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Blanco hesitated for some time before answering. He felt strongly that he must do what was right, but the strange emotions playing on him were telling him otherwise. It was useless to tell her a lie. Posco would sort it all out at the first chance he got, and Blanco would be made to look like a fool. Unless Lily left right away... and he could follow.
Could he not simply tell her that Posco was indeed looking for his bride? Obviously Lily thought that some other girl was meant by that phrase. The answer would not be a lie, for that was indeed why Posco was there. But she would take it differently, and then perhaps he could offer to escort her back home. And perhaps he could win her heart before then, and ask for her hand. And she, having no one else to turn to, would accept. And Posco would never know why. It was a bright picture.
But that was selfish. Did he honestly and truly love her? Honesty and truth forbade him from following that course. He would break Posco's heart, and would more than likely break Lily's heart, and all to satisfy his own selfish heart. Would he truly be happy living to the end of his days with Lily, knowing that she had married him only because he had thwarted her true dreams?
"Blanco..." said Lily, her eyes pleading. "Please... just the truth. You don't have to be afraid to tell the truth."
Blanco laughed in a strained fashion. "No, not for your sake," he said. "I'm not afraid for you. But I should be more afraid for myself if I told a lie. Lily, do you remember young Bingo, the hobbit who accompanied us the first time we were here? The good-natured one... always smiling, always helping?"
Lily nodded vaguely, looking at him in bewilderment.
"He told me once that emotions were fickle things, and not to be trusted. Your heart may tell you to do one thing, but the principles of your heart say another. He told me always to follow the principles, for they're sturdy, whilst the emotions are shaky and confused."
"What do you mean?" she asked, in a hesitating voice. "Is this about Posco?"
"Yes, it's about Posco," he said. He took a deep breath, and tried to look firm and resolved, though he only wished he were telling a lie. "Lily, Posco did come here to look for his bride. What you heard was entirely true."
She drew a rather sharp breath, and he saw the misery entering in her eyes. He quickly caught her hands.
"But, Lily, you misunderstood what was meant by that," he hurried on. "He did indeed come here to find his bride. And by that is meant that he came to find you."
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