Page 46 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
It was the best way for him to learn the truth.
No one had dared to abuse his daughter.
Chapter Twenty-One
Taskill
Taskill stepped into the great hall at Duart Castle, pleased to see Connor was still inside the solar, just as Hagen had told him. He knocked on the door and Connor waved him inside, so Taskill made his way to the desk in the corner. “A moment of your time, Chief?” As the past chief of Clan Grant, Connor deserved the respect of being addressed by his former title.
“Taskill, come on in. Hope your life has calmed down after the night of the festival.”
Taskill let out a deep sigh, something he wished he’d held in, but it was too late, so he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the reason I’m here. I came to apologize for my mother’s actions. It was rude of her to cause trouble in the middle of your great hall on a night like that. And I’ll also admit that my mother is too … full of conviction, I’ll call it, for her to come and apologize on her own.”
“My uncles used to wish for entertainment like that at every Grant festival. They said it would make each festival distinguishable from the others. And when I look back over the years, they were right. Dermot helped to make it memorable, though I am deeply concerned about how it affected you and Sheona. How are you, Taskill?” Connor sat down behind the desk and motioned the lad to sit in a nearby chair.
“I’m fine. Confused. Dermot claimed my father agreed to the betrothal years ago. No one in my clan knows anything about it. I’m not surprised I wouldn’t have been told of such, but for my mother, Lennox, and Jasper all to say they never heard of any agreement makes me suspicious.”
“Are you at all interested in Sheona?”
Taskill hadn’t expected that question, and he honestly didn’t know how to answer it. He liked Sheona well enough. She was certainly beautiful and smart, but she didn’t … “I hadn’t thoughton it until Dermot brought it up.” Sheona wasn’t … She didn’t … She … What the hell was he trying to say about Sheona?
“Have you thought about what you’re looking for in a wife?”
“Not sure what you mean, Chief.”
“What characteristics are you looking for? Someone strong? Funny? Someone who likes to swim? To fish? To boat? Who likes to travel or stay home? Someone who loves bairns or who doesn’t want any bairns at all?”
Befuddled by all his questions, Taskill replied, “I guess I haven’t thought much about it.” He had considered it, but what he’d reflected on wasn’t something he was ready to share with Connor Grant.
“What is it about Sheona that makes you reject the offer? I heard you did right away.”
He gave the most honest answer he could. “Sheona isn’t interested in me, so it isn’t a question that needs an answer.”
“Have you spoken with her again? Is her sire being obnoxiously persistent about the issue as I guess he would be?”
Taskill shrugged again, then explained, “He took her to Iona Abbey. She’s staying there for a sennight to see if she wishes to become a nun.”
Connor arched a brow at him, clearly from surprise. “A nun? I’ve known several, but she doesn’t seem the type. If there is one. My wife spent some time at an abbey once. She speaks of it as quite a unique experience. Not one she wished to do for long.”
Taskill stood, wishing to end this conversation before Connor pushed him a little more. “I guess we’ll find out in a sennight what Sheona thinks. My thanks for the festival, and again, Lennox and I both apologize for our mother’s behavior.”
“Think naught more about it. All is forgiven. Best of luck to Sheona and to you, Taskill. It wouldn’t be the way to start a relationship, in my opinion.”
Taskill took his leave, holding the smirk from the comment Connor had made.
He recalled when he and his siblings had questioned their parents about the day they’d met. Images of three bairns questioning the two popped into his head:
“How did you and Papa meet?”
Their father had replied quickly, “We met when your grandfather came screaming at me that I had to marry your mother within a day.”
Their mother had added, “And your father refused to marry me. As I refused his offer.”
“Aye, it wasn’t until we were at sword point in the chapel that we married. We’ve been happily married ever since.” Their father had grinned and kissed their mother’s cheek, and she blushed more than he’d ever seen her before.
Hellfire, but his mind was a bit too active sometimes. He needed to force himself to stop thinking about Sheona in a nunnery.
Taskill headed for the stables, surprised to see a group of lasses surrounding three guards: Jowell, Paden, and Hagen. The flirting was so obvious that he had to smile, though he held his chuckling inside. He knew how it felt to have lasses do what they could to beg for a kiss.
