All Sebastian could think of was the risk; what if they were caught? What if he was dragged before a court? There would be no way he would keep his head from resting on the executioner’s block. But Anthony, if he said he had not bedded his wife, could claim he’d been tricked. And Sebastian knew for that to be a believable defense it was imperative they were never caught.
“We shouldn’t.”
Anthony’s face was as if a mask had fallen across it, cold and distant. He got to his feet. “It appears my advances are no longer wanted.”
Before Sebastian could answer, Anthony was striding away. Sebastian called after him, but Anthony did not turn back, leaving Sebastian sitting in the ruins of their picnic.
THE sun was starting to set when Sebastian finally walked back to the house. The last few hours he’d spent in a daze, not quite understanding how things had deteriorated so badly between him and Anthony. At some point he’d lost his shoes, but wasn’t certain where; a vague recollection of a patch of mud on the banks of the lake came to mind. The hem of his skirt was filthy, and the weather had turned from sunshine to drizzle, which had saturated his clothes and made him damp all the way through to his skin.
Before he could reach the house, Miriam came hurtling toward him. “Oh my, look at you. Where have you been? I was worried sick!”
“Exploring the grounds,” he said, not looking at her.
She tutted loudly. “We need to get you out of those wet clothes. Lord Anthony will be upset if you fall ill.”
Sebastian trudged into the house. “I doubt the earl would care.”
Miriam hummed in displeasure and fussed as she led him back to his room. Her endless stream of consternation at his impromptu wandering went unanswered, Sebastian letting her continue without interruption. Back in his room, she worked quickly, removing his damp clothes and insisting he change into a dry shift. She didn’t leave the room this time, but turned her back as he changed and bullied him into getting into bed to warm up.
“I’ll bring you up some soup for supper,” she said as she drew the drapes on the windows.
“I’m not hungry. I’d rather get some sleep.”
“Are you sure? It’s no bother.”
“Thank you, but I’ll be fine.” Not waiting for her to answer, Sebastian turned over in bed and burrowed under the blankets. Miriam tutted again and left.
The room was dark and quiet, but the worry of how Anthony had acted earlier, mixed with the underlying dread that someone would discover who he really was, meant it took him a very long time to succumb to sleep.
When he woke, it was to Miriam gently shaking him by the shoulder. He squinted at her. The bright sunshine streaming through the drapes she had opened was making it difficult for him to focus.
“It’s after eleven. If you intend to dress and be downstairs in time for dinner you will need to get up now.”
“I’ll get up, but I’m not hungry.”
She made the same disapproving humming noise from the night before and pressed her hand to his forehead. “Are you ill? You’re a little clammy.”
“I feel fine. I’m just not hungry.”
The frown and the deep crease in her brow told Sebastian that she was not convinced. He threw back the blankets and got out of bed, Miriam directing him to step into a farthingale that she tied a little too tightly.
“Does the hall have a library?” he asked as she fiddled with his bodice.
“Of course. Earl Crofton is very keen on the arts in all forms and has a large collection of the written word.”
“Then I will spend the day in there, if you will be kind enough to show me where it is.”
“You do know that will be thought of as peculiar?”
“More peculiar than wandering the grounds again?” he asked.
Miriam clicked her tongue in annoyance. “All I’m saying is that it is not usual for a noblewoman to spend all day reading.”
“I’ll make sure to have a book of poems to hand at all times.”
“There’s no need to be surly, young man. I will bring some of my unfinished sewing. You can at least pretend you’ve been doing something ladylike.”
Once Miriam had deemed he was acceptable, they left his room. As they descended the stair into the entrance hall, she pressed him again about eating dinner, but he politely declined. Sebastian wasn’t hungry. His mood had always affected his eating habits, and he wanted to do nothing more than linger in his sorrows.
Anthony appeared from the other wing, dressed in riding gear. He didn’t smile when he spotted Sebastian or speak, but just bowed shortly and strode out of the hall. Miriam watched him leave and looked questioningly at Sebastian. “I see.”
“What do you see?”
They entered the library, a reasonably sized room that overlooked the gardens, and Sebastian was unsurprised to see two of the walls were covered by full bookshelves, and there were two reading chairs by a fireplace.
“I was curious to hear that Lord Anthony was going hunting today. I’d expected him and you to spend more time together, if I was honest. But I understand now.”
“Meaning?”
Miriam plumped a cushion in one of the reading chairs. “Well, by the way you’ve been acting and what just happened in the hall, it’s pretty clear that you’ve quarreled.”
“We have not quarreled!” snapped Sebastian.
“No?”
He dropped into the reading chair and sighed. “No,” he said softly. “I don’t know what has happened.”
Miriam’s features softened, and she took his hand and squeezed. “It must be difficult for you here, away from what you know and alone. If you wish to talk to me, I promise I will keep your confidence.”
Sebastian swallowed thickly. He wasn’t used to this type of comfort, his mother only a vague memory. “We were in the rose garden. His attentions turned… amorous. And I was worried that we’d be caught and I’d be discovered. So I was reluctant, but before I could say anything more, he’d stormed away.”
“Lord Anthony is not used to being spurned,” she said.
“I was not spurning him. I just wanted to be careful.”
She shushed him. “He is a prideful man. It’s not one of his better qualities.”
“So what do I do?”
“Leave him be until he has calmed down a little. Prideful he may be, but he is not stupid. There are guests arriving tomorrow. I am sure by then he will be in a better mood.”
“I hope you are right.”
Miriam squeezed his hand again. “If you need anything, get one of the maids to fetch me.”
“Thank you.”
Left alone, Sebastian got up and perused the bookshelves, and was happy to find that the copy of Sydney’s Arcadia that he’d begun reading on the coach from London was among the books. He settled back into the chair, and it wasn’t until several chapters later that a servant arrived with a message.
The envelope had a wax seal, but there was no crest or other discernible mark, just a return address in Kent. Sebastian tore it open and recognized Bronwyn’s handwriting immediately.
I have heard from Cousin Claire that you are at Crofton Hall. What idiocy have you got yourself involved in? You should get out of there while you still have your head.
B
He crumpled the letter in his fist. He did not need his sister telling him what to do. Even if her words echoed his own thoughts.
Chapter 7
ANTHONY’S gruff greeting as he left the breakfast room the next morning made Sebastian’s heart sink further. He’d spent most of the day before in the library, Miriam having brought him something to eat in the late afternoon, and he had not heard Anthony return from hunting before he’d retired to his room in the evening. Miriam’s prediction that Anthony’s mood would have improved had not come to pass. Anthony had said little more to him than a cursory “good morning,” and told Sebastian to expect guests to arrive late afternoon for supper and that they would be staying for several days.
The servants were everywhere, cleaning every surface or item on display and getting the guest bedrooms ready for visitors. Desperate to find some solitude after being chased out of the library when two maids turned up to dust the books, Sebastian retreated to his room and had considered staying there all evening until Miriam turned up with a new set of clothes and a determined expression.
“You can’t hide in here. All the guests have arrived. They’ve come to see the new Lady Crofton.”
“Given that Earl Crofton can’t bear to spend more than a few minutes in my company, I don’t think I will be missed.”
Miriam unlaced him, and he obediently lifted his arms when commanded. “Nonsense. I admit that Lord Anthony is being more stubborn than usual, but that’s no reason to let him get away with acting like a child.”
“You told me to wait, that his mood would blow over.”
“Well, I was wrong. And now you need to stand up to him or he’ll think he can get his way by sulking.”
“It is his house. He always gets his way.”
“Then he should know better. Listen to me, Sebastian, if he didn’t care, this would have been over by yesterday suppertime.”
“Then it is because he cares that his pride has been wounded, not that he cares for me.”
Miriam grabbed Sebastian by the shoulders. “You could be here for years. You can’t let him bully you this time, or he’ll always do it.”
“How can I do that?”
“By going to dinner and acting as if you own this house!”
Even though he didn’t follow women’s fashion, Sebastian knew Miriam must have chosen his dress for the evening as an outward symbol that Bronwyn Crofton would be the most important person at supper that night. Its bold purple color and expensive material screamed wealth and status. Sebastian decided that if his sister had been here she would not have put up with Anthony’s behavior, so neither would he. Anthony had wanted him to play the role of his sister, and Anthony was going to get just that.
Head held high, Sebastian walked along the corridor and down the staircase. A servant waiting at the bottom of the stairs bowed as he passed and then ran ahead to open the doors of the great hall. Seated at the long table were seven people. Sebastian only recognized Anthony, who was seated at the head of the table between a very pretty blonde woman and a man of the same age who looked like he could be the woman’s brother. There were two other couples, an older lady and gentleman sitting opposite a man and a woman who were closer to Anthony’s age than Sebastian’s.
Anthony got to his feet. He didn’t look any happier than the last time they’d seen each other. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to my new wife: Lady Bronwyn Crofton.”
Sebastian curtseyed and took the spare chair at the end of the table, opposite to Anthony. The older man who sat to his left was first to speak. “Lord Ashton, but please call me Richard, and this is my wife, the Lady Anne.”
“My pleasure to meet you both,” said Sebastian politely before turning to his right, where the other couple introduced themselves as Lord Thomas and Lady Elaine Wellsworth. “May I ask who the other guests are? I do not wish to disturb their conversation with Earl Crofton.”
“Lord Simon Bresner and his sister, Lady Eleanor,” said Thomas. “Their father owns the land to the north of the Crofton estate.”
Sebastian watched as Anthony leaned in close and whispered something into Eleanor’s ear which resulted in a high-pitched giggle. “She certainly appears to be a spirited woman.”
“That is one way of putting it,” said Elaine, and Sebastian saw that Elaine was heavily pregnant.
A polite cough from Richard drew Sebastian’s attention. “We were unable to attend the wedding, with it being in London. Do you hail from there, Lady Bronwyn?”
“Not originally. My family came from Portsmouth, but we moved to London when I was ten.”
Richard chewed noisily as he listened. “Portsmouth, you say? Is yours a naval family?”
“Yes, my father was Captain Geoffrey Hewel.”
Sebastian saw the recognition on Richard’s face. “I had the pleasure of meeting him several times. He was a good man, a loyal man. Some of his strategies… well, they were brilliant.”
“At sea and aboard ship, he was a master,” agreed Sebastian.
Richard either didn’t pick up on Sebastian’s slight barb or chose to ignore it. “I seem to recall that he had two children.”
“I have a brother, Sebastian. He is on his way back from the continent, so he was also not able to attend the wedding. I am hoping Anthony will allow me to invite him for an extended visit.”
Another giggle from Eleanor made Richard’s mouth morph into a thin, hard line. He turned and called up the table. “Ah, Anthony, you did not tell us what an interesting creature your wife is, you really are fortunate to have made an alliance with such a good family.”
Sebastian could see Anthony move away from Eleanor, acting suitably contrite. “I am indeed a lucky man.”
“I had thought at one point,” said Simon Bresner, a bored quality to his tone, “that I would have been calling Anthony my brother-in-law.”
“Anthony has made a wise choice. The Hewels are known for their loyalty,” said Richard, who got to his feet. “I propose a toast: to Lady Bronwyn.”
The other men got to their feet, and the ladies raised their goblets. Sebastian accepted the toast with a graceful nod and a pointed stare at Anthony. Anthony stared straight back and raised an eyebrow in question, which Sebastian ignored.
Supper continued, Sebastian learning that there were more guests due tomorrow, and an evening of games and entertainment had been arranged. He also listened to Richard’s stories about Anthony growing up, and it was clear that he had soft spot for the earl. “I will never forget the day we found him dangling upside down from a branch of one of the old oaks, caught by his breeches. He was such a willful child.”
“He’s a willful man, if I am to believe all that I have been told.”
Richard laughed, and Anthony scowled. “That he is, my dear. But I believe he may have met his match with you.”
“In order to stop Lord Ashton tarnishing my good name further,” interrupted Anthony, “I believe we should retire for the evening. Gentleman, if you wish to join me, I have an excellent port and cards laid out in the library.”
Sebastian returned to his room, and Miriam was waiting. “And?” she asked.
“I think I was successful. But I haven’t finished yet.”
She reached out to start untying his sleeves, but Sebastian stopped her. “I will undress later. You need not assist me. This evening is not over yet.”
“What do you have planned?”
“I’m going to give Anthony Crofton a piece of Bronwyn’s mind. I don’t think he understood how lucky he was when my sister refused the marriage. She is much more stubborn than me, and has a much crueler tongue.”
He wished Miriam a good night and examined the interconnecting door between his and Anthony’s room. Like the London townhouse, the bolt was on his side, and he pulled down the latch and let himself into Anthony’s room. It was similar in size to his own room and was dominated by the huge four-poster bed. Not sure when Anthony would retire for the night, Sebastian took the book from Anthony’s bedside table and settled down in a chair by the fireplace to read.
He did not have to wait long. The door opened, and Anthony entered. “What are you doing in here?”
Sebastian set down his book and stood up. “I wanted to speak to you about your ungentlemanly behavior.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What I don’t understand is, if you wanted to marry a woman, why you didn’t you just marry the ever-so-willing Lady Eleanor, instead of dragging my family into your games?”
Anthony scowled. “What are you talking about?”
“It is obvious to me from your flirting with Eleanor, and how you press your suit upon me while dressed as a woman, that your prefer
ence is for the female form. So why, when trying to quash the rumors about your dalliances, did you choose to marry Bronwyn, one of the least feminine women I know?”
Anthony looked baffled for a moment, then crossed his arms over his chest. “You think I’ve gone to all this trouble merely to deal with idle gossip that I take men to my bed?”
Sebastian was not expecting that reply. “Yes. After all, it is against the law.”
Anthony snorted. “Compared to what has been said about me, it is a minor infraction, I assure you. The rumors are not about my taste in bedmates, but whether I am loyal to the crown.”
“Oh.”
“‘Oh’, indeed,” mimicked Anthony. “If I didn’t have the ear of the Queen, my head would already be on a block by now. I was accused of being in league with a known plotter, but I could not prove that I was somewhere else without betraying a confidence.”
“Surely they would’ve understood?”
“Not when the confidence I am keeping is the Queen’s. I was delivering a message to a male acquaintance. It was a sensitive situation.”
Sebastian moved quickly to stand in front of Anthony. He placed his hand on Anthony’s arm. “But I still don’t understand why marrying Bronwyn will solve that.”
“The Queen herself suggested that I should ally with a family known for its unwavering loyalty, a family that would not allow their daughter to marry a man who could be called a traitor.”
“I see.”
“And the Hewels were perfect. Your father sacrificed everything for his country.” Anthony placed his hand on Sebastian’s. “Tell me, Sebastian, why did you refuse me in the rose garden? I thought you were happy to receive my attentions.”
“I am, of course I am. But we could have been seen. If I am found out, I will be lucky if all that happens is that I lose my head. I’m not a noble. I could be flogged to death for blasphemy for the vows I made in church in front of witnesses.”
“I would not let that happen!” Anthony grabbed him and held him close. “I would do everything I could to protect you.”
The Actor and the Earl Page 6
