could she tell him about Avery’s betrayal, about her humiliation?
Yet it would soon be common knowledge. Once she had called off the wedding, Edith would lose no time in becoming Avery’s wife. And, Selena reflected, if the islanders already pitied her because she had lost one intended husband, how much more sympathetic kindness would she have to bear if they thought Avery had jilted her?
On the other hand, she could ignore Edith’s threats and perhaps weather the scandal that would arise when she was forced from her home. But she had too much pride to marry Avery now. No, she would be reduced to begging before she’d become his wife.
She would have to deal with the consequences, though. Her life on the island would be intolerable—unless she already had a husband. She had thought Kyle Ramsey might be persuaded with the promise of a rich dowry, but she could see now that if he already had his own plantation, he wouldn’t be so eager to gain hers. Yet she had little else to offer. There was no reason to believe she would appeal physically to a man of the captain’s stamp. Edith had emphasized often enough that men desired a more buxom beauty and a more passionate nature than Selena seemed to possess. And Avery’s tastes certainly underlined that.
Shifting her glance from the feathered palms, Selena gazed out over the pale green water of the cove. “I don’t intend to marry Avery,” she said quietly. “Recently I’ve discovered that… we wouldn’t suit.”
Kyle muttered something under his breath. After wading from the waves, he shoved the end of his fishing pole into the white coral sand before addressing her again. “Miss Markham…Selena, I doubt that you and I would suit any better. And as crude as this may sound, I’m afraid you have only one thing a man like me would be interested in—and it’s a lot safer for me to find it at a tavern.”
“I suppose…you spend a good deal of time in taverns, drinking and… wenching?”
He gave her a sharp glance. “No more than any other man,” he retorted, not liking her to paint his character any blacker than he deserved. “I sometimes drink when I put in to port after a long voyage—though yesterday was something of a unique occasion. But the fact remains, I wouldn’t make you a good husband.”
“I could give you children.”
Kyle sucked in another breath, his heavy brows rising in disbelief as he stared at her. “You do have a way of knocking a man between the eyes, don’t you?”
It was early yet, and the morning was still relatively cool, but Selena felt heat flood her cheeks.
Kyle put his hands on his lean hips and regarded her with a frown. “Children, Miss Markham, are encumbrances in my line of work. Besides, I already have a family to care for.”
“You’re married?” she gasped, her startled gaze searching his face.
“No, thank God. But I have a gaggle of younger sisters who require my attention. The eldest has been looking after the rest since our parents died last year, but Bea is married with a baby on the way. She has her own family to think of. I’ve agreed to take responsibility for the girls. In fact, I’m bound for Natchez when I leave here. It might be years before I could return. I doubt that you would want an absentee husband.”
“No,” she said in a small voice. “But I could go with you.”
Kyle gritted his teeth, trying not to feel as if he were kicking a lost puppy. Devil take it, how had he ever gotten himself into this situation? She looked as lovely now as she had in the moonlight, and there was no question that he had enjoyed her body. But that was a far cry from wanting to marry her. He had no wish to sacrifice his freedom, and he already had
one
obligation along that line. Someday he would have to leg-shackle himself in order to claim his son.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Moonwitch, but I’m afraid I’m not free to accept your offer. I have a duty I’m obliged to fulfill.”
His tone
Yet it would soon be common knowledge. Once she had called off the wedding, Edith would lose no time in becoming Avery’s wife. And, Selena reflected, if the islanders already pitied her because she had lost one intended husband, how much more sympathetic kindness would she have to bear if they thought Avery had jilted her?
On the other hand, she could ignore Edith’s threats and perhaps weather the scandal that would arise when she was forced from her home. But she had too much pride to marry Avery now. No, she would be reduced to begging before she’d become his wife.
She would have to deal with the consequences, though. Her life on the island would be intolerable—unless she already had a husband. She had thought Kyle Ramsey might be persuaded with the promise of a rich dowry, but she could see now that if he already had his own plantation, he wouldn’t be so eager to gain hers. Yet she had little else to offer. There was no reason to believe she would appeal physically to a man of the captain’s stamp. Edith had emphasized often enough that men desired a more buxom beauty and a more passionate nature than Selena seemed to possess. And Avery’s tastes certainly underlined that.
Shifting her glance from the feathered palms, Selena gazed out over the pale green water of the cove. “I don’t intend to marry Avery,” she said quietly. “Recently I’ve discovered that… we wouldn’t suit.”
Kyle muttered something under his breath. After wading from the waves, he shoved the end of his fishing pole into the white coral sand before addressing her again. “Miss Markham…Selena, I doubt that you and I would suit any better. And as crude as this may sound, I’m afraid you have only one thing a man like me would be interested in—and it’s a lot safer for me to find it at a tavern.”
“I suppose…you spend a good deal of time in taverns, drinking and… wenching?”
He gave her a sharp glance. “No more than any other man,” he retorted, not liking her to paint his character any blacker than he deserved. “I sometimes drink when I put in to port after a long voyage—though yesterday was something of a unique occasion. But the fact remains, I wouldn’t make you a good husband.”
“I could give you children.”
Kyle sucked in another breath, his heavy brows rising in disbelief as he stared at her. “You do have a way of knocking a man between the eyes, don’t you?”
It was early yet, and the morning was still relatively cool, but Selena felt heat flood her cheeks.
Kyle put his hands on his lean hips and regarded her with a frown. “Children, Miss Markham, are encumbrances in my line of work. Besides, I already have a family to care for.”
“You’re married?” she gasped, her startled gaze searching his face.
“No, thank God. But I have a gaggle of younger sisters who require my attention. The eldest has been looking after the rest since our parents died last year, but Bea is married with a baby on the way. She has her own family to think of. I’ve agreed to take responsibility for the girls. In fact, I’m bound for Natchez when I leave here. It might be years before I could return. I doubt that you would want an absentee husband.”
“No,” she said in a small voice. “But I could go with you.”
Kyle gritted his teeth, trying not to feel as if he were kicking a lost puppy. Devil take it, how had he ever gotten himself into this situation? She looked as lovely now as she had in the moonlight, and there was no question that he had enjoyed her body. But that was a far cry from wanting to marry her. He had no wish to sacrifice his freedom, and he already had
one
obligation along that line. Someday he would have to leg-shackle himself in order to claim his son.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Moonwitch, but I’m afraid I’m not free to accept your offer. I have a duty I’m obliged to fulfill.”
His tone
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