Donna got up and came to put her arm around her. ‘It is only a week, dear,’ she began soothingly when the sound of hooves crunching on gravel caught their attention. ‘Listen. No doubt that is the Duke come to call. Now that I think of it, it must be a week since we last saw him.’
The arrival of Marcus was hardly likely to be a soothing diversion, Antonia thought.
‘Mr Blake, ma’am.’ Jane the housemaid bobbed a curtsy in the open doorway.
‘Mr Blake. We had not looked to see you in person. What an unexpected pleasure.’ Relief swept through her. Surely he would not have come in person to give her an answer in the negative? ‘Do, please, take a seat, Mr Blake. May we offer you some refreshment after your journey? Jane, bring the decanters.’
He looked so sombre that Antonia sank down on the sofa, prey to a sudden fear that he had bad news after all and was kind enough to bring it in person. ‘Have you ridden over from Berkhamsted this morning?’
‘No, ma’am. I have taken rooms at the Green Man in Tring. It is rather more conveniently situated for riding here daily, which I hope you will permit me to do, given that there are many practical details to be settled.’
‘Then Sir Josiah is minded to take the Hall?’ Somehow Antonia spoke calmly.
‘Indeed yes, Miss Dane. He was most happy with my account and both he and my aunt feel this will be the ideal country establishment for them.’
‘You must feel very gratified that Sir Josiah and Lady Finch place so much trust in your judgement that they will take the house unseen,’ Antonia said warmly. ‘And I must thank you for your persuasion on our behalf. It is such a relief to know that Rye End Hall will be let to such a notable person as Sir Josiah. With him in residence it will regain its place amongst the estates of the area.’
Mr Blake flushed slightly at the compliment. ‘l thank you, ma’am, but I assure you that, once the merits of the estate were presented to him, Sir Josiah needed little persuasion from me. And it is you and Miss Donaldson who should be congratulated on the taste and quality of the renovations.’
Mr Blake set his glass to one side and removed some folded papers from his breast pocket. He handed one, closed with a seal, to Antonia. ‘I act as messenger from your man of business whose letter you have there. Between us, we have drawn up a contract which I trust you will find acceptable. May I hope you could give me an answer on it if I return tomorrow?’
‘But surely we can close on this today?’ Antonia said. ‘lf you will allow me an hour to study it before luncheon, then, unless I have any questions, I can sign it and the deed is done. You will stay for luncheon, Mr Blake?’
‘That would be most acceptable, ma’am, thank you.’ Mr Blake got to his feet. ‘With your permission, I will use the time until luncheon to ride around the estate. There are some notes Sir Josiah has charged me to make, and it is a most beautiful day.’ He bowed to them both and left.
Antonia seized Donna’s hands and danced her round the room in a joyful jig. ‘We’ve done it, we’ve done it, we’ve done it!’
‘Antonia, dear! What if Mr Blake should see us?’
‘He has gone and what if he does see us? I do not care.’
‘Antonia, please, I am quite breathless. And this is most indecorous.’ But Donna was smiling.
When Mr Blake rejoined them for luncheon Antonia had read the contract and letters through three times. ‘I am most happy to sign this contract. My man of business recommends it to me, and I am more than happy to vacate the Hall by the date specified.’
A look of relief crossed Mr Blake’s pleasantly plain features. ‘I had feared that a date only two weeks hence might be too soon for you. Are you quite certain it is convenient?’
‘Let us discuss it over luncheon.’ Antonia led the way through to the breakfast room, which served them as a small dining room. ‘Please sit here, Mr Blake. Will you carve the ham? I tell you truly, Miss Donaldson and I would be ready to move to the Dower House within the week. All the building work there is done so it only remains to hang the curtains, make up the beds and move our personal possessions.’
‘I am most relieved to hear you say so, Miss Dane.’ Blake passed a platter of carved ham to Donna as he spoke. ‘If I may, this afternoon I had hoped to ride over and see your tenant at the Home Farm. I will need to spend one or two days with him this week, and then there are numerous measurements Lady Finch has charged me to make in the house, if that will not be inconvenient to you.’
‘Not at all,’ Antonia assured him. ‘I will give you a note of introduction to Thomas Christmas at the farm and, as for the measurements, you are to make yourself quite at home and not stand on ceremony. Come and go as you please.’
The rest of the meal passed most pleasantly. Mr Blake proved to be an unexpected source of anecdotes about London Society. It was obvious he mixed freely with the Quality and Antonia could well imagine him at Almack’s. She felt he perhaps viewed life a little too seriously, a product of his profession, no doubt, but he was most agreeable company.
‘Are you frequently away from home on Sir Josiah’s business?’ Miss Donaldson enquired. ‘I only ask because, for a young man such as yourself, absences must put a strain upon domestic harmony.’
Antonia flinched at what was, to her ears, an obvious attempt to discover whether he was married or not.
Mr Blake, however, showed no sign of discomfiture at the probing. ‘Fortunately, ma’am, I have my own apartments within Sir Josiah’s London residence and come and go as I please with no inconvenience.’
An expression, which Antonia recognised as the nearest Donna ever came to smugness, crossed her face. So, Mr Blake was not married and was even now being added to Donna’s mental list of suitable suitors for Antonia.
Jeremy Blake, mercifully unaware of his hostesses’ thoughts, soon took his leave, taking the signed contract and a note for Thomas Christmas urging the farmer’s complete co-operation with his new landlord.
Antonia stood on the sun-warmed steps watching as he cantered off towards the Home Farm. Halfway down the driveway, he encountered another rider. Both gentlemen doffed their hats as they passed one another and Antonia recognised the gleam of Marcus’s hair in the sunlight.
He dismounted at the front door, tossing his reins to the groom who was riding at his heels. ‘Ten minutes, Saye,’ he ordered. ‘Keep them walking, this breeze is fresh. Good afternoon, Miss Dane.’ He bowed slightly to Antonia. ‘I trust I find you well?’