Francesca Shaw - The Unconventional Miss Dane

by The Unconventional Miss Dane (lit)

  Antonia bent to hide the dismay on her face, righting the basket and dropping the scissors in beside the roses. By the time she was ready to face Mr. Jeremy Blake, she had composed herself. He had dismounted and was waiting politely for her to notice him, the reins looped over his arm.

  "Mr. Blake, what a pleasure to see you again. I must thank you for your letter; we are looking forward greatly to meeting Sir Josiah and Lady Finch. May I offer you refreshment?"

  Antonia called to the maidservant, as the girl, warned by their voices, threw open the front door. "Anna, please show Mr. Blake where he can leave his horse and then bring some refreshment to the drawing-room."

  She entered the house, placing the basket of roses on the hall table before examining her reflection in the glass. How was it possible to feel so unhappy and yet for it not to show on her face? True, there were smudges of purple under her lashes and she was paler than usual, but she looked quite composed in her fresh sprigged muslin, her hair tied back in a simple ribbon.

  Hearing noises, she went in search of Donna and found her, as she had expected, sewing in the small parlour. "Mr. Blake is come. I have told Anna we shall receive him in the drawing-room."

  Donna laid aside her work, and her worries about his lordship's failure to call yesterday as expected, and hastily patted her already immaculate hair into place. She approved of Mr. Blake: a most well-mannered and well-bred young man, although not, of course, such a catch as Lord Arlington would be. Consequently she beamed upon the young man as he was shown into the drawing-room by Anna a few minutes later. It would do no harm, she reflected, to encourage Mr. Blake in his association with them. His lordship was showing alarming signs of taking her dear Antonia for granted---a rival to pique his jealousy was all to the good.

  Jeremy Blake found himself greeted, therefore, with a distinguishing degree of warmth by both his hostesses. Miss Dane, smiling though she was, seemed to him to be almost wistful behind her welcome. What could have put her out of countenance? He could not conjecture, but resolved to defend her against wlmtever had caused that slight crease between her pretty brows, the shadows beneath those soft hazel eyes.

  He sat in the proffered chair, flicking up the tails of his new riding coat, pleased he had decided to wear it that morning. Crossing one leg over the other, he was conscious that, although his valet might not use champagne in the blacking, he still achieved a most creditable appearance to his master boots.

  Fortified by the fact that he was appearing at his best, and by the sip of Canary from the glass at his side, he turned his mind to the matter in hand, "I am charged with messages from my principal and his good lady. Sir Josiah wishes me to say how' obliged he is at the expedition with which you have instructed your man of business to proceed and Lady Finch asked me to present her compliments and to hope that you both will call upon her at Rye End Hall at your earliest convenience."

  Donna beamed upon him, feeling that these formal attentions were entirely in keeping with how her dear Miss Dane should be treated. It was a scandal that she had had to endure poverty and social obscurity because of her father's outrageous behaviour. Now at last, received at the two great houses of the neighbourhood, she was moving in circles appropriate to her breeding.

  She recalled herself from dreams of social advancement for her protege to find that Mr. Blake had moved on to less formal matters. "And in the carriage house, right at the back, I found a whisky. Just a one-horse carnage, of course, but in very good condition and eminently suitable for a lady to drive in the country. The terms of the lease do not include any vehicles other than the farm carts, so, of course, I had intended sending it round to you. I thought. perhaps you had overlooked it..."

  "How delightful," Antonia cried. "As you say, it is just the thing."

  Then her face fell. "But no, it would not be practical, for we have no horses, and to purchase one simply for this purpose would be 'profligate indeed."

  The room fell silent for a moment, then Mr. Blake brightened visibly.

  "I believe I may have a solution, ma'am, if you would not object to performing a fay our for me. I shall be bringing up my riding and carriage horses from London, and Sir Josiah is most willing to stable them for me as I shall be here so much in future,"

  The ladies nodded in comprehension, Antonia concealing a small glow of pleasure at the thought of furthering their acquaintance with such a congenial gentleman~ "However, I have one carriage horse for which I no longer have a use as I only drive a team these days. I am reluctant to sell it, for I have had it for many years, yet I do not feel I can pension it out on Sir Josiah's land. It is most suitable for a ladies' carriage. If you could give it pasturage, I would be delighted for you to have the full use of it."

  Mr. Blake leaned back in his chair, pleased with his tactful solution.

  He wondered if Miss Dane could dri~ Pleasant fantasies of long summer afternoons teachi~ her to handle the reins flitted through his mind.

  "How very generous and thoughtful," Antonia begs then commonsense reasserted itself. "But we ha' no groom."

  Donna hastened to interject. "My dear, we were on speaking of this yesterday. Did we not agree that needed a man to assist with the heavier work about ~ place? Jem is too young and Old Johnson too in fir There must be a suitable and honest youth in the villa looking for employment."

  "If you will permit me, ladies, I will speak to the es~ manager and ask him to recommend a reliable man a send him over for your approval,"

  The matter thus satisfactorily concluded and Iris messages delivered, Mr. Blake rose to go~ Antonia waited: him at the front steps while he rode round from the yard. He reined in, doffing his hat and leaning down as realised she wished to speak to hhn.

  "Mr. Blake." She held out her hand and he took holding it as he looked down at her. "I must thank ] again for your kindness. We would be happy if 3 would call again--plea~ do not stand on eeremor She. smiled up at him, her hand feeling safe in his.~ seemed so uncomplicated and honest and his admiration warmed her chilled heart.

  At that moment, another rider passed the gate, slow almost to a standstill. Jeremy's mount tossed its bet the presence of another horse and they turned to see v it could be. Lord Arlington, sitting tall and erect on rakish hunter, regarded them coldly for a moment, then clapped his spurs to his horse's flanks and cantered ~ of her father's outrageous behaviour. Now at last, received at the two great houses of the neighbourhood, she was moving in circles appropriate to her breeding.

  She recalled herself from dreams of social advancement for her proteg~e to find that Mr. Blake had moved on to less formal matters. "And in the carriage house, right at the back, I found a whisky. Just a one-horse carriage, of course, but in very good condition and eminently suitable for a lady to drive in the country. The terms of the lease do not include any vehicles other than the farm carts, so, of course, I had intended sending it round to you. I thought. perhaps you had overlooked it..."

  "How delightful," Antonia cried. "As you say, it is just the thing."

  Then her face fell. "But no, it would not be practical, for we have no horses, and to purchase one simply for this purpose would be profligate indeed."

  The room fell silent for a moment, then Mr. Blake brightened visibly.

  "I believe I may have a solution, ma'am, if you would not object to performing a favour for me. I shall be bringing up my riding and carriage horses from London, and Sir Josiah is most willing to stable them for me as l shall be here so much in future."

  The ladies nodded in comprehensions Antonia concealing a small glow of pleasure at the thought of furthering their acquaintance with such a congenial gentleman. "However, I have one carriage horse for which I no longer have a use as I only drive a team these days. I am reluctant to sell it, for I have had it for many years, yet I do not i~eel I can pension it out on Sir Josiah's land. It is most suitable for a ladies' carriage. If you could give it pasturage, I would be ~delighted for you to have the full use of it."

  Mr. Blake l
eaned back in his chair, pleased~ with his

  1~ tactful solution. He wondered if Miss Dane could dri~ Pleasant fantasies of long summer afternoons tea chi her to handle the reins flitted through his mind.

  "How very generous and thoughtful," Antonia beg~ then commonsense reasserted itself. "But we ha no groom."

  Donna hastened to interject. "My dear, we were ol speaking of this yesterday. Did we not agree that needed a man to assist with the heavier work about~ place? Jem is too young and Old Johnson too infu There must be a suitable and honest youth in the villi looking for employment."

  "If you will permit me, ladies, I will speak to the est manager and ask him to recommend a reliable man i send him over for your approval."

  The matter thus satisfactorily concluded and his messages delivered, Mr. Blake rose to go. Antonia waited him at the front steps while he rode round from the yard. He reined in, doffing his hat and leaning down as realised she wished to speak to him.

  "Mr. Blake." She held out her hand and he took holding it as he looked down at her. "I must thank '. again for your kindness. We would be happy if '. would call again please do not stand on ceremo~

  She smiled up at him, her hand feeling safe in his. seemed so uncomplicated and honest and his ad mira warmed her chilled heart,

  At that moment, another rider passed the gate, slowing almost to a standstill. Jeremy's mount tossed its hea the presence of another horse and they turned to see ~ it could be. Lord Arlington, sitting tall and erect on rakish hunter, regarded them coldly for a moment, ~ clapped his spurs to his horse's flanks and cantered

  "His lordship appears out of humour again," Mr. Blake remarked more laconically than he felt.

  "Indeed, yes," Antonia agreed with a small sigh.

  So that was how the land lay, Jeremy mused as he trotted down the drive and turned towards Rye End Hall with a last wave of his hand. Lord Arlington was the cause of Miss Dane's unhappiness, was he? He had seen more than enough in London of eligible aristocrats playing fast and loose with the affections of young ladies without the protection of watchful male relations. He would have a quiet word with. his aunt, Lady Finch. Without daughters of her own, she would be charmed to: take Miss Dane under her wing.

  Antonia drifted back into the house, her pulses still racing from the unexpected sight of Marcus. Hadhe been intending to call and been deterred by the presence of the other man? Unconscious that her thoughts were chiming with those of Jeremy Blake, she told herself that she may be Miss Dane of Rye End Hall, Hertfordshire, but she was still dower less and unprotected.

  Antonia felt she had been naive: Marcus had proposed for her lands, expecting her to be a complaisant Society bride, willing to overlook his mistress--and no doubt his gambling and sporting entertainments--in ~ for a title and an establishment. Like any foolish village girl, she had expected love and courtship, and fidelity.

  Well, foolish she might be, but she was not willing to settle for less.

  How much better to have discovered this now than to have married Marcus and faced humiliation and disillusion when she had no escape!

  Borne up by a new sense of resolution, Antonia went to find Donna. The latter was arranging the battered roses in a pewter jug in the small parlour, a frown on her face.

  "Was that Lord Arlington I saw just now riding past?" her companion enquired bluntly.

  "It was." Antonia fiddled with a discarded stem, rolling it between her fingers, unwilling to meet Donna's eye.

  "Antonia, what is afoot? I thought the man was coming to propose to you." Donna regarded her beadily. "Is he playing fast and loose with you, because if he is...?"

  Antonia knew she had to stop Donna's speculation before she confronted Marcus and demanded to know what his intentions were. "He proposed to me and I have refused him," she announced flatly, subsiding wearily onto a bench.

  There was a moment's shocked silence, then Miss Donaldson repeated slowly, "You have refused him!" She, too, subsided into a chair, too amazed to stay on her feet. The scissors dropped unheeded to the floor. "But why, Antonia? He is the most eligible man, and I was certain you were in love with him. When you came in from the terrace the other night, your happiness was palpabl ' almost e . Antonia swallowed down the lump in her throat at the thought of that happiness, of how much she still loved MarcUs. "I have discovered that his moral character is not such as I could tolerate in a husband. I must be able to respect the man I marry."

  As she had expected, this completely persuaded Donna. Moral just ability was one thing she would never tolerate---and one subject on which she would never feel able to question Antonia further.

  Donna got to her feet and began to pace the room, her small frame a-quiver with indignation as she spoke. "Well, my dear, it is indeed fortunate that you discovered how deceived we were in his lordship. We will cut him, of course--he will not be welcome in this house again, that is for sure! It is a lesson, is it not, how one may be taken . in by a handsome face and an air of breeding! "

  Despite everything, Antonia could not help but be amused at the thought oftheredoubtable Miss Donaldson making her displeasure clear to Marcus at their next meeting.

  Donna was employing her happy knack of finding a silver lining in even the blackest cloud. "And the arrival of Sir Josiah and Lady Finch could not be more providential, for we shall not lack congenial company. And if Mr. Blake is to be residing here-she glanced at Antonia under her lashes '--no doubt parties of younger people will frequently be present."

  ' Any further speculation was interrupted by the unceremonious arrival of Jem into the room. "Begging your pardon, miss, but come quick, Old Johnson's having a seizure in the rhubarb patch!"

  The ladies hastened after the small figure as Jem scuttled out through the kitchen and into the back yard. The old gardener was indeed visible, slumped on a log, his face ashen, his gnarled hands wringing the hem of his smock.

  "Johnson! Are you ill?" Antonia turned to Donna. "Could you fetch him some of the port wine?" ~

  The old man struggled with his emotions and finally found his voice to utter a string of curses which caused Antonia to clap her hands over her ears. Seeing her reaction, he controlled himself with difficulty and growled, "Begging your pardon, ma'am, but it's more than flesh and blood can stand, that it be!"

  Donna hastened up with a tumbler of wine which the old man swigged back in one, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "God bless you, ma'am! Real gentry, you are, not like that bastard up at Brightshi!!."

  "Johnson! Mind your language!"

  Jem, seeing the look of bewilderment 'on Antonia's face as Donna continued to remonstrate with the gardener, hastened to explain. "He's had a shock, see. It's his other three sons, ma'am. They've been sent to Quarter Sessions by his lordship for fighting with his keepers. And they'll be transported, sure as sure, to Botany Bay---and that's miles away, Essex at least!" Jem's eyes were huge with the wonderful horror of it all.

  "And our Sire withering away in Hertford gaol these last three months," the old man moaned, 'and all due to his lordship's terrible hardness.

  Now he's tcjok all my boys. Starve, I will, and their ~wives and little ones along'a me! "

  "No one is going to starve," Antonia declared robustly, her mind trying to place the Johnson families amongst her tenants. "Are there many children?"

  "Fifteen at the last count, ma'am," Johnson said gloomily, 'and young Bethan in the family way, I'll be bound. "

  "That's one of his granddaughters," Jem supplied helpfully. "I expect the father'll be Watkins up at Brightshill."

  "We!!" he will just have to marry her," Antonia said firmly.

  "His wife'll have something to' say about that----he's married already with six children," Jem replied helpfully.

  Antonia's brain reeled. There were ways and means of keeping the families from starvation, but they needed their menfolk home as soon as possible. Really, she could not comprehend how Marcus could be so harsh, all for the sake of a few pheasants! Obviously th
e men were in the wrong to have gone on to his land, but she knew only too well how ready his keepers were to attack. Look at the way she had been manhandled!

  "Those brutes of keepers!" she exclaimed. "I am sure your sons were only defending themselves. I shall speak to his lordship directly.

  Jem, help Johnson home and go by the kitchens with Miss Donaldson on your way, I am sure there is some food 'you can take for the children."

  Antonia swept inside on a tide of high dudgeon, calling her maid. No doubt the Johngon clan were among the more feckless of her tenants, there had to be a few in every village---but if they were kept in poverty, they were bound to be tempted into crime!

  An hour later, attired in her best walking costume, parasol tilted against the sun, she ascended the steps to the front door at Brightshill and pulled the bell handle.

  "Miss Dane." Mead the butler bowed respectfully as he held the door for her. "How may I be of assistance? I believe her ladyship is at home. A warm day, is it not? Most clement." Miss Dane appeared more than a little heated, her hair was coming loose under the brim of her bonnet and the colour was high on her cheekbones. Not that her spirited looks were in any way marred, he thought appreciatively.