To Tame a Dangerous Lord (Courtship Wars)
“I warn you, Miss Ellis,” her ladyship was saying, “if you refuse, Haviland will not see a penny of my fortune, and neither will you.” Receiving no reply, the noblewoman sniffed. “I suppose I cannot blame you for wishing to improve your lot in life by snaring my grandson, but this is your chance to do even better. It should prove little hardship for you to move on to more vulnerable prey, since you only married Haviland for the lure of my wealth.”
Madeline raised her gaze in protest. “I did not wed him in anticipation of his inheriting your fortune.”
Lady Haviland gave her a haughty glance. “I beg to differ. I know your kind, girl. You are nothing but a greedy, social-climbing upstart.”
Stiffening, she shook her head. “You know nothing about me, my lady. I wed Rayne because I came to love him.”
The dowager made a derisive sound. “That is a bald-faced lie if I have ever heard one. You could not possibly fall in love in so short a time.”
But I did, Madeline thought despairingly. To my great regret.
She didn’t want to give Rayne’s grandmother the satisfaction of seeing her pain, however, so aloud she said dismissively, “I will consider your offer, Lady Haviland. Now I will thank you to leave.”
Not accepting so easy a victory, the dowager eyed her with a dubious scowl. “I wish to have your answer now.”
“I am sure you do, but I am not prepared to give it just yet.”
“Fifty thousand pounds is an enormous sum, Miss Ellis.”
“A hundred times that amount would not elicit my decision any sooner.”
Thankfully, Lady Haviland backed down, albeit grudgingly. “Very well. But I expect to hear from you shortly.” Turning abruptly, she regally whisked herself from the parlor.
The encounter left Madeline reeling. She couldn’t breathe for the crushing weight in her chest. Her world was crashing down around her. Rayne wanted to annul their marriage and was willing to pay her for the chance to do so.
The thought of ending their marriage, of uprooting her entire life and abandoning all that remained of her dreams, of leaving Rayne so that he could wed some other socially acceptable lady…. Dear God.
She could believe that Rayne regretted marrying her, especially after their clashes during the past few days. But understanding his perspective didn’t make it any less excruciating.
She felt raw inside, stricken with a horrible emptiness.
Oh, why had she ever succumbed to Rayne’s seductive proposals? Enduring a lonely spinster existence would have been far better than this anguish.
She couldn’t bear to leave him. How could she when she was so desperately in love with him? Yet perhaps, Madeline thought bleakly, it would be best for Rayne if she accepted his grandmother’s offer.
Should she give him his freedom? Could she make such a sacrifice for his sake?
Just then Bramsley tapped gingerly on the parlor door. When Madeline looked up blindly, concern wreathed the majordomo’s features. “Are you unwell, my lady?”
Madeline swallowed. Her throat ached from the force of her refusal to give in to weeping, yet she temporarily won the struggle. “No, I am not unwell. What is it, Bramsley?”
“Mr. Lunsford has called and wishes to know if you are at home to him.”
“Pray tell him that Lord Haviland is in London.”
“Mr. Lunsford specifically asked for you, my lady.”
Before Madeline could answer, Freddie came sauntering into the parlor. She shut her eyes momentarily, wishing she didn’t have to deal with him just now.
“That will be all for the moment, Bramsley, thank you,” she said as her latest visitor flung himself into a chair without ceremony.
“I say,” Freddie greeted her, “was that Lady Haviland’s carriage I passed?”
“Yes,” Madeline answered dully, feeling hopelessly dismal.
“What did she want?”
It was just like Freddie to be so ragmannered, but Madeline barely registered the infraction. “It doesn’t matter. Why are you here, Freddie?”