She’d given no consideration to consequences. God forgive her, she hadn’t even spared a thought for Meg.
Although at least it now seemed that Meg didn’t want to marry Sir Charles.
Small consolation when Sally stood before him and denied what she wanted more than anything else in the world.
“You don’t need to sacrifice yourself to save my good name,” she said sourly. “I’m barren. In nearly ten years of marriage, there was no sign of a child.”
He frowned, tucking in his shirt with jerky movements. “Haven’t you heard a word I’ve said? I want to marry you. I wanted you from the moment I first saw you.”
Oh, if only there was somewhere to run. She loathed seeing how she hurt him. Witnessing his confusion was almost worse than suffering her own. And right now, she felt like her heart broke into a thousand jagged pieces. “I’m sorry. I can’t accept.”
She waited for an explosion of masculine pique. Norwood had loathed her challenging him.
But then Norwood had been a bully, and Charles Kinglake wasn’t.
He spread his hands. “Why?”
She gave a heavy sigh. Surely he could see she was an utterly unsuitable wife for him. It was blatantly and excruciatingly obvious to her. “So many reasons.”
“Name them. You can’t still think Meg and I have some sort of understanding. For God’s sake,
she left us alone here so we could sort out our differences.”
“For which she’s earned a trip home to her parents, after I’ve given her a good scolding,” Sally said bitterly, resenting her niece’s interference in matters that were none of her concern.
“She meant well.”
“And meaning well, she’s caused a complete mess.”
He flinched, and she raised a hand to soothe the sting of her unguarded words, until she recalled touching him wasn’t a good idea.
His wide shoulders rose and fell as he sucked in a deep breath. She could tell he fought to keep his deep voice steady. “Explain to me why you can’t accept my proposal. After what just happened, you’ll never convince me that you don’t want me.”
She’d dearly love to disown her desire, but given how swiftly she’d yielded, she’d look even more ridiculous if she claimed indifference. Although the damage was already done, she hitched her bodice higher in an attempt to bolster her dignity. “I’m too old for you.”
“Tosh. It’s a couple of years.”
“Enough to count.”
“Not with me. Is that the best you can do?”
“And I can’t bear you children.”
The skeptical arch of his dark eyebrows made her want to hit him. “Have you slept with anyone other than your husband?”
She raised her chin. “Yes.”
He looked stricken. “Who?”
Her lips tightened with impatience. “You, of course.”
His grunt of laughter was unamused. “Of course. Anyone else?”
“Sir Charles—” she began, hard-won composure starting to fray.
“You may as well tell me.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it even more ruffled. And making him look even more irresistible, curse him. “I know anyway.”
“And just what do you think you know, sir?”