Isla rallied her nerves, swallowing down her agitation. Enough vacillation. Malton Hill hung in the balance, and she would fight for her future.
“Come, Captain.” She lifted her chin. “Let us discuss that which must be discussed.”
She dared a glance at him.
A pained smile tugged at his mouth.
“Still direct, I see.”
“Pardon?”
“Your manner. Ye were never one to ease gently into a difficult conversation. Ye jump in with both feet.”
Isla stared. Was that true? She considered her younger self the sort to avoid confrontation and discord. But, perhaps, he was correct. With him, shehadbeen more forthright.
“I choose to take that as a compliment,” she said.
“Good. It was meant as one.”
They looked at each other for a moment. Isla hated it . . . the lack of her Tavish in his eyes. They were blank and polite and utterly unreadable.
Where did you go?she wondered.Or were you never truly real?
It scarcely mattered now, she supposed.
“Ye be referring to our marriage?” he asked.
“Yes.” Isla’s heart pounded. She resisted the urge to lick her lips. “I wish for the knot of our handfasting to be untied.”
“Do ye?”
She nodded just once, a crisp up-down motion. It was all she could manage through the anxiety pulsing at her fingertips.
“Well.” A long pause. “I suppose that would be for the best.”
Isla’s shoulders nearly collapsed, relief flooding her veins.
God be thanked!
“Ye needn’t appear so liberated.” His eyebrows flew to his hairline. “A gentleman does have his pride.”
She froze. “You cannot believe we would continue in this farce of matrimony? We are all but strangers to one another.”
Not a single muscle in his face twitched at her harsh words.
Yes. Granite, this man.
“Nae, I assumed we would pursue a divorce. I just wished to ensure that ye felt the same.” His voice radiated calm. As if this conversation were of no particular note.
“And if I had said I wish to continue in our marriage?”
He shrugged. “Then I would honor my vows to yourself.”
Unbelievable.
As if staying married or divorcing were one and the same to him.
Isla shook her head. “I shan’t require you to fall upon your sword for my sake.”
