there is to know about growing coffee, but I have eyes. I can see what you're doing."
"I am trying to reinforce a levee so that no more lives will be lost needlessly." It was on the tip of his tongue to explain that the mud slide was just a harbinger of things to come. The rainy season would begin in a few months and there would be more slides if he didn't shore up the dam. But he didn't owe her an explanation. He didn't owe her anything.
"You blame yourself for Ernesto's death. You disappeared for two days after the funeral, and since you've been back, you've been like a demon. You're not God, Jason. You can't control the river or command the elements or—"
"Thank you for your insights," he said harshly, cutting across her words. "This plantation did quite well before you got here and it will continue to thrive after you're gone. Have you started packing yet?"
Her poise crumbled and her face became a blank mask of hurt. Pain twisted like a knife in Jason's chest, but he would not relent. He could not.
"No," she said tautly, unable to meet his gaze. "I... I don't have that much. It's another two weeks before the mail boat is scheduled to return. I'll be ready."
It was a moment before Jason could find his voice. She should be glad to leave him; he wanted her to be glad. At least, that was what he told himself. He didn't want to hurt her, just to keep her at arm's length. In fact, that was the reason he was sending her back. He didn't want to hurt her.
"You shouldn't encourage them." He spoke softly, as if by doing so he could ease the hurt he had caused without losing the advantage he had gained. "They will get used to running to you and you're not going to be here much longer."
"You're right of course," she said, regaining some of her equilibrium. He found himself admiring her strength. "Excuse me. I seem to have a headache. I think I'll lie down for a while."
"But lunch..." Ines said from the door, her eyes narrowing at Jason.
Caroline gazed from Ines to Jason and back to Ines, opening her mouth as if she would speak. Instead, she turned and fled, the sound of her bare feet hollow on the hard floor.
Jason turned toward the dining room and Ines's cold, accusing glare, and he wondered how much she had overheard. "Don't say it, Ines, I'm warning you. Just bring me my lunch."
He sat in his customary place at the table, and Ines quickly brought his plate, which she slammed down on the table with enough force to rattle his water glass.
"What the hell's the matter with you?" he asked.
"Foolish man," Ines muttered, "don't know what's good for him. Maybe you choke on your lunch!"
Jason ignored her, forcing the image of Caroline's wounded expression from his mind. He took a bite of white fish, and a searing heat filled his mouth. Swallowing quickly, he grabbed his water to wash it down.
"Damn it, Ines, are you trying to poison me?"
Ines snorted. "If I try to poison you, you be dead now. Sorry I don't think of it."
Ines left through the door into the parlor, and he knew she was going to talk to Caroline, though he had no idea what she would say to her. She would probably tell her she was lucky to be leaving, to run as fast and as far away from him as she could.
Good! he thought, stabbing at his food as if it were something hateful. All he needed was Ines encouraging her while he was trying to discourage her. Cursing under his breath, he decided that women would be the death of him yet.
Caroline threw another gown into the trunk, sniffing loudly. "Isolation is what you wanted, Jason, and isolation is what you'll get. I hope you enjoy your solitude! If I could, I'd leave right now. I won der how far I could get on foot! "
"He is sorry, Senhora ."
Turning at the sound of Ines's voice behind her, Caroline used her fingertips to wipe away the tears that had begun trailing down her face. "Did he tell you that? No, of course he didn't. Stop apologizing for him. Stop making excuses for him. God knows, I've done enough of
"I am trying to reinforce a levee so that no more lives will be lost needlessly." It was on the tip of his tongue to explain that the mud slide was just a harbinger of things to come. The rainy season would begin in a few months and there would be more slides if he didn't shore up the dam. But he didn't owe her an explanation. He didn't owe her anything.
"You blame yourself for Ernesto's death. You disappeared for two days after the funeral, and since you've been back, you've been like a demon. You're not God, Jason. You can't control the river or command the elements or—"
"Thank you for your insights," he said harshly, cutting across her words. "This plantation did quite well before you got here and it will continue to thrive after you're gone. Have you started packing yet?"
Her poise crumbled and her face became a blank mask of hurt. Pain twisted like a knife in Jason's chest, but he would not relent. He could not.
"No," she said tautly, unable to meet his gaze. "I... I don't have that much. It's another two weeks before the mail boat is scheduled to return. I'll be ready."
It was a moment before Jason could find his voice. She should be glad to leave him; he wanted her to be glad. At least, that was what he told himself. He didn't want to hurt her, just to keep her at arm's length. In fact, that was the reason he was sending her back. He didn't want to hurt her.
"You shouldn't encourage them." He spoke softly, as if by doing so he could ease the hurt he had caused without losing the advantage he had gained. "They will get used to running to you and you're not going to be here much longer."
"You're right of course," she said, regaining some of her equilibrium. He found himself admiring her strength. "Excuse me. I seem to have a headache. I think I'll lie down for a while."
"But lunch..." Ines said from the door, her eyes narrowing at Jason.
Caroline gazed from Ines to Jason and back to Ines, opening her mouth as if she would speak. Instead, she turned and fled, the sound of her bare feet hollow on the hard floor.
Jason turned toward the dining room and Ines's cold, accusing glare, and he wondered how much she had overheard. "Don't say it, Ines, I'm warning you. Just bring me my lunch."
He sat in his customary place at the table, and Ines quickly brought his plate, which she slammed down on the table with enough force to rattle his water glass.
"What the hell's the matter with you?" he asked.
"Foolish man," Ines muttered, "don't know what's good for him. Maybe you choke on your lunch!"
Jason ignored her, forcing the image of Caroline's wounded expression from his mind. He took a bite of white fish, and a searing heat filled his mouth. Swallowing quickly, he grabbed his water to wash it down.
"Damn it, Ines, are you trying to poison me?"
Ines snorted. "If I try to poison you, you be dead now. Sorry I don't think of it."
Ines left through the door into the parlor, and he knew she was going to talk to Caroline, though he had no idea what she would say to her. She would probably tell her she was lucky to be leaving, to run as fast and as far away from him as she could.
Good! he thought, stabbing at his food as if it were something hateful. All he needed was Ines encouraging her while he was trying to discourage her. Cursing under his breath, he decided that women would be the death of him yet.
Caroline threw another gown into the trunk, sniffing loudly. "Isolation is what you wanted, Jason, and isolation is what you'll get. I hope you enjoy your solitude! If I could, I'd leave right now. I won der how far I could get on foot! "
"He is sorry, Senhora ."
Turning at the sound of Ines's voice behind her, Caroline used her fingertips to wipe away the tears that had begun trailing down her face. "Did he tell you that? No, of course he didn't. Stop apologizing for him. Stop making excuses for him. God knows, I've done enough of
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