Chapter 35-1

He’d asked her once already, and she’d soundly turned him down, for reasons…that were not as sound as his still being married, but to her were just as important. Now those reasons were beginning to melt away, but still she felt unsure. How odd it was that she had been so resistant to being his Mistress when first he’d propositioned her to be so, and now she felt hesitant to be his wife. She couldn’t understand it. Being his wife was far safer and far more permanent. “Nan?” William asked, his expression somewhat concerned as he took in her paling perplexed features and the manner in which her eyes darted about the floor. “What did he want of you?” he asked again, taking yet another step towards her. This time the step was larger and far more threatening, as though he stepped to her with the intent to scatter what fear she had of Hoss to the wind. If only it was Hoss she feared. Noting his sudden closeness, Nan’s eyes stopped their wanderings and locked firmly on to William and his aggravated expression as he stood before her, practically looming over her. Blinking, she gave her head a small sharp shake, seeking to rid herself of her troublesome thoughts as she refocused on William and his clearly troubled appearance, as well as trying and recall what it was he had asked of her. “I’m sorry William. What was it you asked?” she queried staring up at him, her eyes wide and apologetic as she held to his baffled gaze. “What did Hoss want from you?” He repeated, his tone and expression filled with disbelief as he stared back at her, completely bemused that he had had to repeat himself. “What did Hoss…Oh!” she gasped when finally she recalled the entirety of what they had been discussing before her mind had alerted her to the fact that William would soon be free to marry her. “It was nothing.” She informed him with a dismissive shake of her head and wave of her hand as she started to walk past him, needing to be away from him to give more thought to the matter that had distracted her earlier, however her dismissal of the subject at present rushed from her lips far too hastily for William’s liking. “Don’t lie to me Nan.” William warned, turning to face her as he took her arm and pulled her to a stop. Scowling down at her with a less than believing expression as he held fast to her limb and waited for a more understandable explanation to her earlier reaction to his question. “I’m not.” She replied, confusion warping her brow with a deep furrow as she looked at him, trying to understand where this sudden aggravation came from. “Hoss asked that I to put an end to your idiotic behavior.  And I did.” She stated simply, omitting the more sorted bits of Hoss’ request, as she shrugged, though he continued to glare down at her still, unsatisfied with her answer. “Then why the look?” William questioned, his tone harsh and wary as he eyed her skeptical of her reply. “What look?” Nan asked in turn, her brow scrunching even deeper with her question. “When I asked what Hoss asked of you, you went pale and started to look anywhere but at me. The only time anyone does that is when they’re afraid to tell me something.” William explained, releasing her arm as he took a step back so as not to make her fear answering him. Thinking that giving her more room might prompt her to be more open with him. “Now tell me, what caused it.” He pressed folding his arms cross his chest as he glared down at her like a stern father waiting for the truth from his child. “I just told you what it was.” Nan replied quickly, thrusting her hands out to her sides as if to show she had nothing else. “And there was no look. You’re reading more into my expressions than there is reason to do so.” She stated, scowling up at him as she crossed her arms about her own chest mimicking his current pose and expression. “I read nothing more than what I saw. Why do you insist on saying it was nothing, when it was clearly something?” he snapped in turn, breaking his pose as he took a step forward and thrust a hand into the air as though tossing her pitiful excuse aside. “Because it wasn’t!” she shouted, startling the both of them with her untoward yell. “Whatever look you think you saw. It has nothing to do with what Hoss asked of me.” she added, her eyes searching the floor as she spoke, her tone calmer though no less awkward than when she had been yelling. “Then what doesit have to do with?” William queried instead, growing as tired of their conversation as she. “I don’t delight in pulling answers from you Nan. I had thought we were finally past such things.” He stated with a tired sigh, taking a step back, leaning against the back a small sofa as he awaited her reply. “Nan talk to me.” he coaxed, cocking his head down slightly, trying to gain her eyes which were still glued to the floor and running about like a pair of mice looking for the nearest hole to hide in. “You want to marry me.” She said. The words quiet, weak and sounding oddly unlike her. To her ears it sounded as though some other had spoken. It had been her mouth that had moved her, her lips that had shaped the words, her breath that had pushed it into speech, yet the very sound of the every effort to do all had felt foreign to her. “Yes.” William confirmed with a slow nod. “I’d thought my want to divorce Sophia had made that obvious.” He stated. For those words Nan rose her head and locked her eyes with his in a most annoyed and displeased manner.