He and his wife Eleanor desperately wanted another child, hopefully a daughter.  Eleanor had always been frail in England and her health did not improve in Capetown.  Fortunately she was well enough to conceive another child almost five years after Victor was born.  When the time came, the baby did not turn and descend into the birth canal, and the doctors were forced to turn him inside of Eleanor.  She bled profusely and did not survive the birth of her second son.

Christopher never felt the same way about his new son, Martin, as he did about Victor.  He resented him and blamed him for his wife’s death.  He would have sold the boy into slavery if he could, but since that was not an option, he chose to ignore him.  He never held him or cuddled him or showed him the least bit of love.  Victor became aware of his father’s feelings at a very young age, and tried to show Martin as much love as possible.  He was more of a father to Martin than Christopher was.

From the time Christopher brought Eleanor to Capetown, a young, light skinned, mulatto woman named Livia Mrubu, came around daily to do the house cleaning.  Although Livia was an excellent cook, Eleanor preferred to do all her own cooking.   She allowed Livia to help her occasionally, when company was coming.

When Eleanor died, Livia stayed on at the plantation temporarily to help Mr. Dorchester out, and to be a nanny to Victor and the new baby.  Since she was black, she slept in the servant’s quarters.  When Christopher realized that he and his two sons could not do without Livia, he offered her full time employment and a bedroom in the main house if she would stay on as housekeeper, cook and nanny to the two boys.  The poor girl lived in abject poverty and she gladly accepted the position, especially since she had already bonded with the two young boys.

Within a month of this new arrangement, Christopher was lusting after Livia.  He may even have loved her in some fashion, but a union between a white person and a black person was punishable by prison for both.  Apartheid was strictly observed.  Livia never really loved Christopher, but she loved what he could do to make a black woman’s life better in this totally racist environment.  Reluctantly, she allowed Christopher into her bed one night.  He had been drinking and she was afraid of what he might do if she refused him.  After that, her employer was a regular visitor to her bed chamber, and in a very short time, she found herself with child.

With the help of some black midwives, who were bribed into silence, Livia bore a son.  He was almost white.  He had straight black hair and brown eyes.  His features were pure Caucasian, and he looked more like a Spaniard or a well tanned Englishman, than a mixed breed.  He quickly became a member of the household, and a companion to Martin.  Livia named him Samuel Mrubu.

Christopher treated Samuel better than he did his legitimate son Martin.  When Samuel was old enough, Christopher began to take Victor and Samuel on his trips around the plantation, leaving Martin to wonder why he was excluded.   Livia was always there to console him.  In fact, she began to show Martin more love than she showed Samuel.  As fondly as Christopher treated Livia and Samuel, he made sure that the outside world saw them only as black servants in his household.

Jonathan Endicott and Martin Dorchester attended the same school and became quite good friends.  They would often sleep over at each other’s homes, much to the delight of their fathers, who were also good friends.  Because the boys were young, they usually slept in the same bed.  Martin was a year older than Jon, and he had learned a few things from some of the older boys.  A fourteen year old student taught Martin how to pleasure himself, and after his first orgasm, he couldn’t wait to instruct his best friend Jon in the fine art of masturbation.

For years they masturbated together, never once touching the other.  The truth is that both wanted to pleasure the other, but each was too frightened to take the first step.  It wasn’t until Jon’s fifteenth birthday, that Martin boldly entered his friend’s bedroom and seduced him.  After that night they became full time lovers.  They were not separated until Jonathan Endicott, Sr. took his family to Egypt .

Martin was moody and despondent immediately upon Jon’s departure.  Samuel sensed his unhappiness and dared ask him, “Do you miss Mr. Endicott that much, that you can’t bear to be separated for a short month or so?”

“Yes, I do,” Martin stated emphatically.

“Someday,” Samuel said, “I pray that someone will love me as much as you love Jon.”

Martin panicked.  “Whatever do you mean by that?” Martin dared ask.

Samuel just smiled and left the room.

It was Samuel who brought the news to Christopher and Martin that both Jon and Victor had perished at sea.  The elder Dorchester immediately had a stroke, and Martin fainted.  Christopher was taken to a local hospital where he died two weeks later.  During those two weeks, Martin refused to leave his room and never once visited his ailing father.  Samuel attended to Martin’s every need.  When Martin began to sob uncontrollably, Samuel got into bed with him and held him in his arms.  Samuel would rock Martin gently until he fell asleep.

After Christopher’s funeral, Samuel found Martin alone in his father’s study.  Martin was sitting at his father’s desk sobbing quietly.  The black servant went over to Martin and put his arms around him.

“Samuel,” Martin said, “I am so frightened.  I am all alone in the world now”

“You are not alone,” Samuel said.  “I will always be at your side, as will my mother.”

“Even so,” Martin said, “the plantation is mine and I know nothing about how to run this massive business.  My father taught Vic everything and he always excluded me.”

“He never excluded me,” Samuel affirmed.  “He taught me everything that he taught Vic.  Now I’ll instruct you.  We’ll run our father’s plantation together.  It will all be in your name of course.   I can’t own property.  I’m an illegitimate son and considered black to boot.”

Nobody had every mentioned Samuel’s parentage in front of Vic and Martin, so Martin was overwhelmed by what Samuel had just revealed.

“I’m glad you thought of my father in good enough terms to consider him to be your father, but he was no father to me.  I realize that he treated you like more of a son than he treated me.  I wish I could feel the same way about him as you do.”

“No, Martin,” Samuel said softly.  “He was my father, literally.  I’m your half brother, but nobody knows except my mother and me, and now you.”

Martin was stunned and collapsed into a chair.  Samuel stood over him and Martin looked into his brother’s eyes.  Martin’s eyes studied Samuel’s face and then he smiled.  “Yes, we are brothers,” he affirmed.  He stood up and embraced Samuel.  “Thank God I have you to help me through this,” he sobbed.  Then he kissed Samuel full on the lips, leaving Samuel with his mouth agape.

“This has been a very tiring day,” Samuel said.  “Let’s go to bed and tomorrow morning we will go to work on running this plantation.  I have some wonderful ideas to improve production.”  Martin smiled at his brother and they started toward the bedroom wing.  When Samuel turned in a different direction, Martin asked where he was going.

“Why, to my bedroom, of course,” was Samuel’s reply.

“When I was at my lowest, you slept in my bed and comforted me.  Would you abandon me now?”

“Of course not,” Samuel said sounding confused.

“Then sleep with me tonight, brother.  I sorely need your strength and your comfort,” Martin begged.  Samuel was speechless so he just nodded.

Samuel brought them hot water in basins and they washed themselves, and used the chamber pots.  Samuel put everything outside their door to be removed in the morning.  He discreetly shut and bolted the door.  They were both in night shirts and settled into the bed without touching at first. 

“I will fall off the bed straight away, if we don’t get a little closer,” Martin said.  “This bed is too small for modesty.  Now come closer.  We are brothers after all.”

Samuel obeyed Martin’s request.  They lay facing each other, and Martin asked Samuel, “You know about Jon and me, don’t you?”

“Yes, brother.  I came upon you accidently one night when Mr. Endicott slept over.”

“And how do you feel about it.  Are you going to condemn me to hell?  I’d really like to know what went through your mind when you saw us making love to each other.”

“I became insanely jealous.  I wanted desperately to be Jonathan Endicott, but I feared that you would never admit a black man into your bed.”

“Did you know we were brothers when you came upon us?” Martin asked.

“Yes, I’ve known since I was quite young.  Our father told me.  My mother never would.”

Martin threw his arms around Samuel.  “Fool!” he said.  I have loved you since you were born.  I would never reject you.”

They began to kiss passionately, while groping for each other’s cocks.  Suddenly Samuel pulled away.  “This is all wrong,” he said.  “We are brothers and I am black.”

“What does that matter, if we love each other?  Besides, nobody has to know, not even Livia.”

Samuel laughed.  “I think my mother practices black magic.  She seems to know all about everything that goes on in this house.”