Anthony Brown

Anthony Brown is a cousin of the Cornwell family and was one of Candy's love interests. He died from a fatal blow on the head when he fell off his horse during a fox hunt at a family gathering.

Appearance
Anthony has fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes.

Characteristics
Anthony is a kind, gentle, and caring, teenage boy who cares deeply for Candy. He is treated like a brother by Alistair and Archie. The three of them always accompany and help Candy no matter what happens in the series. He is very polite and well mannered to other people, but will fight and defend whoever accuses wrongly of Candy.

Plot
Anthony met Candy at the Ardlay's rose gate, he later appears at the grand ball at the Ardlays mansion. Upon entering the ball, Candy finally meets her prince, Anthony Brown. Strangely enough, he only remembers the encounter at the rose gates, but not the hilltop meeting. It is only explained at the end of the manga that it was Albert Ardlay who saw her at the hilltop, not Anthony. Great-Aunt Elroy chastises the Leagans for bringing their maidservant in such an informal dress as she is Archibald's and Alistair's special guest. The two Cornwell brothers and Anthony intercede on Candy's behalf. Tricked by Eliza, Candy gets locked up inside a dark room in a hallway that fits the description of Archibald's ghost story. Meanwhile, Eliza detains Anthony from searching for Candy by dancing with him. In a panic, Candy manages to break down the door and Anthony finds her. The brothers gift her a ballroom dress and Anthony gifts her some of his late mother's jewelry. Candy joins the dancing with all three young bachelors, making a good impression. Candy asks Anthony whether he knows Pony's Hill, but he tells her no, confirming that, though he looks like her prince, Anthony cannot be the hilltop prince after all.

When Mrs. Leagan banishes Candy to sleep in the barn. Candy hopes to conceal the truth from Anthony,  But after meeting the Cornwell brothers, she thinks Candy has all she needs to be truly happy: friends. Realizing that Anthony must know too, Candy fears he will avoid her from now on. But Anthony enters the barn, apologizing for not being a gentleman the day before and letting her carry his load when he knows she works so hard already. He presents her a rose, promising that he will give her a more beautiful one on her next birthday, which will be in May from now on.

Someone has savagely cut Anthony's rose bushes and stole his pink roses. All evidence points to Candy who has a vase full of beautiful pink roses in her barn, which she assumes are a gift from Anthony. When Candy learns from Alistair what has occurred, she suspects Neil. Neil explains the thorn scratches on his hand as the result of playing with Sylvia, the family cat. When Anthony does not want to see Candy, she is sure that everybody believes the worst of her. Archibald finds a witness who saw Neil leave the Leagan estate the night before and the three young men trick Neil into confessing. But by then Candy is already gone in Archibald's rowboat to return to Pony's Home on the river that changes into rapid water leading to a huge waterfall. The vagabond Albert saves her from drowning and, before disappearing, directs her to write him a note in a bottle if she should ever require his assistance. When the three worried Ardlay boys find Candy, Anthony explains he did not want her to see his birthday gift yet, a new rose called 'Sweet Candy'. Anthony helps Candy to retrieve the horses Eliza and Neil chased out of the barn and compliments her on her lasso throwing skills. The Leagan children chased off the horses as a distraction, so they can frame Candy for thievery. As a result, Mrs. Leagan decides Candy will be sent to Mexico in Dorothy's place. Torn between remaining to see Anthony, or maintain her honor by going to Mexico, Candy entreats for Albert's advice. Albert gets her message, but is chased off by one of Ardlay's overseers and unable to help her. Not having received any news from Albert, and finding the dilapidated Ardlay mansion in the woods deserted, Candy is sure she lost a friend, just as she will lose Anthony, Archibald and Alistair when she goes to Mexico.

The day before leaving for Mexico, Candy wishes to say farewell to Anthony, but instead witnesses how Anthony denounces his great-aunt when she orders her cousins never to play with the "thief" Candy. It does Candy's heart much good that all three believe in her, but she does not want Anthony to lose his family over her. She will go to Mexico and write him each day. But after overhearing the servants talking about the Mexican circumstances, Candy loses her courage with the passing hours. Anthony leaves her a branch of Sweet Candy roses in a pot, along with a note promising he will do everything he can to stop her removal from Lakewood. Suspecting Neil, the three young men make him confess under duress. Neil promises to clear Candy's name before their great-aunt the next day, before Candy is meant to leave for Mexico. But the Mexican, Mr. Garcia, arrives hours earlier than expected and instantly leaves with Candy. A last minute rescue now out of reach, Anthony leads Alistair and Archibald in a bagpipe chorus to salute Candy on her way to Mexico and swears to himself he will come join her in Mexico. In his heart and across the distance he asks Candy to wait for him.

Candy now lives at the Ardlay estate, together with the Cornwell brothers and Anthony and a closet full of dresses given by great-aunt Elroy. Neil and Eliza still try to persist in their lies and accusations, embarrassing great-aunt and provoking Anthony and the Cornwell brothers to remind them that Candy is a member of the family. When they make Neil beg on his knees for forgiveness, Candy stops them: without their deception, she would not have been sent to Mexico and Grandfather William would not have adopted her to save her. Meanwhile, Anthony has become envious about the hilltop prince, believing Candy only likes Anthony because he looks like the prince. The pendant confirms he must be an Ardlay. But Candy declares she does not care who the prince is, and that she likes Anthony for being Anthony. Later, at the festive dinner table, the three young men are stupefied by her appearance in a green dress that matches her eyes and Anthony thinks that Candy reminds him of his dead mother. When Candy deftly repels Eliza and Neil's antics to make her appear without manners, she becomes so ladylike in Anthony's eyes that he starts to daydream about marriage.

While Candy is bored by having to learn the aristocratic ways - being dressed, butlers delivering messages, learning all the Ardlay names, dates of birth and death by heart - Eliza lures Anthony on a horse riding trip with a lie. After a dispute over it, both horse riders nearly collide with Tom's cart. When Tom demands repayment for the spilt milk, Anthony gives his name, before leaving with Eliza to have her taken care off and upon her pleas remains at her bedside until late at night. Upset at being snubbed by Anthony's no-show, Tom first accuses Anthony of being a coward and a womanizer at the Leagan estate and then at the Ardlays. Early the next morning, Anthony meets Tom in the forest to own up for his mistakes. They hold a fistfight that ends at stalemate when both are exhausted and agree to be friends. To make amends, Anthony and Candy escort Tom when he delivers the milk, and this inspires the townspeople to gossip. Great-aunt Elroy is so incensed that she confines Candy to the house and sends Anthony to live in the dilapidated mountain mansion where Albert used to live. Anthony spends his time with Tom, working at the house and training a pigeon to carry a message to the forlorn Candy. In the message he assures her that he loves his new living situation and freedom.

The messaging via pigeon continues. One day, they learn Anthony plans to participate in a rodeo in Tom's village. When Eliza learns of Anthony's plans, she informs great-aunt Elroy who charges Candy with the mission to dissuade Anthony on a visit out of fear for injury. Tom puts the risk of injury in perspective, and Candy mostly fears that Anthony will never really be able to embrace life under his great-aunt's wing. As they discuss the several rodeo contests, including a lasso-throwing contest, Candy has the idea to recruit Archibald and Alistair into joining along with the argument that if they all join the rodeo then their great-aunt cannot be angry with Anthony alone. But upon great-aunt Elroy's request the organizer denies them entry into the competitions. Per Candy's suggestion, Tom spreads the rumor in town that the Ardlays are cowards and the rodeo becomes a matter of family honor. Great-aunt Elroy relents and even cheers on Anthony from her carriage as he attempts to remain in the saddle while bronco-busting and beats Tom.

When Anthony's rodeo prize calf wanders into the house in the middle of the night, Great-aunt Elroy orders it to be removed from the premises. Anthony and Candy take the calf into town and look for a new owner there. At the fair they finally meet Steve, Tom's father, who adopts the calf gladly as long as he gets to buy it. Neither Candy or Anthony ever possessed or used any money before and have all they need anyway. So, they decide to spend the money on a service. They take a horsemill ride at the fair, but since they are the first customers, they get a free ride. Then the thirteen-year-old Candy and sixteen-year-old Anthony decide to eat hot dogs in a diner. When the owner recognizes Anthony as the winner of the rodeo, he gives him the hot dogs for free. Still looking for a way to spend the money on a service, they decide to visit a fortune teller. Candy will have a happy future full of love, but Anthony's cards foretell death. While it upsets Candy, Anthony assures her he is no child anymore and he is not afraid whether he comes to harm or not. They end the day at dusk by climbing the church's bell tower and enjoy the view. They have only two coins left of their money, which they keep for memory's sake.

After the fortune teller, Candy has nightmares and discovers that the roses in the garden are losing their petals, just like before Anthony's mother died. Great-aunt Elroy and Candy make peace, and Candy realizes the folly of her superstition when Anthony laughs about it. When the family holds their annual fox hunt, Candy gets the honor to welcome the hunters. Once the hunt starts, Anthony and Candy break away and ride to a hilltop precious to Anthony. Candy compares it favorably to her Pony's Hill that Anthony would like to visit someday. Anthony talks more about his mother who loved the horses as much as Candy. Finally, Anthony asks Candy who her hilltop prince is, and she tells Anthony that he is her prince, regardless of the other. Anthony has something to tell her, but wants to wait until they visit Pony's Hill. As they continue their ride, Anthony suddenly understands the mystery of the "hilltop prince". When he was a toddler, another boy who looked like him was often together with his mother. It all makes sense to him and he would have told Candy if not for the fox trap. Anthony startles at the sight of foxes and stops his horse, only to land on the trap. The horse threw him off and Anthony died immediately from his head injury.

In later episodes, Anthony is mentioned several times through flashbacks and conversations, especially with Terry Grandchester.