Jades heart-beat suddenly raised through the ceiling, what had he just said.
Why? How?
It was true but that didn't give him the right to say it to his master of all people, his keeper, his protector.
Davey felt like time had frozen, he could see the panic in Jades eyes, the fear at what he had just admitted.
But the truth was Davey didn't know what to say either, so the silence just kept on going.
Jade fell into the space next to Davey on the bed, not having the strength in him to get up, his muscles and heart ached.
"You...love me?"
Jade closed his eyes at Daveys voice. The only way to answer was to admit everything he had been thinking about, everything he wanted, everything he needed. There was, as Jade saw it, no way back now.
" When you left me earlier, all wanted to do was to call you back so you would stay with me just a little while longer. I know its not even been a day, but I feel like I've known you all my life. When you looked at me earlier, when I told you about my grandfather, it was like you really cared about me, and no-ones ever looked at me like that. My parents and brother love me, but Smith was always the educated one, the one who could read and write first, even though it should be his big brother teaching him. I shouldn't have said anything I'm sorry".
"That's exactly how I feel"
Jade looked at Davey who had sat up and was looking directly into Jades eyes, like he was trying to read his soul, and he placed his arm around his waist and lay his head in his chest. Davey felt Jades heartbeats echo in his ear, like a strange symphony.
"Davey"
Davey looked at Jade and saw worry etched into the lines of his face.
"Is it... wrong? Because we are both men after all. Isn't it a sin like what the priest tells you in church? Whenever me and my parents went every Sunday, to the church, all the priest used to talk about was how immoral everything was, and how to love your wife and family."
Davey smiled and nuzzled into Jades chest, breathing in his warm scent of hay and linen. He understood his worry. If they were found, Davey would be thrown in jail, and Jade would be hung. Thinking back to the time when Davey was a child, he remembered seeing Gerald and Frank together in the way he and Jade were often. He could never understand why people thought it so wrong and dirty. He could understand why they left. They had come to see him the night before to say goodbye, and Davey had given his solemn promise to never breathe a word of their whereabouts, wanting them to be safe.
With this in mind, Davey could give an honest and pure answer, one he had thought about for along time now.
"No, Love is so pure and simple, whatever makes you happy is what counts the most in life. You make me happy, there couldn't be anything more right".
Jade sighed relieved "I think so too" he said, running his fingers through Daveys long raven hair smiling softly.
Returning the smile, Davey traced Jades lips with his fingers, tracing his happiness.
The other man smiled wider and leant in to kiss his new love, his heartbeat steady now.
"Jade you look exhausted"
"It's been a long day, before I started working you're brothers got me up at half four to get myself acquainted with the house and yard."
"Hmph." replied Davey, rolling over and pulling Jade with him, so they were spooned together.
"I'm tired too. I get Nightmares, they fright me every time, they're so real." he paused not wanting to tell Jade any more, not wanting to divulge something he had kept so safe and secret for so long now.
"Lets sleep, maybe now you're here I will have dreams not nightmares"
Jade thanked God that Davey could not see him blushing, and tightened his hold, scared to let him go.
And their heartbeats where in perfect symphony
And Davey did not dream at all.
The sun left the sky and the full moon shone through the grand windows, illuminating the lovers embrace. They looked liked angels.
On the mahogany desk lay a poem Davey had written earlier, all his feelings spilled out onto parchment, like the ink was his blood.
Are you going to stay with me
by my side, see what I cant see
hear the music I cant hear
say the things I want to speak
if you would do all these things for me
I know you love who I am and what I'm not
rather than what I have or haven't got
I love you with my heart and soul
my spirit and bone, my strength and weakness
because you are my everything and without you, I'm nothing.
The gleam of Daveys eyes could be seen as the moons shimmer reflected off of them. Stirring slightly, he woke up properly, slowly making out his belongings in the small light he had, and he got his mind in order.
Turning over, he saw Jade, sleeping peacefully, the white light giving him an angelic glow.
"Jade, Jade pretty wake up" said Davey softly nudging him as gently as he could.
Yawning, and sitting up, Jade rubbed his eyes bringing Daveys gorgeous face into more focus.
"What's the time? Do you have a clock here?"
"There's a grandfather clock just outside I'll go and look."
"It's half past 10, tis too late for any dinner. Maybe I'll just eat you" said Davey, grinning broadly and leaping onto the bed and Jade in a most undignified manner.
Jade smiled seductively back and threw his arms around Davey nuzzling into his neck making Davey giggle like a school boy.
And that's when they heard Tabby apologize for having walked in without knocking.