Page 47 of Moon Craving

She smiled at this confirmation of his willingness to appease her curiosity. "You

mean the Picts?"

"That is what the Romans called us, aye."

"Like the Normans among the English?"

He shrugged again, but there was no mistaking the moue of distaste on his lips at

the mention of the English.

Abigail turned to face the front of the horse again, her pleasure draining from her.

Talorc hated the English. That would never change.

No matter how considerate he was this day, the fact that he claimed not to hate her

would not last indefinitely. If for no other reason than that she was not the innocent he and

his warrior Niall believed her to be. She was lying to them by pretending to be something

she was not. A whole woman, worthy of being a laird's wife.

For the first time, Abigail felt grief at the inevitability of her future. Talorc was not

the monster she feared him, nor was he the barbaric animal her mother had claimed.

He had assigned his warriors to watch over her the night before, showing she had

more value to him than she had to her parents. Even if she was English. He had also

protected her from a soulless bedding Sybil had been only too happy to demand.

Abigail did not know what had led her to insist on adding her blood to his on that

sheet. She only knew that something inside her had told her it was the right thing to do.

And he had respected the gesture. She had seen it in his eyes. Their incredible

blue warming with approval, however brief. One day, probably sooner than later, that

same blue would grow icy with distaste when he discovered her secret.

And there was naught she could do about it.

Talorc did not know what caused his new bride to draw back into herself, but he

admitted, if only to himself, he did not like it.

He had enjoyed her pleasure in the ride, her laughter a truly beautiful sound. He

shook his head. He was going as daft as she claimed him to be if he thought an

Englishwoman's laughter beautiful.

But she was not English any longer, was she? She was his.

Or so his wolf and his king claimed.