Sterling automatically fell to pacing as he began to speak.
“She said something earlier today in one of the shops that now concerns me greatly when I purchased her the makings of a new gown. She said, in so many words, that she has all she needs or wants and that I did not have to make such a gift to her.
I am a simple man, I do not believe I can operate as Le Cour does in order to survive. If a sail appears upon the horizon I know to pursue, capture or turn heel and run.
I will not stand to fight a battle that I know I cannot possible win for fear of what others may think of me. I lost one ship once, and it cost me three years of my life and my health. I would die now before I would ever willingly surrender the Angel or force my crewe into the service of others.
The Archangel is a good ship. I have the best officers and crewe in the world and therefore I have what it takes in order to seek out the means to keep Mistress Devareaux well enough.. And I will do whatever it takes to try and do just that… but… I am also all too well aware that the life I have chosen can be a hard one and I cannot guarantee that I can keep her in the way to which she has grown accustomed.
Tis not a blind match between Mistress Devareaux and myself as you have stated. It would be all well and good to say that our future together will be everything that she has ever hoped for. But I have been married before, and I have had my share of other relationships, so I am all too well aware that the first throes of love can be very deceiving.
Irregardless of whether it be her nature or her upbringing that has made her to hide her feelings, I cannot read Aurore. So I do not know if she could ever understand the life I have asked her to take upon herself.
She is young….She is content with my lot at the moment, but I fear now, that in the long run, when life sets in, I may not be able to make her happy.”
He stopped and looked at the other man. “Do you think she is aware of what I have asked of her, when I asked her to be my wife? Do you think she has any idea of the risks she may have to face?”