Page 22 of The Gods of Chaos and Chance

‘No, I heard you.’ He rolled his head to regard Aleksey’s profile. ‘Go on then, how many?’

‘One. He holds the bulb, and the world rotates around him.’

‘I don’t get it.’

‘That is because you have no sense of humour.’

‘Why wasn’t Jesus born in Russia?’ Aleksey sighed. ‘I am sure you will tell me. Why wasn’t Jesus born in Russia?’

‘God couldn’t find even one wise man.’

‘Hah.’

‘Wake me up if you can’t sleep, yeah? Tonight.’

Aleksey turned his head to mirror Ben’s position, regarding him. ‘I will remind you that you said that then, if I do.’

Ben smiled and began to stroke idly across Aleksey’s chest.

‘I phoned Phillipa today.’

The stroking stopped.

‘She harbours no hard feel—’

‘Shehas no—!’

‘What did she do, Ben? Really? Tell me.’

Ben flung himself back to stare stonily up. ‘I don’t want to talk about this.’

Aleksey sighed. ‘I have many fond memories of Barton Combe.’

No response.

‘Billiard tables, beaches, follies in the grounds…’

‘A pavilion.’

‘A pond.’

‘That was just me. You said you couldn’t swim.’

‘Ack, I said I didn’t love you, and that was also a lie.’

‘Do you think Tim loves Squeezy?’

‘Do you think he does?’

‘Nicely deflected. I don’t know. I worry about them sometimes.’

‘You know the professor better than I do. We don’t talk a lot.’

‘But you know Squeezy better than I do now, don’t you?’

‘Why did I get the impression there was accusation couched in that comment, Benjamin? Are you jealous again?’

‘I don’t think you want to have sex with him, no. But I think you…conspire with him about things you don’t want me to know.’

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