Despicable behavior! (Spoilers)

First of all, I love this movie (although my post may make it sound otherwise); but while re-watching Sommersby the other night the main character came across to me as rather unpleasant.

There is no doubt that Horace Townsend (as Jack Sommersby) fell in love with Laurel, and she fell in love with him; and he was definitely the better man for her than the real Sommersby (and of course a blessing for the community), but still:

By sneaking into Laurels life he sure was a creep, because in pretending to be her husband he forced her in a way to fall in love with him. He even kept his lie going, when he had sex with her and impregnated her. She may have had her doubts about him, but she never knew for sure. In this regard he was and remained over the course of the movie a disrespectful scumbag.
If it wasn't for the signs and accusations later on in the movie, he would have continued with his betrayal of her confidence for the rest of her life. Poor woman. She should have been hurt when she learned his true identity and at least given him a slap in the face. After all she had been deceitfully seduced under false pretences by a stranger.

Perhaps I exaggerate or read too much into it. But it seems to me that his ongoing falsehood, at least towards her alone, is somewhat shady and objectionable. Putting that aside, this movie remains a favorite.