Every child in all the world looks upon his mother and sees the most beautiful woman in the world, even though many mothers are not beautiful.  Do you know why this is so?  The child looks with love, and sees love returned.  Love is what makes beauty, Moira.  And, truly, you are beautiful to me.
And there it was.  The word was finally out in the open.  He watched her eyes go somewhat wider, her mouth move, and her breaths deepen for a moment.  For the second time, Cortez felt shame.  He shrugged it off.  Or tried to.  He'd done this sort of thing before, of course.  But always with young women, young, single ones with an eye for adventure and a taste for excitement.  This one was different in so many ways.  Different or not, he reminded himself, there was work to be done!