This is a story that involves sex between males. If such a story is offensive, or illegal for you to read where you live, then do not continue, go and surf elsewhere.
This is a work of fiction and in no way draws on the lives of any specific person or persons. If there is any similarity to any real persons or events it is entirely coincidental.
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My thanks to John who has read this through and made a number of corrections and suggestions. Any remaining errors , grammatical, spelling or historical or whatever are entirely my fault.
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A Meeting of the Twain Part 4
Ship me somewhere east of Suez, where the best is like the worst, Where there aren't no Ten Commandments, an' a man can raise a thirst; For the temple bells are callin', an' it's there that I would be- By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea. Mandalay Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936
Lex found life in India exciting, baffling, and at times unpleasant. The heat was the most unpleasant factor, though he soon got more acclimatised to it. He often longed for a cool English day, and, at times, even a bitterly cold snow laden wind from the east. There were times when the smells were unpleasant, though he soon began to like the smells of Indian cooking. But India always remained baffling. Whenever he thought he understood, something would happen that would lead him shaking his head in puzzlement. As his linguistic ability improved he began to ask the question 'why?'; and often the response was a shrug of the shoulders and the words 'Because it has always been so'. When the person he questioned asked him the same question about European customs, he found himself giving the same answer. But always India was exciting. Even in the Europeanised Calcutta at every turn there was evidence of a different and very ancient culture.
Lex always tried to speak to the servants in Bengali. They were pleased, and helped him as much as they could. Sam laughed at his efforts; Fred was disdainful about trying to speak a native language. The other two followed the usual English practise when having to communicate with a foreigner; they spoke louder and slower. The servants already had a few English words and soon acquired more. Only Lex persevered in trying to learn Bengali.
It was Lex, of the three clerks, who first began to grasp the elaborate and all important caste system. Each servant had his own task, allotted him by caste, and it was disaster to ask someone to do what was above or beneath him to perform. He learnt to preface many requests with the words, 'Who should I ask to do....?'
He soon realised it would be a help to be able to read and write in Bengali. The servants were all illiterate. He began to make some enquiries. But it was the gardener of all people who told him of a man who was a Bengali teacher, who had a little English who might be able to help. The man, who was well into his sixties, was only too pleased to teach an Englishman. Lex soon began to make progress in the reading and writing of Bengali, as well as continuing to progress in the speaking of the language. Because his teacher was an educated man he could ask questions about the nature and structure of the language. The years at school learning Latin and Greek, as well as the little French, soon began to bear fruit, though Bengali is a totally different language.
All three of the young men found Calcutta a fascinating city. There were such extremes of wealth. Some of the wealthiest to be found were either rich Indians or the British merchants. The Indians lived in palatial surroundings around Calcutta. The wealthy English merchants often chose to live along the banks of the rivers. The poorest people were some of the Indians, homeless, living by begging on the streets.
In the eighteenth Century the relationship between the British and the Indians was often good. Eleanor Fairfax, with whom Lex had talked in French on the last part of the journey was one of the first English wives to be brought out to India. The first English ships throughout the seventeenth century and early eighteenth century contained very, very few women. The crews were all male, the merchants and clerks of the East India Company were all men. Only in the late eighteenth century did a few English women get taken out to India. It was the nineteenth century that was to see so many wives go out to India, and later the large number of single women who came out on the 'fishing fleet' looking for the husband they had been unable to secure back home.
Because the East India Company was a mercantile operation the Englishmen coming out to India expected to be in contact and to trade with Indians. The majority of these men were normal males and had sexual desires. Some resorted the Punch Houses [brothels] of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, and later the other places where Englishmen set up factories - places for trade. Others took Indian women as their mistresses. Often a particular servant in a household was the bed fellow of the master. A few, and it was a few, went further and went through a form of marriage with an Indian woman. It was a form of marriage, because English clergy in any numbers were later arrivals on the Indian scene. It was the coming of hordes of British women, and British missionaries that was to transform the relationships between the two races, and not for the better.
The three young men came to terms with India in different ways. Lex found it a country of infinite interest. The totally different way of life, which manifested itself in the varied languages and different religions, the extremes of wealth and poverty, the noises and the smells, the customs and traditions, all absorbed him. He soon discovered that he was enjoying it. Sam was an easy going man, and he just accepted. He asked very few questions, and never wanted to know why such and such a thing was done. Fred was different again. He basically did not like it. He moaned about the heat, the noise and the smells. He complained that he was unable to eat the same food as he had done back in England. Sam picked up a few words of Bengali from the servants, and other Indians with whom he came in contact, but not Fred. He made it a point not to speak 'their heathen language' - though he himself was probably the least religious of the three.
The three men mixed with their fellows. They enjoyed a social life. They were entertained, and did entertain. This was mainly, though not exclusively so, with their fellow Englishmen. Their activities together were kept securely secret, though was almost certainly known to their servants. The servants had no problem; but the three knew that back home there were dire consequences if you were found out, and to be known that you were that way inclined could lead to serious difficulties.
During May and early June each day seemed hotter, and more unbearable than the day before. Tempers were frayed, angry words snapped out. The servants said, 'Monsoon soon,' and smiled. Then the day came when huge dark clouds were seen massing to the south.
Lex, Sam and Fred were all at home when the clouds covered the sun and the rain came. It was not rain as they had known it in England, so often soft and gentle, but usually cold; this was an entirely new experience. It was heavier and more torrential than they had ever experienced, and it felt warm. The three of them rushed out into the small garden and stark naked danced in the rain. This caused great amusement and some interest to their servants. Noel Coward, more than a century later, was going to sing about 'Mad dogs and Englishmen going out in the midday sun' if he had seen the three of them prancing around he might have written a different song, but more probably would have joined them, and hoped for more than a mere dance!
One day in mid September when Lex was hard at work, his immediate superior came in the place where he was working and called out, "Do any of you know any French?"
Lex looked up and raised a hand, as did one other man. The manager chose Lex and beckoned to him. From such small incidents so much can follow.
"There is this note in French on this paper, I can see it's French, but I'm afraid I can't translate it with any degree of accuracy." He handed the paper to Lex.
Lex translated the three or four lines of French. In themselves they were of no consequence. "You good at languages, Pen?" (Lex's abbreviated surname was most often used at work).
"I did well at them at school."
"What, the usual Latin and Greek?"
"Because I was quite good at them one of the masters taught me some French. There was a woman on the ship coming out who spoke excellent French, and I used to speak French to her for an hour or two every day. It helped wile away the time on the voyage."
The manager smiled. "Do you speak any of the languages out here."
"Bengali, and I am hoping to have a go at Hindustani and Persian if I can find someone to teach me."
"I bet you can't read Bengali."
"Yes, I can. I found an old man who lives near me, a teacher, and he has been teaching me."
"Why do you do it?"
"Because I like learning languages. I like to be able to talk with people. The servants helped me start speaking the language. Though my teacher says I have picked up quite a lot of bad language."
The manager laughed. "Well done. I will pass that information on, it might well come in useful for the Company."
It was one evening in late September that Sam complained of feeling unwell. He went to bed early. The following morning Lex and Fred found that Sam had a high fever, and was obviously very ill. Someone with some knowledge of medicine was called, and it was recommended that he be bled. This did him no good. He deteriorated during the day. In the early hours of the following morning Sam died.
This was all very sudden for Lex and Fred. It seemed as though Sam had been with them one minute and was gone the next. Lex had very few memories of his mother as she had died when he was very young. The only other death that he had been closely involved with was that of his father. But his father was reckoned to be an old man in those days. He had passed his three score years and ten, even if he had not attained the fourscore. Sam was the first of his close contemporaries to have died. Now he and Fred were the closest Sam had to relations in India. They were the chief mourners at Sam's funeral which was held later in the morning that he died. There were letters to write to inform Sam's parents and family back home of what had happened. Lex and Fred struggled to write a suitable letter.
Sam's death altered the whole atmosphere in the bungalow. It initially bought Fred and Lex closer together. They sought solace with each other in frequent sexual activity. But there was no affection between them when they sucked or fucked. It was a relieving of tension, an escape from the reality of what had happened.
They reacted in different ways. Fred blamed everything Indian for what had happened. It was the bloody climate, the bloody food, and bloody everything else. Lex escaped by working harder at his language studies. He had now added Persian to his curriculum. Persian was the language of the Moghul Court, and the language of Indian diplomacy as French was for a long time the language of European diplomacy.
It was soon seen that Sam was the person who kept that household together. Lex and Fred drifted apart. After the initial burst of sexual activity, that became less frequent and ceased. Whether Fred sought solace and relief elsewhere Lex never knew. Lex now entered a period of enforced chastity. He missed what had been enjoying over the last few years, but it was a sequences of circumstances had led to his activities in Whitgest with Ralph Tooley and Billy Blackstone, and also to what had happened on the London and the consequent setting up home with Sam and Fred. This did not happen to him in Calcutta. Lex now reverted to the help of his own hand.
Lex had been in Calcutta for almost a year when he was called to the office of one of the managers of the East India Company's Factory.
"I hear you know how to speak French?"
"Yes Sir."
"We are going through one of those times when relations with the Frogs are better than usual. The result is that a party from here are going to Chandernagore [the French concession in Bengal] to conduct negotiations about trying to settle on or two disputed issues between the Company and the French."
"But I know nothing of such matters, Sir."
"I know. I am not asking you to go as a part of the negotiating team, but as an assistant. Ostensibly to act in a supporting, or possibly secretarial roll. I want you to go there to learn as much as you can about the French, and their intentions in this part of India. Try to assess the morale of the French. To get them talking, but talking so as not to reveal too much about ourselves, and what we are interested in. Often a great deal can be learnt over a meal or a game of cards. Of course, you may learn nothing of relevance. Do you think you can do that?"
"Yes, Sir."
"You leave in a week's time and will probably be away for about three weeks. There will be a meeting of all those going tomorrow at 8.00am."
"Yes, Sir."
Lex was waved out of the room. Was this the opportunity to do something different? It was certainly a chance to see something more of India, though Chandernagore was not all that far from Calcutta.
There were ten Englishmen on the team to meet with the French, plus a bevy of Indian servants, and a small company of sepoy troops of the East Indian Company with an English officer and sergeant.
The two boats making the journey upstream to Chandernagore took it at a leisurely pace, taking two days to do a journey that could easily have been done in one. The Englishmen travelled in comfort on one boat, the servants and sepoys under the command of the sergeant travelled in more crowded conditions on the other.
Chandernagore is situated on a crescent shaped bend of the river. It had been bombarded and largely destroyed by Admiral Watson, when it was captured by the British in 1757. When peace was declared it was returned to the French in 1763. They had rebuilt the small town with some elegant buildings. It was not a busy place like Calcutta, but it was still an important trading post for the French. [See footnote A]
The British delegation arrived in the late afternoon and were warmly greeted by the French. They were ushered into a hall where they were given light refreshments. There it is was arranged where the delegates were to stay. Lex was described as a clerk, and would keep a record of the discussions.
The French were dressed in lighter Indian made clothes but in the European fashion. The British were dressed in their unsuitable English clothes. Pride and prejudice, and perhaps sheer obstinacy, overruled comfort and convenience on formal occasions like contact with the French. Louis XVI was on the throne of France, and events were moving towards the revolution but little of this was either known or felt in Chandernagore. A slim Frenchmen in his mid thirties came up to Lex, bowed and introduced himself as Pierre Montmorency, Chavalier of the Ordre du Saint Esprit. "Monsieur Penbarton, you are to stay with me."
Lex bowed to the Chavalier, and they shook hands.
[Lex and Pierre spoke to each other in a mixture of English and French. I have not attempted to reproduce this - in any case my French is not up to it! But I have introduced one or two characteristics of a French speaker into Pierre's dialogue]
"I think we not need to insist on the formalities. Please call me, Pierre and I you will call by your Christian name."
"My baptismal name is Alexander, to my family I am Alec, but to my friends I am Lex."
"Then, I call you Lex?"
"I would prefer that. Alexander is such a mouthful. And Alec reminds me of home."
"With 'appiness? Or with sadness?"
"With both. I was very happy at home, until I fell out with my older brother, Sir Edward Penbarton."
"Fell out?"
"We quarrelled."
"And your older brother is a chevalier?"
"He is a baronet. My father was a Sir Edward before him, as his father was before him?"
"You come from a noble family then?"
"The lowest rung of the ladder of nobility," said Lex with a laugh. "There are Lords, Earls, Marquises and Dukes further up the ladder."
"And at the very top 'is Majesty King George III?"
"Yes, Farmer George himself."
"Farmer George? That sounds a vulgar nickname?"
"He is interested in things agricultural and horticultural, hence his nickname."
"It sounds disrespectful. We would never call 'is Majesty King Louis XVI by such a dishonourable name."
"For us it is a nickname of affection, not of disrespect."
"You English! We will never understand you and your ways. We can talk more later. Follow me, the servants are bringing your baggage."
Lex was shown into a room with a large four-poster bed. "You are to sleep 'ere. I am in the next room." There was a door way connecting the two rooms.
"In 'alf an 'our we will be dining. You may wish to wash, and change your clothes. I will be doing that."
There were two Indian servants to assist Lex in all that he did.
Half an hour later Pierre knocked at the open doorway. He entered resplendent in tasteful, though colourful, attire. He was dressed in silk britches and coat. There was lace at his cuffs, and on his shirt. He was also wearing a powdered bob wig. Lex was more soberly attired, though by twenty-first century standards, he too was colourfully dressed. He too wore a powdered wig, I suppose he was just less colourful when compared with the Frenchman.
Pierre escorted Lex downstairs, and across a square back to the hall where they had first met. This was now laid out for a banquet. A long table ran the length of the hall, lt. was lit now by chandeliers and candlesticks. The French were obviously intent on doing the British proud.
It was another all male gathering. There was a dearth of French women in India, as there was of English women. Lex did not sit with Pierre. He sat between a French officer, and a merchant. Lex had little difficulty in keeping up a conversation. Most of the meal was taken up with small talk about India, and comparing Calcutta and Chandernagore. The only possible item of intelligence was that the army officer expressed some anxiety about what might be happening back in France. The delay of over six months in getting information meant that any news was always stale.
The meal lasted two hours. It was a mixture of European and Indian cuisine. The French were like the British in thinking that to eat purely Indian cuisine would be a compromise, and mark a lowering of standards.
When the meal was over the men stood around talking and drinking for about half an hour. Then some began to drift away. Pierre came up to Lex, "Shall we now go?"
"Yes, I'm feeling ready for some sleep."
They crossed the square, and made their way up to the bedrooms. Half way up the stairs Pierre took hold of Lex's arm. "My friend, it is my custom to have a bathe before going to bed. It washes off the dirt of the day, and relaxes one for sleep. I 'ave presumed you would like to bathe too."
"That sounds a good idea."
Pierre pulled off his wig and threw it at one of the servants to catch. He then pulled Lex's off. "I can never wait to get those things off my 'ead. I 'ave told the servants that we will bathe. There should be two baths in the room we go through to get to our rooms."
Lex wondered what was in store for him. They went to the top of the stairs and into the room off which their two bedrooms lay. In the middle of the room there was now two metal baths, and four servants seeing to the water.
"Good, I see all is prepared," said Pierre. He raised his arms and one of the servants took off his coat. Two other servants came over and stood by Lex.
"They will 'elp you get off your clothes," said Pierre.
Lex raised his arms, and his jacket too was removed. Four hands then started to undo his shirt, and take off his shoes. He looked across at Pierre who was now almost naked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pierre step into one of the baths, and sit down, and then lie down in the water. "It is a wonderful moment at the end of a day to get into warm water, and feel it make your body rest."
Lex's britches and underwear were removed; and thankfully without getting a horn on, he stepped into the bath. He saw that Pierre was watching him intently. He, too, got down into the water. It was tepid, not so hot as to increase one's body heat, nor so cool or cold to be uncomfortable or a shock.
Lex sighed. "This is a good way to end a day."
"I always think so." Pierre waved to dismiss the servants. "Well? What do you think of Chandernagore?"
"It is much like Calcutta, though perhaps more civilised!"
Pierre laughed. "Did you enjoy your meal? I saw you were sitting alongside Captain Renard."
"I did enjoy the meal, and talked amicably with the Captain. He is quite worried about how things are going in France."
"I know. He talks about it a lot. I think the King will solve the problems. I do not think that anything serious can 'appen."
They talked on about the situation in France. Then Pierre clapped his hands. Immediately the doors opened and the servants came in. This time the servants were sparsely dressed in dhotis [loin cloths]. "The servants will 'elp you wash." Pierre stood up in the bath, and two of the servants started to wash his body.
Lex looked on in amazement, the other two servants stood looking down on him expectantly. Slowly he rose to his feet. Four hands reached over to washing him. Lex could not remember when he had last been washed. Presumably it had been by the family Nanny when he was young. But he found the hands all over his very arousing. To his acute embarrassment he started to get an erection. He looked over to Pierre. His genitals were now being washed most thoroughly by one of the servants. The other servant was at the back washing his arse.
"Do not worry, my friend, if your sex becomes 'ard, mine always does. Enjoy it."
There was a battle within Lex between the embarrassment and enjoyment of the occasion. His two servants spoke to each other, they did not realise Lex spoke Bengali.
"This is the first Englishmen we have cleaned."
"His lund is big and strong."
"Pity we cannot enjoy it tonight."
"Will you two stop jabbering," said Pierre in French, reprimanding the two servants.
The soaping was now over. Jugs of clean water were now poured all over Pierre and Lex.
Pierre stepped out of the bath, and immediately the servants started to dry him. Lex followed suit, and soon he was dry. Two very light silk garments were produced and wrapped round the two Europeans. Pierre led the way into Lex's room. He pointed to the bed. "Sleep well. Good night."
He bowed to Lex, and turning went into his own room, but leaving open the door between. Lex climbed into the bed, and settled down for the night. There was a lot going through his mind. The events of the day were reviewed. He went to sleep thinking about Pierre and the events just before going to bed. The ritual of bathing was interesting. It looked as though Pierre went through that procedure every night. He wondered whether Pierre was one who enjoyed the same sort of activities as himself. He thought that time might tell, and with that he went to sleep.
He was woken by a servant at first light. Pierre came into his room.
"Good morning. Did you sleep good?"
Lex had slept well.
"We will break the fast in 'alf an 'our, and then there will be the first meeting with your delegation. After noon we will rest, and then there will be another meal like yesterday, though not so late an 'our."
The morning was spent at a meeting of the French and East India Company officials. Lex took detailed notes of the meeting. This was not new work for him. He spent the first part of the siesta writing up his notes. He then joined Pierre who was resting on a couch on one of the verandas of the house. Pierre was asleep so Lex lay on a couch which was alongside, and soon he too was asleep. It was over an hour later when a servant came, and woke them, and placed a glass on fruit juice on the small table nearby.
They went upstairs to prepare themselves for the main meal of the day.
At the end of the day Lex and Pierre crossed the square back to Pierre's home.
"I am in need of a bathe," said Pierre.
"Did you train your servants to undress and wash you?"
"Yes. Why? Do not you 'ave servants to do that?"
"We have servants, though not as many as you, but we do not allow them to do those things for us. We would not let them see us naked." Lex remembered there had been an occasion when the servants had seen the Lex and his two companions naked. "There was one occasion when they did. That was when the monsoon broke."
"What 'appened?"
"We danced around outside in the rain."
"With no clothes?"
"No clothes"
Pierre shook his head. "You English. I will never understand you. You do not let the servants see you without clothes inside your house, but the three of you dance around naked outside, like school children." He paused as if realising he sounded judgmental. "But it does sound fun."
"It was."
The same ritual as the evening before was followed. Once the two men were in their bathtubs, the servants again left the room. They both enjoyed the comfort of the water, and talked of unimportant matters. After a good soaking Pierre clapped his hands, the four servants entered, and again soaped, rinsed and dried. This time there was no chatter as they dried Lex's prick. Their silken gowns were wrapped around them.
"Do you go back to England when you have made much money here?"
"No. I shall stay in India. You? Will you return to France."
"I 'ope so, at some time. But I must let some years pass."
"Some people have to do some forgetting back in France?"
"Oui, yes."
Lex wondered what the reason was for Pierre needing to let time pass before returning to his homeland.
"I owe a lot of money."
"I thought it might be some angry father, or angry husband," volunteered Lex.
"No, not at all. Far from it."
Pierre led the way into the room where Lex slept, as he had done the evening before. "Did you, my English friend, leave behind some broken 'eart?"
Lex blushed slightly, and thought of Billy Blackstone, who had been forced to leave his birthplace and family, and of Ralph Tooley. "No broken heart."
Pierre pointed to the bed and Lex got into it. Pierre sat on the edge. "'Ow do you find living in India, with no English girls. Do you 'ave an Indian girl back in Calcutta?"
"No. Do you have an Indian girl tucked away here?" He looked around.
Pierre laughed. "I do not miss any French girl, and I want no Indian girl."
"Have you ever....with a girl?"
"No. 'Ave you?"
"Just once."
"Oh. Just once, and you not want again?"
Lex shook his head.
"So you?" Pierre made the usual sign of someone tossing himself off.
Lex laughed. "Yes, quite often."
"But it is not the best, is it?"
"What is the best for you then, Pierre?"
It was now Pierre's turn to look embarrassed. "That would be to say."
"Go on, say. We are friends."
"Can you a secret keep?"
"As you said, we are friends."
Pierre continued slowly and hesitantly. "I do not like the girls, I like the men."
"I have the same secret too."
They looked at each other, Lex lying back in the bed, and Pierre sitting on the edge.
"I thought that you may be. That's why I chose you to stay with me."
They continued to look at each other, neither wanting to make the first move. It was Pierre who spoke next. "Can I sleep with you, Lex?"
"With pleasure." Lex moved over in the bed, and Pierre joined him.
There was an immediacy and fervency in their first physical contact. Their gowns were soon removed, and totally naked they could not get close enough to each other. They had seen each other naked while being bathed, so there was no great need to feast the eyes. It was flesh against to flesh they both wanted. They rolled around on the bed. Their limbs were entwined. Their lips met, but also found many other places to show their passion.
"This is much better than our two nations being at war. Why must men always fight each other, when they could do this?" said Pierre.
"I know the thrust of a prick is surely always preferable to the thrust of a pike?"
Pierre stilled. "Do you like to thrust with your prick?"
"Always. Any time."
"Will you thrust your prick into me, Lex?"
"If that is what you want."
"Yes, I want very much. A moment!" Pierre jumped out of the bed, and ran into his own room. Within a short moment he was back clutch a small jar, and with his hard prick jutting out in front of him. "Something to 'elp you thrusting!"
"How do you want me to thrust at you?
"For our first time I like us side by side, like two spoons on the table. Then we can take all night, you one on top is not trying not to be 'eavy."
Soon they were prepared, lying on their sides Pierre was pushing his arse back into Lex. With a careful aim Lex position his prick and began to push. His prick after a moment at the entrance made its powerful way into the Frenchman.
"I never though I would 'ave an Englishman's prick inside me, and I enjoy it."
"It was because I was doing this, and was found by my older brother and some of his gentry friends, that I have had to leave England."
"Pourquoi? Why?"
"In England it is illegal. You can go to prison, even be hanged for it. Certainly the pillory or a good ducking."
"In France it is against the law. The Church says it is wrong. But no one suffers for doing it. If seen people look the other way. Your brother is not a gentleman, 'e did not look the other way!"
"My brother is very religious. But I'm enjoying having my prick up your lovely French arse."
"Good, we both enjoy."
All the skills that Lex had acquired with Billy Blackstone, and Ralph Tooley, and all that he had learnt on board the London with the Company sailors were now used to enable Lex to take his time, and to give pleasure to Pierre.
"Tell me more of your brother?"
As they lay there couple they talked. Lex told Pierre about his activities at Whitgest and on the London. Pierre told Lex about his activities in France, where it appeared that men with men was more common and relatively open than in England.
"But now in India, what do you do, Lex?"
"Sometime I do this with the man I live with."
" ' Ave you not done it with an Indian man?"
"No. Have you?"
"Yes, many times. The four servants who bathed us this evening, they all enjoy it. That is why they are my servants. I do not believe in this Indian caste system, with untouchables and so on. I always sleep with one or two of them."
"With two?"
"Sometimes. It is wonderful to in bed with two lovely young men. They will suck me or, what do you say, fuck me, whenever I want. And I can suck them, and occasionally fuck them if I want."
"You prefer to be fucked?"
"Oui. All times."
Lex took his time, knowing when to hold back and when to proceed. He was able to reach over and use his hand on Pierre's prick. It was slightly longer than Lex's but considerably thinner.
Eventually Lex could hold back no longer, he managed to bring them both to a simultaneous climax. With a loud cry he shot his spunk deep into Pierre, who also cried out aloud. Lex was also conscious of the abundance pulsating out of Pierre's prick.
They got out of bed to clean themselves up, and then went off to sleep with Lex spooned in front of the Frenchmen. Both were content with all that had happened.
The remaining days of the visit to Chandernagore followed the same pattern. One night Pierre suggested that one or two of the Indian servants joined them. Lex was not sure about larking around with Indian servants, and declined. His decision not spoil in any way the friendship that was growing between the two men.
When the time came for Lex to depart, they made the decision that they would meet again. Lex explained that he did not live in the comparable surroundings Pierre, but he was assured that that would cause no problem.
Lex's stay had not been totally taken up with having a good time with Pierre, taking notes and writing them up. He made a decision not to try and get information from Pierre, as that would be an abuse of friendship. He had kept his ears open, especially during the main meals when he sat between different Frenchmen each evening. He often tried to get the conversation onto affairs within Chandernagore, but the important item of information was not heard at the dinner table, but before hand when they were about to go in for their meal. On his return he was summoned to a Patrick O'Riley's room.
"Thank you for your accurate reporting of the meetings. I think you will be asked to do that sort of thing again."
Lex slightly inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"Now did you learn anything that may be of interest?"
"Several men expressed some concern about the way things were going in France. One even expressed fears of real civil disorder should there be a failure of the harvest. Others thought the new King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette would sort everything out. I am afraid I do not know much about the situation in France, and so cannot judge whether their concerns are valid."
"Ummmm. Several other have said much the same thing. Anything else?"
"I overheard one of the soldiers saying that he was being sent to Hyderabad."
"Hyderabad, you say? Sure of that?"
"Yes, Sir."
The man was silent for a while. "Well done. That may be important. That will have to be considered carefully."
"There is something else. I have made good friends with the Chevalier Pierre Montmorency. He wishes me to visit him again, and I have invited him to visit me. Is that all right?"
"We are at peace with the Frogs at the moment. So that it will be fine. But you must be careful what you say, for they would like to learn things from you too."
"Naturally."
"Do not let them know what you heard, and what you have just told me, and especially my reaction."
"Naturally."
"I think we will arrange for you to have some leave in three or four weeks time. Two weeks in Chendernagore?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And keep your ears open."
Lex's absence in Chendernagore led to a deterioration in the relationship with Fred at home, but before they took a disastrous turn another fortuitous event occurred that was to change Lex's life.
He was walking along a street in Calcutta when he heard someone calling out his name. "Pen! Pen! Penbarton."
Lex looked around and saw a man leaning out of a carriage window looking straight at him. Lex pointed at himself with a questioning look on his face as much as to say, 'Do you mean me?'
"Yes, you. You are Lex Penbarton aren't you, unless my eyes deceive me."
"Lex quickly walked up to the carriage. As he drew close he recognised the occupant, he could not believe his eyes. "North! Hugh North." Lex had been Hugh North's fag during his first year at school. He had treated Lex honourably and well the whole of that first year. "What are you doing out here?"
"I should ask you the same question. As for me I am an aide-de-camp to the Governor General, Warren Hastings."
"I'm just a humble clerk to the Company."
"Many have started on that rung of the ladder and climbed high, Clive for example. But Pen, I'm in hurry; come and dine with me at four o'clock."
"Where do you live?"
Hugh North gave Lex details of where he lived. "See you later. I must go. The Gov. Gen. must not be kept waiting." With that Hugh North gave instructions to his driver and was away.
Though geographically Hugh North did not live far away from Lex's bungalow, culturally they lived far apart. When Lex made his way to North's residence he was conscious of the size of the place, and the extent of the grounds around it. Lex had dressed in silk britches and coat, and one of his most lacy shirts. He also wore his bob wig. He hired a rickshaw to take him to North's place. He paid the driver and went up the steps to the main door. As he approached it opened and a liveried Indian servant bowed, "Mr Alexander Penbarton?"
"Yes."
"Please come this way, Sir"
Lex was ushered into a drawing room whose area was almost that of the whole of the bungalow in which he lived. "Sir Hugh will be down very soon, Sir." The servant withdrew, leaving Lex free to wander round the room, admiring the pictures and ornaments. It was obvious that little expense had been spared.
The door opened and Hugh North strode in. "Pen, it's good to see you." They bowed to each other and looked at each other, and then to Lex's astonishment Hugh North gave him a quick hug. Lex was relieved to see that Hugh North was dressed like him, and was wearing a bob wig.
"You've grown, Pen, since school days. You were a scraggly boy when I last saw you, in a food-stained school uniform."
Lex laughed. "Well, North, I never though then I would see you in silk britches and coat." He bowed.
North laughed and bowed to Lex, "I think we should drop the Norths and Penbartons, do call me Hugh, but what should I call you. Alexander is a mouthful for everyday use."
"My friends call me Lex, and I would be honoured if you called me that."
"Fine, Lex. I say, it's damned hot. Let's take these bloody things off. There's only the two of us." He snatched his wig off and flung it onto a chair. "A drink? Do sit down, they'll tell us when the food is ready. I've got some good Spanish sherry brought here via the Portuguese, and some better port for when we've eaten."
They sat and talked, catching up on news. Lex told Hugh that he had fallen out with his brother when Edward had inherited the title and estate. He did not go into further details. Hugh told Lex that he owed his position to the influence of his uncle Frederick the eighth Lord North, who was the present First Lord of the Treasury, and Prime Minister of Great Britain. They talked easily to each other. Long past were the distinctions of school days. They talked throughout the meal, and had a number of laughs together over the port.
In the course of conversation Lex had told Hugh where he was living, and of the increasingly strained relationship with Fred.
"Why don't you come a live here? I live in this vast place, it is more or less just me and a company of servants. It is all done for appearances, does not do for the Gov. Gen's. aides-de -camp to live below their station. You can have your own suit of rooms. Come and go as you please. It would do the servants good to have someone else to look after. Why not?"
The idea was certainly attractive to Lex. He said he would think it over.
"Come round for another meal, on Thursday, four days time, and I will show you round. Busy till then dancing attendance on the Gov. Gen."
On Wednesday received a letter from England. He found his eyes moistened as he saw Thomas's familiar handwriting. He thought of home, and missed it acutely.
Alec, Thanks you for your missives. Two epistles arrived within six days of each other. I shall take the similar precaution and send off three copies at intervals, so do not get excited if you receive another epistle from me with the next week or so. Margaret and I were joined in holy matrimony just five days after you left. Everything went well. God has blessed our union, in that a son was born to us some nine months after we had consummated our union. We have denominated him Charles, as that is a family name. His full baptismal nomenclature is Charles Thomas Alexander. Georgina assented to him being named after you. Edward protested, but I insisted and overruled him. I sought and obtained a presentation to the Lord Bishop of London at Fulham Palace, and he concurred to my ordination to diaconate, and later to the presbyterate of the Church of England. I was therefore made deacon in his Lordship's Cathedral Church of St Paul on Trinity Sunday, and to the presbyterate at the ensuing Michaelmas. I shall minister in this parish as assistant curate to our well beloved old vicar. He is now exceedingly incapacitated and can barely preside at God's Board for Holy Communion, on the occasions when that is celebrated. Edward and Caroline have so far failed to obey the Biblical injunction to increase and multiply. Margaret has intimated to me that it may be because they regard the physical dynamics and convolutions that are the necessary precursors of an increase in the populace are an activity repugnant, if not repulsive, to them both, and therefore not seemly for followers of the divine imperative in the Eighteenth Century of our Lord. I myself would not presume to make such a judgement. Never once has our brother inquired of your welfare or even of your whereabouts. I endeavoured to inform him by indirect means that I had received a communication from our brother in the orient. It is however necessary to inform you that our esteemed sibling is proving to be a most conscientious and considerate landlord to his tenants and dependants. He and Caroline visit assiduously within the estate, and Edward has enabled considerable renovations and improvements to the properties he possesses. Caroline is a frequent visitor of the sick, the venerable, and those in various stages of decrepitude, always bearing with her a donation to assist their circumstance. Both Edward and Caroline are held in high esteem by their tenants, though the opinion has been expressed that an increase of, nay, rather any evidence of, humour would make relationships easier to bear. I conveyed your enquiry about the welfare of your equine creature to Ralph Tooley. Ralph confirmed to me what appeared to my untutored reconnaissance in such equine matters that Artimis is indeed flourishing. Ralph intimated to me to convey to you that he flourishes, and that his existence is much the same as when you were present in this parish. I must confirm that his outward appearance is that of a healthy and contented man. Though he is about to put up the banns of marriage to be read in Church. I am personally not abundantly acquainted with the fortunate young lady. I think he will make a good spouse. I have often tried, using my imagination, to collect into my mind what it must be like for you in India. I trust that the Lord is prospering your endeavours. I look with eager anticipation to your next communication, Georgina sends her greeting to you, Yours loving brother, Thomas Penbarton.
Lex read the letter and smiled. Dear Thomas, why did he always use a multisyllabic word when a single syllable would do? Lex hoped that he did not preach as he wrote, and had a fleeting picture of All Saints, Whitgest full of snoring parishioners.
The letter did two, almost contradictory, things to Lex. First, it made him homesick. He longed to walk over the fields and through the woods of Whitgest, now changing into their autumnal glory. He longed to sit on Artie, and gallop over those fields. He wished he could speak to Ralph, had he now given up his sexual activities with men, now that he was about to marry? He wondered what had happened to Billy Blackstone. He hoped he was all right, and felt pangs of guilt over what had happened. He wished he knew where Billy was, then he could send him some money. But secondly, he thought of the life he was living in India. His endeavours were prospering. He was on the bottom rungs of a ladder that could lead to great wealth. Life was certainly getting more interesting. There was the friendship with Pierre, and his renewed friendship with Hugh.
He replied to Thomas' letter within a week. "I don't know what Pater would have said, but I have made friends with a Frenchman, the Chevalier Pierre de Montmorency. I met him on an official visit to Chandernagore, and I am going to stay with him again in a couple of week's time."
Lex went to dine with Hugh again as arranged. Hugh showed him round his home. He offered Lex a suite of rooms, the floor area was double that of the bungalow he had shared with Sam and Fred. He decided he would take up Hugh's invitation. He had already ascertained that Fred would be happy for him to move out.
"So there you, Lex, you can come and go as you please. I suggest you employ a couple of servants of your own, to look after your own personal needs. The house servants will clean, wash and cook for you. It will do them good to have a little more extra work."
"There is just one thing. When I went to Chendernagore I made friends with a Frenchman, would it be all right for him to stay here with me?"
"Of course. Our nations are at peace now. No more fighting! Who is it?"
"The Chevalier Pierre Montmorency."
"I know of him. Yes, of course, I look forward to meeting him. There is one thing, Lex, I have a special friend."
Lex looked at Hugh.
"I love an Indian woman, and she is bearing my child. I am going to introduce you presently, and she will eat with us."
Lex was slightly surprised at this news but managed not to show it. "Will you take her back to England when you return?
"No, of course not. She would be out of place there. I shall probably marry on my return home. If the child is a boy I shall take him with me, to be educated in England."
"I look forward to meeting her."
"Feel free to welcome any other friends you may have, lady friends, or boy friends, for that matter."
Lex blushed at this.
"So is that the way it is for you?"
Lex nodded.
"That's no problem for me. There are no ten commandments out here in India."
Footnote:-
A. Chandernagore was again captured by the British again during the Napoleonic conflicts, and again returned to the French afterwards. It is by all reports an attractive place to visit today.