Usual Rules
The Flogging
A period of consolidation.
Part 7
A simple suicide verdict was recorded on Mark Dampier and the school very quickly returned to normal.
Acteon however felt devastated by what had happened and had to unload his emotions on David. After supper one evening the week after the funeral Acteon told David everything that had happened revolving around the homosexual issue.
"I know that Barker is gay and has a lover, David. He knows that Alan is my lover. I think at least two more of the prefects are gay. Please, what can we do to protect all these boys, we can't lose another like Mark, he loved me so much for so long, it just destroyed him when we did eventually make love."
David was amazed at the maturity and compassion shown by this seventeen year old boy that he loved so much.
"I will talk to Barker and his lover, that won't be a problem. I want you to talk to the others you think are homosexual and see if you can get any further confirmation."
Acteon daren't ask what David was going to say. He intended to watch and wait.
David sent for Baz the next day.
"Come in Barker, sit down."
Baz was immediately on guard. No pupil was ever asked to sit in the head's study. What was even more surprising was David coming round his desk and sitting in the other chair.
"You aren't in trouble boy. Quite the reverse. The head boy has told me the whole story concerning Dampier's unfortunate obsession with him. Acteon and young Alan Balfour are to be protected at all costs. That applies to you and your lover as well. Do you understand?"
Baz was completely shattered. Firstly because of Acteon's total frankness discussing the situation with the head, but equally so because David wanted to protect them not castigate them.
"I don't understand Sir."
"Come along Barker, I know you are a straight A student. I know you are a homosexual and have a lover in the school. I am also aware that St. John Cox and Balfour are lovers. I want to protect you so I need to know the name of your lover. Acteon thinks he knows some more boys that prefer their own sex so when we know for sure, they will also be invited to tell me if they have lovers and I can take steps to protect all of you. Now, who is the young man that has your affection?"
Baz was torn, the strain of maintaining the secrecy of his liaison was wearing, but could he trust this man. Why would he want to protect homosexuals? Baz had a logical mind, thinking about the situation with Acteon and now the head's attitude he could only come to one conclusion. Oh fuck, Acteon's real lover was the head master. Baz's jaw dropped open at this realisation and then it just spilled out.
"Oh my God, you're Acteon's true love."
It wasn't a question, it was said with total surety.
"Yes Barker, I love that young man with all my heart."
Baz burst into tears then and fell at David's feet.
"I love Ben so much, Sir, it is so terrifying thinking about being caught whenever we kiss or cuddle."
David stroked the hair of this very distraught young man. It was so crazy that these boys lived in a state of terror because they were different. When would there be any sanity in the world?
(Of course we know now that the U.K. didn't legalise homosexuality until 1967, seventy years after the start of this story. Many countries and religious groups still, in 2009 persecute gays. David was right to wonder, more than 100 years after Oscar Wilde we are still intolerant of sexual minorities.)
When Barker had calmed down a little, David sent him off to wash his face and finish calming down but told him to be here again tomorrow with his young man. Quickly going through student files David was sure he knew which Ben, Barker was talking about.
Acteon, meanwhile was sleuthing. He checked which prefects were most likely to volunteer for prefects punishment duties, and which ones usually had extras to add in private at the end. He sent for the students involved and by force of personality found what prefects did what. The ones Acteon suspected were homosexual invariably used the extra punishment at the end to sodomise the pupil they fancied. Of course no student, gay or straight would blow the whistle on someone that had sodomised them. When he was sure he sent for the prefects individually.
"Please don't waste time and energy denying what I am going to accuse you of because I have incontrovertible proof. You are a homosexual, and all I want to know is if you have a lover or know of any others boys with similar taste. Please believe me when I tell you that my interest is so that you can be protected not prosecuted."
George Chapman was the first to hear that little speech and just laughed.
"Don't be bloody stupid Acteon. I'm not and even if I was I certainly wouldn't tell you."
"George, Mark Dampier committed suicide after he and I had made love. Apparently he had loved me since we were eleven. I don't want to lose another friend. If I can find all of you that are hiding your sexuality, we think we can protect you."
"And who are `we' Acteon?"
"The headmaster and myself, and that is the most confidential information you will ever hear."
"I don't believe you Acteon, what game are you playing?"
"I swear George, this isn't a game."
This was ridiculous, if he admitted the truth to Acteon he would be risking everything, but Acteon was right. Getting caught could be worse and if the principal was a sympathiser that would be incredible.
It was heavy going but by the time he left Acteon's study he was convinced and had admitted his sexuality.
"On Saturday, after all sports are completed David is having a get together of some senior pupils, and friends. It is a cover. Everyone there will be a homosexual. Please bring your lover if you have one and anyone else you know who is like us."
By Saturday afternoon Acteon was feeling drained. He had talked himself hoarse convincing boys to tell him the truth.
When David entered the main lounge of his house at 4 that Saturday he was stunned. It was packed. He noticed that most of the seniors had juniors close to them. Was this the trait then like Acteon and Alan?
"You surprise me, I had no idea so many of you admired the same sex."
It was said in a light-hearted way and garnered a few laughs and lots of nervous smiles.
"I have only one agenda in calling this get together. I want to protect you from society. You see I don't consider what you do to be abnormal, I believe it is the way you are made."
There were gasps at that and then applause
"What we are going to do is form a new society within the school. You will all become founder members. No one else will be able to join without the recommendation of two of you. I am having the disused pavilion at the bottom of the playing fields refurbished and some partitions put up dividing it into bedroom size rooms. We are going to use a few of those rooms to stow spare furniture from the houses, especially beds."
The last was said with a smile on his face which wasn't lost on the company.
David continued for a few more minutes making it clear that the pavilion would have a common room and at least two bathrooms, all be it with only cold water.
"I am going to leave Barker and Chapman to think up a name for the society and some spoof aims to cover the reality. You may use it as you wish but whenever you leave there must be no evidence of what you have actually used it for. Barker and Chapman will have keys which any of you may ask for, but under no circumstances must it be left unlocked when none of you are there."
All of the details were discussed and the boys left delighted with the events of the afternoon. Several of the younger boys were crying with relief, they had been under such extreme pressure knowing that to be caught was a sentence almost worse than death. Barker's, Ben, was the worst. In the end David sanctioned him and Barker remaining for the night.
One term into the new society and every member had shown better results in his school work, David was delighted.
Acteon would occasionally accompany Baz to inspect the pavilion and soon realised that the boys were turning it into a very comfortable and relaxing place. They had obtained some old desks and chairs so that the older boys had facilities to help the younger boys with homework. Hence the improvement in grades. Of course, being able to relax more with their sexuality was helping as well.
What began to worry David was that there appeared to be two groups. The older ones were almost all upper sixth with only one more term before leaving for university. The younger ones were mostly third year, that is, thirteen and fourteen year olds. Next term what was going to happen, there were few leaders left?
"Acteon, we need to find some boys in the lower sixth and even the fifth years who are like us, otherwise the society will struggle next year."
Acteon had not thought about that. Alan would be safe because he would have David as his lover, but none of the other younger boys had protectors.
Barker solved the problem, all be it with some risk. A debate was advertised. `Oscar Wilde, was his prosecution just?'
The result was a list of names for Acteon to delve into. These were the boys who had been most sympathetic to the principal of being left alone if what you did was in private and affected no one else. Acteon was delighted in private sessions with these boys to uncover another seven in the lower sixth and fifth forms. The future of the society was now almost guaranteed for the foreseeable future.
Term's end, graduation for Acteon's year. The new head boy appointed by David was a member of the society, as were several of the new prefects. Alan's parents agreed to him becoming a day boy under the care of David, and Acteon went off to Oxford to read law and politics. He would devote his life to improving the lot of minorities, particularly homosexuals.
Of course he also continued to have two lovers for many years. David Cockburn and Alan Balfour.
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I have tried to keep the terminology in the nineteenth century, but know that I failed when I used the word GAY to describe homosexuals, that word didn't come into common use until late in the twentieth century.
However, I hope you enjoyed this tale and will let me know.
Chris Johns, at home in Antigua.