Oh, Rather!
"Oh, Bertie!" Gussie gushed. "You've saved me! How can I repay you?"
"It was nothing." I waved off his thanks, still trying to catch my breath. "Just helping a friend out of the soup and all that."
"Yes, it was something," Gussie insisted. "How can I make it up to you?"
"Well, there is something," I conceded, glancing at him. "It's just not a something you're free to give."
"Do you mean--" he paused and licked his lips "--the something we'd give each other while we were at school?"
"To be honest, yes." I couldn't lie to Gussie of all people. "You want Madeline, though, don't you?"
"I'd rather have you, Bertie," he answered, licking his lips once more as he moved closer to me. "Please?"
"You're sure, Gussie?" I didn't want him to regret his request, though it was a rather tempting prospect. "You're not going to hate me, are you?"
"How can I hate you?" I'm pretty sure I saw confusion in those muddy brown eyes of his. "I don't think anyone can hate you."
"I think my aunts might disagree with you, there, Gussie." I gave a nervous laugh, quite aware that Gussie was all but climbing into my dinner jacket with me. I cleared my throat. "Perhaps we should return to my room? Bit more privacy there and a bed, too."
"Good thinking, Bertie." The smile on his face was one I hadn't seen since we were schoolboys at Eton and it had the same effect on me that it had all those years ago. Namely, it made me want to get him to my room that much quicker. "Let's go."
"Right ho." We made the trek back to my room in silence, our hands in our pockets to keep from reaching for each other. It was with a profound sigh of relief that I closed the door behind us. "Finally!"
I barely had time to get the word out before Gussie was kissing me with the same enthusiasm he showed for his beloved newts. Let's just say that what followed was a bally sight more delightful than anything else that had occurred that evening and leave it at that.
End