The joy Madeline had momentarily experienced was swiftly dissolving. “Comfort is a lackluster basis for wedlock.”
“It is a good beginning. I cannot say the same for any of the young chits I have considered thus far. And you are not bent on flattering me or attempting to impress me. Believe me, I find that extremely refreshing.”
Thankfully, Madeline was recovering from her initial shock. The more Haviland explained his rationale, the less inclined she was to accept.
“I don’t believe you are enthralled by my qualities,” she said flatly. “You are only proposing to fulfill a perceived obligation to my father. But you have already repaid any debt—if indeed there was one—by helping me to find employment.”
Haviland hesitated. “It is true that I still feel an obligation toward your father. He saved my life, and that is a debt I can never repay. But I would never let obligation alone determine so serious a decision.”
“Well, I won’t marry anyone who is proposing from a misplaced sense of guilt.”
“And you should not refuse because of a misplaced sense of pride.”
Conceding the point, Madeline bit her lower lip. “I doubt my pride is misplaced,” she said with an edge of stubbornness. “You consider me an object of charity.”
“You are willfully misunderstanding me.”
“I believe I understand you perfectly. You want me for a broodmare.”
His expression showed a faint trace of exasperation. “You would be my countess, Madeline, as well as the mother of my children. With all the advantages of wealth and privilege the title entails.”
He made a good point, she admitted, suddenly questioning her wisdom in refusing the Earl of Haviland. This was her very first proposal by the man of her dreams. Why on earth was she not leaping to accept?
Because he had said nothing about love, Madeline reminded herself. Only that he wanted an heir. And he had made his offer in a dispassionate, businesslike manner that had indeed stung her womanly pride.
On the other hand, Haviland could give her the children she longed for. Could she turn down such a tempting proposition? Just a few short days ago she would doubtless have been ecstatic at the chance to have children, but now, unfathomably, she wanted more for her future than a loveless union for the sake of procreating.
Am I mad to want more, Maman?
Perhaps she shouldn’t reject Haviland out of hand, though. Perhaps she should give herself more time to consider his tantalizing proposal….
Madeline shook her head, corralling her unruly thoughts. She had come solidly down to earth and meant to remain there.
“I have never sought a title, Lord Haviland. And I don’t require a life of leisure. In fact, I would probably loathe it. I am accustomed to working for my living.”
“As am I. It is another reason I think we would suit.”
“But there are numerous reasons we would not suit. We may frequently be at loggerheads.”
“That does not concern me. Some men want a dutiful and obedient wife, but I am not one of them.” He sent her a soft, persuasive smile. “Think of it as a bargain. You provide me with children in exchange for financial security.”
Her frown, Madeline suspected, held all the dismay she was feeling. “That is certainly a cold-blooded way of looking at marriage.”
Haviland gave a shrug of his broad shoulders. “We would be making a simple union of convenience. It is done all the time.”
“Perhaps in your family, but not in mine.” Without giving him time to reply, Madeline pressed on. “You could choose any number of ladies to give you an heir, my lord. Indeed, I hear you already have. Freddie Lunsford told me that you wanted to wed Roslyn Loring this past summer.”
“Freddie has a loose tongue,” Haviland said, grimacing slightly.
“True, but he said only that you courted her, that it was rumored you proposed to her. Did you?”
“Yes.”
“But she refused your offer? Why?”
“Because there was no love between us. In fact, she was madly in love with Arden.” Haviland’s gaze suddenly became intent as he observed Madeline. “That is one advantage you have over her. You are not madly in love with another man—are you?”