The Actor and the Earl (5 page)

From the outside, the house reminded Sebastian of the townhouse across the river he’d left that morning, but all thoughts that the two were similar were lost as he entered the hallway. The wooden panels that lined the route to the dining room were carved with a floral motif so detailed that only a master craftsman could have produced such quality, and the family silver on display marked generations’ worth of wealth.

“You’ll have plenty of opportunity to stare in wonder on another day,” said Anthony, who didn’t let Sebastian linger, his strong hand guiding him along. “I don’t want Cook to fry my tail because I can’t control my new bride and the wedding feast runs late.”

“That is no way to talk to a lady!”

Anthony raised an eyebrow. “I count myself suitably chastised.”

A quartet of minstrels began to play as they entered the dining room. Following behind was a large collection of wedding guests, again most of them not known to Sebastian. But he was distracted from trying to place the faces when he saw the spectacular arrangement on the table in front of him. The head table was draped in green silk and dressed with three large green branches decorated with peacock feathers and violets.

At either end was a gilded cage holding two turtle doves. And from a spike on the top of the cages were a host of ribbons in the colors of the Crofton crest of arms. Sebastian stared into the cage, cooing at the speckled feathers of the doves, as he and Anthony made their way to the two chairs in the middle of the table.

The guests, in sways of rich velvet and silk, took their places at the tables and stood waiting to be given permission to sit. Anthony picked up a knife and rapped it against the side of a silver candlestick until he got the silence he wanted.

“Lords and ladies, honored guests, thank you for being here today.” He raised his goblet, which Sebastian noticed was already full of red wine. “A toast to my lovely new wife. To Lady Bronwyn.”

The guests murmured their agreement, each picking up a goblet from in front of them and drinking a toast.

“Please,” said Anthony, “enjoy the feast to celebrate this special day.”

As Anthony sat, two oak doors that Sebastian hadn’t noticed before were flung open and a stream of servants entered the room carrying the platters of food for the first course of the feast. He could see a quarter of salted stag, numerous stuffed chickens, and, judging by the smell as it passed, a loin of veal. But the most amazing thing was an enormous pie, carried on the shoulders of two young men, which was set down at the end of the table. Sebastian craned his neck to watch as the crust was removed by a serious-looking woman with a silver dagger, and he gasped as a whole roe deer, a gosling, chickens, pigeons, and a rabbit were revealed, all baked together.

Sebastian was presented with a selection of the meats in thick slices by a servant, his mouth watering at the delicious smell. Picking up his knife, Sebastian made to help himself to a large chunk of rabbit when he stopped himself, having caught a glimpse of one of the ladies staring at him. He carefully cut the meat into small strips and watched woefully as Anthony speared a large piece of venison on the end of his knife and bit into it enthusiastically.

Anthony saw him, reached over, and picked up a piece of rabbit. “Come, my love, let me feed you.”

Sebastian was set to refuse, but, conscious of the wedding guests, he opened his mouth. Anthony smiled and fed him the small piece of rabbit, stroking Sebastian’s cheek with his other hand as he did so. The light touch of Anthony’s fingers made his breath hitch and his heart rate quicken. He opened his mouth wider to accept another morsel, which Anthony happily provided.

For a moment, it was as if it was just the two of them, alone. Anthony’s pupils dilated as Sebastian licked his lips, but the spell was broken as a cheer went up, and a burly man seated at the head of the table on their left called for another toast.

“That,” whispered Anthony as the guest wished the couple a successful marriage, “is Lord Tobias Tallin, one of the richest men in England. The woman to his right, who disapproved of your table manners earlier, is Lady Alice, his wife.”

Sebastian nodded, not trusting his voice as Anthony rested his hand on his thigh, the heat from it radiating through the layers of his skirts. He reached out to pick up his goblet for the toast, but knocked it sideways, spilling the red wine across the silk cloth.

Sebastian was on his feet, flushed with embarrassment as the wine spread across the table. “I… I’m sorry.”

Anthony shushed him, picking up the goblet. “It is just wine. Nothing to be sorry about.”

A servant was already cleaning up the spill, and another refilled the goblet. Sebastian yelped as Anthony pulled him back so he was sitting in his lap. Sebastian looked quickly to the guests, expect them to scandalized by Anthony’s antics, but while a couple of the women narrowed their eyes at the impropriety, most of the others were smiling and laughing at the sight. Anthony offered Sebastian his own goblet to drink from for the toast, which Sebastian accepted, unable to drag his eyes away from Anthony’s, and he thought Anthony was going to kiss him again, but instead he took the goblet back and drank deeply from it.

The next course arrived, and Sebastian attempted to sit in the empty chair, but Anthony held him firm, his arm around Sebastian’s waist preventing him from escaping. The second course was just as extravagant as the first. Silver salvers loaded with chickens and pigeons were presented to the guests, and three large sturgeons cooked with parsley joined the food parade, with the centerpiece being a whole roast boar with an apple in its mouth.

Throughout the courses, Anthony was attentive, feeding him bits of meat and sugary delicacies or stroking the back of his neck while being careful not to dislodge Sebastian’s wig as the minstrels continued to play. The food was so expensive that it would’ve been mere fantasy for him to afford during his time in the theater. Over the different courses, guests came to give their blessing, either individually or as couples. Anthony introduced each in turn, and Sebastian realized every one of them must’ve been a member of the nobility and a regular at court. But although their words sounded sincere, Sebastian could tell by their expressions or something about their eyes that they were more curious about Anthony’s choice of wife than having any real desire to wish them well in their start to married life.

There was only so much Sebastian could eat with the corset in place, and by the time the final course was finished, he had to wave away any attempt from Anthony to feed him further. The hours had bled away in a stream of faces, whose names Sebastian thought he would never remember if they were to meet again, and the constant touches of Anthony, which warmed his skin and made it very difficult to remember that their marriage was nothing more than playacting and convenience.

With a final round of toasting, Anthony guided Sebastian to his feet, and they took their leave, exiting the hall hand in hand to the applause of the wedding guests. When the large door closed behind them, they stood together at the foot of an ornate wooden staircase lit by candles.

Anthony grabbed both of his hands and kissed them. “Our wedding night awaits, if you desire it so.”

“I have never….” began Sebastian.

“That was not my question.” Anthony squeezed his hands. “Let me take care of you.”

The gentleness behind Anthony’s words and the hours he’d spent on the other man’s lap made Sebastian’s uncertainty evaporate. He nodded slowly. “Yes.”

Anthony smiled, his face lighting up. “Come, then.”

Together they climbed the stairs, passing paintings of English landscapes, and when they reached the top, Sebastian realized they were not alone. He looked over his shoulder and saw a woman with an ample figure and ginger hair following behind them.

Anthony saw what caught Sebastian’s attention. “This is Miriam. She has agreed to be your lady’s maid. I thought you would prefer to… er…”—he waved at Sebastian’s dress—“be more yourself.”

“Oh. But what about…?” He stared purposefully at Anthony, making the same motion at his dress.

“Miriam has my full confidence.”

Miriam smirked, a catlike expression on her round face, and curtseyed. “My
lady
, let me help you ready yourself for your chamber.”

They stopped outside a door about halfway down another candlelit corridor. “Your room, Lady Bronwyn,” said Anthony with a bow. “Mine is the other side, and there is a connecting door. Knock when you are ready.”

Miriam stepped forward and opened the door as Anthony disappeared into his own room. In front of Sebastian was a four-poster bed with heavy brocade covering the mattress, looking more comfortable than anything he had slept in for years. The walls were paneled in the same dark wood of the staircase, and to the right of the bed, a tapestry of a hunting scene had been hung in prime position. There was little other furniture, apart from a love seat in the large window and a washstand with a porcelain bowl and a pile of washcloths.

“Perhaps, ma’am, I mean, sir….” began Miriam.

“Please, call me Sebastian.”

“I’m not sure that would be proper.”

He watched Miriam pour some water from a large jug into the porcelain bowl. “I’m not sure there is anything
proper
in this situation.”

She smiled. “Very good, Sebastian. Lord Anthony thought you might need help with dressing, and has asked me to assist you.”

“He has trusted you with a great secret.”

“He has my loyalty. My husband is his estate manager, and we both wish to protect Earl Crofton, as he has protected us when we were in need.”

She began to untie the laces on the sleeves of his dress. “I know you are wary,” she said, “but if anything, I am more wary of you. I have known the earl and his family all my life. You are the newcomer, so surely you should be the one to be suspected.”

He opened his mouth to argue but realized Miriam was correct. “Be that so, but I am the one who could lose their head.”

“Then we must be careful not to give anyone any reason to remove it from your shoulders.”

Sleeves gone, he picked up a washcloth and began to wipe away his makeup, wanting to do something to prevent Miriam from taking any more of his clothes. “I am not used to an audience when I am undressing.”

“Rest assured, you are young enough to be my son. Your modesty is safe with me.” Miriam laughed. “We will go no further than your shift. You can remove your hose yourself.”

Miriam worked quickly, removing the individual pieces of Sebastian’s costume until he stood in just his hose and shift. He took off his wig and removed the rest of the white paint and rouge, rinsing his face in the water and depositing all the soiled washrags in it.

“Is there anything else you need, either tomorrow or for when we reach Crofton Hall?” she asked, picking up the wash bowl with his dress draped over her arm.

The dirty cloths in the bowl reminded him of one thing he would have to do to ensure he passed muster as a woman. “I will need to shave—not as often as some men, I admit, but at least every few days, if Lady Bronwyn is not to sport a black beard.”

“I will see to it. Good night, Sebastian.”

Miriam left, and Sebastian was alone for the first time since Claire had bullied her way into his room that morning. In some ways he could scarcely believe it had been earlier the very same day. He rolled down his hose and laid them across the love seat, leaving him dressed only in his linen shift. Someone was moving around in the adjacent room, and that could only be Anthony. For the first time, he saw the connecting door and the bolt at the top of it that kept it locked, and he knew that the decision on how he would spend the rest of the night was in his own hands. He couldn’t deny he was nervous, but there was a louder voice, a voice wanting to explore the heat that rose within him when Anthony touched him, a desire that thrummed inside of him that he wanted to release.

Swallowing the last of his doubt, Sebastian knocked softly on the door and drew back the bolt, knowing that Anthony would not refuse him entry.

It was slightly muffled, but he heard Anthony call, “Come in, Sebastian.”

Sebastian pushed the door open, his heart beating like it was trapped in his throat.

The room was much larger than the one behind him. It had a large fireplace as well as an impressive-looking desk and sturdy chair. But the room held little interest to Sebastian, as standing at the foot of the large four-poster bed was Anthony. He too was only wearing his shift, but Sebastian doubted his chest was full of butterflies, not by the way he held his arms open in invitation.

Sebastian stepped into the embrace, Anthony’s arms wrapping around him and holding him tight. The warmth from the caress was like nothing Sebastian had experienced before, his body molding to Anthony’s as if it was where it belonged. Anthony pulled away enough to look at him properly, and kissed him.

Unlike the kisses they had shared before, this was not chaste. There could be no mistaking the intention behind a kiss so full of passion. Sebastian returned it willingly. Kissing, he knew, and at least in this small part, he would not disappoint. Anthony kissed him deeper, and Sebastian groaned with want, his body demanding.

Hands slipped under the hem of his shift, and Sebastian shuddered involuntarily as Anthony stroked his thighs and buttocks, trembling from the intensity of what were the softest of touches.

Anthony stepped back, and Sebastian was bereft from the loss of his warmth. But the heat returned fourfold at the look of hunger on Anthony’s face. Seconds later, his shift was pulled off, and Sebastian stood naked, Anthony’s appraising stare growing darker and more full of heat as his fingers caressed Sebastian from the hollow of his throat down his chest and belly, just stopping short of the nest of curls and Sebastian’s very interested manhood.

“Beautiful,” Anthony whispered.

Sebastian was guided backward, hitting the bed and losing his balance so he landed on his back, starring up at Anthony, who looked like a man who had found a hidden treasure. He scooted up the bed, and Anthony, removing his own shift with elegant ease, settled next to him. Anthony was a sea of pale skin with golden curls across his chest. Sebastian reached out to touch him, hesitant at first, but as his fingers traced the soft hair around Anthony’s nipples, the other man groaned deeply. Sebastian ran his hand over Anthony’s belly, ghosting over the head of his swollen cock.