Rannock entered the room before Tarass could cajole her into eating something.

“Bring Lord Polwarth to me,” Tarass said.

“Abbot Bennett is demanding to see you,” Rannock said.

“Ignore him,” Tarass ordered.

Rannock nodded and returned moments later with a shackled Lord Polwarth.

“Must I remind you that I am a man of great influence and important friends?” Polwarth warned when made to stand in front of Tarass.

“Must I remind you that I am a man who has family and friends who don’t live by Scottish beliefs or rule and can make you disappear never to be found again?”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Polwarth challenged.

“I dare anything when a man thinks he can take my wife from me,” Tarass said anger sparking his every word.

“You’re like your father, a shameful man,” Polwarth spat. “Snow is a good woman and deserves better.”

“How dare you claim my father dishonorable when you come into my home and try to abduct my wife,” Tarass said, his hands fisted at his sides and fighting to keep them there.

“To save her,” Polwarth said, his face blotched red with anger.

Snow could see the outline of the two men, but it was their mounting anger in their warring voices that she feared would cause far worse problems.

She spoke up, hoping to make Lord Polwarth understand. “I have explained over and over that I have no wont to leave Tarass. I love him and he loves me.”

“So he says now, but he will discard you when he is done using you and cast you out as his father did to my sister?” Polwarth said, an ugly sneer spreading across his face.

Tarass shook his head, scrunching his brow. “What are you talking about?”

“Your father didn’t have the decency or perhaps he had been far too ashamed of what he had done to my sister, Fay, to speak a word about it.”

Snow caught the turn of his head toward her.

“I never meant you harm, my dear. My sole purpose of marrying you was to protect you. After hearing that you had been forced to stay with Lord Tarass for a few days, I feared he would destroy your honor as his father did to my sister. When I met with your da last, he was lucid, of sound mind, and he told me he didn’t believe he’d live much longer. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and he told me that he worried the most about you. Sorrell and Willow, he believed would do well, but you being blind and it being his fault, he feared what would become of you and asked me to be there to help you if ever needed. I was not only pleased to keep my word to him, but thought to redeem myself and save you when I couldn’t save my sister.”