30. The inn

****Hanton Abbey, Wiltshire, England

AT HANTON ABBEY, Sebastian barely gave himself time to rest. If he was not riding his horse then his nose was buried in a book or he was taking rounds on his estate that way he wouldn't have any time left to think about Julia.

He had discovered that if he did not exert himself so that, when he was done, all he could think about was sleep. His mind would wander to Julia. what she was doing, if she was attending any balls, who she was with.

But it didn't stop him from conjuring her up in his dreams. Sebastian made love to her in his dreams and when he woke up, he was always hot and bothered.

What he would give to have her right now in front of him. He was a coward. Sebastian thought. He couldn't believe he had run the moment the opportunity arose.

But who could blame him? It was that or go insane. It was as if, if he didn't touch Julia, he would perish. What it was about her he didn't know. He lusted after her like he never did before. Hell! She wasn't even the first, but it seems as if she would be the last.

On his way to Wiltshire, before he even got to his estate. Sebastian stopped at an establishment that rendered services. They offered the services of the well-experienced courtesan, even inexperienced courtesan however you want it, they have it.

Sebastian wasn't one that was adept at such things, but he couldn't even begin to tell the devil that drove him to that establishment looking for release. The only thing he could tell was that it was all related to Julia. These days everything started with her and ended with her, he realised.

Sebastian made his footman wait for him and entered the establishment. the round woman who seems to be the owner sprang up from her chair recognising nobility.

She sauntered over to him. "Your grace. how mey ah elp you," she said, presenting Sebastian with some missing teeth.

Sebastian frowned and surveyed his environment with distaste. The room he was ushered in seems to be the woman's office. It reeked of cheap perfume and cheap items. Everything in the room screamed cheap, starting from the desk the madame was leaning on to the chairs. The worst was the carpet where he was used to carpet from the finest quality, here it was a dirty dull brown carpet that seems to cast the already dark room more into shadow.

Sebastian lingered by one chair and stared down at the round, short woman who like her establishment showcased her ware in full view.

"I need your finest girls. The very best you have." He ordered.

The madame having already accessed Sebastian judging by the quality and cut of his breeches, coat, and hose. she knew within her self that she was in the presence of a powerful gentry. It was not every day that one gets lucky like this. so she bowed and scrapped to meet his demands.

"Aye, milord. I would send for them now." The madame sauntered over to the desk and pressed the bellhop, leaving in her wake the whiff of cheap perfume.

Minutes later several girls were ushered into the room ranging from meek to the bold one who stared Sebastian right in the eye.

"Milord," the madame said showing with her chin the group of girls that had just entered the room all the while fanning herself.

Sebastian turned and stared at the girls in front of him. His hands clasped behind his back.

He circled them like a man perusing goods. One by one he surveyed them. Sebastian stopped in front of the first girl and within seconds he had already dismissed her. She didn't have red hair. The second girl he perused and with a wave of his hand, she was dismissed as well. Her lips weren't plump enough. Thin lips, he huffed what was he supposed to do with thin lips.

The third he also dismissed. Her own fault was that she wasn't voluptuous enough. with each girl, he dismissed the madame quickly sent them out.

One by one he dismissed all the girls till he got to the last one. That was when Sebastian realised that he couldn't have any of them. Not because they were not pretty. A good number of them were, but the problem was that he kept comparing them to Julia. They didn't make his blood boil just by looking at them, they didn't make him ache and burn. Only Julia did. Only Julia

Sebastian turned and frowned at the madame. he would not offer his apologies to her. Gentlemen of his rank didn't apologise to women like her. however, what he did was to pay her handsomely for her troubles.

Now here he was at Wiltshire and nothing seems to have changed. it has been four days, and he still craved Julia. Frustrated Sebastian decides to tackle the problem as it is. Staying in his estate was not helping matters like he thought it would. perhaps it was time he moved back to London. The season would soon end.

~~~~

SEBASTIAN HAD BEEN riding all day. He was hungry, and he was tired. He needed to rest his legs. his legs had been cramped all day in this tiny carriage seat. Sebastian was a big man and having to keep his long legs confined In the small space the carriage seat provided was quite frustrating. There was an inn not too far away from where he was. It was run by married couples and offered excellent meals. Maybe he could spend the night there.

Sebastian stepped down from his carriage, his legs screaming in protest. He let his footman make arrangements for his carriage and stepped into the inn.

The inn was dense with smoke and rowdy with talk. Each of the planked tables was full, some with the common folk, some with the gentry.

He let his leg carry him to the owners and requested one of the best rooms they had to offer.

The arrangement was made, and a room was prepared for him.

Sebastian took the stairs that would lead to the rooms. he had been here before, so it wasn't hard for him to find his way. he always stayed in one room each time he came here. If the room was not available Sebastian offered more money and it was his.

Sebastian stripped down to shirt and breeches. In bare feet he was soundless and sleek as he sauntered about the room. It was very dark, for the fire in the hearth that provided the warmth had burned down very low, to glowing embers.

Sebastian sighed and disrobed. dispensing with the remaining items. he stepped into the cold bath and sighed. He had ordered a cold bath because he felt it would be more efficient than a hot one. Considering his ever-growing lascivious thoughts, which could only lead to one thing. His throbbing all day.

"Julia!" he growled.

Moments later, Sebastian sauntered down the stairs attired in a loose white shirt, pantaloons, and buckskin boots.

His hair was not tied back behind his nape, just as it was supposed to, instead it was left to fall across his shoulders.

If Cole had been there he would say that Sebastian's hair looked like a bloody woman's hair.

But there was nothing about how Sebastian's hair fell or looked, that could be attributed to that of a woman.

Sebastian had piercing blue eyes with thin firm lips set in a face that was so hard and so strong that it made him look wild and dashing, all at the same time.

His white loose shirt was unbuttoned down to his chest, revealing a chest that was so broad yet firm.

Seeing the way Sebastian dressed tonight, one might simply think he must have forgotten how to dress like a proper gentleman or perhaps he didn't give a care.

His unbuttoned loose shirt created a vee on his body revealing a chest that many would agree didn't belong to a lord, perhaps a sailor, a labourer, a footman but never a Lord. One didn't get that chest just by sitting around all day and scribbling on paper. London lords weren't supposed to be having that kind of chest. A chest that was so broad and at the same time so muscled.