Page 155 of Moon Craving

"Why did you deceive me?" The smell of whiskey still clinging to him and his plaid

showing evidence that he had slept in it, Talorc leaned back against the door.

For all that, he was still the most handsome man she had ever seen. It was a

wonder she ever had any breath in her the way it escaped at the very sight of him. But

now was not the time to dwell on how attractive she found her laird husband.

She opened her mouth but did not speak. She had to tell him the whole truth. She

would never again lie to him, through word or deed. Only she was pretty sure the truth

would not help her case.

"You are the one who said you wanted to talk." Back to belligerence, he glared

accusingly at her.

And she was sure it was only going to get worse.

"In the beginning, I knew that if I told you of my affliction, you would refuse to marry

me."

"You knew this how?"

"No man wants a flawed bride."

"Everyone has flaws."

"Are you trying to imply you would have married me regardless of my infirmity?"

He shrugged. "To perpetuate your deception, you had to want to marry me. Why?"

Funny how he did not simply assume it was because every woman was supposed

to aspire to the married state. The abbess would approve of Talorc's intelligence, Abigail

thought. "Marriage to you would bring me to the Highlands. I hoped that once you

discovered my secret, you would send me to live with Emily, rather than back to England."

"You married me to be reunited with your sister."

He was smart. She'd always known that.

"Yes."

"Why not simply go to live with her? Your mother did not seem enamored of your

presence."

That was putting it mildly. "Sybil wanted a more permanent solution to my

presence in her home."

"Bitch."