Miss Dane and the Duke

But those people, she suddenly realised, would be of the height of London Society, fashionably dressed, au fait with the latest gossip and news. She had neither the gowns nor the gossip to mix comfortably with such a set. What would Marcus think when he saw her in that company? He might find her amusingly unconventional now, but what appeared refreshing as a country diversion would seem gauche and soon lose its charm set against Town polish.

‘Antonia? Is anything wrong?’ Marcus appeared uncannily alert to her mood today.

‘Oh, no. I was merely wool-gathering.’

‘Forgive me, you must have much to be doing and thinking about. I shall leave you to your housekeeping and look forward to your company next Tuesday.’

Antonia held out her hand to shake his and was startled when he bent over it to brush the back of her knuckles with his lips. ‘Adieu, Antonia.’

She watched him leave and found she had lifted her hand up to her cheek as she did so. His groom came with the horses and the two men were trotting off down the driveway before she recalled herself.

‘Donna, Donna!’ she called, as she ran up the steps.

‘There you are at last with the flowers.’ Donna emerged from the salon, a vase in each hand. ‘What an age you have been, Antonia, I could not imagine what was detaining you.’

Antonia recognised the teasing note in her voice. ‘You know full well Marcus Renshaw called. And, Donna, he has invited us to dinner at Brightshill next Tuesday when his house party will be assembled. But what are we to wear?’

‘I shall wear my garnet silk, of course,’ Donna replied composedly. ‘It is perfectly suitable, and what I wear will not, in any case, signify. No, my dear, the real question is, what are you to wear?’

Antonia dumped the flower basket unceremoniously on the side table. ‘I have not the slightest notion. I do not even know what is the latest mode, although you may be certain that not a garment that I own will be in it.’

‘Then we must set to work immediately. Jane can arrange these flowers, we must review our wardrobes and see what will pass muster. Now,’ Donna began, ticking items off on her fingers as she ascended the stairs. ‘A gown, that must be new, then there are your stockings, gloves, slippers… Jane! Where is that girl? We must see if there are any of your old gowns that will cut up.’

Antonia hurried after her companion, bemused that for once Donna was not taking the opportunity for remarks on the folly of fashion and the impropriety of a mind set upon adornment.

Chapter Eleven

An afternoon spent in turning out both their wardrobes passed swiftly

‘It is as I feared,’ Antonia said gloomily over a cup of tea as they reviewed their findings. ‘We each have one pair of respectable evening gloves, there is enough ribbon to furbish up your gown and your slippers are presentable. But our stockings are woeful, my evening slippers scuffed and not a single gown of mine is such that I could either wear it or cut it up to make another with any pretensions to style whatsoever.’

‘None of this is insurmountable,’ Donna said firmly, setting down her cup and raising her voice. ‘Jane!’ The girl hurried in, only to be dispatched to find Jem and order his presence with the gig the next morning. ‘We can try what Berkhamsted has to offer and go further afield if necessary.’

‘But, Donna,’ Antonia protested, ‘we cannot afford to shop for any of this.’ She was utterly bewildered by the other woman’s enthusiasm.

‘Nonsense. You have money left from the loan. Look upon this as an investment.’

‘You cannot seriously be suggesting that I use that money for husband-hunting?’

‘I did not say anything of the kind. But you cannot go into Society attired like a milkmaid. And if you are not to go into Society, pray tell me why we have been wasting so much time and money to establish ourselves in the Dower House?’

‘Oh, very well,’ Antonia conceded. There was no gainsaying her companion in this mood. ‘But we only have a week in which to prepare.’

‘It will suffice. If luck is with us, we shall be able to obtain copies of the Ladies’ Intelligencer in Berkhamsted, which will give us an inkling of the current mode. I have already found an excellent shop for haberdashery. Remember, I told you of it when I bought the linens last month? And there are several drapers. One, at least, must have some acceptable silks.’

‘But we do not know which dressmakers to trust,’ Antonia protested.

‘Dressmakers? No time, my dear. We will sew the garment ourselves. With my skill for pattern cutting, and your fine stitchery, we may save several pounds and no one be any the wiser. Now, let us have some supper and retire early. We have a busy day before us tomorrow.’

‘Now this will become you very well,’ Donna said with satisfactio

n, holding up the dull gold silk against Antonia’s face. ‘That subtle counter-stripe in the weave picks up the brown of your hair beautifully.’

‘Indeed yes, ma’am,’ Mrs Mumford the linen draper hastened to add her voice. ‘If you intend to make this gown here,’ she gestured to a striking fashion plate open on the counter, ‘I can think of nothing that will cut and drape better.’

‘It is very expensive,’ Antonia demurred, wistfully fingering the soft fabric to admire the sheen.

‘Quality will out, madam, if I may make so bold an observation.’