conversational slack. Darwinschatter was a sort of buzzing hum underlying Henrys racingthoughts: was it all his fault? Would Reggie hate him? Did his motherhate him? Did his father hate them all?Sir? Martinsvoice, low and close.Hmm? Henryturned to face Martin, right at his side, looking worried. Whatabout your game?I dont careabout poker, Sir. I heard what your cousin said. Please dont blameyourself, Sir, for a decision your father made. He put his hand onHenrys shoulder and Henry leaned into the pressure. How he wantedto pull Martin to him, to lavish him in kisses and forget everythinghed heard.Another secondcousin arrived, Lyle Benson, age 15, with dark Wilton coloring andlooking like a miniature of Jesse. Last year, hed seemed a child,but this year he was a young man. Lyle wanted to meet Martin, soHenry got to his feet and made the introduction. Lyle circled Martinslowly, eyeing him up and down as if he were a true connoisseur ofhuman flesh, and approvingly pronounced him, Really excellent,Henry.Henry nodded inacknowledgement. He didnt know how to respond to Lylescompliment. Martin was a person, after all; he wasnt someaccomplishment of Henrys.A slave cameupstairs with a tray of drinks, eggnog in silver cups. All the boysand their slaves took cups and drank. As Henry watched, laughingJesse reached out and wiped eggnog off of Russ lip and let himlick it off his thumb. Henry flushed a startled, aroused red; hedarted a glance at Martin and saw he was similarly transfixed. Hednever known anyone to be so physically suggestive with a slavebefore. For his part, Jesse seemed quite unconcerned and at ease.Henry wondered if Jesses friends were like him, or if Jesse wasconsidered extreme; their cousins, who saw Jesse often, did not seemto register anything untoward about Jesses treatment of Russ. Wasit possible that at a different school, with a different socialcircle, Henrys own behavior would fall within acceptable range?The last addition totheir party was yet another second cousin, Eli Carmichael, a handsomeboy with gingery hair a few months older than Jesse, who arrived withhis slave Owen. Owen looked rather like a Wilton, actually, withlong, glossy dark hair, the air of a dissipated poet, and thered-and-black mark of House Apollo on his chest. Eli looked Martinover and smiled. You have good taste, Henry. Again, Henry didnot know how to respond and became bashful.Oh, say, Eliremarked. I almost forgot. Jesse, Henry: your Uncle Reggie is herenow. Hes with Cousin Louisa in the parlor and theyre having abig reunion scene. Everyones in tears!Henrys heartlurched in his chest. Uncle Reggie! Here! Would Reggie be happy tosee him? Or would he blame Henry for his banishment?Jesse took hold ofHenrys elbow. Should we go down? You do want to see him,dont you?Yes, Henrysaid. Yes, butJesse waited for himto finish his sentence, but Henry did not actually know what hisobjection was. He was just frightened.Come on, Henry.Lets go down. Jesses hand on his elbow gently guided himtoward the door. Henry turned to look over his shoulder and Martinwas close behind, smiling at him encouragingly.They wentdownstairs, pushing through a throng of Wiltons and Carmichaels,Bensons and Hatches. Jesse was still steering