Snow’s eyes went from one gray blur to another, though she turned her head away from both when she thought she caught a flash of color from the flicker of a flame. But it was so brief, she couldn’t be certain. Her brother’s arrival the day after her wedding was more concerning than what had probably been nothing more than her imagination as was Rannock’s hesitation to respond. It sparked alarm in Snow.

“Tell me, Rannock,” Tarass ordered.

“Lord Polwarth claims that Lady Snow is not legally your wife.”

Chapter 20

“Fetch Nettle,” Tarass ordered Rannock, “and have James wait in my solar.”

As soon as Snow heard the door close, she was out of bed. “Don’t think you’re leaving me out of this conversation.”

“This is for me to see to,” he said and grabbed her garments that she fumbled around to find and handed them to her.

“It involves me,” she insisted, slipping her shift on, her arm getting stuck in the wrong hole.

Tarass shook his head as his hands stilled her arms. “You’re too stubborn for your own good.”

He eased her arm out of the one hole and into the correct one. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for her to depend on others to help her with simple things he took for granted. And he didn’t want her worrying about whatever senseless claim Lord Polwarth thought he had. There was no way he’d let anyone take his wife away from him.

“I can be agreeable and pliable—”

His laughter interrupted her. “I have yet to see that side of you, wife, though I admit you are pliable in bed.”

Snow jabbed him in the chest. “This matter concerns me and I will not be left out of it.”

“I will tell you all that is discussed,” he said to appease her.

A knock sounded again and Nettle announced herself, and Tarass bid her to enter.

Snow had asked her mum once how was it that she rarely argued with her husband and yet so often got her way? Or how Sorrell, a handful to say the least when young, had complied so easily to their mum’s orders, but not to others?

It’s the maneuvers that matter more than the battle, Snow. That’s what her mum had told her and that’s what had her holding her tongue.

“Help Lady Snow and have her wait in the Great Hall for me,” Tarass ordered Nettle, then kissed his wife’s cheek. “I will join you there as soon as I can.”

As soon as the door closed, Snow said, “Thaw is impatient to go out, Nettle. Take him to see to his duty while I wait here for you.”

“Would you not rather enjoy the morning meal in the Great Hall while I see to Thaw?”