Page 107 of The Grosvenor's Ghost
A big grin takes over his face. “I know that look.”
“What look?”
“It’s the same one Arthur gave me—‘oh, it was fine’,” he shrugs, brushing imagining hair over his shoulder. “Come on, tell me.”
I can’t help but laugh a bit. “There’s nothing to tell!”
He leans in closer. “Did you fuck?”
“Oh my god!” I pull back, hit his chest. “Don’t be so crass!”
“Okay,” he sighs, rolls his eyes. “Did you make love?”
I look away, sniff, raise my eyebrows.
“Fuck off,” Connie grins. “No way—you did, didn’t you?”
I spin back around. “Shut up!”
“But you did?
“No…”
He throws his head back, laughs. “You so fucking did.”
I grab his collar, pull his face towards mine. “Say one fucking word and I swear to God, Jesus, Mary and Joseph that I will chop your dick off.”
He pulls a zip across his lips, lifts his hands up. “I’m the keeper of secrets, me, mate—like Pandora’s box.”
I frown. “The box that she opened and unleashed world wide misery?”
He thinks about it for a second, wobbles his head. “Alright—no, maybe not her then—why would she do that?—” I roll my eyes. “But I’m a good secret keeper, trust me.”
I feel someone behind me, then. He puts his arms around my waist and on instinct, I tense up.
“You missed the race,” Digby tells me.
I watch as Connie flicks his eyes to mine, silently asking me if I’m okay and it makes me feel weird. He shouldn’t have to do that. But I nod back at him.
“Who won?” I ask mindlessly.
“Understudy—I’m down six hundred quid.”
“Shame,” I tut and Connie smiles behind his hand.
Athena waves us over to sit with them so we go and Digby of course, rushes in front of Connie so he can sit beside me.
So childish, I think.
“So,” Digby clears his throat, nods at Connie. “What were you two laughing about just a minute ago?”
“Nothing,” I jump in.
Connie waves his hand through the air. “Just an old inside joke, mate.”
“Well, what was it?” Digby smiles in that way people do when they’re uncomfortable and insecure.
I shrug airily. “You wouldn’t get it.”
