The Actress and the Aristocrat by Katie Ashley

Chapter Seven: Charlie

The pounding of the horse’s hooves beat into the muddy soil, slinging dirt onto my riding breeches. Nudging the horse onward, I continued barreling through the countryside. I dipped my head to dodge the low-hanging tree branches. Just as we topped the hill, a crack of thunder boomed overhead, spooking the horse. As he reared back, I fought desperately to keep my seat. Of course, the pelting rain wasn’t helping as the saddle had become ridiculously slippery.

As lightning zigzagged across the sky, my foot came out of the stirrup. With a shout, I flung off the horse and bounced onto the ground before rolling down the hill. When I could finally focus through the pain and the sheets of rain, my horse was long gone. Each time I tried to pull myself upright and put weight on my ankle, I shrieked in pain.

Just as I was debating army crawling back through the meadow to the house, I heard my name called. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Rand on horseback charging toward me. His white shirt was practically transparent from the rain, which made him appear all the more like a positively edible Knight in Shining Armor.

After dismounting his horse, Rand dropped to his knees beside me. “Are you all right?”

In a shaky voice, I replied, “M-My horse t-threw me.”

“Can you walk?”

“No. I think I twisted my ankle in the fall.”

He nodded. “Let’s get you back to the house and have you checked over.” As he gathered me into his strong arms, Rand murmured, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you, Charlotte.”

My heart fluttered as he pulled us up from the ground. Fearing I might fall, I tightened my arms around his neck and molded myself against his hard chest. When we reached his horse, he stopped and dipped his head to stare into my eyes. “Charlotte?” he questioned.

I licked my lips. “Yes?”

The muscles in his jaw tightened. “I know it’s sudden and completely irrational, but I can’t deny my feelings anymore.”

“You can’t?”

He shook his head. “I must show you how ardently I love and admire you.”

“Yes, show me.”

Rand angled his chin, and his warm breath fanned against my cheek. The world around us slowed to standstill, and it was just him and me. I’d never wanted to be kissed so much in my life.

Just as our lips were about to meet, I jolted awake.

Fuck me.Had I actually just had a potential sex dream about Earl Whittingham? With a frustrated grunt, my eyelids fluttered as I tried taking in my surroundings. I quickly realized I wasn’t in my hotel room. Instead, I was tucked into the downy deliciousness of a mammoth canopy bed in my guest suite at Sutherlin House. With the curtains still pulled tightly shut around the windows, I had no idea what time it was.

Fumbling for my phone, I peered at the screen. Holy shit. It was after ten. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so late. Frankly, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept past five or six a.m. There must’ve been some sort of magic mattress on the bed because I’d slept like the dead. Besides the comfy bedding, there was also all the stress leading up to the end of production. Considering yesterday’s abundance of drama—not to mention Rand’s surprising . . . warmth—it was no wonder I slipped into a deep sleep.

I was debating a shower when a knock came at the door. Since I didn’t want them to think I was a total lazy sod, I hopped out of bed and fumbled for my robe. After throwing it on with lightning speed, I ran my hands furiously over my bed hair before calling, “Yes?”

The door opened to reveal of all people Maude. Like there couldn’t have been a lower minion to witness my slovenly self. “Good morning,” she said with a smile.

“Good morning to you, too.”

“His lordship asked me to come up to speak to you since he missed you at breakfast.”

Great. I’m sure Rand had something snide to say about my absence. Probably referenced my nationality with said comment. Americans have no appreciation of tradition. “Please convey my apologies for being rude and not marking it down in my calendar. It was late when I returned to the house last night.”

Maude waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s no problem at all. Lord Whittingham never joins the Earl for breakfast.”

I exhaled in relief. “I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who isn’t a morning person. Well, I mean, I am when I have to be, especially for work. And I should’ve realized the importance of being up this morning.”

Maude smiled. “It’s all right, Ms. Monroe.”

Something about her tone and expression assured me that it really was, and she wasn’t just trying to bullshit me.

“The main reason he sent me was his lordship wanted to extend a personal invitation to join him for lunch.”

I bit my tongue to keep from saying, “Well, why didn’t he come up and ask me himself?” Of course, he wouldn’t climb the stairs for the woman pretending to be his girlfriend. He had people to do that. “Um, sure.” Glancing down at my attire, I added, “I would need some time to get ready.”

“Lunch is served at noon.”

“That will be fine.”

“Good. I’ll let him know.” Maude turned to go and then stopped. “May I speak freely, Ms. Monroe?”

“Yeah.” I wrinkled my nose. “I mean, of course you may.”

Maude fiddled with one of the sleeves of her frilly blouse. “I know you and his lordship haven’t had the easiest of beginnings.”

A laugh bubbled from my lips. “I would say that is an understatement.”

With a quick jerk of her head, Maude replied, “Your first meeting, coupled with this fake relationship, certainly makes for an inauspicious start. But I want you to know Randall really isn’t as gruff and unfeeling as he sometimes comes across.”

I snorted. “Oh yes, he’s sweet as pie,” I replied before I could temper myself.

“Beg your pardon?”

I waved my hand. “I hope so. He’s quite…stiff.”

“He’s had a great amount of grief and turmoil in his life, and yet he has always risen to every challenge thrown at him with grace and humility. At the same time, he’s done everything possible to make things easy for those he loves like his late mother and of course, Lord Whittingham. I couldn’t imagine working for a man with better character.”

At her description of Rand, I couldn’t help being reminded of Pride and Prejudice. More specifically of Mr. Darcy’s housekeeper at Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds. She had words of adoration for Darcy where few others did. Could it be the same with Maude? While I wanted to believe she had been fooled by Rand, maybe it was that he was truly misunderstood like Darcy?

“I’m sure my perception of him will change once I get to know him better,” I replied diplomatically.

She smiled. “I’m sure it will.” Motioning the door, she added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave you to get ready.”

“I think I have everything.” I glanced around the beautiful room, my eyes landing on my bags placed neatly by the cupboard, the decadent-looking, lush towels by the en-suite. I couldn’t begrudge this. I could be on a plane flying home for . . . nothing. Not to mention being in debt up to my eyeballs for the vase. Take this opportunity the good Lord presented, Charlotte.

“Good. I’ll see you later.”

“Thank you.”

With a quick glance at the clock, I realized there was no time like the present to make myself presentable to Earl Whittingham.

Just as Ifinished getting dressed, a knock came at my door. “Don’t tell me the Earl has gotten off his high horse and come upstairs to escort me to lunch,” I mumbled under my breath.

To my surprise, it was Lord Whittingham who stood before me. “Good afternoon, Ms. Monroe. I thought I might join you and my brother for lunch.”

“Are you going to be there to referee the two of us?” I teased.

Rob chuckled. “You know he’s really not the gigantic prick you think he is.”

“Jeez, am I wearing an Anti-Earl sign on my forehead today?”

“What do you mean?”

“First Maude and now you are giving me pep talks about the Earl. I know we had a rough introduction, but things are getting better between us.” I eyed him curiously. “Besides, while I don’t necessarily think he’s a total"—I paused to make air quotes—"prick, as you say, I wonder that as his brother, you might be biased.”

“Nope. He can totally be a prick.” With a wink, Rob added, “Just not a gigantic one.”

“As a barrister, I would suggest you plead your case,” I teased.

“I don’t know how much he’s told you about the last year.”

Actually, I learned most of it from Google.“He’s told me enough.”

“As you can imagine, it’s been pure hell.”

Thoughts of Cas and Serena flashed before my eyes. “Yes, I can,” I mumbled. I really had no right to compare the two events. After all, Cas and I were barely dating, but it was still the agonizing humiliation. The feeling that you don’t matter. That you weren’t enough. “He didn’t deserve that.”

“No, he didn’t. Not only was Lydia’s cheating and the divorce a hit to his ego, but it was also to his way of life of being heir to the title and estate. He’s been brought up to bear the weight of the duty where I never had to.”

“That had to be very hard.”

Rob nodded. “It didn’t help our father died when he was fifteen, and I was thirteen.”

My heart immediately went out to both him and Rand. “I’m so sorry. That’s so young to experience the loss of a parent.”

“I’m not going to lie—it fucking sucked. Or I should say it still sucks.”

“And your mother?”

“She passed away two years ago.”

“She had to have been pretty young.”

“Just fifty-five.”

“That’s my mom’s age,” I murmured. At the continued silence, I asked, “I don’t mean to pry, but was it a sudden illness or accident?”

“A few years after my father died, she started having issues with her balance. She was diagnosed with MS when I was eighteen.”

“That can be a brutal disease.”

“It wasn’t at first. But then the last couple of years were very difficult. She lost the ability to walk and her lungs weakened. She got the flu, which turned into pneumonia, and she never recovered.”

The pain radiating off Rob was so palpable I couldn’t help reaching out to rub his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks,” he choked out. “Her boys were her whole world. Even before my dad died, she was totally devoted to us.”

“She sounds like an amazing woman.”

“She truly was.”

After slightly shaking his head, Rob said, “Anyway, I just wanted to you to keep an open mind about Randall.”

“I don’t think I’ll have a problem with that at all,” I replied as we started down the grand staircase.

“Perhaps could you keep an open heart as well.”

His words caused me to falter, and my hand flew out to the banister to steady myself. Once I was sure I wasn’t going to tumble ass over tit down the remaining stairs, I repeated, “An open heart?”

“Yes,” Rob replied as he stopped to stand next to me.

I held up a hand before us. “What is transpiring between your brother and myself is purely a business deal.”

“Yes, perhaps. You never know what may come from it.”

I doubted very much that the Earl wished anything more from an American actor than for her to act, but I didn’t want to be rude to Rob. He was funny and sweet, and something told me that I might need him in my corner at some point.

Shaking my head, I replied, “You know, the day that I met you, I pegged you as a Casanova, not a romantic.”

“I’m pretty sure Casanova was quite romantic in order to pursue and woo so many women,” he answered with his usual cheeky grin.

“I suppose.”

“Look, I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“I do appreciate your honesty, but I’m fairly certain your brother has a different woman in his mind for romance. It’s sweet you want to try your hand at matchmaking though.”

“I want all the happiness in the world for him, Ms. Monroe. He, more than many I know, deserves it.” I had the feeling he didn’t meant to share that last tidbit though.

Even though my stomach bubbled from anxiety, not hunger, I said, “Yes, well, we better get to lunch before the Earl gives us a tongue-lashing for being tardy.” Of course, after my earlier dream, the thought of a tongue-lashing from Rand got my traitorous lower half up and running.

Ignoring the feeling, I pushed myself down the rest of the stairs and the hall to the dining room. At the sound of the door opening, Rand rose from his seat.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Monroe.” When he glanced at his brother somewhat cozied up to me, he scowled. “Good afternoon to you too, brother.”

“Hello again,” I said.

After he motioned for me to have a seat to his right, Rob took the seat across from me. As soon as I’d sat down and taken my napkin, someone from the kitchen appeared with a soup tureen.

“I hope you found your accommodations satisfactory?” Earl Whittingham asked.

“Obviously, I did considering I slept until past ten.”

“Did you? I had no idea,” he replied with a teasing tone.

“Sure, you didn’t.”

He chuckled. “Regardless, I’m glad you made yourself at home, and that you got some good rest. I missed your company at breakfast.”

“Was it my presence or more the fact you were itching to iron out the particulars about my new persona?”

“A little of both. Of course, there’s no need for a working lunch. We can merely get to know each other better.”

“Yes, the trio of us,” Rob joked.

At Earl Whittingham’s disapproving grunt, I had a feeling I was in for an interesting meal.