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to do exactly what you like, I suppose.”
    “Mr. Blackwell has excellent instincts,” Martin said primly, his face growing hotter still.
    Peter looked at him and laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush before. You’re every bit as red as him!”
    Martin was sensitive to the suggestion that anyone might be making fun of Henry for his bashfulness, but he didn’t think Peter meant anything beyond friendly teasing. And Henry’s blushing certainly couldn’t be missed. Martin thought it very endearing, but hoped for Henry’s sake that he grew out of it a bit before he’d have to enter the business world.
    Will appeared at Martin’s other shoulder, Julian at his side. “Mr. Blackwell certainly seems in a good mood today,” he remarked. “A nice change for you, I suppose.”
    So everyone had seen how unhappy Henry was. Martin had been powerless to do anything about it, of course, but he still felt guilty, like he hadn’t been doing his job.
    “Well, obviously he’s not fighting with Mr. Briggs anymore,” Martin said. “They’ve reconciled.”
    Will looked at Martin, eyes narrowed. “But you’re getting along better with him, too, I think.”
    Oh, this blushing! He was as bad as Henry! “What makes you think we weren’t getting along?”
    Will snorted and gave his shoulder a little shove. “You’re kidding, right?”
    “You’ve been moping ever since you came back with short hair,” Julian noted. “Whatever you did, I’m glad he’s forgiven you.”
    “What makes you think Martin did anything?” Peter asked, quick to defend his friend.
    “We’re getting along fine,” Martin said firmly.
    He hadn’t really told his friends anything about his adventure. He had suggested that Henry had argued with his father, hoping this would explain the haircut and Henry’s mood, and did his best to deflect any more probing questions. Only Tom had learned a little of the truth.
    “You never talk about him,” Will noted, “but it’s obvious you’re close.”
    Was it obvious? How much so?
    “We do like each other,” Martin allowed tentatively.
    “You know who’s really close with his master…” Peter began, and Martin was grateful for the redirection.
    “Allen,” Will said without hesitation.
    “Really?” Peter seemed surprised. “I was going to say Simon, but Allen, too?”
    “ Everyone knows about Simon,” Julian remarked, his tone implying this was dull news.
    Will shrugged. “Allen hasn’t told me details, but he and Mr. Hollingsworth are…well, they’re pretty enamored of one another. They’re at least as lovey-dovey as Simon and Mr. Ross.”
    Martin actually knew this already, because the Orpheus boys all knew each other’s secrets, and then Tom told them to Martin, too, so he was well aware that Mr. Hollingsworth liked to be on the receiving end of Allen’s expert fucking. Tom had also confirmed that Simon and Mr. Ross were completely intimate, though Mr. Ross was not in love with Simon, or at least not exclusively. As for Miles, he was ever-fretful that Mr. Brand did not desire him more, and of course poor Tom was lonely and fixated on inappropriate partners.
    Martin did not share any of this, however. He did not want Tom to be in trouble with the rest of the Orpheus boys for breaking their confidences.
    “Where’s Miles?” Martin asked, wanting to get off the subject of secrets.
    “He went to the toilets,” Julian said. “We probably shouldn’t be talking about Orpheus fellows when he gets back.”
    “No one likes it when their childhood friends are gossiped about, I suppose,” Peter said. He grinned and punched Will, who had grown up with him at Endymion, in the arm.
    Just as Miles walked up, a loud, sharp whistle cut through the noise of the arcade.
    Will’s back straightened alert. “I think that’s Mr. Spence. Let’s go see what they need, shall we?”
    If Henry ever whistled for Martin like he was a dog, Martin would come running, of course, but Henry