The double snap of the reign’s pushed the horse to move faster.
Heading home, the night closed out the day quickly, evident by the sun melting into the horizon, which allowed the moon to take over the place it had left.
Chapter 16
Interlocking his arms across his chest, Deklan’s father had been standing on the stairway landing evoking a temper anybody would have hoped to avoid. Mouth pursed to one side and eyebrows on the downward slant at its nose bridge center.
“I don’t think this man will ever be happy with me,” Deklan revealed to Jedidiah.
“He’s only looking out for you. Give him time.” Jedidiah looked past Deklan with one eye trained on Dante as the man tramped from the top of the stairway to the last step at the bottom.
Deklan stopped the carriage with a tug on the reigns, sitting a moment before climbing out, whispering to Jedidiah to do the same.
Dante glared at the carriage with one eye squinting. “Jedidiah, Is that you?”
“It is I, sir,” Jedidiah addressed him as if he were the true King of a castle. “How have you been?”
“Very well, thank you,” Dante replied. “What brings you to town?” Even though he might have his suspicions about the two men, he still shown a cordial welcome to Jedidiah.
“I heard there was a celebratory event for Deklan, which I had missed, but decided to keep my plan in motion and still visit,” Jedidiah answered. “I’m glad I did. Deklan and I had a pleasant day.”
“It’s good to see you.” Dante seemed genuine toward Jedidiah, ignoring Deklan the entire time. That seemed discourteous, but considering the situation between Deklan and him, and since he hadn’t seen Jedidiah in quite a while, made the interlude acceptable. “So, what have the two of you been up to?”
Deklan interjected with honesty, “We had a few hours to kill so we took the carriage around town. Caught up on lost time. Met a few people. It was nice having Jedidiah here again.”
“Did you tell Jedidiah about the wedding while you were out?” Speaking to Deklan, Dante made it a point to mention that.
“Father!” Deklan raised his voice. “Please. Can we put that aside for now?”
“It’s inevitable, Deklan,” his father lectured.
“Not now,” Deklan reprimanded, followed by an apology to Jedidiah for the unnecessary outburst. At the same time he bantered back and forth with his father, he turned the horse and carriage toward the barn.
“There is no need to argue with me, Deklan. You know this won’t end well for you.” Dante made certain Deklan heard him with a stern hand grip on his shoulder.
Deklan tugged back, trying to break free, but his father’s grasp was firm. “Whatever you say, Pop.” He looked him in the eye and repeated what he’d mentioned before. “Remember how many lives you will ruin if you go through with this nonsense.”
At that moment, Deklan felt a downward spiral with his father’s usually robust temper, bringing about a brief interlude of weakness that was evident in the hold he had on his shoulder. Deklan pulled free at the instant he felt his father’s grasp loosen.
Was the king crumbling by his son’s rightful statement? Had he realized the push for that wedding was wrong for so many people?
The entire time, Jedidiah stayed quiet, the expression on his face and the way he was looking upward at the sky indicated he must have been feeling uncomfortable with the two bantering out their differences.
Deklan’s father suddenly stopped arguing. The look on his face was one that could be realization of what he was putting his son through, or he was discouraged he couldn’t get through to him.
Why wouldn’t Dante understand like Jedidiah could?
“I wish you good fortune, Jedidiah.” Dante turned to walk up the stairs, but before he left, he walked back to his son, hugged him tightly and kissed him on the forehead. “You too, my son,” he whispered, and then ascended up the stairs.
The sentimental gesture concerned Deklan. His father never showed affection like he just had and for him to wish good fortune made Deklan think his father had sent him out to pasture for good. What had he meant by that? On the bright side, he hadn’t heard the door lock as his father entered the Manor. Was there real reason to worry?
“I am tired of fighting,” Deklan confided to Jedidiah. “I need a day off. Maybe I should just get married to a lassie like my parents want me to. It would certainly make things easier.”
“Don’t you dare.” Jedidiah spun Deklan around, their eyes met squarely. “That will not make it easier or make it right for anybody, and you know that. It would only be a short term fix. You’d be miserable thereafter.”
“Is it better to have them hate me?”
“No, but it isn’t good to live a lie all your life just to make them happy. What about your happiness and the honest way of living your life?”
Deklan dropped his head and led the horse to the barn. “I don’t know. I’m tired. I just want this over with so I can move on.”
“Getting married to a female you don’t even know isn’t going to bring this to a close. It’ll only make matters worse. For you, as well as everybody involved.” Jedidiah was right. His mention of the whole thing was more rational than Deklan’s was. “Let’s get the horse put away and you can sleep on it. You’ll be wiser in the morning. It’s been a long day.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Deklan lazily agreed.
“I know I am.” Jedidiah helped Deklan disconnect the harness from the carriage and then helped remove the bridle from the horses head. He hun
g the gear over the large hooks on the wall while Deklan walked the horse into his stall. A quick brush across his neck and back and the job was done.
“Are you able to go out with me again tomorrow?” Deklan asked, hoping he’d receive a positive answer and wouldn’t have to continue alone.
Jedidiah bowed his head. “Unfortunately not. I have to get back to the plantation as early as possible. I could only stay for the day.”
Disappointed, Deklan slouched. “Well, thanks for going with me today. I’m not sure I could have accomplished what we had alone. Having you with me was a big help. Warmed me up for tomorrow.”
Jedidiah reached over and wrapped his arm across Deklan’s shoulders. “Hey, you would have managed. I’m glad I helped you get started. I know you’ll find him. You’re on the right track.”
“However, I’m yet so far off that track,” Deklan added. He looked up at the great big house he lived in and wondered if he should just stay outside in the barn with Chadwick. The tension on the inside seemed too great. In his imagination, the house was pulsating as though angry and alive.
Jedidiah squeezed his shoulder, transferring confidence to his friend. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
Deklan tried the door, pleasantly grateful his father hadn’t locked him out like he thought he would. It seemed Dante was in a better place with him than he thought.
Deklan and Jedidiah went straight to Deklan’s bedroom without addressing his mother or speaking to his father again. His goal at the moment was to leave well enough alone and prevent any more arguments.
Closing the door behind them, Deklan fell backward on the bed with a huff, arms stretched high above his head while Jedidiah dropped in a chair in front of the fireplace—his feet lifting from the floor and back down again. A billowing puff had come from him as well.
Even though it was a long drawn out and tiresome day, the two of them reminisced for hours before retiring for the night. Long stories, a few laughs, even a hug or two.
Chapter 17
Bright and early the next day, Deklan let his friend Jedidiah go. He saw him off in the minicab carriage back to town before he himself went out on his own to search for his true mate. It was a repeat performance of the day before, only with different people and without the support of his good friend, Jedidiah. The day seemed longer than it had when he was with Jedidiah, which might have been due to venturing out on his own.
It was hard to believe how many people were deceitful in so many ways. Crafty even. Some lied about who they were so they could take possession of a ring that wasn’t theirs. Others simply tried to steal it. Sure it was only a ring, a white gold band that most would let go of than to die for, but that particular jewelry piece Deklan had was more than special. It didn’t belong to any thief, liar or swindling hooligan. It belonged to the man he was connected strongly to, who he’d met in the garden—unexpectedly. He wasn’t about to let go of the piece until he found the man who’d lost it. The one his heart had linked itself to. The one he desired and wanted back in his life.
Deklan continued his search in and out of the city, each rejection he received had given him the feeling of loneliness. With the unsettling understanding that he’d be alone, helped increase his desire to locate the owner of the ring. He pushed forward, however, his exhausted body and mind overpowered his determination to continue searching into the moonlit night.
Before the sun had fully set, he turned the carriage south and headed home.
The day wasn’t how he hoped the search would end, with a continued plan to press on the following day, but he was thankful the ring was still circling his middle finger instead of in some stranger’s possession that’d made up a story to take it from him. He had a deep down sense he’d know the man the moment he met him again, touched his hands, certain that strong feeling he had the other night at the celebration would return and prove he’d found his mate.
Oakland had begun his return home from his evening swim out back in the river, bare-chested with a small cotton towel draped over his shoulder. During the time he first set toe to river until the moment he left it behind, the day had changed from sunset to nightfall.
He wouldn’t normally take to the open field undressed, but he was in a mood to let it all hang out, and the darker than usual evening enabled his caramel completion to seamlessly blend with the night. His existence of wandering the woods unseen would have been more conspicuous if he’d added the ivory towel around his waist and smiled wider than usual.
The way he always had done during his nighttime strolls, Oakland identified his return by heading toward illuminated lanterns placed in each of the Manors windows, but that night, he noticed additional lanterns flickering in the barn out back.
“Bollocks,” he griped while swiftly ducking behind the biggest maple tree he was able to find. Of all evenings he decided to walk home without clothes, somebody had to be lagging out in the horse barn. He figured it was Deklan putting the horse and carriage away, repeating what he’d done so many nights in the past, but wouldn’t bet his smile on it being him that time. Oakland remained quiet, hiding his nudity from whoever was in the barn.
One by one, each lantern in the barn had gone out, shocking Oakland into believing whoever was closing the place down would be exiting at any moment.
He reached for the towel he’d placed over his shoulder to find it wasn’t’ there. “Bollocks,” Oakland said again, hand gripping the bulge between his legs and taking off running toward the carriage house, heading for the back corner to stay clear of shining lights.
In a running crouch, Oakland had finally made it to the carriage house, however, by the time he reached it, all the lanterns in the barn had been shut down. He stood against the house with his backside pressed tightly against the clapboard wall and sidestepped with slow proficiency toward the front door. The only way in.
Oakland lowered his breathing and quietly crept along the wall, keeping his footsteps as silent as he was able. Dry leaves under his feet crunched, creating unwanted noise. His favorite word of the night had come out again, “Bollocks”—then—“Sshhh!” He crept toward the door, keeping his movements slow and steady, feeling his exposed butt scraping against the rough woody surface of the carriage house. He winced while trying to cage his long black dick and nuts behind both hands.
He finally reached the door, naked and mostly uncovered. All the animals in the house met him the second he stepped inside, wanting food or at least a friendly pat on the head. He pushed them out of the way with his bare hip and one swish of a foot.
“Move, move, move,” he begged. As if adding a word of pleasantry was a more persuasive way to get the animals to do what had been asked, he added, “Please.”
Before Oakland made it in and successfully dropped the lock bar into place, he heard a deep voice behind him, “Hello there, kind sir.”
It sounded like him. Was it Deklan? There was only one way to find out.
“Could this predicament get any more charming?” Oakland sarcastically mumbled beneath his breath. He could feel his face heating up, but his skin tone had kept the blushing from being noticed.
He turned around smiling as if nothing odd or awkward had taken place. “Good evening,” Oakland’s tone was sharp, anchoring the door in place with his right foot. He was conscious of the enormity between his own legs, which by that, struggled with keeping every bit of his treasure in place behind a single hand. He fought with everything, hoping he wouldn’t lose the grasp he had on his private parts and put them on display for the man at the door.
When Oakland saw Deklan standing in his doorway, his heart felt as if it almost stopped. With a bang, a hand hit his chest as if by doing so would keep it beating. It seemed to work—the loud thump in his ears was similar to a wake up slap to the face.
“Oh. Hello there.” Deklan backed up. He clearly seemed staggered to find it was Oakland standing in front of him without any clothes on. His forehead wrinkled. “What are you doing here?” A second ni
ght in a row he asked that same question to a black man in an open doorway. First it was Jedidiah and then Oakland. He looked up, down and around the place to confirm he was standing in his own back fortress.
Oakland stood awkwardly, like a one legged stork, wobbling and on the verge of tipping over. “I… Unh. Yes. It’s true. I… yes. Um… I live here. I do. In this coop. With the animals.” Remaining truthful with Deklan, several broken phrases that hardly made any sense rolled off his tongue. He sounded uneducated while he fidgeted with hiding what he had packed in his furry crotch behind his hands, trying to save himself from humiliation, but it turned out he was tumbling downhill like a snowbound landslide.
With his forehead wrinkled, Deklan started laughing. “Really? How long?” He looked down at Oakland’s hand while it scrabbled at keeping himself from being exposed. His gaze shifted a little higher, slowly observing Oakland’s body as though he was ready to move in and have his way with the entire package. Every ripple and bulge physically fit. He lifted an eyebrow that might have been his approval for what he was seeing another time.
This could be good.
Oakland had gone on, still sounding rash, “Unh… been here a while now. I work in the garden and part time in the kitchen when needed. Here.” He pointed to the ground, but meant that he worked at the manor, not actually there in the coop.
“Wow,” was all Deklan said while he rubbed his hair shadowed chin.
Oakland wasn’t sure if Deklan was upset with him for not being truthful from the start or if he was happy to see his near naked body standing in front of him. He asked, “Would you like to come in?”
Deklan crossed his arms over his chest, not saying anything, but then eventually had given in to the invitation. “Sure, why not. It might make the circumstance a bit less absurd.”
Following his comment, Oakland had a laugh. He opened the door wider to make it easier for Deklan to cross the threshold, keeping his body hidden behind the shadows of the door. A slight gust drifted in, opening the front of Deklan’s shirt more than it was, giving Oakland a glimpse of what he already knew he liked. What Oakland had seen perked his temptation and his instincts were to reach forward and touch him, but the right time for exploring with eager hands was not then. Instead, he properly stood at ease and only transferred a reserved glance from Deklan’s blue eyes to his well-groomed hairy chest.
The Prince of Almond Manor Page 9
