The Actor and the Earl

by Rebecca Cohen

  “I’m afraid her moods are dependent on her health, and she has been very tired of late,” said Sebastian. “I do hope, Earl Crofton, that you have not taken too great an offence.”

  “Not at all, I’ve grown used to Bronwyn’s idiosyncrasies, and she is quite charming normally. I think before the week is out she will be back to her usual self.” Anthony’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, and both Matthew and Edward took a long drink of their wine to hide their smiles.

  Sebastian should have known that the truce would not last long. After two peaceful days, he was heading to the library after spending an entertaining hour playing soldiers with William, when he saw Bronwyn marching angrily across the lawn. Anthony was following closely behind, his hands gesticulating widely. Sebastian sprinted outside, but Bronwyn pushed past him. “He is an insufferable man! I am returning to Kent as soon as possible.”

  “Bronwyn,” he called after her, but she ignored him and stormed back to the house.

  “Let her go,” snarled Anthony. “She is a harpy!”

  “She is also my sister, and I would ask you to refrain from insulting her.”

  “You are taking her side?” Anthony said, sounding incredulous.

  “She is my family, Anthony.”

  Anthony leaned in close, his face hard, anger making his eyes narrow and his nostrils flare. “And I am your husband.”

  Sebastian shoved him away. “You have already made it very clear, Earl Crofton, that you are Bronwyn’s husband, not mine.”

  Leaving Anthony gaping, Sebastian raced after his sister and found her in her room, throwing items into a traveling trunk. “What happened?”

  She was livid, her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily. “He told me that I ate like a pig!”

  “Really?”

  “Words to that effect,” she said, gathering her makeup and placing it into a drawstring bag. “So I replied that it was better to eat like a pig than to look like one.”

  Sebastian groaned and sank onto the bed, his head in his hands. “What did he actually say?”

  “I told you!”

  “No, tell me what he said exactly, not your interpretation of it.”

  “He said that the way I was eating would give me bile.”

  “That is all he said?” Sebastian asked, lifting his head out of his hands.

  Bronwyn threw her makeup bag into the case. “It was enough. He insulted me, Sebastian, and you are excusing him!”

  “You are meant to be suffering from an illness that results in you spending long periods of time bedbound. From what you have said, all Anthony was doing was playing the concerned husband.”

  The anger drained out of Bronwyn’s face. “I suppose, when you say it like that, I may have slightly overreacted.”

  “Slightly? Bronwyn, you’re going to have to apologize.”

  “I am not!”

  Sebastian shook his head, wondering how Bronwyn could not see she was in the wrong. Standing up, he grabbed her elbow. “You are going to apologize to Anthony, and you are going to mean it, or I will accompany you to Kent and tell the priest who married you that you forged my signature.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Bronwyn hissed, trying to pull her arm away, but Sebastian wouldn’t let go.

  “If that is the risk you wish to take, then by all means continue to protest. But I need you to stop making things difficult for me. I have to live here when you’ve gone.”

  Bronwyn growled in frustration but let Sebastian march her out of the room and to Anthony’s study. He knocked, opened the door, and pushed her inside. As they entered, Anthony glowered at them from where he sat at his desk.

  “My sister has something she wishes to say to you,” said Sebastian, giving Bronwyn a shove.

  She pouted like a child. “Sebastian has suggested that I might owe you an apology.”

  “Might you now?” replied Anthony as he leaned back in his chair, waiting for her to continue.

  “Bronwyn,” said Sebastian, looking at her pointedly.

  “Oh, very well. I am sorry for misinterpreting what you said to me earlier, and I am sorry I called you a fat-headed pig.”

  She didn’t sound like she meant it, but Sebastian knew Bronwyn well enough that this was as good an apology as Anthony was going to get. “I think,” he said, trying to break into the glaring competition the other two were having, “that it might be a good idea if Bronwyn returns home tonight—if it can be arranged.”

  “I can have the carriage brought around straightaway,” said Anthony. “Wallace will accompany you back to ensure your safety.”

  “That would suit me fine,” said Bronwyn.

  “And how would you explain where Lady Crofton is going in the middle of the afternoon unaccompanied?” asked Sebastian in disbelief. “I understand you both want to be as far apart from each other as possible, but there should be some common sense applied to this situation.”

  “You are of course correct, Sebastian.” Anthony sat up in his chair. “The carriage will be made ready to leave after dark—I’ll make sure that Wallace takes a couple of trustworthy extra men with him, since the roads can be dangerous at night.”

  “Then I will spend the rest of the day packing, as I have no intention of attending supper.”

  “We have Lord and Lady Sennett here tonight,” said Anthony, as if he’d only just remembered. “You need to be there.”

  Sebastian stepped in to divert the rude reply he knew was coming from his sister. “I will attend as Bronwyn. That way we can also be seen to be making up our disagreements a little in public.”

  “Rather you than me,” Bronwyn said.

  “At least that is something we agree on,” said Anthony with a snort.

  Bronwyn curtseyed, but it was shallow, and left. Sebastian smiled weakly at Anthony. “I am sorry for her behavior, and for taking her side without knowing what had happened.”

  Anthony waved away his apology. “She is your sister, and as her brother, you will always want to defend her.” He stood up and walked over to Sebastian, pulling him into his arms. “Now, what did you have in mind for our making up later? I definitely think we should practice.”

  MIRIAM was waiting for Sebastian as he went upstairs to dress for supper. “I hear your sister is leaving us sooner than expected,” she said, laying out a set of clothes for him.

  Sebastian stripped out of his doublet and breeches and unfastened his ruff. “Yes, much to the delight of both herself and Anthony.”

  “She is a lively woman.”

  “That is a polite way of putting it.”

  Miriam chuckled. “She was lovely and polite to me, but she did not hide her disdain for Earl Crofton.”

  “No, nor he for her.”

  “Still, you accomplished what you wanted to achieve,” said Miriam, tying his roll in place and making him step first into the farthingale and then the skirt.

  “Hopefully so. It cannot be said that the Hewel twins have never been seen together at Crofton Hall.” Sebastian stood still as Miriam tied his ruff in place and secured his bodice. “But tonight we have already agreed that we must act as if we have resolved a lover’s quarrel.”

  “Oh, I see. His Grace will be flirting with his wife. How refreshing!”

  Once his wig was in place and powder and rouge applied, Sebastian left Miriam still laughing to herself about her joke. As he descended the stairs, he saw Anthony, who held out his hand for him to take. “You are a sight for sore eyes,” Anthony said, and added in a whisper, “I do not think my sanity would have survived another evening with your sister.”

  There were only six of them for supper. Matthew and Edward were present, and Lord and Lady Sennett. Lord Sennett was in his fifties, a shrewd-looking man with a pointed noise and high cheekbones. His wife, however, was easily twenty years his junior and olive-skinned with dark brown eyes and hair.

  The seating at the table was different. Instead of being at the opposite end of the table to Anthony, Matthew was in Bronwyn’
s usual place and the setting next to Anthony was free.

  Sebastian curtseyed as he was introduced to the couple. “Lord Sennett, my husband has told me you have recently returned from ambassadorial duties in Portugal.”

  “A fascinating country,” he replied. “And where I met my Rosa.”

  Anthony pushed in Sebastian’s chair as they took their seats, and said, “It does appear that marriage has done you well, Peter.”

  “And I can say the same for you, Anthony. I don’t remember seeing you so full of joie de vivre.”

  “I have my dear Bronwyn to thank for that.” Anthony caught Sebastian’s hand as he was reaching for his goblet and kissed the back of it. “I never thought I could be so content with life.”

  “You are singing a very different tune from when we first met at court. I would hardly recognize you as the man of the stories I heard.”

  “What can I say, other than I am a very lucky man.”

  Through the courses, Anthony was attentive, even playful at times, frequently touching Sebastian and feeding him. Rosa was also enjoying the attention of her husband, and Matthew and Edward were discussing the benefits of being out of London during the summer months. Peter was a man of many stories and obviously enjoyed an audience. One tale in particular, about how he was chased around a courtyard by a hissing goose, made Sebastian almost spit out his wine.

  After a while, Sebastian excused himself, saying he needed something from his room and would be back directly. The others were all happily amused by Lord Sennett’s storytelling, and Sebastian slipped away upstairs. He knocked softly on Bronwyn’s door and let himself in. She was once more dressed in her ordinary clothes, ones more suited to the wife of a blacksmith than the wife of an earl, and had on a long brown traveling cloak.

  “Are you ready?” he asked.

  “Yes, my trunk was collected earlier. I cannot wait to be out of this house.”

  “I wish you had got along better with Anthony. I had hoped you would visit again.”

  She sighed. “The problem Anthony has with me is that I am not you, Sebastian. And my problem with him is that he has you trapped here.”

  “It is not like that.”

  “Yes, it is.” She looked him up and down, and Sebastian realized it was the first time she would have seen him dressed as Bronwyn. “Good lord, that is most disturbing. I know I am not a genteel woman, but do I really look so plain?”

  “Cousin Claire says I am prettier than you.”

  Bronwyn punched his arm. “She’s a little witch! Although she is probably right,” she added ruefully.

  “You should go. The carriage is waiting.”

  Bronwyn pulled the hood of the cloak up over her head. “Despite everything, it has been good to see you, Sebastian. Please let us not leave so long a time between seeing each other again.”

  He hugged her warmly. “I will come down to Kent. After all, I need to meet the man who has taken you on as a wife.”

  Sebastian led Bronwyn out of the hall, taking the back stairwell to the rear of the building. The carriage was waiting, and so, with one final embrace, he helped her aboard. The carriage trundled away, and Sebastian turned to go inside, back to their guests.

  Chapter 16

  HIS confidence on horseback now returned, Sebastian was eager to join Anthony on his next hunt.

  “Have you hunted before?” asked Anthony, when Sebastian broached the topic.

  “No, but I can ride a horse and fire a bow.”

  Anthony did not look convinced. “But not necessarily at the same time.”

  “I’m not really that interested in killing anything, but I’d love to come along for the experience.”

  “I can see that you won’t give up until I agree, so very well.” Anthony gave a resigned sigh. “But you’ll need to pick a different horse. Star is far too timid for hunting.”

  Sebastian hugged him, Anthony returning the embrace with one arm. “Which horse do you suggest?”

  “Titan. He’s a bit sedate, and his top speed is nowhere near Star’s, but he’ll be perfect for your first time hunting.”

  The next hunt was scheduled for two days later, and Sebastian was more excited than he thought he had any right to be. The morning of the hunt found him at the stables well before Anthony. He fed Star a carrot, patting her nose and promising to take her out later, and asked the groom to direct him to Titan.

  The groom led out the horse. He was a couple of hands taller than Star and pure black. Sebastian took the reins while the saddle was fitted, and stroked Titan’s nose. Titan didn’t fuss in the slightest as Sebastian mounted, and moved over of his own accord when Anthony arrived and his horse, Zeus, was brought out.

  “So what do you make of Titan?” asked Anthony as he stepped into the stirrup and mounted his horse.

  “So far, so good.”

  Anthony nudged Zeus with his heels. “Come on. We need to join the others on the edge of the woodland.”

  Titan plodded after Zeus, and it took a bit of persuasion for Sebastian to get him to walk side by side with Zeus, but they made their way down the tracks, and Sebastian could already hear dogs in the distance. “Is this a big hunt?” he asked.

  “Reasonably big. The weather’s pretty good, and the foliage is beginning to thin out, so we should be successful.”

  There were a few familiar faces in the party—Edward, Matthew, and Simon Bresner among them—but there were many more Sebastian did not recognize. Each man was dressed in their finest hunting gear, and most of it looked new. Their horses were bred for speed and hunting, their weapons well cared for and ready to use, and the spectacle reminded Sebastian of being back at court with everyone preening and on show.

  A cry went up from the front of the hunt. “Stay near the back,” said Anthony. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  The dogs raced off, horses and riders close behind, and they headed into the forest. Sebastian was happy to follow Anthony’s orders, sticking to the back of the pack. He hadn’t even bothered picking a bow, content to watch the hunt unfold. The dogs were barking excitedly, and there was a surge, and the hunt began to move. Picking up speed, Sebastian thought he caught sight of a deer up ahead, and urged Titan on, but his horse was setting his own speed, and it seemed he had no intention of going faster than a trot.

  By the time Sebastian arrived in the clearing, the deer had already been shot, and two servants were binding the creature’s legs to make it easier to transport back to the hall. The dogs were being rounded up, ready to be sent out again, and Anthony was surrounded by several men, all congratulating him on his excellent aim.

  Sebastian didn’t have time to catch up with Anthony before the hunt was on again, the dogs picking up another scent and bounding off into the trees. The hunting horn rang out, marking their charge, and again Sebastian found himself at the back of the group, and happy to watch at a distance.

  Titan stumbled, jarring Sebastian in the saddle, but he managed to keep seated. But something was definitely wrong. With a distressed whinny, Titan reared onto his hind legs. Sebastian clung on, but whatever had upset the horse had not passed. Titan bucked and reared again and again, eventually throwing Sebastian.

  Sebastian cried out as he flew backward, and the wind was knocked out of him, but he didn’t notice the pain and the blood as he quickly descended into unconsciousness.

  HIS head throbbed painfully. Sebastian opened his eyes, but the brightness hurt, sending fiery bolts of agony into his skull, and he moaned in response, screwing shut his eyelids.

  “He’s awake.” Anthony’s voice sounded taut and worried.

  “Let me through,” said another voice Sebastian couldn’t place.

  A hand was pressed to his head, and one of his eyes prized open. Sebastian flailed an arm in the direction of the annoyance. “Get off,” he slurred, and lapsed back into sleep.

  THE next time Sebastian woke, wherever he was it was dark, and his head, though still aching, was nowhere near as painful as before. He
realized he was in a bed, and thankfully no longer on the damp floor of the forest. Sebastian wiggled his fingers and toes experimentally, trying to make sure he hadn’t broken anything, and although he felt like one large bruise, no part of his body refused his command to move. At that, he tried to sit up, but a hand pressed him down. A candle was lit, and the small patch of light illuminated Anthony’s concerned face. “Stay lying down,” he said, a whispered order.

  “What happened?” Sebastian asked, ignoring Anthony and struggling to sit up.

  “You were thrown by a horse.”

  From the little light the candle emitted, Sebastian could tell he wasn’t in either of his rooms at Crofton Hall. “And where am I?”

  “Highdall House. Matthew insisted we bring you here, as we were closer to his home than the hall.”

  Anthony sat next to him on the bed and stroked Sebastian’s hair, his thumb catching a cut on the back Sebastian’s head. Sebastian hissed at the sharp pain, and Anthony snatched his hand away. “Sorry.”

  “I thought you said Titan was sedate,” Sebastian said, fighting back a wave of nausea.

  “We found the trampled remains of an adder; it looks as if it bit him.”

  “That explains it.” Sebastian rubbed his hands over his face to try and wipe away the tiredness.

  Anthony took his hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m not ashamed to admit that you have worried me greatly.”

  “You need not. I am sure after a good night’s sleep I will be fine.”

  “You’ve been asleep for three days, Sebastian. I doubt another night will deliver a miracle.”

  “Three days?”

  Anthony squeezed his hand. “When we found you, I thought you were dead.”

  Seeing the distress on Anthony’s face, Sebastian reached forward, and with his other hand, cupped Anthony’s jaw. “Honestly, I am a little battered and bruised, and I have a few aches and pains, but I am far from dead, and nowhere near dying.”

  “You were so pale, and not moving—only Matthew restraining me stopped me from making it very obvious that I care more for you than I should for my brother-in-law.”