“Anora was the daughter of a powerful Norse chieftain, a skilled warrior in her own right, her tribe far superior to your mum’s tribe. Anora became furious when she discovered that your father had told all in his clan that I was dead. It was my punishment for keeping my plans from him and hurting his friend Fay. I didn’t care. I had no wont to return home, but it was an insult to Anora that I was banished from my homeland soil for what she believed was punishment for marrying her.”

Tarass realized who he was then. “You’re Conall, Twilla’s son, and the father of Fay’s bairn.”

“I am,” he cried out with pride. “I so regret ever poking that whimpering fool, Fay, not that Anora would have cared. However, she wouldn’t have liked that Fay carried my child when she was carrying my child as well.”

“You knew Fay was with child?” Tarass asked, thinking of the devastation secrets could cause.

“Aye, and I wanted no part of her. I was about to wed Anora and become husband to the daughter and only child of a powerful Norse chieftain who respected me. I wasn’t going to throw that away for a weak woman whose family would never accept me.”

“So you never told Anora the truth?”

“No, and she decided to seek revenge for the insult when she found out your mum was visiting with her people, though she kept it a secret from me.”

Tarass had engaged in too many battles and confrontations not to know the man was borrowing time, and his concern grew for his wife’s safety.

“Where’s my wife? I want to see her now!” he roared.

Conall returned his roar. “Soon!”

Tarass wanted this done now. He wanted to see that his wife was unharmed. “From what you say Anora attacked my mum’s village and my mum defended herself.”

“If only that were true, I wouldn’t have lost everything,” the man bellowed, pounding his chest. “Your mum told her the truth. Told her about Fay. Told her that was the reason your father banished me from my homeland. Told Anora I cared for no one or nothing but the power of being wed to a powerful chieftain’s daughter.” The man’s dark eyes turned round with rage. “You know what Anora did? She demanded the truth from me, threatening to go to my homeland and find out for herself. I had no choice but to tell her. She refused to listen to any excuse or apology I offered. She adamantly refused to wed me and refused to give birth to a coward’s child. She rid herself of my bairn growing inside her and her father banned me from his tribe.