"Well?" she asked, demanding a response from him.
"I don't want to quarrel over this, Hannah." He was smart enough to recognize a loaded question when he heard one. Smart enough to extract himself as best he could, too. "All I'm saying is that I'd prefer it if you invested as much time in our relationship as you would in a job. There are only so many hours in a day. You can't do everything, you know."
"In other words you wouldn't be willing to help with the cooking or the housework?"
Riley was quickly losing his grip on his patience, which had always been in short supply. Hannah seemed to be looking for an excuse to pick a fight with him by tying him up in verbal knots. She had been from the moment he'd arrived home. Hell if he knew what he'd done that was so terrible now.
"I'd be willing to help with the cooking and housework." He fully expected his answer would take the starch out of her arguments. How willing he actually would be to help around the house was another question entirely. Having her there when he walked in the door after a long day with dinner prepared and waiting was a luxury he could easily become accustomed to enjoying.
"What about the times you're out at sea?"
"What about them?" Frankly he couldn't understand why that would make any difference. If anything, it was a strong argument to keep her home. With him away, no one would be around to make sure she wasn't overworking herself.
"I'll… be bored without a job."
"What makes you say that? The other wives seem to have plenty to do to occupy their time. You will, too."
Once again she seemed to need time to assimilate his words. For several minutes she said nothing. Then, as if by rote, she stepped over to the cupboard and brought down dishes and began to set the table.
"Do you want any help?" He felt downright noble asking. It seemed like a husbandly thing to do.
"No," she said softly, shaking her head. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
Apparently this was the end of their discussion. "What about the job interview?" he asked, trying not to let his feelings on the issue leak into the question.
True, he'd rather she didn't work, but he wouldn't stop her if that was what she truly wanted. Once again he felt the fleeting twinge of being truly virtuous.
"I… I'm not sure what I intend to do about the job yet."
Riley felt encouraged by that. At least she wasn't going to openly defy him, and was willing to take his concerns into consideration. Other than a few rocky places, their marriage was coming along nicely. They were learning the give-and-take necessary to make any relationship work, and Riley couldn't help feeling good about that.