𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 , 𝐚𝐧𝐝 he has half a mind to call it out . but it has been an age since he has seen his friend , and he is loathe to blacken the mood with uncomfortable conversation . and so tristan lets the moment pass with no more than a pointed look . ❛ is it truly so strange to see me in a club ? i do socialize , you know . ❜ rarely , yes , and often begrudgingly . but he is hardly a shut - in . ( . . . isn't he ? surely someone would have told him so by now , had his reputation become that of a hermit . his present company , in fact , would have likely mocked him to no end . ) ❛ i am amenable to a match , ❜ he haltingly admits , as though each word pains him , ❛ though it has been more complicated than expected . ❜

percy was ever grateful for tristan's ability to let things go in the name of being polite. he still received a look, one that gave him almost as much of a dress down as the lecture would have. "—no, no! i've just... always known you to be less interested in so much easy mingling and rowdy crowds. however, it's been far too long since we've last spoken, so who am i to say you haven't changed? we've all changed from who we were back then." percy accepted the glass of wine he was handed, sipping from it as if to punctuate his point. he nodded when tristan admitted to exactly what percy had said—no matter how he dressed it up, it was the same thing they were all there for. "well, my friend, we must right that wrong as soon as possible. i will keep an eye out for a potential match and make sure you two are introduced." percy reached and patted tristan on the arm, as if offering him some great service.

every second she remained in his embrace , she was proving herself a liar . since the very beginning , katherine had been adamant that none of this could go any further than being physical ; after all , he had been the heir to the throne and she was a lowly governess . they were born in completely different leagues . how could it ever work between them ? however , her logical side seemed to shy again the moment his eyes locked on her own ; emotions clearly taking over . " did you truly believe things to have changed drastically in six months ? " her tone was one of curiosity as her fingers stroked the short hair at the nape of percy's neck . kitty did not have any time to focus on her sentence before she was pulled into a passionate embrace by the taller male . a whine left her lips as he pulled away from her lips and settled upon stroking her cheek softly and intimately . as he stared at her , dark hues glanced back at him , confusion reflecting in her eyes but also tenderness . oh , how she adored the duke . truly . the moment his lips made contact with her cheeks and jawline , a soft giggle turned into a breathy moan left her lips as she allowed him to take control . the ache for him begun to grow within her . she needed him closer to her . lifting up her right leg , kitty wrapped her leg around his thigh and used her heel to press him even closer to her . " percy . my love , "

after properly littering kitty's bare skin with kisses, percy finally answered her question. "i knew i'd be of the same mind, but i wasn't confident of yours. you are not easily predicted, my darling." katherine was likely going to seal his fate, but rather than think about the future, percy allowed himself to indulge in the present. it was an unfortunate habit that was proving difficult to quit, especially with temptation so tangible in front of him. silly little virtues were far away constructs that had no value here. her second remark had him gulping a gasp of air; he was trying to hide how surprising her use of the word was, even as an endearment. sometimes percy felt like he was approaching a wild animal when it came to their relationship. any reaction, especially overeager, could scare her off and lose the progress they made. rather than stop and insist she elaborate like his lizard brain insisted, percy went a more familiar route. lips slid against lips in a sloppy embrace, before he pulled back to speak again. "i love the sound of my name on your lips," he rumbled under his breath. her foot pressed him impossibly closer—percy got the message and hook his hand underneath her knee to help hold it up. "this is practically torture," he complained in reference to all of the layers katherine was tucked beneath.

there was no concern or worry that percy would not follow her ; after all , she had witnessed and felt his touches inside the private box . he wanted her as much as she wanted him . there was no possibility where he did not follow her out . hence when she felt hands upon her waist , she made no noise , no scream as he guided them to a more secluded spot . in fact , anticipation begun to pool in the pit of her stomach as she allowed him to move her at his own will. as they came face to face together , a soft sigh of relief left her lips as they were pressed flush against one another , perfectly fitting against one another . as kitty's arms circled around his neck , she almost melted into the soft kiss . the moment his lips were against her own , it felt like coming home . this was exactly what the poets spoke and wrote about when they spoke of love and all things eternal . " percy . " his name fell from her lips in a mixture of both a moan and a prayer . he was her salvation and she could not get enough of him . " i've missed you . " her words held a vulnerable tone as nearly black hues looked up at the taller male . how did she manage to go so long without his touch , without him ? she had missed him , more than she had realised .

percy felt goosebumps when she parroted his phrase back. from the look in her eyes, she meant it. this was dangerous territory—admitting affection for each other beyond the physical, something kitty had always warned him not to do. he knew she always thought of him as a romantic, easily swayed into feelings, but had not six months passed? six months apart and here they were, clamoring to touch. "good to know we still have things in common," he teased softly before taking it upon himself to initiate another kiss. he was the gentleman, after all. this time it was far less innocent and gentle, with his tongue teasing at the seam of her lips. he adjusted his arm around her waist as he leaned into the kiss, walking her back into a wall. he broke away to both catch his breath and look down at her in the low lighting. his eyes were slowly adjusting, bringing her familiar, yet no less beautiful features into clarity. the hand at the back of her neck traveled around to cup kitty's cheeks, thumb brushing across the soft skin. after a long moment of simply studying katherine's face, percy swept back in, only this time attacking her cheeks and jawline with his affection instead of her mouth. he was thankful for the ever wider neckline fashions that seemed to come out each year, allowing the duke more access to kitty's shoulders.

the sweetest and most torturous temptation laid in the form of the male sitting to the right of her . katherine was usually the embodiment of social etiquette especially when she was in a public setting and her girls were with her . she was usually calm and level headed . however , the moment she had met percy , it was as though all common sense and logic had flown right out of her mind . all it would take was for someone to look over at the pair to discover them , discover their improper touches . despite these thoughts of caution , she found herself allowing him to touch her inner thigh . though , her dress was a barrier between her and his hand , his touch burned and set her nerves alight . if they were not surrounded by people , she was certain that she would be atop his lap , reacquainting their lips once again . the longer his hand remained in its spot , the hotter the air seemed to feel to the governess . it did not take long for the song to be over and she skillfully excused herself during the applause , making an excuse that she required a refreshment . kitty slipped out of her seat and as she moved past percy , she shot him a look before she gracefully slipped out of the box and towards a deserted area of the theatre .

katherine need not send him any secret message or look—he would have followed her either way. of course, this wasn't their first tryst, so percy was clever enough to wait an appropriate amount of time as to not raise suspicions. he excused himself and followed after her fleeting figure. blessed with an intimate knowledge of the theatre—thanks in part to it's recent renovation as one of his father's last projects. he happened to know where all of the hidden nooks were and, especially, which ones were the least likely to be occupied. he resisted the urge to sprint up to her, waiting at least until they'd turned a corner. once he'd caught up, percy grabbed her wrist silently and tugged her down a less used hallway, the lack of lit candles serving as evidence. the only light they had came from the corridor they'd just turned around; it was relatively private, considering the circumstances. as soon as they were caste in shadows, percy pulled kitty flush against him, hand coming up to cradle the back of her head. "i've missed you," he confessed softly, closing the distance between their lips with a soft kiss—clearly testing the bounds. "katherine," her first name fell from his lips like a coo, an intimacy in and of itself. "kitty," he corrected, nose affectionately bumping against hers.

she knew she had won the argument when he got quiet , him deciding not to argue with her any longer. the words that left his lips after were harsh , but she knew he was drunk and exhausted so she did not take them to heart. she leaned her head back against the seat of the carriage , watching as the male's fingers moved to his skull. she remained quiet , not honestly having more words left in her that were nice. she hated him , something she would never thought she would say about her own flesh and blood. but it was true. just the sight of him made every inch of her boil with anger.

percy stayed quiet for a long time, simply trying to will away all of the aches making themselves known at this exact moment. soon, though, the silence as well as her eyes boring into him drove him to speak again. "i can feel you looking at me," he grumbled, rolling his head back against the wooden wall of the carriage. he stared up at the roof for a long time. "i'm... trying, harlow." the voice that spoke was hollow, dry like he was trying to choke something back. "think what you want of me—but don't assume i've given up." he bit back the words that explained where he'd be if he already had. no one needed to hear that, especially harlow. silence stretched on between them for a few moments before the familiar sights of mayfield could be seen through the curtains.

     𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 the ton— some days , he fears most of them haven't grown past schoolboys . to have any sort of luck in business dealings , one must first play nice . join a club , share a drink , join a drink of cards . it is vexatious . he does not understand how they all bear each other , day in and day out . at least , he thinks , waving percival over with a nod , some company is preferable to others . ❛ hanover ! have a seat , won't you ? ❜ how long has it been ? long enough that he cannot put a proper number to it . it's strange , almost . as a boy , the two of them were never far . such is adulthood , it seems , though they have grown into vastly different men if the rumors are true . ❛ how have you been ? ❜

"i've... been alright. it seems like the family is finally getting back to our routine," percy answered his schoolmate, doing exactly as the other said and taking a seat. he made no mention of his father's passing—every man in the nation already knew of that—or their six months of mourning. "and you? considering your presence, i assume you're looking for a match this season? every other year, i've always heard you insisted on continuing to work on the estate through the season. any prospects yet?" percy was quick to change the topic at hand, something he'd gotten rather adept at. he motioned to one of the servants he saw passing through the room, ordering a glass of wine, before sitting back comfortably in the seat. "and you joined a club, clearly."

she knew they'd all failed her, being the youngest of the family. but being the optimist at heart she was , she decided to not think about it that way and put all the blame on the one who truly deserved it. ' why do you think that's the ONLY title you have , percy ? you gambled away the rest of them. you drank away any idea of getting a title back and mother only feels sorry for you. that's why she helps you. you cannot handle things on your own , so our poor ailing mother has to take care of things since you are too feeble-minded to do yourself. ' she said roughly, knowing her words hurt him. but at the moment , none of that mattered. ' we both know spencer would not let a man take advantage of me. you may not care if he does , but our brother sure would. so don't even try it .' she stated , arms crossing across her chest before eyes adverted to the window watching as the afternoon sun started to set as the carriage traveled along the road.

she wouldn't listen to reason, he decided. she was angry, and fairly so. the only thing keeping him from crumbling right there was his pride. "i will not argue with you," he said shortly, irritation evident in his voice. percy was tempted to pull out his pipe but decided against it, considering his current standing with the other passenger. "you, dear sister, are a poor listener. perhaps i should hire you a tutor." he sighed heavily, fingers digging into his skull. every bump of the carriage—and there were many with naught better than wooden wheels—worsened the distinct thumping in his forehead. "let's just be quiet, shall we?" he grumbled, wishing for night to come quickly, spare him more interaction.

cousins, once could of been a united front, now stood awkwardly, one with the crown weighing heavily on head, the other resorted to a duke, one to rise, one that had fallen. he knew a time would come where he would stand before the man that was assumed to take the english throne, but instead it was the once scottish duke that now sat upon it. ❝ apologies unnecessary. i too wasn't looking. ❞ he admits, fingers scratching at the back of his neck. ❝ he has his moments, i take it you are ? ❞

well . . . it was certainly uncomfortable, but it wasn't the violent encounter the worst of the gossips had predicted. percy still hadn't decided if he was resentful or relieved to shift responsibility to alexander. he plucked the play from its place on the shelf, mostly just desperate to have something to do with his hands. "how magnanimous, your majesty," he said in response, partially to fill the silence that lingered between them. "yes. i've probably spent too many hours reading." he gently lifted the cover, revealing the title page beneath. the tragedy of the prince of denmark. "he evokes a spectrum of emotions."

there was so many things that she wished she could say in this very moment , she wanted to reassured him that their opinions did not matter , she knew his true heart and knew that deep down , percy was a great man . however , she was not sure if it was her place to say such a thing against his family ; however , kitty chose to remain silent and squeeze his hand yet again reassuringly . she hoped he understood that without speaking , the governess was telling percy that she was there for him . innocently , kitty had believed that this would be the end of their conversation until the end of the performance but a shiver ran down her spine as his thumb grazed the soft skin on her hand . quickly , dark hues glanced over to the other side of her without turning her head , ensuring that everyone else was focused on the performance and not the two of them . as she bit the bottom of her lip slightly , she moved their joint hands to rest on her thigh that was closest to him , hidden from view by her crossed leg and the material of her gown . it was a dangerous game to play but she wanted more , she needed more . how far would he go ?

how quickly their resolves crumbled provided with an ample opportunity to be closer. all concern for appearances and composure flew out of the theatre the moment his hand was moved. he leaned to his left once again, pretending to get more comfortable as his hand searched for a better grip. his hand slid against her palm almost in a silent goodbye in favor of what had been offered to him. he had to be careful—moving too quickly would result in the rustling of fabric that would seem deafening to their overanxious ears. his fingers pressed between her thighs during a particularly loud ensemble scene. the layers of fabric separating them felt simultaneously miles wide and millimeters thin. if there was a god, he decided quietly, he certainly had a sense of humor. percy didn't move much more at first, seemingly content to stop escalating the touch there; gradually, just as it had when grasping her hand instead of leg, his thumb brushed back and forth, up and down. occasionally he squeezed just to remind her of his presence and to show off the strength of his hand. it took every ounce of will power he had not to boldly run his hand up and down her leg, certain that the shuffling of his shoulders would give them away. instead, he teased her with the tickle of his fingers squirming against her inner thigh.

" i can be almost certain that your siblings and mother would not listen to a word that i had to say , " despite the light tone she coated her words in , there were words left unsaid in that moment . words of inadequacy compared to him and his family . nobility rarely listened to someone below them in station and most definitely would not listen to a governess . with her gaze focused on the actors on stage , she could essentially feel percy's gaze piercing her skin as though he was silently begging her to look at him . it took all of her willpower to keep her focus ahead . he was temptation in both the best and worst way . after her confession , kitty had thought he would say something in return but nothing was said . after a few seconds , the dark haired woman begun to overthink the whole situation in her head . maybe she had scared him ? maybe she should have lied to him ? lost in her head , she had not noticed his hand moving between them until he intertwined their fingers . dark hues glanced down at their joint hands before subtly moving to look at the taller male . in that moment , she had no words but with a gentle squeeze of his hand , she hoped it would convey what was unsaid .

"convenient that i care very little of their opinions, as they do mine." such a statement was easy to make in this moment, so separated he felt from his siblings—from most people, actually. perhaps that explained some of his eagerness to see her; katherine was many things to him, and that included his link to humanity. even when he felt completely isolated, on days the world was in shades of grey, a vibrant red thread linked his wrist to hers, no matter the distance between. her mere existence in this world—well perhaps the performance had more influence over his thoughts than he'd previously assumed. he pulled himself from his flowery reverie, best saved for a journal never to be seen by another pair of eyes, and focused once again on the moment. he squeezed back, running his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. her skirts were convenient, the volume enough to conceal the movement. he sat back in his seat, foot playfully scooting over to bump against hers, once again playing as though it were accidental. he wondered silently how poorly asking her to meet after the show would reflect on him. he didn't want to appear too eager, although he was concerned the notion had already long passed.

" well , you are the duke , are you not ? should you not be in charge of your own valet ? " she could not help but challenge the male slightly with her words and a simple raise of her eyebrow . as the curtains raised , kitty knew she should pay attention to the show at hand but it proved obvious yet again that he would capture her attention solely . however , she refused to be obvious , meaning that her sight was kept on the stage before them . the governess could feel the thickness of the tension simmering between the two of them , so thick that it could only be cut by a butcher knife . " do not let it go to your head . i am simply telling you the truth . " she mused lowly under her breath as not to distract the people in the pew with them . there was so many words she could express in this very moment , admissions of longing and desire . an internal struggle was warring inside of her mind as she weighed up the pros and cons of letting him in , allowing her walls to lower enough to truly let him in . taking a risk , she wetted her lips before she admitted , " you will not hear those words leave my mouth . "

"i should be, and yet my family fails to believe me. perhaps you should visit and give them one of your spectacular lectures." there was a touch of unending exhaustion behind his voice, but he was quick to dismiss the topic. "i will hold interviews soon—i simply must be able to send you correspondences." now that his hands were being carefully kept to himself, percival rested his chin in his palm. the hell spencer would give him if he could see how informally his brother was behaving in this moment. he pretended to watch the show on the stage for awhile, just as katherine did, occasionally twitching in his seat. normally, the stage was enough to hold his rapt attention, but tonight a greater distraction sat next to him. when she spoke again, he turned his head to look at her; she refused to do the same, head pointed stubbornly towards the actors before them. after months of feeling sure she must have moved on, his heart raced hearing her soft confessions. oh how he wanted to brush his lips against her skin, even something innocent like her cheek. rather than directly comment on what she'd said, like a man approaching a scared animal, he just shifted his knee over slightly and dropped his hand between their legs. his fingers sought out hers—and even with gloves separating them, the intertwining felt intimate.

it appeared that the only place the new king could find solace, was in the local library, most of the ton didn't bother to reside, mamas were too busy parading their daughters in the boutiques, his advisors in the palace, and his home to entangled with thoughts of davina that he found no peace. he wasn't planning on reading, simply to browse, to almost hide, if you will. he doesn't expect a collision, and part of him dreads what is to come as he recognises the person. not the best timing. ❝ your grace. ❞

percy's apologies died on his lips as soon as he saw who it was he'd bumped into. "your majesty," he responded in kind, although his face betrayed more of his feelings than alexander's. of course, percy probably had stronger feelings towards his cousin, considering he was the living embodiment of his father's disappointment. the once prince shook the thought away and pasted on his most polite smile. "i apologize for the inconvenience. i so rarely see others in this aisle, but i shall be more vigilant from here out." his stomach felt full of heavy stones. his fingers lingered on the hamlet's binding, momentarily forgotten in all of the chaos. "are you... a fan of the bard?"

a surprised but gentle laugh left her lips at the thought of him standing on the ground , surrounded by moonlight , throwing random stones at the glass , hoping to get the correct one . " i do not picture you as the type of gentleman to do such a thing . you are the kind to send someone to ask me to meet somewhere private . " the moment he sat next to her , kitty became hyper aware of his body , how every time he took a breath , his arm , closer to her , brushed against her own . this was dangerous . they were in a public setting and she was responding to every small touch as though it was her life source . " you had a lot happening and i did not want to be a burden on you . " half a lie but percy did not need to know that . he did not need to know how her heart longed for him to claim her as his own . what the governess had not been expecting was for his fingers to begin brushing her every time he moved . glancing over at him , she shot him a look that held a subtle warning behind the look ; if he saw hints of lust mixed in , she could not help it . " if that is what you wish , i can not deny you or your gifts but still my point stands . i do not require you to buy me things . i only ever required your company . "

her laugh, how glad he was to hear it again. "i'm afraid i need a new valet. im convinced mother's paying all of the staff to report back to her." his touches became less unintentional as the curtains started to raise, certain now more than ever that there wouldn't be any eyes on them. he simply hummed low in his chest in response to her excuse, knowing well he'd likely have been of the same mind if the roles were reversed. he huffed when she shot him a look, bold fingers walking back from encroaching into her space. her gaze was telling—it seemed both parties were rather good at reading the other. "so, you so comfortably admit you cannot deny me," he replied quietly, a smug expression taking over his face. "you must know you only need to deny me once to send me away. i needed to hear you say it, though. i couldn't stop—my mind would not rest with just silence." why was her company enough to loosen his lips, better than any draught could? why hadn't he learned to stop talking so damn much by now?

" that i did . " she was certain that he could have concocted any other plan and she would still come willingly wherever he called . however , he did not need to know that . she preferred that he did not know that . " i suppose you do have a point . nothing about us has ever been simple . even from the beginning . " there had always been a big divide between the two of them , she was a simple governess , born out of wedlock , and he had been the heir to the throne . even now , he was still a duke . kitty had nothing to offer him besides her company and body . at the mention of her habits changing , amusement gleamed in her dark hues , " have you been seeking me out , percy ? you know where i live , after all . you could have visited me there before in the moonlight , " her voice lowered even lower as she took a subtle step closer to him . the thought of him looking for her warmed something inside of her . he had been seeking her out . what to do with this information ? she was not sure but she noted it regardless . a shiver ran down her spine as his hand brushed against her own . if anyone else had been watching , it may have seemed innocent but kitty knew better . her body seemed to come alive underneath his touch . oh how she wanted his hands and mouth on her . at the instruction , the dark haired woman took a seat at one of the only two empty seats available . once settled , she addressed him quietly . " i do not care about your money or your reputation . i never have . you do not need to buy me anything . "

percy deliberately chose not to answer her first question, fearing he'd already revealed too much. just as she reacted so distinctly to his light touch, he nearly had the same reaction when she called him by his nickname. "shall i throw stones against the windows until i find which one is yours?" allowing her to go ahead of him, he took the end seat, the most hidden position in the box. perhaps more than just some thought and planning had gone into this. he rested an elbow on the arms between them, leaning into that side so as to sit closer to katherine without actually adjusting the chairs and catching any attention. "i wasn't sure that you'd want to see me. that's why i didn't visit," he admitted softly now that they were sat next to each other and percy didn't have to look directly at her during his confession. as she continued to speak, his shoulders relaxed, like he was unfurling after being held down by an invisible weight. he never understood why she was so shocked by his interest, when she could say things like that and he actually believed them. "and if i want to buy you things? life isn't always about have to's," he hummed, a philosophy they often disagreed about. percy's arm draped carelessly across the arms of their chairs, fingers "unintentionally" brushing against her right side every time he fidgeted (and he fidgeted often).