Page 11 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
Sloan
Sloan entered the solar after he heard Marta yelling at his father. Poor Marta functioned on little sleep these days. Gideon came up behind Sloan and said, “I’m getting her out of there.”
“Great idea, Gideon. I’ll talk to Da.”
Gideon set his hands on his wife’s shoulders and slowly turned her away. “Your brother needs to talk to your sire, love.”
“You hear me, Da. Be nice to Sheona.” She gave him one last glare before heading out of the solar while Sloan came in, kissing the top of her head as he passed his sister. Then he closed the door behind him.
“Sit down, Da.
“I was chieftain first, so don’t give me orders, son.” His father was still all riled up over something and he wouldn’t leave until he found out what had him so upset.
“It’s not meant as an order. I can see how upset you are. I think you’d feel better if you were sitting down. Are your hips bothering you more?” His father often complained about his hips, sometimes his knees, and sometimes just because he missed his wife.
“Nay, not my hips.” He finally yanked a chair to a different spot and sat down.
“Then what? You’re upset about something.”
His father leaned over and set his elbows on his knees, his hands rubbing his face. He’d give the man the time to gather his thoughts, but something was bothering him.
After a long pause, his father said, “All right. I’ll tell you because you’re the chieftain and you should know.”
“I’m listening.” Sloan leaned back and folded his hands in his lap.
“I was in the stables brushing my horse down the other day when I heard three men laughing about something. I moved closer and overheard one of them bragging about taking someone’s maidenhead.”
“That happens, Da. I’ll take care of it for you. Who was it?”
“Nay, it doesn’t happen,” his father shouted, jumping out of his chair. “Not to my daughter.”
That got Sloan’s attention. “They were speaking of Sheona?”
“He was. I heard him say he was going to be the one who took it. But by the time I rounded the corner, they’d disappeared. I think I cursed rather loudly, and they disappeared. I want to kill him with my bare hands.”
“I’ll do it for you, Da,” he said, keeping his voice level. He didn’t wish to get his father any more excited. “Just give me a name.”
His father closed his eyes and cursed, “Shite. I don’t know. My ears aren’t what they used to be, Sloan. No matter how hard I try, I cannot identify the voice and it’s killing me. I couldn’t sleep last night, trying to think of every guard and their voice. I couldn’t decide.”
“So you thought it best to force a marriage on Sheona?”
“Aye, before she loses it. If she doesn’t have it anymore, they won’t talk about her. Don’t you see? If they take her maidenhead, no one will have her. I have to stop it from happening.” He leaned forward, the misting in his eyes clouding his vision.
Sloan sighed. “I do see, Da. But I don’t think your solution is fair to Sheona.”
“She doesn’t need to choose her husband. I didn’t pick Ailis. And Taskill is a fine man. He lives on the isle. Why not Taskill?”
“Da, will you let me handle this? I’ll talk to the guards I trust and see if I can’t find out who it is.”
“And lock her up, Sloan.”
“Nay, I’m not locking my sister up, Da. Stop it.”
“If you don’t, I will.”
“If you do, I’ll lock you up, Da.”
“Hellfire, nay, you won’t.”
