Lottie bit her lip against the anguish in his words. Yes, she indeed saw what Alec was capable of. But nothing would ever be as frightening as those endless seconds after he pushed her onto the boat and stayed behind on the dock. Lottie could face anything now. Because she knew with maddening clarity what it felt like to almost lose him.

“No,” she said gently. “That is why I must stay.”

Alec let out an incredulous laugh. “You’re in shock. You have no idea what you’re saying.”

Lottie gritted her teeth against the irritation that suddenly flared inside her. “I absolutely do—”

“No,” he cut in harshly. “You know absolutely nothing. And that ridiculous plan of yours proves it.” Alec turned fully toward her in challenge. “You think ruination will gain you freedom, but you have not thought of the consequences. And how this will always follow you.”

“I know what to expect,” she insisted.

“How?” he demanded. “You’ve never been an outcast before. You don’t know what it will be like, what people will say about you if—”

She could not keep her own incredulous laugh from bursting out. “Goodness, is that really what you’ve been trying to save me from all this time? Gossip?” she sneered. “In that case I’m afraid you’re much too late. They already do talk about me.”

This caught him by surprise. “What do you mean?”

Lottie exhaled. Was he really so blind? “I am an unmarried woman of large fortune who has rejected nearly a dozen proposals of marriage,” she said slowly. “If I were a man people would toast me, but because I dare to have standards I am met with ridicule. And contempt.”

“But, your friends—”

“My friends?” Lottie bit off. Now it was her turn to rage. “My friends have been the very worst of it. What others may whisper behind my back they have said to my face. To them I am an object of pity. Of derision. All while they readily submit to men who care nothing for them beyond the money or status they bring to the marriage.” Lottie shook her head. “I cannot fault them for seeking out the comfort of a gilded cage, especially when they are afforded few, if any, alternatives. But since I am fortunate enough to have money of my own, I refuse to endure the same fate.”

“I…I had no idea you felt this way.”

“Of course not,” Lottie snapped. “Why would you? Men like you expect ladies to be fulfilled by afternoon calls and embroidery. To freely relinquish our autonomy to our husbands and fathers who claim to know better. But I am not interested in any of that.”

A heated silence passed between them.

“I assume you haven’t kept these thoughts to yourself.” Alec’s face was barely visible in the dark cabin, but she swore he almost sounded amused.