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.Roy stared,thinking of what he had overheard.Ash had survived so much, so many experiencesthat would have killed or broken most men.Roy s heart clenched.Ash had done more than survive.The beautiful youngman before him seemed so innocent, so in need of protection, and yet carried a coreof strength greater than anything Roy had ever known, even in the fires of war.Lion strength.Roy moved to the log, gaze still on Ash. I overheard Haywood and yourfather talking today.Ash looked up, immediately watchful. Do they suspect something? Roy sawhis Adam s apple work as he swallowed. If only I have not brought trouble down onyour head. No.They suspect nothing.Haywood said there was no chance you could stillbe alive.He s on a blood quest for the lion that took you. And thus the veldt pays for my safety, Ash said bitterly. He hunts lions anyway.He also said&  Roy hesitated. He said you d beenhere before, as a child.Did you know that?Something kindled in Ash s eyes. I didn t know.When my father referred tomy origins, it was to point out that I was not worthy to be a son of his.What else didyou hear? Roy hesitated. Out with it, Ash said softly. I can already see it written on your face.Roy related the conversation he d overheard between the Haywood brothers.The look on Ash s face at the end nearly destroyed him. My mother, Ash said thickly. She and my father& Roy caught him as his knees buckled, taking his weight.No matter howstrong Ash thought himself, there were some things too hard for a man to bearalone.Ash knelt in the dust, and Roy could feel the sobs the young man heldcaptive. You ve known all along, haven t you? Roy asked softly.Ash looked up, wiping his hand roughly across his cheeks, creating tracks inthe dust. I knew& I knew something wasn t right.I just& Roy sank down in the dust next to his lover. Tell me. Sometimes, Ash said slowly,  I think I remember her my mother.Andother times, it s hard to know if I just want to remember her so much. He leanedinto Roy s chest. I remember eyes like mine, and blonde hair.I remember hersmile.I remember I m sleepy and warm and comfortable, but I can hear mymother s voice, clear as a bell.I can see her running.I can&  He shook his head. Ican remember her hands outstretched, and then she s carrying me.He fell silent, and Roy let him alone with his memories for a few minutes.Eventually, Roy asked,  How long has your father been ill?Ash snorted. You mean how long has he hated anyone who can t trace theirlineage on a shield? I never understood, you know, when I was older.I neverunderstood how they met and fell in love.I mean, you ve seen my father.But morethan that&  He wiped his nose on the back of his hand. I had a nanny when I wassmall, and I overheard her one day talking with Cook, about how Miss Elizabethwas crying again and was anyone ever safe when the master went down into thevillage.At the time I thought they were talking about my father s collection offirearms, but as I grew older, I began to realize& When& when it happened, Ashcontinued,  when my mother when she was& Roy squeezed Ash s shoulder and just held on. They said it was an accident.She and my father had gone out riding alone.That in itself was odd.I don t remember them ever riding together except at thehunts.Mother was an excellent horsewoman.She used to take me with her, sit mein front of her, and we d hold the reins together.She loved her horse, and we d go formiles or maybe it just seemed like it.I must ve been five or six.But that day& Ash took a deep breath. They went out riding alone, and Father returned to thehouse near sundown, said there d been an accident.He sent for the doctor from thevillage, and then the next thing I knew, everyone was telling me what a brave boy Iwas.Roy winced. But that evening, I crept down the back stairs, couldn t sleep, and there wasmusic coming from the study.I recognized the tune.I didn t know the name of itthen, but I knew it was the music Father listened to whenever he returned from asuccessful hunt.He only ever played it then.And of course, that night. I went back upstairs, but I knew, Ash said. I knew what he d done.All thistime, I ve just been wondering whether he knew I knew.Roy could only too vividly picture the scene, and his heart ached at the vision.Whatever Gerald Haywood was, his brother was a thousand times worse. He s right, Roy said, not bothering to hide his anger. You re not worthy ofhim.Not at all.God, when I think  Don t, Ash said quietly. He s not worth it.All that s over now. He breatheddeeply, raising his face to the African night. This changes nothing.I m not goingback.I m staying.Here on the veldt with you. He stopped, then looked at Roy witha smile. Where I belong. Where we belong, Roy said thickly, tightening his embrace. Where webelong.Regardless of whether Ash was a lion, Roy knew, feeling Ash s warm tearsagainst his neck, the sobs finally working their way free, that he d defend Ash to thedeath.And if Sir Roland had his way, it was looking more and more likely that thatwas the only option.* * * *Roy led Ash into the hut, pausing only to light the storm lantern.It cast awarm yellow light, dim but sufficient.Roy hung it on the hook on the wall, thenpulled Ash to him.Ash came willingly, groaning softly as Roy s hands slid beneath his shirt.Inmoments, they were both naked, and Roy guided Ash to the narrow cot.Ash gasped in surprise as he sank into the straw mattress. Soft compared to the rock, Roy agreed, lying down beside him.The cot wassmall but sturdy [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]