The Duke, politely unwilling to sit whilst the ladies stood, glanced round the kitchen. ‘Have your servants not yet arrived, Miss Dane? Allow me.’ He took the cups from Donna and set them on the now-clean table.
‘We have – ’ None, trembled on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it, remembering his great house and the number of staff he must employ. To admit that she and Donna were of such limited means that employing a maid and one or two charwomen was the only prudent course open to them was suddenly insupportable.
‘The London house is still being closed down,’ she said airily, hoping that implied a multitude of menservants and maids busy with dustcovers and the packing of trunks. ‘And with this house being in such a state, I thought it best to leave it a while before deciding how many to engage.’ Beyond him, she glimpsed the look of pained shock on Dona’s face at this barefaced deceit.
‘Meanwhile, young Jem from the inn has gone to hire us some charwomen in the village. London servants would take one look at Rye End Hall at present and turn tail immediately.’ A
ntonia managed a light social laugh. ‘You know what servants are – or perhaps not? Perhaps the Duchess deals with all such matters?’
His lips quirked in acknowledgement of such a blatant piece of fishing and Antonia saw Donna roll her eyes. ‘I very much regret to inform you, Miss Dane, that I find myself without a wife at present.’ He crossed his booted legs, quite at ease on the hard settle, his eyes narrowed with amusement, his tone totally lacking the regret he professed to feel.
Antonia felt herself colour at her own boldness. ‘That is a pity, Your Grace. I had hoped to find a congenial neighbour. More tea?’
‘I hope you will find that I fit your description, Miss Dane. I am generally reckoned to do so.’
‘A duke will always be considered above criticism.’ His expression became quizzical so she added, without thinking, ‘But women are different.’
‘How very true, ma’am. I have often observed that to be the case. As to more tea, I must decline. I am on my way to see Mr Todd. I believe you are acquainted with our curate?’
‘Yes, certainly. We were travelling together yesterday.’ Please go away. Now. ‘Good morning, Your Grace.’
He stood and looked at her until she could feel her face heating. ‘Do call me Renshaw, Miss Dane, I implore you. Good day to you both.’
Donna hardly waited for the door to close behind him. ‘Antonia. I had never dreamed you capable of such gaucheness. And such dissembling about our supposed servants… I do not wonder you blush so. What will the Duke think when he discovers the true state of our affairs?’
‘I suspect he already knows,’ Antonia replied ruefully. ‘There is not much escapes His Grace’s – Renshaw’s – sharp eye, I suspect. I know I behaved badly, Donna, but he aggravates me so. And he wants Rye End Hall to add to what he bought from my father. He will be asking to buy more land soon and, if he realises just how badly things stand with us, the offer will be very small.’
‘You just say no.’
‘But I suspect I will have to sell some land to raise the money to repair the fabric of the house and we have not even seen it properly in daylight. lf he realises how desperate I am I will have lost all my bargaining advantage.’
‘How dreadful to think of a young lady having to understand such matters,’ Donna said. She might sound like a prim maiden lady but her eyes were sharp behind her pince-nez. ‘I do take your meaning, nevertheless. However, it is not the only reason you have behaved so, shall we say, out of character, is it, my dear?’
Antonia suspected that her smile was a guilty one. ‘I know Donna. It is pride, I’m afraid, the pride of the Danes. I cannot bear to have people know to what straits we have been reduced. And after that humiliating encounter yesterday…’ She broke off, conscious that she hadn’t told Donna everything about that and her companion was a shrewd woman. ‘Mind you, what we have to be proud about these days, I don’t know. It is going to take a lot of work to change people’s opinions of my family around here.
‘At least we now have two rooms that are clean and habitable and we can eat and sleep in relative comfort.’ Antonia replaced the tea cups on the freshly scrubbed oak dresser. ‘Shall we make a complete survey of the house and see what we have in the way of furniture and linen?’
Chapter Four
It took them until three in the afternoon to complete their tour. Antonia sat at the kitchen table and sorted the disappointingly short lists of the remaining furniture, while Donna sliced bread and butter for a belated luncheon.
‘Father must have either sold a great deal or it has had to go to satisfy the creditors. All the lovely French pieces from my mother’s chamber and the blue drawing-room have gone. By the time we have thrown away the things that are too full of worm to keep we will be rattling around like two peas in a drum.’
Donna put down a platter and paused on her way to fetch the butter to con the lists. ‘You know, my dear, this furniture would be quite adequate if only we were in a modest house. I do not say that everything is of the first height of elegance, but it will be passable with polishing and some repairs. The linen needs darning but it is of good quality.’
‘If wishes were horses, Donna. We are in a mansion with twenty rooms, to say nothing of the servants’ quarters. Unless we move into the stables there is no smaller accommodation.’ Antonia cut a piece of bread and butter and tried not to frown as she thought. With all the problems facing them she’d have wrinkles if she wasn’t careful.
There were positive things to think of, she reminded herself. ‘The one saving grace is that, with the exception of those few slates off on the west wing, the fabric of the house appears remarkably sound. It needs cleaning and many minor repairs, but nothing beyond the skill of the village craftsmen, I’m sure. We must fashion ourselves a small suite of rooms and close up the rest of the house. Oh, Jem – what have you got there?’
The lad was looking mightily pleased with himself as he dumped down two wicker baskets, one of which was brim-full of provisions, the other spilling over with kittens.
‘Good heavens, Jem, I asked for one cat, not every stray in the village.’
The boy extracted a fine tabby from the centre of the basket. ‘But she's just had kittens, Miss, and she’s a good mouser. With all the kittens she’ll work even harder, Miss, and when they grow up, they’ll be catching too.’
‘Well done, Jem, that is a sensible thought.’ He grinned at the praise. ‘There are certainly enough mice in this house to feed such a hopeful family. Put the basket in the scullery and find her a saucer of water.’
Donna inspected the shopping while the cat was settled into her new home. ‘This is excellent, Jem. Did you manage to engage the charwomen for us? And the rat catcher?’