He was sort of sickly looking - fragile, as if one good gust of wind would knock him down - but sort of pretty, too. Thomas suppressed a sneer when he first saw the man, but when their eyes met, he found himself staring at him a moment too long, and this Honourable Alexander Ashton stared back.

Of course Thomas offered to look after the young gentleman while he and his mother stayed at Downton. Lady Ashton was one of those tedious invalid types who had come for a short visit, saying the Yorkshire air might do her good. Her youngest son had come with her to keep her company. Thomas thought that the apple had fallen very near the tree, in this case: the young man looked almost as tiresome as his mother. But there was something in his gaze that might just be worth Thomas's time.

"You're up early, sir," Thomas said that first night. "Was dinner not to your liking?"

He tried, and failed, to keep the eagerness from his voice. But the younger man smiled. He was either too naive to notice anything amiss, or genuinely interested; Thomas couldn't tell just yet.

"I - was tired," Ashton said. "My head hurts."

Again Thomas had to bite back a sneer. But perhaps the complaint wasn't entirely truthful. Ashton fidgeted, as if he were nervous saying it. Not a practiced liar, Thomas thought, if indeed it was a lie.

"I can get you something, if you like," he said, with as much concern as he could muster. It seemed to work. Ashton looked at him gratefully.

"Thanks," he said. "Later, perhaps."

Grateful - and yes, something more. Intrigued. Thomas went about his work, making sure to let his hands linger as long as he dared on the young gentleman's skin. Ashton did not protest; he actually leaned in to Thomas's touch. Thomas grinned at him. He wasn't exactly Thomas's type, with his slight build and startled brown eyes, but he would do. Men like Thomas were rare enough.

"Feeling better, sir?" he asked, and reached out to caress Ashton's cheek. He held his breath. This was the moment when things could go disastrously wrong, when he would be threatened with exposure, dismissal, jail - but not this time. He'd read the signs right this time.

Ashton flushed and put his hand on Thomas's arm.

"It's against the law," he said, very quietly.

Thomas nearly hissed with impatience, but checked himself.

"I won't tell anyone if you won't, sir," he said, sitting down on the bed beside the younger man. They stared at one another. Red spots burned on Ashton's cheeks, and his dark eyes were wider than ever. Oh come on, Thomas thought. Don't be such a coward. He could not say anything, of course, but he looked away pointedly.

To his surprise Ashton took his hand and leaned forward to kiss him.

It was a good visit. Too good, almost - they noticed downstairs that Thomas was not his usual beastly self and that his smile, for once, lacked its usual malice. Mrs. Patmore said he must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed to be this decent. They'd all laughed at that. Thomas had glared around him and, afterwards, barked at Daisy over the lateness of the breakfast, more for show than anything.

But he was a little happier. He'd warmed to their young guest's thin fair hair and boyish looks and frame - even to Ashton's reckless habit of staring at him across a room, where Lady Ashton or any of the Crawleys might see. Of course Thomas would have to speak to him about that. Ashton could hardly go around like a lovesick puppy; it was too stupid for words. Thomas would have had nothing but contempt for him in other circumstances, had they not shared this bond.

But going with Ashton was much better than getting himself off with his own hand during rare moments alone in his room.

"I never -" Ashton began, but stopped abruptly, too shy to speak. The shyness was superfluous, Thomas thought, hitching the younger man's legs over his shoulders. Ashton sucked in his breath, squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and fixing them on Thomas's face. It was all Thomas could do not to start thrusting already. He hadn't done this in so long…

"Not even at public school sir?" he joked. His voice sounded throaty and impatient to his own ears.

Ashton shook his head.

"Then I'll go slow," Thomas said.

Ashton gasped sharply as Thomas entered him. Thomas held still for a moment. Then he started thrusting, slowly at first, but growing faster and ever more aroused at Ashton's moaning and begging and at the sight of his slim hand on his own prick…

He stayed as long as he could afterward, as he had done after every one of their snatched encounters. The four-poster was far more comfortable than his own tiny bed, and the company - well. Sometimes it was nice to feel another human being lying close to you, just so you weren't alone.

"I wish our visit was longer," Ashton murmured, finishing his chocolate and setting the cup down on the bedside table. Thomas smirked as he watched him. The drink had been part of Thomas's pretext to see him. He'd climbed the stairs with the tray in his hand, a smile on his face and a jar of petrol jelly hidden in a pocket of his livery.

Ashton lay down again and rested his cheek against Thomas's shoulder. That was almost too close. Thomas stiffened, thinking of the silly, sentimental boy Ashton was proving to be, but didn't quite shrug away his touch.

"Time waits for nobody sir," he said, hoping he sounded nonchalant.

Ashton gave a sad laugh.

"I must be 'Alex' to you in private," he said. "Please."

"Alex. Very good…"

It was hardly proper, but then words didn't seem to matter much when they'd been meeting up all this week to flaunt the laws of God and man.

"I wish you could come with me," Alex added.

Not a chance, Thomas thought. Unfortunately. The youngest son was unlikely to have much say in anything in his house, and Alex could hardly poach Thomas now without attracting suspicion. They'd already been rather too obvious as it was. But it was a nice thought, Thomas supposed.

"I don't think you could arrange it," he said. He sat up and began to dress without looking at the younger man. Carson or one of them was bound to miss him if he stayed any longer.

He thought he heard Alex sigh as he turned the door handle to leave.