To Light a Fire by Kristian Parker
Book 1 in the Speak Its Name series
General Release Date: 25th May 2021
Word Count: 19,038
Book Length: NOVELLA
Pages: 82
Genres: EROTIC ROMANCE, GAY, GLBTQI, HISTORICAL
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Book Description
Frank never thought he would find love…until he met his friend’s servant.
It’s 1922 and Frank Harris has finished his exams at Cambridge. He had planned on going home to his parents’ Midlands shop until his friend Charlie Fitzwilliam issues a surprise invitation to stay at his family’s stately home.
Frank has nursed a secret attraction to Charlie since their first meeting and can’t resist a chance to spend time with him, but once there, it’s Tanner, a manservant, with whom he instantly falls in lust.
Charlie tries to force a local girl on Frank, and although Frank knows he should keep up appearances, it’s Tanner who sets a fire in him.
To Frank’s astonishment, Tanner is attracted to him too, and their mutual passion kindles, then burns strong. Only, their feelings must remain a secret—discovery would mean the ruin of them both.
But how long can love that blazes this bright be hidden?
A faint rustling cut through my fog-filled sleep, followed by a slight clank of metal on metal, then the sound of a match being lit. I sat up in bed with a start. Across the room, a young man held a burning match and looked at me with concern.
Even through the fuzz of my hangover, he took my breath away. He had blue eyes that seemed to pierce right into me. I couldn’t help but notice his thick thighs and muscular arms straining at the ill-fitting work clothes he had on.
“S-sorry, sir,” he stammered. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
I could see the match burning down but didn’t have time to warn him before the flame hit his thumb, and he threw the match into the fireplace.
“Bugger it,” he said, sucking his thumb.
Horror spread across his face when he realised what he’d said. “Oh, I’m ever so sorry, sir.”
I laughed and got myself comfy on the pillows. “That’s quite all right…?”
“Tanner, sir.”
“That’s quite all right, Tanner. Why don’t you get on with what you’re doing, and we won’t worry about it?”
His smile lit up his face. “Thank you, sir.”
I had never stayed in such a strange place before. People sneaking into a person’s room to light fires so he wouldn’t feel the cold? Mind you, it did feel cold out there even though we were in the height of summer. With a room of this size, I imagined it would need a fire every day of the year. My architect brain shuddered at the costs.
I pulled the covers up and suddenly realised I had nothing on. I had thrown my clothes off in wild abandon last night…clothes which were now neatly folded on the chair underneath the window.
“My things.”
Tanner kneeled, still struggling with the fire. “I thought I’d give them a fold before I got my hands dirty. I’m usually his lordship’s under-valet, see, but the lad who does the fires is away to his family, so we’re all mucking in.”
“I could do it myself, you know.”
“Oh no, sir, that would never do. Bennett would have my guts for garters.”
He returned to his work. He must have been twenty-two, or maybe twenty-three, only a little younger than I was. His fire-laying skills were clearly not expert. I could tell by how flustered he got. His slicked hair fell on his forehead, and he kept trying to brush it into place, resulting in coal dust on his milky-white skin. I was entranced. He wore an old shirt, open at the collar, with braces holding up work trousers which had clearly been borrowed, because they clung to his body in a way that made parts of me twitch.
He lit another match and this time the fire caught with a snap and crackle. He sat on his heels and surveyed his work proudly.
“Well done,” I said.
He winked and picked up the bucket of coal and box of matches. The muscles in his forearms flexed up to where he had rolled his shirt sleeves.
“Can I get you anything, sir, or are you going back to sleep?”
Could he get me anything? It might not have been my specialist area, but I could think of about ten things.
“Maybe a cup of tea?” I managed. “I think I’ll read for a bit.”
“Very good, sir.”
With that he left, and I leaned over for my book. Disappointingly, a meek young girl scurried in with the tea and scurried out without even looking at me. I supposed Tanner would be struggling with the fire in Charlie’s room. A pang of jealousy stabbed me, but I wasn’t sure of whom. I’d been in awe of Charlie for years, but something about this young man gripped me in a way I’d never experienced.
After about an hour, I decided I would have to get up. I wandered down the landing where Charlie had disappeared the night before. Paintings of glum people stared at me, and Bennett emerged from one of the closed doors.
“Ah, Bennett, I wonder if you could direct me to the dining room?”
Bennett sighed. “I told the master last night that the dining room is closed. You’ll find everything you need in the library.”
I couldn’t remember if I turned left at the bottom or the right. Instead of asking Bennett, I just stood there.
Bennett heaved another sigh. “Left at the bottom, third door on the left.”
Charlie greeted me from his seat in a window chair when I finally found the right door.
“Ah, sleeping beauty has arisen.”
“I thought you’d still be in bed.”
He sipped from a cup of coffee and stared outside. Another glorious day awaited us. I joined him at the window and could see the sunshine twinkling on the lake. It seemed miles away from gloomy Leicester which, to my shame, I had no urgency to return to.
“Today is the first day of your stay, and I’m going to show you one of the reasons why I love this place. You’re going to need one of Cook’s breakfast specials, I think.”
The meal far surpassed the food served up in our college. At one of the most famous and expensive universities in the land, I had been most disappointed when I’d sat down to my first meal there all those years ago.
Cook did a marvellous job with sausages, bacon, eggs and toast.
“The bacon and the sausages are produced on the estate,” said Charlie between mouthfuls.
Even though he played it down, I could hear the pride in his voice.
“They’re wonderful. Do the staff get to eat this well?”
“Oh, absolutely old boy. Happy staff, happy house.” He winked at me.
I couldn’t imagine being used to people wandering around my home. “Do you know all the staff well?”
“Fairly. There are a few new faces since I came at Easter.”
* * * *
Once fortified, we set off down to the stables, where a beautiful brown and white horse named Bronte awaited me. Charlie rode his steed, a jet-black stallion called Jasper.
As we set off down the gravel drive, Charlie hollered, “Come on, Harris, don’t dawdle. I’m going to show all the land. That will knock your socks off.”
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Kristian Parker
I have written for as long as I could write. In fact, before, when I would dictate to my auntie. I love to read, and I love to create worlds and characters.
I live in the English countryside. When I’m not writing, I like to get out there and think through the next scenario I’m going to throw my characters into.
Inspiration can be found anywhere, on a train, in a restaurant or in an office. I am always in search of the next character to find love in one of my stories. In a world of apps and online dating, it is important to remember love can be found when you least expect it.
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