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Then there was Tarass and her foolish thoughts about him that would get her nowhere and only bring her more sadness.
She made her decision quickly before she could change her mind.
“I accept your offer of marriage, Lord Polwarth,” she said and didn’t need to see the shock on James’s face. She heard in his gasp.
“I am overjoyed,” Lord Polwarth said. “We shall wed posthaste.”
“Within the week,” Snow said. “I want time to tell my sister Willow and send a missive to Sorrell.”
“Of course, whatever will make you happy, my dear,” he agreed. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you have accepted my offer.”
After more talk, that Snow remembered little of, Lord Polwarth took his leave, eager to return home and arrange for the arrival of his bride.
“Do you truly want this, Snow?” James asked after Polwarth left.
Snow spoke honestly with her brother. “I don’t know, James. I only know that all is different now and I don’t know where I belong.”
“Then I urge you not to rush into this marriage. Tell him you prefer to wait until spring and give yourself time to see if this is what you truly want.”
Snow shook her head. “It is better I do this now and be done with it.”
“I think it is a mistake.”
“Perhaps it is,” Snow agreed with trepidation of her own. “But it gives me a chance to have something I thought I’d never have… a husband and my own family. And he is a trusted friend of our da and he will keep me safe.”
“There is that,” James said, “and he did seem genuinely happy not only to see you but appeared thrilled when you accepted his offer.”
“Then it is settled and there is much to be done before this wedding can take place.”
“What can I do to help make this easy for you?” James offered.
Snow didn’t stop to think. “There is something that would help greatly.”
“Tell me and I will see it done.”
“Lord Tarass has a servant named Nettle. She was of great help to me when I was there and I would like it if you could ask him if he would release Nettle so she could serve me in my new home. A wedding gift of sorts.”
“I will do my best to see it done.”
“You can’t do this.”
Snow wasn’t surprised when Willow and Slatter arrived only hours after her missive had reached her sister the next day.
“I know it seems sudden and perhaps foolish,” Snow said, having thought of nothing but her hasty decision all night. Had she made a wise choice or a foolish one she would regret? No answer ever came to her.
“Sudden? Foolish?” Willow threw her hands up in the air. “It’s preposterous. You will tell Lord Polwarth you changed your mind.”
“Did Snow say that to you when you told her you wed me?” Slatter asked, slipping his arm around his wife’s back at her waist.
“That’s different?” Willow argued.
“How? She supported whatever you wanted. Shouldn’t you do the same for her?” Slatter asked.
“She doesn’t love him,” Willow said, shaking her head. “Snow knew I loved you without me saying that I loved you. This will be a loveless marriage and that is no marriage at all.”
“But at least it is a marriage,” Snow said, “something I thought I would never have.”
Willow moved away from her husband to take both her sister’s hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze as she whispered, “You love another.”
“I don’t know that for sure.”
“I do,” Willow said. “I see it in your eyes when you talk about him, hear it in your voice, just as you did with me and Slatter.”
“Love was there between you and Slatter,” Snow reminded. “There is only me in this love you speak about and a one-sided love is no love at all, if it is even love.” A tear tickled at her eye and heaviness filled her heart.
“At least give it time,” Willow urged. “James told me that he suggested you wait until spring to be sure this is what you want. I agree with him. Please wait.”
“And if Lord Polwarth changes his mind, what then? Do I lose the only chance of having what I want most, a good husband and a family of my own? Right or wrong, Willow, I need to take this chance.”
“Sorrell will have a fit and try to stop this when she learns of it,” Willow said.
“Why do you think I wed so quickly?” Snow said with a laugh.
Willow laughed as well, though she didn’t think for a minute it was the reason for the hasty wedding. She knew the truth. She had seen it that day Snow had cried in her arms. Snow loved the Lord of Fire whether she wanted to admit it or not and perhaps, in the end, this was best for her. Lord Tarass would not make Snow a good husband. He would not love her as she was deserved to be loved.
