RetNavy,
Years ago, before my wife carried, we were getting ready for a camping trip at Turner Falls. I had gotten out my service revolver, checked to see it was loaded and sat it on top of our gear. She went through this "we don't need THAT do we" stage and eventually flat out said she didn't want it with us. I surreptitiously slid it inside some gear.
That night, a group of bikers moved in and got pretty rowdy. Somewhere in all that mess a woman screamed. My wife's tremulous voice came out of the dark, "Sweetie? Do you...?" "Yes, go to sleep." Never heard another word about "not needing" a gun when we traveled.
So I feel ya and I think your wife just had the same realization mine did so many years ago.
Not saying I would actually do this, but I would be sorely tempted after going through that discussion to do like you did and bring the gun surreptitiously, but then lie later when asked if I brought it after the scream came from the other camp, and say "Of course I didn't bring it.....because you very adamantly didn't want me to, and I just wanted you to be happy. I sure hope that poor woman in the other camp is OK."
