A/N Warning! Innuendos ahead! (Just to say, Joshua and his brother ARE seriously misunderstanding the situation.)

Footmen

Another day, another boring social event... Joshua sighed and wandered over to the refreshments table.

"Meet me tonight."

At these whispered words he glanced around, thinking that they may have been directed to him.

"Do you not think it a little risky, Ho-?"

"Shh! Keep your voice low, and don't mention my name! Remember, I am Harrison and you are Whitworth."

Interesting, Joshua thought to himself, and leaned around the bush which blocked the two men from sight. It was the two new footmen his father had hired. Now why would they be using aliases..?

"Alright Harrison... do you truly think meeting tonight is a good idea? We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"I understand your concern Wa- Whitworth. But surely you can see it is a necessary risk?"

The shorter of the two men sighed. "I suppose so. I have to say I am thoroughly sick of all of this sneaking around. And thoroughly worn out with our nighttime excursions."

Excursions..?! Joshua felt his eyebrows raise. Surely not..?

"It is our only choice. We do not wish to be found out as we were last time."

"You must admit it was rather humorous Ho- er, Harrison."

"Humorous now, perhaps, but we did also come rather close to being arrested! Now hurry up and serve some food.

Remember - we must act as though we have barely met."

"Yes, yes..."

Joshua watched as both men made their way through the sea of guests, each carrying a tray. As he stared after them, mouth agape, his brother Phillip approached.

"Oh, hello Josh," he greeted him, cheerfully helping himself to a piece of fruit from the table. "You look as though you've seen a ghost!"

"No, no I- er..." he trailed off, unsure of how to explain what he had just heard. "Phillip - you know the new footmen?"

"The tall one with the big nose?"

"Yes and the shorter with the moustache - over there," Joshua verified, gesturing to the two men. "You don't suppose they're... er..." he cleared his throat, "well, erm... you know..?"

Phillip looked blank. "I'm afraid I don't have the faintest clue what you're on about Joshua."

"Well you don't suppose they're, erm..." he rubbed his two index fingers together, raising his eyebrows significantly. "...Do you?"

Phillip burst into laughter. "Goodness no! What on earth's given you that idea?"

Joshua, by this point very red in the face, answered, "Oh just... something I overheard them saying. I suppose I must have... misunderstood..."

Phillip clapped his brother on the shoulder, still chuckling. "I'm sure you must have Josh, I hardly think- hold on a moment." He removed his hand from his brother's shoulder, now also staring at the two . "They've stopped serving food. Where are they going?"

Both brothers now squinted after the two footmen. "... the shed..? Perhaps they're going to get some wine..?"

"Yes... yes that must be it."

Minutes passed. Joshua cleared his throat. "It doesn't take that long to get wine."

"No. No it does not."