Suddenly Marcus was in front of her, holding her by the shoulders, impelling her to meet his gaze. But he was not angry as she had thought he would be. His face was curiously gentle and so was his voice when he asked her, ‘Just why, in the face of all this, will you not be my wife?’
Antonia could not meet his eyes or he would see the way she felt about him. She could not bear for him to pretend to love her out of pity.
‘This is not about Claudia, is it?’ he demanded. ‘Nor about your feelings for Jeremy Blake, let alone your ludicrous cousin Hewitt?’
She shook her head mutely, her eyes still averted from his.
‘You told me there was nothing I could do or say to make you agree to marry me. Well, I have done all I can, but I have not said all I should.’
Antonia did look at him then. Something in the tone of his voice was different, more tender even than it had been last night. She held her breath, waiting.
‘I have never told you I love you, Antonia, but I do. I love you, heart and soul and body and for ever. I have never loved another woman, and I never will. So if you do not marry me, I shall never marry, for no one could ever take your place.’
His eyes, his expression said even more than his words. This was the truth he was telling her. Antonia gave a little sob and threw herself into his arms, too overcome even to kiss him. All she could do was hold on, feeling his heart beat against her cheek, knowing his strength and his love were hers for ever.
‘Well?’ he murmured into her hair. ‘Will you marry me, my love?’
‘Yes, Marcus, because I love you too and this was breaking my heart.’
They stood there, holding each other as the rising sun sent a shaft of sunlight spilling across the floor of the barn. At last Antonia freed herself. ‘We cannot stand here all day, although I wish we might. We must have some breakfast and go home. Thank goodness Donna is not expecting me.’
As she spoke, she went to the table and began to sort through the hamper, amazed and touched by what she found. ‘Look, here is bread and ham and a flask of ale. Marcus, how did you manage to contrive all this? And what have you done to my great-aunt’s unfortunate coachman?’ Somehow the calm domesticity of preparing food with this man convinced her that this was real, and forever.
He moved to her side and began to cut bread. ‘He is on his way back to London in a hired a hack, as his mistress instructed him.’
Antonia stared at him. ‘You mean, you and she... That you plotted it and she knew and permitted it? Last night…’ Antonia stood and blushed at the thought.
‘I had to ask her permission.’ He laughed at Antonia as he reached for the ham. ‘When you said there was nothing I could do, I knew I would have to take desperate measures. I could sense Lady Granger approved of me. Saye and I went on ahead to arrange this, then I changed places with your driver at the last stop.’
‘Great-Aunt remembered your grandfather,’ Antonia riposted, but she was smiling.
‘I went to her direct from Almack’s. She advised me to behave like a red-blooded man and all would be well. Then I remembered my sister’s advice.’
‘Anne was in this plot, too?’ Now Antonia really was incredulous.
‘She told me, when you left for London, that I was arrogant, that I had never felt the need to explain myself or my actions to anyone. I realised I had never told you I loved you, never realised that I needed to. I should have known you would never marry for anything less.’
Antonia reached up and kissed him. ‘And when did you realise you loved me?’
‘When I saw you in Pethybridge’s office. I knew what it must have cost a gentlewoman to undertake business like that. And despite the reverse you had obviously suffered, you were brave and defiant. I was still angry with you about your poachers, yet in that moment all I wanted to do was to make you mine.’
She stepped into the shelter of his arms. ‘And now you can,’ she said softly.
Marcus kissed her gently, all the love he had never spoken until now evident in the embrace. Eventually he released her, with a sigh. ‘I could stay here for ever, but I suppose we should eat and then make our way home.’
When they left, he handed her up onto the seat of the carriage next to him. ‘Come, ride here beside me until we get closer to the village, there will be no one about at this hour to see you.’
Antonia linked her arm through his as he gathered up the reins and asked, in a mock-severe tone, ‘And you can tell me all about Lady Reed.’
Marcus looked down into her face and smiled. ‘Lady who?’
THE END