Page 75 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
Meg muttered, “It came on so quickly.” She hugged herself and shivered, Lennox wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.
“We’ll find them. All of them.”
***
Hagen and Jowell readied their boat, swords sheathed, but kept an eye on everything around them.
Two lasses came flying toward them, running as fast as they could. “Wait! Please wait!”
Hagen froze, his gaze locked on the taller of the two. Her hair was a mix of gold and yellow, braided on both sides and plaited to the back of her head. Ice-blue eyes caught him, along with the slight curves of her lithe body. She had powerful shoulders for a lass, and her legs could probably level a man with one kick. She wore brown leggings with a tunic of gold and green. He would wager they came from Simone.
He’d never seen anyone more beautiful in his life. Totally entranced, he had to find out who she was.
Sloan and Lennox moved together to greet the lasses, standing in front of their wives to protect them. Sloan had no idea who the lasses were or what they wanted. “What is it?” Sloan asked.
One lass stopped, the other directly behind her. “We were in the same chamber as Sheona. We know where she went.”
“Where?” Sloan asked, stepping closer. He gripped Eva’s hand tightly, pulling her next to him.
“She got in a boat with someone named Taskill,” the fair-haired girl said. “I’m Brynja and this is Hildi. She went with us to deliver vegetables to Simone at Ionaland. We saw Magni.”
“How do you know his name was Taskill?” Lennox asked. Meg moved up next to him and the four circled the two lasses, listening intently.
Hagen and Jowell strolled up behind them, giving the lasses their full attention.
Hildi said, “Because Lia told us he was coming. She said Taskill was coming across the water, and that Sheona needed to go with him because Clyde was coming for her with another man. As soon as Taskill arrived, they left. He didn’t wish to go because of the oncoming storm, but when he heard about Clyde, they hopped in the boat and headed toward Mull.”
“Do you know where they were going?”
“Back to the direction Taskill came from,” Hildi said. She pointed toward MacLean land. “Where you came from.”
“Hildi, tell me more about Clyde. Did you see him? And who is the other man with him?” Sloan asked. He had to discover where the bastard was so he could rip out his heart.
“Is he not one of your guards, Rankin?” Lennox asked.
Sloan glared at him. “Probably, but I’d like to hear all she knows. He’s capable of it.”
Brynja spoke up, “Hildi never saw him. I did. I saw the boat arrive in the middle of the night, so I came out to see who it was. They were looking for a lass and were arguing about who was going to get her first. So, I shut them up.”
Lennox asked, “How?”
Hildi giggled. “She hit him with her knife.”
Brynja pulled out a dagger and fired it at the nearest tree. It landed deep in the bark with a loud thwack. “I put a stop to them getting off the boat.” Her hands settled on her hips. “I wouldhave used my spear, but it was dark. I had to get close to do any damage with my spear so I chose the smaller weapon.”
“Did you kill either one?” Sloan asked.
“Nay, just wounded them both.”
“Who was the other man with Clyde? Think carefully. Did he use a name? Any identifying characteristics?”
Brynja chuckled. “Nay, no name, but I’m sure the hole I put in his shoulder with my dagger will give him away. It should be full of pus by now. I hit one in his right shoulder and the other in his thigh. They rowed like wee laddies.”
Sloan smiled and said, “Many thanks to you. I appreciate you coming to find us. We’ll find them, I’m sure.”
When Hagen was finally able to move, he followed the lass named Brynja. Jowell grabbed him by the shoulder and asked, “What the hell are you doing?”
He shoved his cousin away and said, “I have to know more.”
