Dulce Et Decorum Est (Naughty or Nice) by J. L. Merrow Read Free Book Online

she was only three years younger than he. “And anyway, I’m not as far along as all that.” She shot her husband a fond glance. “The doctor is certain it’s twins, and they aren’t due until March. Now, manners—aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?”
    “I don’t know! You spring such a thing as my imminently impending uncle-hood upon me and then expect me to remember the social niceties! This is George—Aggie, Gerald. George, this is my sister Agnes and her husband Gerald Dorland. Gerald’s a banker, but he’s not a bad sort really.” Matthew grinned at his brother-in-law, who took the gentle teasing in good part, no doubt used to it.
    They shook hands. “Hear you’re in the legal business,” Gerald said gruffly. “Good, solid profession—you can’t go wrong with that.”
    George shrugged, a little self-conscious at the way Gerald managed to make it sound as if he were a senior partner in the firm, rather than just being an articled clerk of only a month’s standing. “It’s certainly very interesting. I’ve learned an awful lot since I started.”
    “Good, good,” Gerald said vaguely. “Now, best get ourselves settled in—we’ll see you later on.”
    “Not that I have a thing fit to wear for dinner,” Agnes lamented. “These days, even my shoes are tight!”
    “Poor old thing,” Matthew said with mock sympathy. “You know, I’m sure one of the church choir would lend you a cassock if you asked….”
    “Very funny. Don’t expect either of the twins to be named after you, that’s all I can say!” With that, Agnes linked arms with her husband and made her way upstairs, and Matthew and George made for the drawing room and tea.
     
     
    G ETTING dressed for dinner in front of Matthew was a heady mix of pain and pleasure. George had to constantly remind himself not to stare when he’d have liked nothing better than to sit back and watch his friend undress.
    As Matthew shed his shirt, George couldn’t help looking at the stump of his right arm. It was the first time he’d seen it unclothed.
    “Not pretty, is it?” Matthew said wryly. Actually it looked a great deal better than George had imagined, with very little scarring.
    “Does it still hurt?”
    “Not really. Well, not how you’d think. Sometimes I get sort of shooting pains, which just come out of nowhere, and sometimes I get the oddest feelings, as if there’s still a hand there. But the stump itself—no, that doesn’t really hurt. I know chaps with artificial legs can get blisters and all sorts—but you really don’t want to know about all that, do you?”
    “I wish I could be as brave as you,” George said without thinking, and he could have bitten out his tongue.
    “Me? Lord, I’m not particularly brave. Now, we’d best get a shift on, or Mother will be coming up to look for us.” Matthew pulled on his dress shirt with an awkward-looking maneuver that George supposed must be well practiced and changed his trousers with the same efficiency. George hastened to follow suit, marveling at how well Matthew managed despite his handicap and trying not to dwell on the glimpses he’d caught of Matthew’s body.
    It wasn’t until he stood at the mirror, tying his bow tie, that it occurred to him that this, surely, was something Matthew couldn’t possibly manage alone. And indeed, when he turned, he found Matthew waiting for him, tie loose around his collar. “Sorry to be a bother, but I don’t suppose you could tie this for me? I can manage perfectly well with a normal tie—I just don’t bother to unknot them at the end of the day—but I’m afraid this little beastie is beyond me.”
    “No bother at all,” George assured him, stepping closer—and only then realizing he hadn’t the foggiest idea how to tie the thing from the front. He wasn’t sure, when he thought about it, that he really knew how a bow tie went—his hands knew what to do, but his brain had long since forgotten the intricacies