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Snow shook her head. “No, that’s not what I ask. Why did you marry me?”
“There’ll be time for us to talk later,” he snapped. “Go with your sister.”
Snow felt his hand fall away from hers.
“There is only one reason he would come here, stop the wedding, and claim you as he did,” Willow said, stepping around her and hooking her arm around Snow’s to lead her to a table. “The Lord of Fire loves you.”
Chapter 15
Snow sat silently in her husband’s arms on his horse.
Her husband.
It wasn’t that it was difficult to accept she was married. After all, she was to wed today. It was who she had married she found so difficult to grasp. Also, the reason why he married her, which Willow had insisted was because he loved her. That was simply impossible. She didn’t want to think on the many times he had told her he would never take her as a wife. So why had he?
He had not spoken up about being in your bed until he discovered you were to wed. There would be no other plausible reason for him to marry you unless he couldn’t stand the thought of another man having you.
Her sister had repeated that again and again and coming from Willow, a person who saw reason in most everything, it would make sense. But Willow hadn’t been privy to the various times Tarass had pointed out that he would not wed a blind woman. And there was that time in the cottage when he stopped himself from saying, though she had finished it for him, he wouldn’t poke a blind woman.
Did that mean he had no intention of sealing their vows? If that was so, then again she had to ask, “Why did you wed me?”
She hadn’t planned on speaking her thought aloud, but she was glad she did. She raised her head, hoping she looked him in the eye as she waited for his response.
“Why did you agree to wed Lord Polwarth?” he asked, failing to keep a biting anger out of his voice.
She thought to tell him that it didn’t concern him, but then she hoped if she answered him, he would in turn answer her.
“He was a friend of my da’s and offered me a chance of having what I’ve always wanted… a caring husband and family.”
Tarass was glad she couldn’t see him cringe with anger at the thought of Polwarth coupling with her. It sent a rage through him that made him want to beat the man.
“What about love? I thought you wanted a husband who loved you.”
Her soft laughter was filled with sorrow. “Who would love or even wed a blind woman? You certainly made it known you wouldn’t, so why did you wed me?”
“Did you even give your decision to marry Polwarth thought?”
She was wise to the way he ignored answering her question and she wondered why.
“Not at first,” she admitted honestly. “With my sisters wed and James and Eleanor planning their wedding, I suppose I felt a burden to them all. Lord Polwarth’s offer lifted that burden.”
Anger continued to stir in Tarass. She was far from a burden and he hated that she felt that way and that Polwarth had taken advantage of it. Or was he angry because if he had not arrived when he had, he would have lost Snow to Polwarth? And that thought made him feel like a knife had been thrust through his heart.
“Slatter reminded me just before the ceremony that if I changed my mind he would escort Lord Polwarth out and I could go live with them and be well-loved. That got me thinking.”
Tarass owed Slatter for that.
“I wasn’t sure if marrying Lord Polwarth was the right thing to do, until…”
“Until what?” Tarass asked.
Snow wasn’t about to tell him that it was finally admitting to herself she was in love with him that made her decide she couldn’t marry Polwarth.”
“Until it struck me that it wasn’t what I wanted,” she said, which was the truth.
“Why didn’t you speak up when I arrived.”
“Your arrival shocked me and by the time I could gather my senses, you sealed our fate. I either wed you or faced disgrace. Not that gossiping tongues won’t see me shamed.”
“I hear one person say anything against you and when I get done with him or her not another hurtful word will be spoken about you—ever.”
His threat sounded more like a promise.
Silence followed for several minutes.
“Why did you let Lord Polwarth think I could be carrying your bairn when you know that isn’t possible?”
“It will be soon enough.”
His response struck her silent. He did intend to seal their vows. The thought thrilled and frightened her.
“Lord Tarass,” came a shout as one of his warriors rode toward them. “Something you need to see.”
Tarass directed his horse to follow the warrior and after bringing the animal to a stop, he dismounted and lifted Snow off the horse.
