Husband of a countess (4)
I believe the answer is:
earl
'husband of a countess' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for earl that I've seen before include "Male equivalent of a countess" , "Aristocrat ranking between marquis and viscount" , "A real peer" , "Peer of the realm" , "Essex, say" .)