"Fine." It was far from fine. "As you have so clearly grasped the makings of a good wife," could a person drown in sarcasm? "Would you be so kind as to explain to me what my place is in all of this?" The brief hope that reason would come to him feeling farther and farther from reach the more he spoke. "Explain to me how you have not discarded me when you expect me to continue as we are when you bear none of the risk or responsibility for this." There were things they had never discussed, solely because she'd made the foolish assumption that he did care for her, in his own way. It was something she had no wish to ever discuss with him, but his pig-headed insistence made any consideration for his discomfort irrelevant. "You will have your affairs, as all men do, regardless of me, but your wife would have protections. Whatever your dalliances, she is first in your affections, as far as the world knows. She can be seen with you without anyone raising a fuss, she can know you are safe without raising suspicion the next time there is some catastrophe at sea," there was always going to be another shipwreck or lost fleet.

"Most importantly," she absolutely loathed him for making her give words to this, "If she were to find herself in a delicate situation, she doesn't lose everything. Were such a thing to happen to us, what exactly do thing becomes of me? What happens to your toy then?" His characterization of her their first night together still holding more space in her mind than she'd like.

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