Marian pulled back, realizing her words and reaction, if far more real than she wanted to admit to, were far more than he'd expected in confronting her.

Her breath still caught, eyelashes flickered, she dipped her face, holding back on the impulse to shake her head, as she glanced up at him. She could only go back now, quickly, earnestly. "Forgive me. You were right."


To what he'd assumed. "I disobeyed you."

To what she'd said earlier. "I just wanted to spend time with you."