Page 51 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
Hellfire, she was too old to run down the stairs and eavesdrop on their conversation.
But she wasn’t too old to try.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Taskill
Taskill ignored the constant blabbering of the lasses following him because he was tired of the same old thing. He needed to find Lennox and speak with him. All that had happened mulled over and over in his mind and gave him no answers and no relief. Sheona was at a nunnery, Dermot feared she would take her vows, and the abbess thought Sheona may have been abused by someone.
There had to be a way to find out who that person was. He’d thought of a possibility but wished to ask his brother first.
“Jasper, where is my brother? I need to speak with him.”
Jasper spun around and pointed toward Duart Castle. “You just missed him, T. He’s headed back to Clan Grantham. They’re trading seed for next year. You can still catch him.”
“Good.” Taskill nodded to the guard and said, “I’m going after him.” Once the stable lad helped him with his horse, he mounted and took off, straight on the path to Duart. This was a perfect time to ask Lennox for his opinion before he decided his next move.
He also had a pervasive thought that he couldn’t get rid of. Since they’d all discovered that Dyna and her bairns had skills that allowed them to see what was going to happen, did that mean that they could see in the past too? Could Dyna look into Sheona’s past and see who had abused her?
Somehow, if he could discover who had hurt Sheona, mayhap she’d be willing to come back from Iona. If he had to marry her, he would. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for Sheona, because he did. He had strong feelings for the lass; he always had. He just knew that he would not be a good husband for her.
There was a failing in his blood that no one knew about. He’d make a lousy husband, but that didn’t mean Sheona should be a nun.
That brought up a different thought. Was it finally time to tell Lennox what he’d learned about their father? Nay, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t destroy the image of his father that Lennox had. Everyone thought Douglas was the finest chieftain, the best father and husband, the fiercest swordsman on the isle in his time. Surely, many of the Granthams would have bettered him on the battlefield or the lists, but when he was strong and alive, Douglas MacVey could send a weapon flying out of the hands of the strongest men in battle.
It was the truth that in his day, Douglas MacVey had been the hero of the isle.
To everyone else. Taskill knew better.
But he wasn’t ready to destroy his father’s memory. Not yet. There was no reason to do so.
“Lennox, wait for me!” he shouted when he was close.
His brother glanced over his shoulder, motioned to the two guards riding with him, then slowed his horse. “What the hell are you doing? I left you home to protect Mama and Meg.”
Taskill snorted. “You think Meg needs protecting with an axe in her hand? Every man on the isle fears raising her ire after seeing her in battle.”
Lennox laughed and motioned for them to continue toward Duart. “And I love to hear it.”
“Shite, she planted an axe in the middle of a man’s forehead, Lennox. How far away was she?”
“Quite a ways away.” Lennox laughed again. “That’s my wife. Don’t forget it.”
Taskill muttered, “The only one I’m more afraid of is that Simone. When she said she was going to put an arrow in Glenna’s eye, I nearly laughed at the boast. But then she did.Right in her eye. I don’t know which kill was faster. And she was in a tree, hidden from everyone. Makes you want to take up archery.”
Lennox grinned. “Or axe throwing. I might try it. What brings you along, Taskill?”
“Sheona. All that Dermot said about her. I know he wants Mama to talk with her, but mayhap she would talk with someone else.”
“Mama told me he was upset, but I didn’t know he was sobbing. Dermot Rankin? I had no idea he had such a soft spot inside him once Ailis was gone.”
Lennox sent the guards on ahead so they couldn’t listen in on their conversation.
“Sobbing so hard he could barely speak. I’m really bothered by what he said, Lennox. I think I should go to her. Mayhap she would tell me if someone misused her. We were friends when we were younger. But then I had another thought. Do you think Dyna would be able to see who hurt Sheona? Considering that she knows what’s about to happen, could she know whatdidhappen to someone? Is it possible?”
“You pose too many questions. I have no idea what Dyna’s abilities are. If you wish to ask her, then feel free to travel with me and consult with her. She’s more than willing to talk with anyone.”
“It’s surely possible, is it not?”
