A Comfortable Wife

Grimacing, she leant heavily on the footmen's arms and slowly started up the steps.

Her head haughtily high, Antonia shifted along the seat, then moved to the carriage door.

As he had promised, Philip was there to assist her to the gravel. Alighting, her hand in his, Antonia glanced up- only to see him grimace.

'Much as it goes against the grain, I fear I must plead Miss Dalling's cause. Her situation is more serious than I'd imagined.'

Antonia looked her question.

Drawing her hand through his arm, Philip turned her towards the steps. 'To use Geoffrey's description, it appears the gorgon has entirely fallen off her perch. On arrival, we were treated to what I can only describe as a supremely distasteful scene in which her ladyship endeavoured to impress upon me that her niece has all but accepted the Marquess.'

Outwardly nonchalant, they climbed the broad steps. Philip lifted his gaze to the small knot of people waiting on the porch. 'It appears that dramatic flights are a Dalling family trait. The upshot was that Miss Dalling, for whom I must reluctantly concede a certain sympathy, has implored our help in avoiding a marriage by force majeure.''

'Great heavens!' Antonia followed Philip's lead in schooling her features to the semblance of polite conversation. “Is Catriona in a fury?''

'Worse. She's in a blue funk.'

'Catriona?' Antonia looked up at him, her gaze direct. 'You're bamming me.'

Philip's brows rose. 'Not at all-but see for yourself.' With a nod, he indicated the reception party now a short way before them.

Antonia followed his gaze. A moment later, they reached the porch-and she discovered he'd spoken no less than the truth. The Catriona who stood mute by her aunt's side was a far cry from the defiantly confident young girl who had first come on the town. Eyes still huge but now filled with die-away despair fastened upon her. As she turned from acknowledging the Countess's somewhat strident greeting, Catriona stepped forward to clasp her hand.

'I'm so glad you've come.' Her accents were hushed, fervent. 'Come-I'll show you to your room.' A quick glance revealed that Henrietta was the focus of the Countess's attention. 'I have to unburden myself to someone who understands-I do not know what I would have done if you hadn't taken pity and travelled thus, into the lion's den.'

Stifling an impulse to suggest that that last should be the 'gorgon's den', Antonia allowed herself to be drawn inside. Only to have her nonsensical vision take on real shape. The hall was dark and gloomy; its ceiling was so high it could only be described as cavernous. Panelled in dark wood, the walls were hung with old wooden shields and dark-hued tapestries. A fire smoked and smouldered in a huge stone fireplace; a heavy wooden table stood on the dark flags. The chamber exuded a pervading sense of being the anteroom of some dangerous animal's lair.

Pulling back against Catriona's tug, Antonia halted in the centre of the room to stare at the huge, ornately carved staircase filling the end of the hall. Its wide treads led upward into the shadows of what she assumed was a gallery.

'Welcome to the delights of Ticehurst Place.'

The deep, softly menacing words, uttered from just behind her ear, made her jump. Antonia threw a frowning glance over her shoulder; Philip had followed them in; he stood close behind her, his gaze roving the shadowed walls.

'It possesses a certain cachet, don't you think?' His eyes lowered to meet hers.

Catriona, apparently inured to the decor, gently tugged Antonia forward. Antonia did not move, anchored by Philip's hand at her waist.

'Don't leave her,' he murmured, his eyes holding hers. 'Not even when you're dressing.'

Fleetingly, Antonia searched his eyes, then nodded and yielded to Catriona's insistent urging. Drawing closer, she tucked her arm in Catriona's. Together, they climbed the stairs, ascending into the shadows.

Philip watched them go, a frown gathering in his eyes.

With no attempt at her usual chatter, Catriona led Antonia to a large chamber, roomy but somehow oppressive. Nell was there, unpacking Antonia's bags. Eyeing the maid warily, Catriona towed Antonia to the window seat, pressing her to sit. 'My room's just along the corridor,' she said, her voice close to a whisper. Sinking onto the brocaded cushion beside Antonia, she grimaced. 'So is Ambrose's.'

Antonia blinked. 'Ah.' That was not, to her understanding, the habit when accommodating young people. 'I see.'

'I haven't told you the half of it yet.' In suitably dramatic style, Catriona proceeded to do so, inevitably embellishing her account.

But no amount of dramatic description could detract from the impact of the basic facts; appraised of the full story of how Ambrose, on arriving late the previous evening, had been shown to Catriona's room, ostensibly by mistake, Antonia had no doubt of the appropriateness of her sympathies.

'If it hadn't been for the fact that I'd asked for more coal and the girl was late bringing it up, Ambrose and I could have been…' Catriona's eyes glazed. 'Why-we could have ended sharing a bed.' Her voice faded; Antonia did not think her undisguised horror owed much to her histrionic tendencies.

'Luckily,' she said, leaning forward to pat Catriona's hand bracingly, “that eventuality was averted. I take it you had not yet gone to sleep and as the girl was there, Ambrose got no further than the threshold?'

Catriona nodded. 'But you can see, can't you, how hopeless it all is? Unless Henry can find some way to rescue me from my aunt's talons, I'll be forced to the altar.'

'Along with Ambrose.' Antonia frowned. 'What does he say to this?'

Catriona sighed. 'He was horrified, of course. But his mother is truly overpowering-she has him well under her thumb. He simply cannot stand up to her, no matter how hard he tries.'

'Hmm.' Recalling Philip's words, Antonia stood and shook out her skirts. 'Come-help me choose what to wear. Once I've changed, we must see what we can do to brighten you up a trifle.' When this projected endeavour raised no gleam of response, Antonia added, 'I should warn you that Ruthven is something of an authority on the subject of feminine attire. If I were you and wished to retain my standing in his eyes, I would not appear at dinner less than well presented.'

Catriona frowned. 'He does seem well disposed.'

'Indeed. And if anyone can assist you and Henry, it is he.' As she sailed across the chamber, Antonia added, somewhat acidly, 'I can attest that his experience in arranging clandestine meetings is beyond compare.'

As it transpired, that was to be her one and only allusion to what lay between herself and Philip. Absorbed in rein-flating Catriona's confidence while simultaneously considering all possible avenues the Countess might attempt to gain her ends, she had no time to dwell on her husband-to-be's unfortunate tendencies.

When she met him in the drawing-room two hours later, she made not the slightest demur when he possessed himself of her hand, kissed it, then settled it on his sleeve. The drawing-room was a cold and sombre chamber, designed on the same grandiose scale as the hall, its walls hung with a dark, heavily embossed paper, the ornately carved furniture upholstered in thick black-brown velvet. A small fire in an enormous grate struggled unsuccessfully to dispel the gloom.

Quelling a shiver, Antonia drew closer to Philip, conscious of the aura of safety emanating from his large, familiar frame. Catriona, who had entered with her, reluctantly responded to an imperious summons; haltingly, she made her way to the Countess's side, to where Ambrose, looking pale and uncomfortable, stood beside his mama.

Leaning towards Philip, Antonia murmured, 'Catriona told me what occurred last night.'

Glancing down, Philip frowned. 'Last night?'

Antonia blinked, then briefly outlined Catriona's tale. 'It's no wonder, after that, that she appears so moped. I believe she feels helpless.' Looking up, she saw Philip's jaw firm, his gaze fixed on the unconvincing tableau the Countess had assembled by the chaise.

'If I wasn't convinced Miss Dalling deserved our support, I would have you-and Henrietta-out of here within the hour.'

His clipped accents left little doubt as to his temper. Antonia studied his stern profile. 'What should we do?'