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“Very well,” she said. “I will be right over there by that tree, watching.”
She said the last word very pointedly. Rowena followed her finger and saw the tree she’d mentioned. It was just out of earshot, but Rowena figured that Sally could get to her quickly enough if the baron intended to cause any trouble. Slowly, Sally went to the tree, but she kept glancing over her shoulder.
Once Sally was positioned facing them by the tree, the baron chuckled.
“She seems very protective of you,” he said.
Rowena sighed with exasperation.
“She is,” she said bluntly. “Now, will you please tell me why you have called me here?”
Lord Elsbrook bowed again, his expression growing serious.
“I suppose there is no sense in drawing this out any longer,” he said. “I called you here because I wish to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Rowena’s heart stopped. Surely, she had not heard him correctly. She struggled to regain her senses.
“I beg your pardon?” was all she could manage, staring at the baron in a stupor.
He chuckled once more.
“Yes,” he said. “What I am proposing is marriage.”
Chapter Twelve
Andrew gave Miss Whitworth a moment to collect herself. He knew he had shocked her with his blunt proposal. However, he also knew something else: it was a simple solution, given all the facts. And, although she had offended him upon their first meeting, he found her extremely clever. He did not believe that she deserved to end up with the likes of Lord Axenshire.
When she finally collected herself, Miss Whitworth looked at him with an amusing combination of indignance and curiosity. It was an expression he had never seen and, on her lovely face, it was quite intriguing.
“And what has given you the impression that I want to marry you?” she asked.
Andrew smiled. Her question wasn’t insulting. In fact, it was a fair one, considering the circumstances. He was sure then that she was aware of what her father was trying to do to her. It was natural for her to be suspicious of any man who suddenly claimed to want to marry her.
“I know we have only had two real encounters before today,” he said. “But from those encounters, I can tell that you are an intellectual lady. And frankly, I am sick to death of the empty-headed women of theton. I am sure you can understand that my proposal will suit both of our needs.”
At that, her face relaxed. She seemed to be considering his words, and her eyes went from suspicious to guarded but intrigued.
“And how is that?” she asked. All the edge was gone from her voice. He had her attention. He just hoped he could convince her of his objective. As with the proposal, he chose to not beat around the bush about his thoughts, or about what it was that he knew.
“Lord Axenshire is in need of an heir,” he said. “Ideally, a few spares too. If you were to marry him, you would have no freedom, no care. You would mean little more to him than a brood mare.”
Rowena’s face paled a little, but she held his gaze firmly.
“And you would be different to him?” she asked. “Isn’t a wife expected to deliver everything her husband requires and demands of her?”
Andrew shrugged. Truthfully, he had not given much serious thought to marriage, apart from wanting never to have anything to do with it. But now hewasconsidering it, he felt it was best to be honest about what he was thinking regarding the arrangement he had in mind.
“I do not know what is expected of a wife by a husband,” he said. “I have no desire to confine a wife in any sense. A marriage to me would be merely a piece of paper.”
Miss Whitworth nodded slowly, her blue eyes staring right into his.
“What, exactly, does that mean?” she asked. She was still cautious, but for the first time, he saw something like hope in her.
Andrew struggled to hide a triumphant smile. He didn’t want to spook or irritate her and make her immediately reject his proposal.
“Well, you would naturally have to play hostess from time to time,” he said, “just as any wife of thetondoes. However, apart from that, I would allow you complete freedom. No rules. No expectations. No exceptions.”
Miss Whitworth shook her head. She was trying to process what he was saying to her, and he felt a little guilty for throwing so much at her all at once. But she had been the one wanting him to get to the point. And he truly believed that what he was asking for would be a good option for her.
