Free A Shocking Proposition by Elizabeth Rolls

Bets had a romantic streak at all, let alone one a mile wide. She was tenderly arrayed in her very prettiest, lace-edged nightgown, despite her protests that it was nowhere near warm enough for a winter’s night.
    Bets smirked as she twitched the linen sleeve of the nightgown just so. “Never you mind that Miss Maddy, me lady I should say, I reckon his lordship’ll keep you warm enough and to spare.”
    She twisted her hands together in her lap while Bets brushed out her hair, long sweeps of the brush. It wasn’t like that at all. Was it?
    He had believed Edward!
    As if Bets had read her mind, she said, “Not many men who’d have married you after what Lord Montfort said. Not without they waited to see if you was breeding.”
    Maddy’s hands stilled. If he’d thought Edward had...her stomach churned—if Ash had thought that, then he must have considered the possibility that she had been carrying a child. Edward’s child. She’d been too hurt by his apparent mistrust to think that through clearly.
    And he still married you...why?
    Shame flooded her. He’d answered that in the carriage— To protect you , of course!
    Straight after she’d accused him of marrying her because he’d wanted Haydon.
    He did trust you , you ninnyhammer! Trusted you enough to know that you wouldn’t have gone to Edward willingly. And he cared enough to marry you despite the possibility you might be pregnant. To protect you.
    The little bronze horse caught her gaze in the mirror. She’d set it on the shelf over the fireplace. He cared enough to give you that.
    Bets was still speaking. “—someone ought to warn you.”
    Warn her?
    She looked at Bets in the mirror. The old woman had her mouth primmed. “Been a long time, it has. I’ve been a widow longer than I was married. But you don’t forget, and seeing as how your own mam, God bless her, ain’t here to tell you what’s what—”
    Maddy’s cheeks scorched. “Um, I do know what happens, Bets,” she got out. Far better than she was going to confess.
    Bets snorted. “That’s as may be, Miss Maddy. I know you’d know what goes where. Thing is, it might hurt a bit at first.”
    “Oh.” Her cheeks were probably going to ignite. “I see.”
    Bets brushed harder. “Yes. But only the first time usually.” A very womanly smile softened the old lips. “And ’specially with a man like his lordship. You can see he’s the gentle sort, for all his strength. ”
    “Only the first time?” asked Maddy, trying to ignore the ache in her breasts at the thought of just how gentle Ash could be.
    “Aye. After that—” Bets laid down the brush and cleared her throat. “Well, you’ll see soon enough, judging by the way his lordship can’t take his eyes off you.” Maddy realized in disbelief that Bets was blushing. Their eyes met in the mirror. “It ain’t every man who can set a girl’s knees wobbling and toss her wits out the window with one kiss under the mistletoe!”
    Bets set her hands on Maddy’s shoulders. Gave them a squeeze. “Well. That’s that. I’ll be off to me bed.”
    Maddy blinked and flapped a hand at her hair. “You aren’t going to braid it?”
    Bets shook her head. “Waste of time.” She twitched the neckline of the nightgown just so. “Mind you, so’s this.” Her eyes twinkled. “But at least he’ll have the fun of taking it off.”
    Maddy’s jaw dropped. Naked ? They were going to do what they’d done in the carriage naked?
    * * *
    When she heard his knock on the door, Maddy was behind the screen, washing her face and hands. “Come in!” She set the ewer down with trembling hands.
    The door opened. Closed. “Maddy?”
    She hauled in a breath. “Here. Behind the screen.”
    “Ah.”
    She leaned against the washstand, breathing carefully, shocked to realize that she was trembling. Nerves, she told herself. Perhaps he wouldn’t want to do it again? A very faint hope. Most bulls and rams, after a suitable rest, say half an hour or so, were