Her beloved, who’d shocked himself with an accidental proposal, and was even now riding away, heading for his glittering future, no doubt congratulating himself about his lucky escape from a most unsuitable woman.
Her beloved, who kissed like a dream, and made love like . . .
A hot, luscious shiver rippled through her, pooling at her center, clenching like a velvet fist deep inside her. She closed her eyes to savor it.
“Wrapping me in faded silk brocade, are you?” said a deep voice from the doorway.
She whirled.Faded silk brocade?
“I won’t have it.” He strode into the cottage. “I’m a living, breathing man. With needs.” He closed the door behind him and turned, his blue eyes boring into her in a way that set her heart fluttering. “And I’m not ready to be put away in a box.”
“What—”
“Sit. Down.” It was not a request.
Maddy blinked. And sat. And watched wide-eyed as he took a couple of paces about the cottage, as if coming to a decision, and then came to stand in front of her.
And then knelt on one knee.
Maddy stopped breathing. Her heart thudded in her chest like a fist pounding on a door.
His eyes were dark blue and somber. He took her left hand in his and said, “Madeleine Woodford, would you do me the honor of giving me your hand in marriage?”
For a moment she was too stunned to answer.
He gave a rueful smile. “Every man is entitled to make a mull of his first marriage proposal. You must acknowledge this one is neither flung down in the dust, nor uttered in begrudging resentment.”
She’d flicked him on the raw with those comments, she saw. Offended his sense of himself.
He waited for her response.
“Why do you want to marry me?” she asked, then silently cursed herself for doing so. It was a miracle he’d come back, asked her again. Few people were given a second chance in life. But she wanted to know—hadto know why.
Ached for the words . . .
He smiled. “Having jeopardized your good name, I can do no less than retrieve you from the consequences of my imprudence.”
Oh, that. Maddy swallowed her disappointment. It shouldn’t matter why—it didn’t, really. She would still accept his offer. Gallantry was a fine reason to marry.
No point crying for the moon.
“The offer, of course, includes the children,” he said. “I know you want to keep everyone together. I’m a wealthy man. None of you will lack for anything.”
She bit her lip and managed a nod.
He misinterpreted the reason for her silence and squeezed her hand. “Believe me, if I didn’t think this was the best thing to do I’d find another solution to the problem.”
The problem. That would be her.
Oh, why couldn’t she just say yes and get it over with? What was the matter with her? She tried to swallow again, but there was a large lump in her throat.
A slight crease formed between his brows. “I suppose you think it’s too soon, that you’ve only known me a short time. But it’s essential we scotch the gossip.”
The gossip, yes.
He gave her a shrewd look. “You’re worried, perhaps, because you know I’d planned on a . . . a different sort of bride.”
Maddy gave a sort of a shrug. She knew.
