Lord Polwarth spoke up. “You force Snow to live in sin.”
“Tarass doesn’t force anything upon me,” Snow said, not able to hold her tongue. “I love my husband and I will stay his wife no matter what either of you say.”
Abbot Bennett shook his head. “This is why things are decided for women. You are too foolish to make proper and wise decisions. This has nothing to do with love. It has to do with saving your soul. Stay and continue to couple with this heathen and your soul will be lost, and you’ll suffer the eternal damnation of hell.”
“Hell would be living without my husband,” Snow said.
Her words struck Tarass’s heart, understanding at that very moment just how much his wife did love him.
Snow’s brow creased as she asked, “My sister Sorrell is wed to a man who is part barbarian and I don’t see you disavowing her marriage. Why do you claim to invalidate mine?” Her brow went up as though she realized the answer herself. “Or is it that Lord Ruddock is a generous donor to your monastery?”
“I owe you no answer,” Abbot Bennett said defensively.
“You owe me an answer, therefore, you owe my wife one as well,” Tarass commanded, making it clear Abbot Bennett dare not refuse him.
The Abbot wrinkled his nose in distaste as he spoke. “Lord Ruddock’s situation is far different from yours. Your father wed your mother knowing full well she was of barbarian descent. Lord Ruddock’s father knew nothing of his wife’s true heritage when they wed.” He waved his hand in the air, annoyed. “None of this matters. I am officially annulling your marriage.”
“Then I’ll wed her according to my mother’s peoples’ custom,” Tarass said.
Abbot Bennett’s cheeks bloomed a bright red and his anger looked about to burst.
Lord Polwarth quickly spoke up. “If you truly love Snow, you would see the wisdom of what Abbot Bennett has said and see done what is best for her.”
“Don’t dare question my love for my wife and as far as what is best for Snow? I’m best for Snow and no one will take her from me. Now since there is nothing further to be discussed, I suggest you take your leave.”
“This has not been settled,” Abbot Bennett insisted.
“It has been settled and I’ll hear no more about it,” Tarass said.
Snow didn’t need to see her husband’s face, or even hear the powerful command in his voice to know he had frightened Abbot Bennett. She heard it in the way the man took several unsteady steps away from her husband.
A knock sounded at the door before any more could be said and Rannock entered along with one of the clerics that had accompanied the Abbot.
The short, wiry cleric spoke before Rannock could. “Cleric Norman has been found. He’s dead,” —he paused his eyes turning round with fear— “the clan’s people want to know if his body was drained of blood like the others.”
Tarass looked to Rannock and caught the slight shrug to his large shoulders. Rannock had no answer for him.
“What others?” Lord Polwarth asked. “Have you had other deaths where the bodies have been drained of blood?”
“That is the whispers I hear. I also heard them say it is dwarfs seeking knowledge,” —the cleric shook his head— “but it is not so. It is the work of heathens with heathen beliefs.”
A chill ran a shiver through Snow. This had to stop. They had to find out the truth to these killings. Or unrest would continue to mount in the clan and spread beyond, and that would bring bigger problems.
“What heathen practices do you bring here?” Abbot Bennett demanded his eyes suddenly going as wide as the cleric’s had. “Is this what Cleric Norman had discovered and bravely left here in a snowstorm to warn me about?” He didn’t wait for an answer, he turned to Lord Polwarth. “We cannot leave this poor soul here to suffer at his hands. She must come with us until this can be settled.”
“I warned you far too many times about making demands in my home.,” Tarass said, his voice rising in anger. “You will leave now!”
“Not without Snow,” Lord Polwarth said.
Fear rippled through Snow at the tenacity in Lord Polwarth’s response.
Not so Tarass, he walked over to the man, stopping right in front of him. “My wife stays here with me. You will leave now!” He looked to Rannock. “See them all escorted off my land.”
Rannock gave a nod and turned to carry out his orders, the cleric following after a shooing wave from Abbot Bennett.
“Let us at least take Snow to stay with her brother James until this matter can be settled properly,” Abbot Bennett said.
His attempt at a conciliatory tone sounded only half-hearted to Snow’s ears and she was glad to hear her husband’s voice sound more tenacious than Polwarth’s had.