Celta Cut

I've been mostly on Facebook, but figure I need to post here, too. I'm working on a short novel called Script of the Heart that takes place at the same time as Heart Journey, and looking at Heart Journey. I cut several scenes from that book, and here's one of them: Del tapped the rim of the scrybowl to answer. "Here," she said shortly. Both Straif's and Mitchella's faces wavered and solidified into the hologram projected over the water. They both wore serious expressions. Hell. May as well get her concerns out ahead of theirs. "I don't appreciate you coming by to check out my new lover."
Mitchella winced.
Seeing that, Del added. "It was tacky." An old Earth word that kept declasse connotations.
Mitchella took a step back. "Tacky" was not a word any decorator wanted applied to them. Del didn't let her off the hook. "I expected better of you, Mitchella."
Sighing, Mitchella stepped back forward and put her hand on her HeartMate's shoulder. Standing with him, though Del was pretty sure that the whole thing had been Straif's idea and execution and he might not have even talked it over with his wife – just taken the opportunity.
"You know that Doolee and you will always be associated with us. I wanted to see your HeartMate, get a feel for him, to protect– " He stopped as if Mitchella had warned him...or pinched him.
"So the fact that you and I rolled around together and he's my new lover had nothing to do with the fact?"
Straif went still and wary. He wouldn't want to admit to such a masculine urge in front of his wife.
Del let him off the hook, and smiled, though it wasn't a very amused smile. "Or maybe it was just a case of raging curiosity. Of all the people I've ever met, the FirstFamilies are the nosiest."
Now Straif looked surprised. "Well, of course we are. We were curious and adventurous enough to fund the colonization from Earth, weren't we?"
"Centuries ago," Del said. She raised her brows in hauteur. "Now you're just controlling."
This time she saw Mitchella poke Straif in the back. "The highest nobles of any society always are." Mitchella had been a commoner. "But, you're right, his curiosity knew no bounds." She linked arms with her husband. "And he's right, he wanted to protect his Family, he has an oversized sense** of protectiveness."
Del looked down her nose. "If you were thinking that Raz Cherry is my HeartMate–"
"He is, I could tell at a glance," Straif said. He'd hunkered down a little into his balance. "I thought he might be when Antenn said the guy had shown up at your house."
Del's smile turned knife sharp. "Then what made you think he was a danger? HeartMates match. My honor is very important to me, like it is to you, I would demand a man with sterling honor."
"Ah..."
"You insulted me and you poked in your long FirstFamilies nose in my business where it didn't belong."
"So don't go mucking up my life further. End scry." She'd said what she had to say, and she figured that Straif wouldn't say anything more about HeartMates to her. She also knew that he'd already checked Raz and the Cherrys out and would continue to follow events...Straif would just be more discreet about everything.
And he'd made her antsy. She wanted activity.