In 1920s England, the penalty for a homosexual act is two years' hard labor. Two men cannot kiss or hold hands without being blackmailed or threatened with arrest. Rafe Devonish, a landowner and a highly respected barrister, knows the law all too well, and the dangers of being homosexual. With constant pressure from both his mother and his profession to get married, he knows he has to act soon.
Then he meets Ivo Manning, young and full of enthusiasm for life. Rafe not only wants to kiss Ivo and hold his hand, he wants to take him to his bed and make love to him. Very quickly he learns Ivo wants the same.
With far less to lose than Rafe, Ivo is not afraid to show his love. What Rafe wants more than anything is to marry Ivo, but that's impossible. The thing about Ivo, aside from being kind, warm-hearted, and desperate for love, is his great intuition. It is this trait that allows him to help Rafe with both an important court case and a personal matter involving a tenant on his land.
As the two men spend more time together, their love grows. Their intimacy, which in the beginning frightened Rafe, becomes the cornerstone of his life.
On the second floor Ivo hurried to look at the docket outside the doors of courtroom number twelve and saw Lord Andrew Manning KC, wigged and robed, standing beside it. He fell mute as he so often did at the sight of his eldest brother.
Lord Manning’s words to Ivo were preceded by a loud snort. “Another barrister kindly pointed out to me that I. Manning was on the docket in number twelve. I came here hoping beyond hope that it was some stranger. I should have known it was you.” He leaned toward Ivo, making him fear for a moment that Andrew might grab him by the ear as a particularly nasty master had done when he was at Eton. “Gross indecency!” Andrew hissed into his ear. “You dirty little boy.”
Cheeks blazing pink, Ivo hung his head, feeling as disgusting as Andrew thought him. Thank God he had not told Rafe Devonish what he’d done. The very thought of Devonish knowing made him cringe. He should never have gone to see the man.
“People might think it was with a girl,” he said weakly.
Another snort of disgust set the tone for all that was to follow. “Gross indecency is a crime very specifically committed between two men. No one will think it was a girl because if it was, it would not be a crime.” There was a brief pause before Andrew continued, “Oh no, please! Don’t let Devonish know. He’s always been a worthy rival in court. I’d hate him to have something like this over me.”
Ivo turned to see Mr. Devonish striding toward them and, despite the circumstances, he could not help but think that while the wig and robes made Andrew look only severe and rather scary, Rafe Devonish looked handsome and elegant in his robes and wig. A moment later Ivo’s shame deepened. Devonish was going to find out the charge.
Handsome face lighting up in a warm smile, Mr. Devonish said, “You did talk to your brother. I’m so glad, Ivo.”
Ivo could neither look at him nor speak. His fair skin always gave away his shame or discomfort. He probably looked an absolute fright, and he could feel tears pricking his eyes.
“What’s this?” Andrew asked after a long pause during which Mr. Devonish gazed back and forth between them. “Ivo, did you consult with my learned friend?”
“Yes,” Ivo whispered. “Sorry.”
Confusion creasing his smooth forehead, Mr. Devonish said, “It was a very brief consultation. I advised your brother to plead guilty. It’s only a drunk and disorderly. The gutter press won’t be interested.”
When neither he nor Andrew responded, Rafe Devonish took a step closer to the docket. After a moment he said quietly, “Ahh. I see.”
“Sorry,” Ivo muttered again. “I lied to you.”
“I’m not sure how you thought I could advise you if you didn’t tell me the truth.” The tenderness in the man’s tone sent tears rolling down Ivo’s cheeks.
“Stop that, you foolish boy!” Andrew said. “Haven’t you done enough to shame the family? A charge of this sordid nature and now blubbering in public.”
“Don’t cry, Ivo. It’s not that bad,” Mr. Devonish said, pulling out an ironed and folded handkerchief and thrusting it into his hands. Mopping his face, Ivo turned away from the passersby whose attention he had drawn, but both the gesture and the kindness of Mr. Devonish’s tone made his shoulders shake, and he sniffed loudly.
“Stop it at once,” Andrew said under his breath. “I should thrash you for this.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Ivo muttered. Without thinking he took a step closer to Mr. Devonish and rested his forehead on the man’s shoulder, immensely comforted when Devonish patted his back before firmly setting him aside.
In a low tone, Rafe Devonish said to Andrew, “Look here, my lord, perhaps we could talk to the judge before Ivo enters court and ask for leniency. Tell him about the embarrassment this will cause your family and that Ivo made a simple mistake. We’ll say he thought the individual who approached him was a girl. It was dark out, and he was rather drunk. Ivo was as shocked as anybody when he found out the truth.”
Mr. Devonish met Ivo’s gaze. “You’ll never do such a foolish thing again, will you, Ivo?”
