A Shocking Proposition. Elizabeth Rolls

Haydon?

      He began to skim the letter, and then, wondering if perhaps he was still asleep and dreaming, went back and started reading again. Slowly. When he finished and was convinced he was actually awake, he read the letter again. Just in case he had missed something. He hadn’t. It said precisely what he’d thought it said, and it certainly made sense that she hadn’t quite liked to broach this subject face-to-face.

      “Interesting letter, then, Ash?” said Gerald.

      That was one way of putting it... Ash handed the letter over. “You tell me.”

      Gerald stared at him, but put his eyeglasses back on and glanced at the letter. “Madeleine Kirkby? What’s she doing writing to you?” He began to read. “‘A business proposition to put to you... Grandfather’s will—’ heard something about that. Rather an awkward business with Montfort being so determined to take the estate back, very poor showing on his part, if you ask me...” He glanced up, frowning. “You didn’t say that you’d seen her at old Blakiston’s yesterday. Or that you’d had a run-in with Montfort. Fellow’s a blister. A complete wart.” Ash said nothing and Gerald fell silent again as he read on. “Good God!” He looked up, removed his eyeglasses, and stared at Ash.

      Ash refilled his own coffee cup and leaned over to top up Gerald for good measure. “That’s what I thought.”

      “About what?” demanded the duchess.

      Gerald put the letter down, took a sizeable swig of coffee. “It’s a proposal.”

      “Yes, dear.” Helen adopted the sort of patient tone that a wife of twenty-five years who wanted to stay sane had to perfect. “You mentioned a business proposal. What sort of business does Miss Kirkby have with Ash?”

      “Marriage,” said Ash.

      * * *

      “I don’t quite see what’s bothering you about it,” Gerald said placidly as they rode. The day was surprisingly clear, a miracle in early December. Gerald said the weather would close in later and Ash agreed. But right now a pale sun filtered down, brightening the bleak fells with their dusting of snow.

      “What?” Ash wasn’t entirely sure he’d heard correctly. Gerald had asked if he planned to accept Miss Kirkby’s offer and he’d answered that it probably wasn’t a good idea.

      Apparently Gerald didn’t agree any more than his own unruly body had. The moment he had read Maddy’s marriage proposal his body had proclaimed it an excellent idea.