The Actor and the Earl

by Rebecca Cohen

  Sebastian padded down the corridor and knocked on Claire’s door. “It’s me,” he whispered. “Open the door.”

  A few moments later, he heard a bolt draw across, and the door opened. She peered out at him. “I trust a night’s sleep has put you in a better mood, Cousin?”

  “I have made my choice. Give me back my wedding ring.”

  Claire threw open the door and embraced him, her delight evident in the force of her actions. “Oh, Sebastian, I am happy for you.”

  Claire let him go, and Sebastian watched as she unlocked a leather-covered box that sat on her bedside table and retrieved his wedding ring.

  “Thank you for everything,” he said as he took the gold band and slid it onto the ring finger of his left hand. “Your tongue might be sharp, Claire, but it said what I needed to hear.”

  “Now go. You’ll need a horse to get to Crofton Hall,” she said, pressing a number of coins into his hand. “And I will see you soon—hopefully as a guest of Earl and Lady Crofton, who will shortly host an official meeting between the son of Lord Ashton and myself.”

  “Consider it done, Cousin.” He kissed her cheek. “Will you have the Golden Hind sent on?”

  She laughed. “Of course!”

  Sebastian returned to his room, collecting his meager possessions, including the box with the ring Anthony had gifted him and the sonnets. Wrapped in his cloak, he raced downstairs and out of the townhouse.

  The streets were already crowded, and given it was Christmas Eve, that was unsurprising. Sebastian found it difficult to move through the narrow street at any real speed and had to apologize to several people he knocked into, receiving an ear-lashing from an old woman whose stack of parcels he’d sent flying.

  David was at the theater when Sebastian finally arrived, and while he was unhappy that Sebastian was leaving, there was nothing David could do to make him stay. There had been a time when the opportunity to audition for the next play could have swayed Sebastian’s mind, but no longer, and when David realized that Sebastian was going to refuse whatever he offered, he wished Sebastian luck and waved him on his way.

  It took even longer to reach the horsecourser on the north side of London Bridge, the crowds and traffic having swelled as the morning had progressed. There were only a few horses left by the time he arrived, and there was little room for negotiation on the price, but Claire had given him enough coin to buy him a horse capable of getting him back to Crofton Hall. Sebastian doubted he’d bought the best horse he could for his money, but he didn’t care. She would be fast enough for what he needed, and her temperament was close to docile. By midday he was heading out of the city and back to Anthony.

  The journey gave him time to think, to decide on how to announce himself at Crofton Hall. He wanted Anthony to know he was there for good, wanted to make a statement that Anthony was his, or at least Bronwyn’s, in the eyes of any onlooker. The weather turned at about halfway to the hall, and the crisp, dry day vanished between sheets of icy rain, making Sebastian slow down due to the poor visibility and the conditions underfoot.

  Sebastian wasn’t prepared for his reaction at seeing Crofton Hall again. The burst of joy as it came into view was unexpected, but he realized belatedly that the hall had become his home, whereas the London townhouse was nothing more than a place to sleep. Taking the longer route that led around the back of the property, Sebastian hoped to get to the stables without being seen from the house. He dismounted and led the horse up the path to the stables, looking for an empty stall. The stables were nearly full, and judging by of the number of carriages also lined up, Anthony had more guests than Sebastian had ever seen at the hall before.

  A groom ran up to him, taking the reins Sebastian handed over. “Back for Christmas, sir?” he asked. “I suspect Star will be glad to see you back for a visit. She’s been off her oats of late.”

  “Good to know that someone’s missed me,” he replied with a laugh. “But I am only here briefly to see my sister before I head to friends for the holiday.”

  With so many guests, Anthony was bound to be occupied, and that would work well for the plan Sebastian had in mind. He crept into the hall by one of the side entrances that was midpoint between the kitchens and the great hall. Apart from polite curtseys from the maids that passed him, no one made any comment about Sebastian being back. The staff was too busy running after the guests to consider his reappearance too deeply. However, there was one person’s help Sebastian needed to make his plan succeed. But he would need to find her first.

  Sebastian stopped one girl as she scurried by with her arms full of bed linen. “Could you have Miriam sent to Lady Bronwyn’s room?”

  “Yes, sir,” was her short reply, eager to be back about her duties.

  Taking the back stairs, Sebastian reached the second floor without being stopped. Passing across the gallery, he heard laughter and the chatter of voices coming from below, so he kept as close to the wall as possible to make sure he could not be seen. And moments later, he stood outside of Bronwyn’s room.

  Miriam rounded the corner, and almost tripped over when she spotted him. She smiled widely, and Sebastian could tell she was trying to hold back her exuberance at seeing him as she fished out the key to the room from the folds of her skirts.

  The door unlocked, Sebastian was hustled inside, and Miriam quickly shut the door behind her. “Oh, Sebastian, you do not know how good it is to see you!”

  Sebastian found himself enveloped in her arms as Miriam squeezed him tightly. Finally, she freed him and held him at arm’s length, as if checking to see it was really him and he still had all his limbs in the correct places.

  “I thought it was time to come home,” Sebastian told her softly.

  “Anthony will be elated. He’s been so forlorn since you disappeared, like a wounded pup. I’ve never seen him like it.”

  “I had to go,” he said, not wanting to discuss the reason for his leaving with her. “But I’m back now.”

  Miriam made a happy humming noise. “I take it he doesn’t know you’re here yet.”

  “No—I want to make an entrance. It’s time for Lady Crofton to return.”

  “Right, then we’ll need to get you changed. And as soon as possible, so you can arrive at the start of the Christmas Eve feast. Get out of those clothes. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Sebastian took off his cloak and shoes. From his duffle, he removed the wooden box and placed it on the nightstand by the bed. Being bossed around by Miriam made Sebastian feel as if he’d never been away, and he thought himself ridiculous for sporting the wide smile her fussing had caused. She returned a few minutes later with a water jug, a clean set of hose, and a shift. Pouring the water into a bowl, Miriam ordered Sebastian to wash away his travels, before leaving again. He stripped off his wet clothes and wiped away the sweat before changing into the clean shift and rolling on the hose. In the nightstand by the bed, Sebastian dug out his razor and a bottle of rose water. He shaved diligently, taking care not to nick his skin, and after, splashed a little of the rose water across his neck and chest.

  Miriam bustled back in carrying a set of clothing he’d never seen before and what looked like a new wig. “Anthony brought these back with him from London on his last visit. I think he was hoping you’d be back sooner.”

  “Lord Crofton is nothing if not an optimist.”

  Miriam chuckled and directed him to dress. Sebastian found changing back into Bronwyn was strangely reassuring, the layers of clothing building up as if they were a suit of armor. The new gown was burgundy red with the same color sleeves, while the skirt and bodice were gold. Miriam showed him the wig before fitting it in place. It was still a mass of black ringlets, but gave the illusion that his hair was pinned back, and Miriam had woven a string of gold and red jewels through it.

  Finally, she helped him apply his makeup and tie his ruff in place. “It is a lovely dress,” she said, stroking one of the sleeves.

  “Yes, but I am afraid it is
wasted on plain old Bronwyn. Where has she been while I was away?”

  “Bronwyn has been in bed convalescing,” Miriam said. She pursed her lips before continuing, “I think you should know that a number of local ladies have been offering Anthony their company, but I assure you they were all sent away. And some of them not so gently either, I can tell you. But I didn’t want you to overhear something that might lead to you jump to the wrong conclusion.”

  Sebastian laughed softly. “Anthony does appear to attract rumors. I expect to hear he has got me with child any day now.”

  “And I’m sure when Anthony sees you, his reaction will leave no one with any doubt where his affections lie.”

  “I do hope so.”

  He stepped into his slippers, and Miriam circled around him to check everything was in place. “Are you ready?”

  “One last thing.” Sebastian picked up the box from the nightstand and removed the ring, sliding it onto the little finger of his right hand. “Now I am.”

  “My lady.” Miriam held open the door and curtseyed. “The feast awaits.”

  Chapter 23

  CROFTON HALL had been dressed for Christmas. The banisters were wrapped in bay and laurel, every surface was festooned in greenery, and there were bunches of holly over the doors and windows. A cheer went up from the great hall, and Sebastian looked to Miriam for an answer. “They’ve probably just lit the Yule log,” she explained.

  The scraping of chairs from within the hall was a sign that the guests had taken their seats for the feast. Sebastian grinned. “I think we’ve timed this perfectly.”

  Miriam ran ahead, and Sebastian nodded to show he was ready. “Enjoy your evening,” she said as she pulled open the doors.

  The arrival of a latecomer made every head in the great hall turn in his direction. A chair clattered backward as Anthony jumped to his feet. Within a heartbeat, Sebastian found himself gathered into Anthony’s arms and spun around.

  “You’re here!” Anthony cried.

  Beaming, Anthony kissed him, then turned to their guests. “I could not have hoped for a better Christmas present than to have the person I love most in the world join us for the feast.”

  Sebastian went to take his regular chair at the end of the table, but Anthony would not let go of his hand. “Not tonight. I cannot bear to be parted from you, my lady, and I will not allow you to be away from me, even if it is only a few feet.”

  Sebastian let Anthony lead him past all the guests to the head of the table. A servant had already picked up the chair that had fallen backward, and Anthony sat down, pulling Sebastian into his lap, and slipped an arm around his middle to stop him from escaping.

  Anthony buried his face in Sebastian’s neck. “Please tell me this is not a dream, and that you really are here.”

  Sebastian ran his fingers through Anthony’s hair. “It’s no dream. I’m home.”

  The first course of roast guinea fowls arrived, and Anthony insisted on feeding Sebastian, picking out all the slices of breast meat that he knew were Sebastian’s favorites, and demanding a kiss after every morsel as payment.

  “The last time we ate like this was at our wedding,” said Sebastian between kisses from Anthony.

  “And there’s something else we did that night that I intend to reenact.”

  “Oh, I’m not sure I’m fully recovered enough for that. It was quite a long convalescence.” Sebastian tried to act serious, but had to burst out laughing at the look of horror on Anthony’s face.

  “It is good to see you in such fine health,” said Matthew, amused at their antics. He was sitting two seats away, grinning. “To what do you attribute your recovery?”

  “The love of a good man, of course,” said Anthony, smirking.

  “If I was waiting for a good man, then I would still be bedridden.”

  Sebastian’s quick retort raised a guffaw from guests sitting closest, and Matthew got to his feet. “A toast: to Lady Bronwyn.”

  The guests were quick to respond, and a loud cheer went up from the table. Sebastian attempted to slide off Anthony’s lap and find a seat of his own, but Anthony wasn’t having any of it. “And where do you think you’re going?”

  “To a chair.”

  Anthony held him tighter. “No.”

  “No?”

  “Indulge me, just for tonight.”

  Sebastian stopped trying to escape, and if he wriggled a little more than was necessary to get comfortable, he knew from Anthony’s groan and the hardness poking into his arse that Anthony wasn’t about to complain.

  How he managed to get through the meal, Sebastian would never know. Anthony didn’t seem able to stop touching him. Fingers ran across Sebastian’s neck under his ruff, a foot wormed its way under his dress to rub a calf, and soft kisses were placed on any patch of uncovered skin. He squirmed in Anthony’s lap, the constant touches exciting him, and he was grateful for the heaviness of his farthingale. Otherwise, his arousal would be obvious, and they’d have more than one difficult question to answer.

  Once supper was over, Sebastian hoped they would be able to sneak away, but Anthony shook his head. “We need to stay a little longer and be part of the dancing at least.”

  Sebastian thought the guests were all more than happy without them needing to stay and start the dancing. “Can’t we say that the feast has tired me out, and I need to retire as soon as possible?” Sebastian whispered into Anthony’s ear so as not to be overheard.

  Anthony’s hands tightened on Sebastian’s waist. “Have I told you that your mind is a magnificent thing?”

  Grabbing Sebastian’s hand, Anthony headed for the door, but Richard stopped them as they were leaving the hall. “I take it you won’t be joining us at the card table this evening, Anthony.”

  “While I am always reluctant to be a poor host, I must decline this evening. Someone has to ensure that my good lady wife reaches her bedchamber safely.”

  “A worthy excuse,” said Richard heartily, slapping Anthony’s back. “We don’t want to risk our lovely Bronwyn suffering a relapse during the night.”

  Sebastian was convinced he’d turned bright red from embarrassment, but Anthony looked quite smug, as if he was enjoying the exchange, and he wished Richard a good night and luck with the cards.

  “Come on,” said Anthony, ushering Sebastian toward the stair. “I don’t want to be waylaid again.”

  Once in the entrance hall, Sebastian looked back in astonishment. “I can’t believe Richard said that.”

  “Richard is a man of the world. I’ve heard him say much worse!” said Anthony with a leer, and patted Sebastian’s arse. “And it’s not like he’s wrong about my intentions.”

  Fearing that Anthony might pick him up and throw him over his shoulder if he dawdled, Sebastian ran up the stairs as fast as his skirt would allow, Anthony hot on his heels, his hands wandering freely over any part of Sebastian he could reach. Sebastian didn’t stop until he was in Anthony’s candlelit bedroom, and as soon as the door closed behind them, he was pulled into a deep kiss.

  His wig was first to go, thrown carelessly to the floor as Anthony plunged his fingers into Sebastian’s real hair. The ruff was next, the ribbon carefully untied, and Anthony covered Sebastian’s neck with kisses as he revealed his pale throat. “I still can’t believe you’re really here.”

  “What will it take to convince you?”

  “Oh, I have a thing or two in mind,” replied Anthony, attempting to loosen Sebastian’s gown. He growled in frustration when the laces got tangled in the bodice underneath, as if its failure to cooperate was a personal affront.

  “You of all people should be able to get someone undressed.” Sebastian had meant the comment to be lighthearted, but as the words left his mouth he was suddenly struck by an uneasiness that he couldn’t shake.

  “Sebastian….” began Anthony, sensing his unease, his hands coming to rest on Sebastian’s waist. “Maybe we should slow down a little. There is no need to rush.”

 
; Sebastian rested his hands on top of Anthony’s. “No, I’m just being foolish.”

  “You need to tell me what is wrong.” Anthony moved away but didn’t let go of Sebastian’s hand as he led him to the bed and sat down, making Sebastian do the same. “I don’t want us to misunderstand each other.”

  Sebastian hesitated, turning his gaze away from Anthony, watching the flames pop and crackle in the fireplace. “You have been my first for many things, Anthony, but I’ll never be the same to you. There will always be someone for you to compare me to, and I can’t possibly compete with the beauty of the court or the experience of older men.”

  “There is no competition,” said Anthony, stroking Sebastian’s cheek. “I can’t erase my past, Sebastian, but that does not mean I want to relive it.”

  Anthony untied the ribbon that held Sebastian’s right sleeve in place, sliding it away and allowing it to drift to the floor. He held Sebastian’s hand and kissed it, turning it over to press his lips to the underside of the wrist, the palm, and the tip of each finger. Finally, he lingered on the little finger.

  “I am glad you chose to wear it,” said Anthony, rubbing his thumb over the ring.

  “It is an honor to do so. I know it means a great deal to you.”

  Sebastian was bewildered by the change of pace as Anthony removed his other sleeve, hands stroking his arm as if he was something to be adored. From the sparks that had flown between them over supper, he’d expected nothing would dampen Anthony’s ardor, certainly not a moment of uncertainty on Sebastian’s part.

  “Stand up,” said Anthony, pulling Sebastian to his feet.

  Sebastian obeyed, shivering despite the warmth of the fire as Anthony traced the neckline of his gown, his fingers lingering on the exposed skin of Sebastian’s collarbone. “Anthony….”

  Anthony silenced him with a kiss. Sebastian leaned in to enjoy it, but Anthony moved away. “Lift up your arms.”

  He held up his arms, and Anthony’s hands slipped under his gown and eased it up over his head. The dress was discarded as Anthony reached around to untie Sebastian’s skirt, which rippled to the floor, pooling at his feet as the bow unraveled. His roll joined it seconds later. Standing in just his underclothes, Sebastian felt strangely exposed, something he’d not experienced with Anthony since the first night they’d spent together.