“I never thought that for one moment.”
Giving a doubtful huff, she crossed her arms over her chest, which had the unexpected result of making Haviland glance down at her bosom.
His gaze lingered there for a heartbeat or two before returning to her face. “Why are you so damned insistent on accompanying me?”
Madeline was silent for a moment, not wanting to reveal how badly she wanted to be on more equal footing with Haviland. It was rather humiliating, always having him take care of her. She wanted to help him for a change.
“Because I like to earn my way. And you did me a generous service by helping me to secure a teaching position with Lady Danvers. I would like to repay the favor.”
“You will be doing me a service if you stay well out of it.” He held up a forbidding hand. “That is enough about Freddie’s letters, love. I have another subject I wish to discuss with you.”
It exasperated Madeline that he refused even to listen, but she swallowed her protest. She would not give up so easily, yet for the time being, she thought it wiser to allow Haviland to have his way. “Very well, what do you wish to discuss?”
“I want to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Madeline stared at him with incomprehension. Surely she had not heard him correctly.
“Will you do me the honor of marrying me, Miss Ellis?” Haviland said more plainly.
A dozen chaotic thoughts streaked through her mind, while a riot of feelings flooded her—disbelief, confusion, elation, suspicion….
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you roasting me, Lord Haviland?”
“Certainly not.”
“You cannot possibly be serious,” she insisted, her voice rising in pitch. “You want to marry me?”
His expression sobered. “I assure you, I am entirely serious, Madeline. I would like to have you for my wife and countess.”
He honestly was not jesting, she realized, dumbfounded with astonishment. He could not have shocked her more if he had suddenly offered her the moon on a silver platter.
She parted her lips in an effort at speech, but then shut them again when she realized she had nothing to say. She felt as if the very breath had been knocked out of her.
“Pray contain your enthusiasm,” Haviland said dryly.
In response, Madeline scrutinized his face. Was she dreaming? Only moments ago she’d been lamenting the fact that Haviland would never look twice at her, and now he was proposing marriage?
She swallowed hard, striving to regain her wits. “You must admit your proposal is extremely far-fetched,” she finally rasped.
“It isn’t far-fetched in the least. I am in need of a wellbred wife to give me an heir. You need someone to support and protect you. By marrying we can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”
Her heart sank. So that was his motivation. She should have realized his astounding proposal had nothing to do with any growing attachment he felt for her.
“I am not fond of killing birds,” Madeline replied distractedly. “Why would anyone wish to harm innocent creatures?”
He laughed softly. “You know that is a figure of speech. And you are evading my question. Will you marry me, Madeline?”
Evading his question even further, she responded with one of her own. “Why ever would you offer for me? You could take your pick from half the female population of England.”
“I don’t want half the female population. I want you.”
“Why?”
“You have any number of qualities I want in a wife.”
“Name a single one.”
“I can name several. I feel comfortable around you, for a start.”