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That reminded Snow of something, and she had to ask, “Why did you marry me?”
“You’ll catch a chill. Come to bed and I’ll keep you warm,” he said and slipped his arm around her.
Snow stepped away, his arm falling off her, and asked again, “Why did you marry me?”
“We’ll talk while in the warmth of the bed,” he urged.
Snow had no intention of being denied an answer. “My sister said you wed me because you love me. I told her that wasn’t possible. You made it clear you couldn’t love a blind woman.”
Tarass was glad she couldn’t see him cringe at the words he’d once said to her.
“So since you don’t love me, why did you marry me? Nettle was the only one who knew about that night you fell asleep naked in my bed and she’d be too fearful of you to say a word. And no one but you and I know that you saw me naked in the cottage. There was no reason for you to do what you did… stop the wedding and marry me.”
“What difference does it make. We are wed and we will stay wed,” he said.
“We have not sealed our vows yet, the marriage can be undone.”
“Never! You are my wife and you will stay my wife,” he said with a command that sounded as if he claimed it law.
His word was law here in his clan, but that didn’t answer her question that he continued to ignore.
“Tell me why you wed me or else,” she said, tossing out her threat with a lift of her chin.
Tarass grabbed her chin in his hand. “Or else what, wife?”
Snow didn’t need to see his face to tell he was annoyed with her. She placed her hand on his hand that had hold of her chin. “Or else I will wonder forever why a man who intended to marry a woman who would benefit his clan wed a blind woman who brought burden rather than benefit to him or his clan.”
“You are no burden, ást.”
His tone had softened and she wondered as she had the last time what the foreign word meant that he called her.
“I am no benefit either, so I will ask you until you answer me. Why did you marry me?”
“You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”
“No, I need to know. I feel vulnerable enough standing in front of you naked. I feel even more vulnerable not knowing why you married me.”
His hand went slowly around her waist to give the opposite side a gentle squeeze and draw her closer to him. Then he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the edge of the bed to sit, and settled her in his lap.
She rested her hand gently on his cheek, the warmth there sending a slight tingle through her. “You will tell me?”
“You may not believe me.”
“Will it be the truth?” she asked.
“Aye, on that you have my word,” he promised.
“Then I will believe you. Now tell me why you wed me.”
“Willow was right… I married you because I love you.”
Chapter 17
“I don’t understand,” Snow said, shaking her head.
“I don’t understand it either, but there it is. I’ve fallen in love with you and not a simple fall, a hard one, if not harder than that tumble you took down that hill. It tumbled and stabbed at me until I was too battered to fight it.” It was Tarass’s turn to shake his head. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe it. I barely believe it myself. But how do I deny something that refuses to let go, that drives me mad with endless thoughts, that—” He shook his head again. “It’s done. I love you and that’s all there is to it.” He took a quick breath. “I hope someday, somehow, you might grow to love me, or at least grow fond of me.”
Snow smiled. “Strange, you had told me time and again that you would never marry let alone love a blind woman. I thought for sure my sister was wrong, and yet she had been right not only about you but about me as well.”
“What about you?”
“Willow told me before I would admit it to myself that I love you and though I fought it, like you, it wouldn’t leave me alone. The realization of just how much I love you hit me when standing before the cleric with Lord Polwarth. I couldn’t marry him when I knew I was in love with you.” When no response came, Snow smiled. “Did I strike you speechless?”
“Aye, you did,” Tarass said, his wits returning to him. “I feared you hated me too much to ever love me even a little.” He chuckled. “Not that I deserved your hatred, of course.”
Snow laughed with him. “There were many times I felt I did hate you, deserving of course.” Her voice turned soft. “Until I found something in you that I didn’t think existed… kindness. Though I daresay, you would not want anyone to know that of you.”
