Passionate Choice

Chapter 8.10

    Selena had also looked around and had seen, now that they were clear of the harbour, seemingly endless turquoise sea ridged with rolling waves. There was no land other than the island behind her in sight. "Where are we going?"

   "I've told you. Nassau."

   "But it's miles away from here. Won't we stop anywhere on the way?"

   "No. I've delayed long enough on this trip," he replied roughly. "We'll keep on sailing day and night up through the Bahamian Family Islands. There's plenty of food on board and plenty of fuel for the engine if we have to motor. We'll be in Nassau in about a week with a but of luck."

   "Supposing there's a storm?"

   "We'll ride it out."

   She considered him for a few moments: the lean, tanned cheeks dented with humour lines, the long, curling lips, the tough, angled jaw, the strong column of neck. This was the man she loved, the only man she had ever loved, from whom she had parted once believing she would never see him again and whom she had found again only to earn his contempt and disrespect.

   "Keith, I don't understand," she complained. "I don't understand why you're doing this. Why you won't put me ashore?"

   He looked back at her and she felt irritated because she couldn't see the expression in his eyes, hidden as they were by the sunglasses. One corner of his mouth curled downwards.

   "Maybe I don't understand myself," he drawled. "Maybe I don't understand why you followed me just to tell me you're not going to marry Hunt," He leaned towards her, his lips widening into a sardonic grin, "And maybe, just maybe, we'll both begin to understand by the time we get to Nassau. Now, let's concentrate on sailing for the next few days, shall we? We'll take watches like we used to do, four hours on and four hours off, and w kk share the cooking. At night, we can use the autopilot or the wind-vane instead of steering and just keep watch on that. You know the drill, Selena, and it should be a good sail if this weather hits and I think it will. Out all personal problems aside and enjoy a few days of sailing."

   He stepped up on to the deck and went forward to the mast to start making preparations for hoisting the mainsail. Selena looked down at the black face and white numbers of the compass before her and swung the wheel a little to starboard to alter course. Out all personal problems aside and enjoy the next few days, he had suggested. But how could she, when he was her personal problem and he was going to be close to her for those few days? His attitude towards her hadn't softened. Telling him that she wasn't going to marry Ben had done nothing for her; it hadn't been a magic wand which she had waved in the hope that Keith would be transformed immediately grins contemptuous lover into an adoring suitor who wanted to marry her.

   How could she enjoy a few day of being alone with him knowing that they were going to part in Nassau? How could she go through the trauma of having to leave him again? There must be something she could do to win back his respect—to win his love.

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