‘It was them Johnsons, the whole pack of them, Miss. Set upon him last night as he came home from the ale-house. Three against one, it was,’ the woman added bitterly. ‘And them with cudgels. If Vicar hadn’t have been coming back from Berkhamsted and disturbed them, my Nat’d be dead now, for sure.’
‘But why?’ Antonia asked, appalled, staring down at the bruised face on the pillow, the stubble stark on the deathly-pale face.
‘He’d reported them to the Duke for poaching again, ma’am. Setting snares all through his Grace’s Home Wood, they were, t’other night, bold as brass. Ran off when Nat and his old dog disturbed them, but he could see ’em by the moon.’
‘But to beat him so…’
‘And kick him, too,’ Marcus said grimly. ‘Let me have a look at those ribs, Nat lad.’ He eased back the coarse sheet and Antonia gasped at the sight of the man’s ribs, covered in bruises with the clear marks of hobnails on the flesh.
Antonia turned away, her hands pressed to her mouth, nausea rising. She heard Marcus behind her, talking low-voiced to the woman, assuring her the doctor’s bills would be met and promising that the housekeeper would send down food and cordials from the house daily. ‘One of the stable lads will come down and sleep in your shed, Mrs Carling. He can do the heavy work and help you with Nat. Now do not fret, he will mend soon.’
Outside Antonia gripped the side of the curricle, taking great gulps of the warn dusty air. Marcus took her arm and began to walk back into the park, leaving the horses standing. ‘You are not going to faint,’ he stated.
Antonia looked up at him, startled by his frigid tone. ‘What has happened to that man is terrible.’
‘Indeed it is, and much to your discredit.’
‘Mine? What have I to do with it?’
‘You have coddled and encouraged not only the deserving and unfortunate amongst your tenants, but the rogues also. They laugh at you for being so gullible. What did you think you were about?’ His voice grew harsher as she turned, hurt and bewildered, to look into his face.
‘But they were starving. I only sought to feed them.’
Marcus took her by the shoulders and shook her. ‘You fool, all you did was to teach them to steal. You have undermined the right of the law. Why did you not employ your own keepers? You could have instructed them to take the birds and distribute them to the deserving and those in genuine need and you would have given the keepers respectable employment besides.’
‘Why did you not tell me sooner?' Antonia stammered. ‘It never occurred to me to employ keepers because I had no intention of preserving game for sport. I thought I was doing good, helping my tenants.’
‘I did not know myself the lengths to which you had gone. Sparrow only told me today what has been the talk of the alehouses for weeks. I was coming to tell you of it this morning, but you were otherwise engaged.’
‘Why did not Sparrow speak to you sooner? I so wish he had,’ she said miserably. ‘I have misjudged the man.’
There was an uncomfortable pause. ‘He felt there was a degree of attachment between us that would make it impossible for him to speak critically of you without offending me.’
‘How foolish of him,’ Antonia replied between stiff lips.
‘Indeed, it seems so,’ Marcus said, dropping his hands from her shoulders.
She shivered, feeling bereft without his touch. ‘Can you recommend a suitable man to act as keeper for me? And is there any other foolishness of mine which you should draw to my attention before I do any further damage?’ she added, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice.
‘l will find someone for you, if that is what you wish. As to your… misjudgements, perhaps you will remember that I recommended you to return to London. It would have been as well for all of us if you had taken that advice.’
Antonia turned her head away so he could not see the tears starting in her eyes. He could not have put it more plainly: he wished rid of her, and her instincts from the beginning had been correct. Marcus, having failed to secure her lands, now wanted her out of his sight.
‘I must thank you for an instructive afternoon, Your Grace,’ she said, her head still averted. ‘l trust you will let me know if there is anything I can do to assist Mrs Carling and her family. Good day.’
‘Let me drive you home, Antonia.’ Marcus put a hand on her arm, but she shook it off angrily. ‘We should not part this way. I spoke harshly in my anger, but we can deal better together than this.’
‘I am grateful for your concern, but we are neighbours, nothing more.
’
‘We have been more than that, and could be again.’ He put his fingers under her chin, turning her face to his. Before she could protest he bent. his head and kissed her lightly on the lips, then turned and walked away.
Chapter Seventeen
‘I can hear a carriage,’ Donna remarked, leaving a pile of linen unfolded as she hurried to peep discreetly from the bedroom casement. ‘I wonder who that can be? I do not recognise the barouche.’
Antonia joined her, attempting to make out the crest on the carriage doors. ‘I do believe it is Lady Finch. How very gracious of her to return our call so promptly.’