Page 28 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
“Taskill, I know where you’ve been, or should I say with whom.” His mother gave him that look of derision he knew so well as she tossed her head toward the two serving girls.
“I chatted with many people, Mama. I just finished a conversation with Brian. Now what happened?”
Lennox said, “I’m taking her home as soon as this storm passes. Go find Sheona, and once Dermot is gone, find a private place to calm her down. It was not pretty, but it gave everyone much to talk about for a while. She can tell you all.”
Taskill scratched the bit of scruff that was his beard but then moved along, glad to get away from his mother’s accusations. Once inside, he saw Sloan and Ingelram leading Dermot out the door, so he held it for them. Sloan said, “Da, not a word to him.”
“He could have stopped it all if he’d done what he was supposed to do,” Dermot said, glaring at Taskill.
“I’m sorry, Chief, but I don’t know what I could have stopped.”
“Ignore him. Go in the keep, Taskill.”
Taskill went in and headed for the table with a tray of fragrant meat pies, but his ears couldn’t ignore all that was being whispered as he passed.
“Did you see her hit him?”
“I thought he was going to punch her.”
“I thought Connor was about to put his fist in his face.”
“Logan was about to hang him by his bollocks.”
Taskill turned around to listen, but his gaze caught Connor escorting Sheona into the solar, so he followed.
“Sheona?” he asked as soon as he stepped inside. “What happened?” He looked at Connor, who answered him.
“Dermot got excited and did some bellowing. Sheona’s going to sit in here for a bit. All the excitement will settle down shortly.”
Taskill looked at her, noticed the tears misting her eyes, the clench in her fist held up to her mouth, the tremble in her lower lip. “Was it about me? Did I do something wrong?”
“Nay,” Connor replied. “I’m going to speak with Logan. I’ll be right back. Sheona, do you mind if Taskill stays for a bit? You can update him on what happened.”
She nodded. “As long as Da is gone.”
“He’s gone. I’ll return soon.” Connor left and closed the door.
“What happened?”
Sheona stared up at him, her eyes glazed with tears that were about to fall, and all he wished to do was hold her.
“Da.” Her voice hitched. “Hagen. He invited me for a stroll in the courtyard, and when we returned, Da demanded he marry me on the morrow.”
“What? Why?” He moved closer and massaged her shoulder a bit, hoping to comfort her. Honestly, he’d never had such a powerful gut reaction to someone. All he wished to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her until her tears were spent.
What the hell was wrong with him?
“Because Hagen didn’t ask for his permission. Da was yelling and screaming and hollering. Told Hagen he had to marry me, so Connor jumped up and defended him. Said that all Grants chose their own spouses, and Hagen wouldn’t be forced. Then Logan came down and bellowed too. All three of them were hollering …”
“And that’s when my name got into it.”
“Aye, Logan said he thought you and I … were … betrothed.”
Then her tears fell hard, and Taskill did what he was compelled to do, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. Hell, but he’d always wished to protect Sheona, and the instinct was still there.
She stepped back enough to finish. “And then your mother heard your name and pushed Connor and Logan out of the way and started yelling at my sire, who told her to be quiet because she was a woman … or to stay out of men’s business. Something like that.”
“Oh, that wouldn’t go over well.” Then Taskill grinned because Sheona smirked. “What happened? Tell me, please.”
