Of course she didn't understand, but he could hardly expect her to when he hadn't explained. At this point, however, he decision was made and trying to articulate the nuances of his thought process would only have led to a long, ragged argument where she tried to convince him to change his mind. Painful as it was to hear these words from her, it was better for her to misunderstand his reasons now than to marry him under false pretenses. She'd confessed that she went into her first marriage blinded by affection and had regretted it — he would not serve as a sequel, even if she supposed this kind of torment would be easier for her to stomach. She'd said this was a way they could both be happy, but he didn't believe that. She was settling for far less than she wanted by offering it, and sooner or later it would start to chafe. Nevermind that it would make him miserable, too. Did she really expect him to go to a party and seduce someone while she sat at home seething or pouting or pining?

She had the hierarchy all wrong — the value he placed on his relationship with her was much higher than one he placed on the institution of marriage, not lower. But he didn't need her to understand all of that if things were ending anyway.

"I don't believe we would suit," he said, looking away from her and letting his eyes rest on the fireplace instead.

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