“Your parents, Lord Polwarth, knew the truth, since your father came here demanding Winton’s marriage be absolved and that he marry Fay. Winton refused, allowing your father to think him a dishonorable man rather than think less of his daughter. It was one of the reasons Winton’s father disliked Haldana when she first arrived,” Twilla explained. “Then one day your father arrived here with Fay. She had convinced your father that she would speak with Winton and he would change his mind and wed her. What she did next shocked all. She confessed the truth to your father and Winton’s da, so that her friend Winton would be blamed no more. Fay was a good woman and I loved her like a daughter. I urged her to come live with me and we’d raise my grandchild together. I believe she was considering it when she lost the bairn.”

“At least now she rests in peace, free of sin,” Abbot Bennett said.

“You lied to me. I came to you for guidance, distraught over what my sister had endured, and you lied to me,” Lord Polwarth said, turning angry eyes on Abbot Bennett. “You let me believe, even encouraged me to believe that Tarass was worse than his father when his father was a good friend to my sister and did what he could to protect her.”

“A marriage to Snow was what you needed and would prove beneficial. Snow could give you what you’ve yearned for… children to carry on your name,” Abbot Bennett said.

“Children that would continue to generously support the monastery after I was gone is what you truly mean,” Lord Polwarth said with such a malicious tone that it had Abbot Bennett taking a step back.

“I did what was best for—”

“Yourself,” Tarass accused.

“And in the process had me break my word to my friend to see Snow kept safe,” Lord Polwarth said and shook his head. “Tell me, did you also lie about Snow’s da being responsible for Tarass’s parents’ deaths in hopes he would walk away from her?”

“I do what is best for the people I serve,” Abbot Bennett said.

“Another lie to add to your many others,” Polwarth said and turned away from the Abbot to face Tarass and Snow. “An apology isn’t adequate for the distress I’ve caused you, but I offer it with a penitent heart and ask for your forgiveness. I will also see the wrong done to your father made right.”

“We forgive you, Lord Polwarth,” Snow said her gentle heart going out to the man for speaking up for her da and for the suffering the secret and lies had caused him and so many others.