"What does it matter if you meant it or not? You said nothing that wasn't true." She couldn't see it, but his mouth was set in a hard line, his dark eyes staring over her shoulder and down at the lights of the house. "Nor did I. Both of us were aiming to wound, but that doesn't make it lying."

He closed his eyes again, swallowing, and said slowly, "I cry your pardon for it, though. You've taken the brunt of this. And I haven't yet thanked you, but damned if I can't attack you anyroad." A bitter, ironic kind of laugh. "I'm a generous man that way."