Hewitt showed no inclination to sit, instead striking an attitude which displayed an inordinate amount of crimson silk waistcoat. ‘What a striking waistcoat,’ Antonia said weakly, eyeing the garment with horrid fascination. In combination with trousers in an assertive shade of canary yellow the whole ensemble this early in the morning made her feel quite bilious.
‘l knew you would admire it,’ he beamed. ‘l thought to myself, a woman of taste such as my cousin Antonia will admire this garment. In fact, I would go so far as to say I donned it especially for you.’ His expression was doubtless supposed to be a roguish twinkle, but it emerged more like a leer.
‘Really?’ Antonia was lost for words. She was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable and wished she could reach the bell-pull to summon Hodge.
Eyeing her even more warmly, Hewitt crashed to her side on one knee and seized her right hand in his damp grasp. ‘Miss Dane. Cousin. Antonia. Be mine, I beseech you! Say you will consent to be Mrs Hewitt Granger.’
Antonia stared down appalled at the head bent over her hand, then struggled to her feet with a painful lurch, attempting at the same time to extricate her fingers. Hewitt, misinterpreting her gesture, staggered to his feet and seized her in his arms manfully.
‘No,’ she cried as his lips descended inexorably towards her face, but the sound was muffled by Hewitt’s chest.
There was a discreet cough behind them and Hodge’s voice announced, ‘His Grace the Duke of Allington, Miss Dane.’
Chapter Twenty Three
Antonia knew she was scarlet with mortification. She attempted to free herself, but Hewitt clung to her hand until she extricated it with a sharp jerk. ‘Your Grace, good morning. Please sit down.’ She was amazed at how calm her voice sounded: inside she was trembling and, in truth, felt a little queasy. Her ankle throbbed, but that was nothing compared to her utter revulsion at Hewitt's embraces.
Steeling herself, she raised her eyes to Marcus’s face, hoping to see some sign of jealousy, some sign that finding her in the arms of another man was painful to him.
Marcus stared back, his face a polite mask. Not by one whit did he betray surprise, dismay or the slightest sign of jealousy in finding the woman to whom he had recently proposed in the arms of another man.
‘How kind of you to call,’ Antonia continued desperately. ‘May I offer you some refreshment? Hewitt, please ring the bell before you sit down.’
‘Thank you, Miss Dane.’ Marcus sat back and crossed his legs, smiling politely at both the cousins. ‘How pleasant to see you again, Mr Granger. I was wondering where you had acquired the striking animal you were driving yesterday.’
So you can avoid the same dealer, no doubt, Antonia thought sourly. She was hoping that Hewitt
would leave, but at such flattering attention her cousin settled himself comfortably and began to prose on about his search for the perfect driving horse.
Marcus caught Antonia’s eye and allowed one eyelid to drop into an unmistakable wink. Antonia, despite everything, could hardly contain the laugh that bubbled up her throat. Marcus could have asked nothing better calculated to encourage Hewitt into a display of pompous conceit and now Marcus was inviting her to enjoy it with him.
With a struggle she controlled her expression. Beside her Hewitt, conscious for the first time that the other man’s attention was not solely on him, ground to a halt. Antonia spoke hurriedly in the sudden silence. ‘How did you know my direction, Your Grace?’
‘Your direction? Why, I had not come to see you, Miss Dane, but Lady Granger.’ Marcus smiled. ‘No, this is merely a pleasant coincidence. Did you know, Mr Granger, that Miss Dane and I are neighbours in Hertfordshire?’
‘No, I was not aware of that,’ Hewitt said shortly. ‘I was also unaware that you were acquainted with my grandmother.’
‘I have never had the pleasure of meeting her ladyship, but she and my grandfather were great friends. When I heard she had risen from her sickbed and was receiving once again, I naturally hastened to pay my respects. I would not have wished to, shall we say, leave it too late.’
‘l can assure you, Your Grace,’ Antonia snapped, ‘that my great-aunt is in the best of health. Touching though your concern is, there was no need to hasten to her side as though she were on her death bed.’
‘But she is very frail,’ Hewitt added hastily, as if to reassure himself.
At that moment the lady herself entered, looking not a day over sixty five in a mauve silk creation that combined the latest fashion with great dignity. Both men leapt to their feet, but she ignored her grandson completely, fixing Marcus with a gimlet stare before allowing him her hand.
‘Well, well. There was no need for Hodge to tell me who my caller was. Just like your grandfather, another handsome dog. Sit down, can’t stand people hovering about! What are you still doing here, Hewitt? Every day you are cluttering the place up, every day. Go to your club, why don’t you, if you can’t stand to go home to that simpering peahen your brother married.’
Hewitt, clearly deciding that being belittled by his grandmother in front of the Duke was detrimental to his dignity, smiled at Marcus as though to indicate that the old lady was ga-ga and bowed himself out with a meaningful stare at Antonia.
Marcus sat and smiled back at her Great-Aunt, apparently at his ease although Antonia wondered if he had ever encountered such a terrifying old woman in his life.
‘So you think I am like my grandfather, ma’am?’ he enquired.
‘Cut from the same cloth. I would have known you anywhere as an Allington.’
‘And I would have recognised you, ma’am, from his description.’
‘Get away with you, boy!’ Lady Granger waved a hand dismissively but Antonia could tell she was pleased. ‘I’ll wager he did not tell you everything about our acquaintance.’