After one glance at the rigid set of his lips, Antonia amused herself looking over the stalls. She could have told all the young misses that gushing declarations and fluttering lashes were definitely the wrong way to approach their host. He disliked all show of emotion, preferring the correct, properly restrained modes of interaction. He was a conventional man-she strongly suspected most gentlemen were.

They paused to allow Philip to discuss crop rotation with one of his tenant farmers. Covertly studying him, Antonia smiled wrily. His languid indolence was very much to the fore, at least in his projected image.

The girls watching could not hear his brisk words on ploughing and the optimum depth of furrows. As handsome as any, with that subtle aura of restrained power which derived, she suspected, from that affected indolence, while strolling the lawns with smoothly elegant stride, every movement polished and assured, he was a natural target for the sighing, die-away looks of the massed host of young girls.

Quelling an unhelpful shiver, Antonia looked around. Horatia Minims and two of the girls from the vicarage stood in a knot nearby, giggling and whispering. Feeling immeasurably older, she let her gaze pass over them.

Concluding his discussion, Philip placed his hand over hers and turned towards the archery butts. “Looks like the contests are well underway." He glanced down at her. "I'm not at all sure you shouldn't be the one to present the ribbon to the winner."

Antonia shook her head. "You are their master-to the youngsters you're an idol. Of course they want you to award the prize."

She shifted as she spoke, swinging slightly forward to glance into his eyes. Unfortunately, that placed her in Horatia Mimms's path. In a balletic manoeuvre, Horatia flew forward, her trajectory calculated to land her, gracefully tripping, in Philip's arms. Instead, she cannoned into Antonia's back.

With a stifled cry, Antonia catapulted forward, coming up hard against Philip's chest. His arms closed around her, steel bands crushing her to him as he lifted her free of the wild tangle that was Horatia, now sprawled on the grass.

"Are you all right?" Easing his hold, Philip looked down at her.

Antonia nodded, struggling to find her voice. "Just a bump-" She couldn't help a wince as she tried to pull back.

Philip steadied her, his hands firming on her back, gently kneading. His gaze shifted to the scene before them, where a winded Horatia was being helped to her feet by her two supporters from the vicarage.

Philip's eyes blazed. "That was the most inconsiderate piece of witless behaviour it has ever been my misfortune to witness!"

Helpless in his arms, unable to stop her senses luxuriating in the feel of his warm hands massaging her back, her forehead resting, for one weak moment, against his chest, Antonia stifled a hysterical giggle. From his tone, from the tension holding him, she knew his temper was on a very short leash. Luckily, they were halfway between the stalls and the crowds watching the archery; there were few witnesses to the scene.

"I cannot believe your parents-" Philip's gaze coldly swept all three girls ''-will find your antics at all acceptable." His icy words cut like a lash. "I intend to make plain to them-"

Antonia pushed hard against his chest, forcing him to loosen his hold. As she straggled free of his arms, she wasn't at all surprised to glimpse three white faces, stricken with alarm. "I'm perfectly all right." One glance at Philip was enough to confirm he wasn't mollified by her assurance. His face remained stony, his expression chilling. Antonia felt like grimacing at him; she contented herself with narrowing her eyes warningly before facing the girls. "Miss Mimms-I hope you sustained no injury?"

White as a sheet, Horatio Mimms blinked, then dazedly looked down. A long grass stain marred the pink of her muslin skirts. "My best dress!" she moaned. "It's ruined!"

Philip snorted. "You may consider yourself-"

Antonia stepped back-onto his foot. Philip broke off and frowned down at her.

"Perhaps, Miss Carmichael, Miss Jayne, you could accompany Miss Mimms into the house and see if the stain will shift?"

The vicar's daughters nodded, quickly taking Horatia's arms. But Horatia unexpectedly stood her ground, her cheeks slowly turning an unfortunate shade of red. She looked helplessly at Antonia. "I'm most extremely sorry, Miss Mannering. I didn't mean to-" She broke off and bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Antonia took pity on her. “An unfortunate occurrence- we'll say no more about it."

The relief that flooded all three faces was almost comical. With quick bobs, the three took themselves off, moving out of Philip's orbit as fast as they could.

"An unfortunate occurrence, my foot!" Philip glowered after them. "The little wretches-"

"Were only behaving as young girls often do." Antonia slanted him a glance. "Particularly when presented with such provocation as is present here today."

Philip's eyes narrowed. "I do not appreciate being the butt of their silly fancies."

Antonia smiled. "Never mind." She patted his arm soothingly. "Come and present the archery prizes-from the whoops, I think the contests must be over."

Philip sent her a darkling glance but allowed her to steer him to the area by the lake where the archery contest had been held.

He might not appreciate the adoration of young girls, but he clearly had no difficulty coping with the same emotion in youthful cubs. Antonia watched as they danced about him while he gave an impromptu speech congratulating the winners of the three competitions. With the prizes awarded, he returned to her side.

They adjourned to the terrace for tea. Despite numerous invitations to do otherwise, Philip held trenchantly to her side. Then it was time to cross to where the junior equestrians had been kept busy for most of the afternoon.

They regained the lawns, only to discover Lady Castleton in their path. Her daughter walked beside her on the arm of Mr Gerald Moresby, a younger son of Moresby Hall.

"There you are, Ruthven." Lady Castleton placed one manicured hand firmly on Philip's sleeve. "You've been positively hiding yourself away amongst the farmers, sir- quite ignoring those who would, one might imagine, have far greater claim to your attention."

One glance convinced Antonia that her ladyship saw nothing outrageous in her statement. Philip, she noticed, looked bored.

Oblivious, Lady Castleton rolled on. "So you've driven us to make our wishes plain, my lord. Calliope has conceived a great wish to view your rose garden but unfortunately Gerald cannot abide the flowers-they make him sneeze."

"Quite right." Gerald Moresby grinned. "Can't abide the smell, y'know."

"So," Lady Castleton concluded, "as Miss Mannering is apparently acting as hostess in her aunt's stead, I suggest she takes Mr Moresby on an amble about the lake while you, my lord, can lend me your arm and escort myself and Calliope through your rose garden."

Gerald rubbed his hands together, his gaze on Antonia. "Capital idea, what?"

Antonia did not think so. Eight years ago, Gerald had been a most untrustworthy character. Judging by the expression in his pale blue eyes and the way his weak mouth shifted, he had not improved with the years.

Sensing sudden tension beside her, she glanced up to find Philip's gaze fixed on Gerald's face, his lips curved in a smile that was not entirely pleasant.

"I'm afraid, dear lady," Philip smoothly said, shifting his gaze from Gerald Moresby's lecherous countenance, thereby denying a sudden urge to rearrange it, “that as Miss Mannering and I are sharing the honours in entertaining my tenants, our time is not our own. I'm sure you understand the situation," he sauvely continued, "being yourself the chatelaine of an estate."

He was well aware of Lady Castleton's background; it did not encompass any great experience of "lady of the manor" duties.

Which was why, stumped by his comment, unable to contradict it, her ladyship resorted to a cold-eyed stare.

"I knew you'd understand." Philip inclined his head, his hand trapping Antonia's where it rested on his sleeve. "But I'm afraid you'll have to excuse us-the junior equestrians await." He included Lady Castleton and her daughter in his benedictory smile; it didn't stretch as far as Gerald Moresby.

As they passed out of earshot, Antonia drew a deep breath. "How positively…" She paused, hunting for words.

"Brilliant?" Philip suggested. "Glib? Artful?"

"I was thinking of ruthless." She cast him a reproving glance.

The look he bent upon her was less readable. "You wanted to wander by the lake with Gerald Moresby?''

"Of course not." Antonia quelled a shudder. "He's a positive toad."

Philip humphed. "Well, Miss Castleton's a piranha, so they're well matched-and we're well rid of them."

Antonia had no wish to argue.

They arrived at the edge of the roped-off area in time to watch the final rounds of the low jumps. Johnny Smidgins, the headgroom's son, won by a whisker. His sister, little Emily, a tiny tot barely big enough to hold the reins, guided a fat pony through the course to take the girls' prize.

Everybody made much of them both. Ruthven gravely shook Johnny's hand and presented him with a blue ribbon. Antonia couldn't resist picking up little Emily and giving her a quick kiss before pinning her blue rosette to her dress. Sheer pride struck the little girl dumb; Philip patted her curls and left well alone.

After that, only the last event remained-the Punch and Judy show. Virtually everyone, even some of the dowagers, crowded before the stage erected in front of the green wall of the shrubbery.