CHAPTER 107: NOVELLO
That same morning
Ivor Novello's Room
Adelphi Hotel, Sheffield
Novello did not like to be awakened by his clock. Usually he would wake and turn off the alarm before the noise yanked him from the depths of some lovely dream. That was not the case this particular morning, and the rude awakening had left him out-of-sorts.
Thursday. Matinee. I don't have time to indulge. Novello rolled over and considered how to brighten his mood. He touched the pillow next to his and thought of the fine head it had cradled only a few days before. Thomas had come by train Monday, a day ahead of the others. He arrived during the curtain call, and the two spent a glorious night together. The actor stroked the pillow as he pictured the perfect bow of Thomas' mouth, that clever mouth that knew how to make him quiver.
Novello rolled onto his back and smiled. How drained he had been after their first round. He remembered sweating in spite of the cool night air and turning to see Thomas lounging next to him, cool as a cucumber. "How is it that I'm exhausted, and you're fresh as a daisy?"
"You smoke too much."
"True enough. Hand me a cigarette, will you?"
Novello relived the memory of Thomas lighting a cigarette, taking one long drag, and slowly exhaling the smoke into Novello's mouth. He left the cigarette on Novello's lips and smiled that mischievous smile of his. "I can't decide which tastes better, you or the cigarette."
"They are good cigarettes."
Thomas laughed easily. How the man had changed during the few years of their friendship. From the moment they first met, Novello had thought of Thomas as an earnest fellow, a bit too anxious to please, a bit too easily offended. Somewhere along the way he had become the steady, self-confident soul he had always pretended to be.
It was Bates' doing. Novello was certain of it. Bates and that family of his. They showered Thomas with all the affection a man could need. Well almost. Novello gave Thomas what Bates could not ... or would not, anyway. That's what Thomas came for, and they both knew it.
"Thomas ... ?"
Thomas stretched luxuriously, rolled onto his side, and brought his mouth to Novello's ear. "You rang?"
"Who are you imagining?"
"What?"
"During sex. Who do you imagine when you're with me?"
"What a question!"
"That's not an answer."
"No, it isn't, and it's the only answer you're going to get."
The devil had his grip on Novello and would not let the matter go. "It's John, isn't it. When you're with me, you're thinking of him."
Thomas shrugged. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me you've never pictured him when you're with me?"
Novello had caught himself in his own trap. He laughed when he remembered how he tried to save face. "Don't you know that there are any number of men who would be thrilled to share a bed with Ivor Novello?"
Thomas raised his eyebrows. "Are there? Shall I ring one?"
"Oh, shut up."
"I won't open my mouth."
Novello turned to face Thomas. "Let's not go to extremes. I may regret it later."
"All right," replied Thomas with a good-natured chuckle.
Novello drew his fingers across Thomas' chest and down his arm.
"I'm not ready again. Not yet."
"I know. I want to cuddle."
"Well then." Thomas rolled onto his side and allowed Novello to nestle inside his arms. "How's that?"
"Very nice." As confident as Thomas had grown in other aspects of his life, Novello knew that he was unable to ask for the affection he craved. He could barely bring himself to say the word, cuddle. What a shame, thought Novello. "Thomas ... ?"
"Mm?"
"Do you remember when you came to my flat the first time, and you decided that we couldn't be lovers?"
"Ancient history."
"What made you decide that? You drove me nearly mad back then."
"Must we talk about it?"
"I want to know."
"I told you ages ago, Ivor. I didn't want to fall in love with a man who couldn't commit to me. I was afraid it would make me miserable."
"But you were wrong, weren't you? You're not miserable. You don't need commitment. You're more like me than you want to believe."
"That's not it at all. The reason I'm not miserable is because I never fell in love with you."
Novello remembered feeling hurt. "You don't love me?"
"No, I don't. I'm utterly infatuated. There's a difference."
"There's not."
"I say there is."
"Then what's the difference?"
"I don't know."
Novello recalled feeling triumphant. "You don't know because there is no difference!"
"Yes there is. Let me think a moment."
Novello felt Thomas' heart begin to pound so hard against his chest that it alarmed him. "Never mind, Thomas. It was a pointless question."
"No ... I want to answer." Thomas closed his eyes for a moment. "Infatuation makes me selfish." He opened them again. "That's it. I'm here because I'm selfish. But when I'm with ... oh, forget it."
"We both know it's John. Why pretend?"
"Ivor, you can never tell anyone. Never. If John ever knew ..."
Novello could hear the panic in Thomas' voice. "Thomas, I've never said a word about it, and I never will."
"Because if John ever knew ..."
"He'll never hear it from me, and neither will anyone else. I promise you with all my heart."
"Thank you, Ivor."
"But I still want to know. How is it different with John?"
Thomas shrugged. "With John, it's more about him. I mean, it wasn't at first, but now, his problems, his dreams, they're as important to me as my own."
"I don't think I would like that."
"You'd hate it." Thomas laughed, but not as easily as before. "I'm teasing you, Ivor. You're generous to a fault with your friends. You've always been considerate to me. But ..."
"Go ahead. I want to know."
"You do it from a kind of distance. I'm sorry, Ivor."
"Don't be. It's the truth. So, you'd rather be close to John than make physical love to him."
"I don't recall having a choice."
"And this game of playing his brother?"
"That's something else you must never mention."
"I know."
"It's no game, Ivor. Not to me, not to him, and not to Anna. I have a family now, and they're everything to me."
"But there's still room for me."
"Perhaps. If you behave. Ivor, can't we ...?"
"What?"
Thomas cleared his throat. "Can't we just cuddle?"
"Certainly, darling." Novello remembered the tender touch of the man who a half-hour before had been a tiger. He remembered the feel of his still-pounding heart. But mostly he remembered the pained wistfulness in his eyes.
A sharp knock at the door reminded Novello that it was Thursday, and he had a matinee. "One moment, please," he called as he threw on his robe.
"It's only me."
He opened the door and was greeted by Benita Hume's large luminous eyes.
"Join us, Ivor. You can't do two shows on a breakfast of cigarettes and coffee."
"I'll be right down. You must think me a terrible slugabed.""
"You're not hiding any more Yorkshire friends in there, are you? They were missed last night."
"Sorry. They did make a cracking good audience, didn't they?"
"I'll say. I had no idea I was so talented."
Novello laughed. "I'll be down in two shakes." As he rushed to shave and dress, he thought of the Tuesday night performance and the party that followed. Lady Mary had packed her parents off to visit her sister, leaving the entire household, herself and her husband included, free to accompany the Bates family to Sheffield.
When Coward learned of the plan, he invited himself with the promise that his chauffeur would deliver the émigrés to Southampton by morning to board their ship. He had no intention of sitting through Novello's show, which he had seen in London, so Novello wheedled him into babysitting the children. "Don't worry," Novello assured Anna. "Noël is very good with children. He'll have his chauffeur take care of their every need."
The Yorkshire gang was excited to see the show, A Symphony in Two Flats, especially knowing that the star would be hosting a party for them afterwards. They laughed and wept in all the right places and pounded their feet on the floor at the curtain call. Well, perhaps Lady Mary only clapped, but the others pounded. And the party was a great success. Novello played all the music hall standards on a dilapidated piano, and Carson supplied the lyrics whenever the others stumbled.
Minnie had pulled Thomas aside at the party, and the next thing Novello knew, Thomas was announcing the engagement of Minnie to his replacement, that chap from Paris. Novello recalled trying to think of something comforting to say as he walked to Coward's car with Thomas. That was when he overheard Bates speaking to Coward. "I was surprised to see you here tonight, Coward. I didn't know you and my brother were chums."
"I came to see you, Bates, and I must say that I was thoroughly disappointed."
"Well, now, I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."
"Be what you will. I came a long way hoping to see an encore of your slamming Ivor into a wall, and what did I get. Nothing!"
Bates froze, and Novello grabbed Thomas' arm to stop him too. He watched expectantly as Coward turned back towards Bates. A small smile appeared on Bates' face. It wasn't a warm smile. In fact, it was chilling. Novello was almost, but not completely, certain that Bates was play-acting. He was both delighted and terrified.
"Ivor did nothing tonight that warranted that kind of response," began Bates as he rested Old Ram casually against his shoulder and approached Coward, "but I can't bear the thought of disappointing you, Coward. I'd be happy to slam you into that shop by your car."
"Don't be ridiculous. We have to leave." Coward stepped back, but Bates followed, step for step. "You'll barely embark on time as it is."
Novello caught sight of Anna, who was already by the car, holding her little girl. "Mr Bates, stop playing games and help me."
"Yes, dear," replied Bates as he and Old Ram strode jauntily to the car.
"That was wonderful," gasped Novello.
"It was good, wasn't it," agreed Thomas. He gave Novello's hand a quick squeeze. "I'll see you in New York."
"September," replied Novello.
Novello watched as Thomas adjusted his grip on Timothy and grasped Coward's shoulder with his free hand. "Face it, Noël, you're an amateur. Come, sit by me. I'll protect you from that old goat."
