Page 65 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
Connor nodded. “Same.”
Tora ran back to her grandsire and climbed again. “Bad men still after Sona.”
Sloan closed his eyes and said, “What do I do? Where shall I go to find her?”
Lennox dragged both hands through his long locks. How he prayed that Taskill could protect Sheona. “We stay here until the storm is over. Taskill will protect her. We all know he will. Then when the wind stops, we head to Iona.”
“And our parents?”
“I have no idea where they are,” Lennox muttered, closing his eyes. “I just pray they are all safe, wherever they are.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Taskill
Taskill brought the boat ashore, surprised to see he had been correct. Sheona sat on a nearby boulder, a smile on her face. “Sheona? Are you hale?”
“I’m fine, Taskill. But why are you here? I’m glad to see you, but I’m confused. Were you headed to Ionaland or the nunnery?”
“I came for you, Sheona. I headed to the nunnery, but the sea current brought me here. A storm is brewing, and I just wished to get on land.”
“Is there a problem somewhere? Why did you come?”
He settled the boat, then strode over to where she sat, taking a seat next to her. He’d forgotten how beautiful she was. Her hair was plaited, but the wind had pulled a good many of the silky strands out of their binding and they formed a halo around her face. Her green eyes glittered with hope instead of the fear he’d seen there so often.
“I came to see you. I was worried about you. Do you like it here?”
“Aye, it’s beautiful, and I’ve made two friends whom I really like.”
“So, do you think you wish to be a nun? Will you take your vows?”
She shook her head. “Nay. I am not interested in becoming a nun, but it’s been good to be away from home, especially with all that happened, but now I’m ready to go back. My sire will be here in a few days.”
Taskill took a deep breath, then took Sheona’s hand in his, pleased that she didn’t pull away. “That’s why I’m here. Your sire and my mother are missing.”
She bolted to her feet and stared at him, confusion dancing across her features. “Missing? My sire is missing? What do you mean?”
He stood and placed his hands on her shoulders. “He was last seen at our holding. He headed straight inside and demanded to speak to my mother. The two went into the solar because he was verra upset about you. Said he needed help with you. No one has seen them since. No horses are missing, so we’re all a bit confused. We’re assuming they are together. Lennox and Sloan were heading out to the MacQuaries to check if they’d visited there, and I headed to Ionaland to make sure you were hale. Have they been to visit you? Either one or both?”
“Nay. I just came from the nunnery. We’ve had no visits. Taskill, we have to search for them.”
Taskill was taken aback. “Search for them? You and me?”
“Aye. We can take the boat back to Mull and search everywhere. My father is missing, and we must find him. Don’t you feel the same about your mother?”
“Aye and nay. I’d like to find them, but there’s a storm brewing, and I think it best to wait until it has passed. On the morrow would be a better time to search for them. It’s too dark, and the winds are coming up now, and you know how they make the seas wild.”
She pointed toward Mull. “But look. There are no waves yet. The sea was calm as could be a wee bit ago. I think we have time.”
Taskill rubbed his jaw, staring at the small waves, yet something inside him wished to please Sheona. “I don’t care to be caught on the water when a thunderstorm breaks, drenching rain pounding down as the thunder rumbles all around us. That could be deadly, Sheona. We’ll have to wait it out until the morrow, lass.”
“Nay, I cannot wait. Please, Taskill.” She grabbed his arm, squeezing it. “Take me away from this isle now. We can beat the storm. It won’t be here for a couple of hours. I have to leave here now. You don’t understand.” The way her breathing increased, he knew this was about more than her sire.
His gaze locked on hers. Something else was afoot, though he couldn’t guess what it was. But he had to give her the chance to come to the right conclusion. Even Sheona knew what it was like to be on rough waters. “Sheona, to leave now would be dangerous. You’re experienced enough as a boater to know that. The journey back to MacClane’s could be treacherous at best.”
“But …” She teared up.
And that was like a fist to his gut. He hated when lasses cried. “What’s wrong, Sheona?”
