Chapter Eighteen
Rut
Taskill strode into the kitchens carrying his bucket full of fish.
Rut brought her hand up to cover her nose. “Oh, Taskill. Take those smelly things in through the back door. Why must you bring such rank objects through my great hall?”
Taskill ignored her, walking straight toward the kitchens as if his ears were shut off.
“Taskill!”
Nothing. She crossed her arms, knowing enough to wait for him to return. She surely did not think grabbing his arm was the right thing to do since he could spill fish guts everywhere. Rut covered her nose again, then grabbed a nearby book to fan it in front of her face to dispel the odor.
She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for her son’s return. As soon as he entered, she asked, “Taskill. What is going on with you? Why did you ignore me before?”
“Ignore you? I would never ignore you, Mama.”
“But you just did.” The foot tapped again, a bit quicker this time, until Taskill stared at it. “All right, young man. What the hell is going on in that head of yours?”
“Naught, Mama. I don’t know of what you speak.” He lifted his chin and finally looked into her eyes, the first time that day.
“And I call bull. Not just bull, but the shite of the bull will hit your skull for lying to me.”
He grinned, that sheepish grin her second-born did so well. The one that from his tenth summer had told her he was lying. Or had it been six summers?
“All right. I’ll tell you, but not here. It would not be appropriate.”
“In your brother’s solar.” She waved her hand toward the door, then swished her skirts and headed in that direction, fixing a few errant strands of hair that had loosed themselves from her bun.
Taskill dragged his heels but followed her in. She closed the door, and her hand went straight to her nose. “From here you go back to the sound. You reek of fish. Now, tell me quickly what’s bothering you so.”
He shrugged, staring at the floor, transfixed by his thoughts. Her son so resembled her dear Douglas whenever he got that look on his face. “Taskill.” She reached for his chin and tipped his face back to hers. “What happened?”
“Dermot took Sheona to the nunnery.” He lifted his gaze to hers, and the pain she saw there shocked her.
“Why?”
“He said she had to marry or become a nun. I don’t know why he chose to leave that quickly.”
“How did you hear of this? I’m sure Lennox or Meg would have told me of this atrocious act.” She crossed her arms, her mind filling with visions of slapping Dermot for doing such an awful thing to his daughter.
“One of their guards who was fishing with us. Said he wished to marry her, so he was upset when he found out their old chieftain was taking her to Iona. And Sloan confirmed it. The guard’s name is Clyde. Know you of him?”
Rut spun away to pace a bit, the swirl of her skirts around her ankles giving her strength.
She loved the feel of it, using it as a substitute for a good, hard slap when it was necessary.
“I don’t know any guards’ names, Taskill.
I do not bother with them. They’ll be here one day and gone the next, especially at a neighboring clan.
” She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts.
“Dermot will not accept a guard for his daughter. You just gave me evidence of how foolish this Clyde is.” She shook her head, trying to figure out how to handle this situation.
The important piece was how Taskill reacted to this event.
“And this upsets you terribly, I see. I thought you had no feelings for Sheona.”
A fury lit her son’s eyes so fast she had to hide her smile. Oh, how she loved to see him upset over a girl, especially Sheona. Was he finally figuring out that they would suit?
“Of course, it upsets me, Mama. I was supposed to propose to her. If I had, she’d be on Rankin land where she belongs.”
“Mayhap the lass wishes to be a nun.” God only knows why anyone would wish to do such a thing, but some did. Rut couldn’t imagine not knowing how it felt to be taken to another world with the right man.
Fools didn’t know what they were missing.
Taskill sat taller, his indignity telling her he had more feelings for the lass than he would admit. Or perhaps he hadn’t figured it out yet.
He said, “She doesn’t wish to be a nun, now or ever. How can you say such a thing? She should be home. Mayhap I need to go to her and propose. Mayhap she’ll come back with me.”
“And what if she refuses? I was under the impression that she has no more interest in marrying you than you do in proposing to her. True or not?”
“She’s not interested. But she might be if it allowed her to escape the Isle of Iona.
Why would someone wish to live there forever?
Such a foolish thought. Mayhap I’ll go to her.
” He knew he had to do something, but what exactly he didn’t know.
And the biggest problem was he didn’t know who to ask.
Perhaps he needed to talk with his brother.
“You will not go to her. I forbid it, Taskill. And I’m sure Lennox would agree with me.”
Lennox popped his head in the door. “What would I agree with?”
Rut turned to her eldest son. “That Taskill should not travel to the Isle of Iona to retrieve Sheona. It’s no longer his affair.”
“I just heard from Jasper. Said one of the Rankin guards is telling everyone about Dermot taking her there. Poor Sheona was not happy about it.”
“So, I should go,” Taskill said.
“Nay, not until we give this some consideration and discuss it.” Rut crossed her arms.
“Why wait?” Taskill said. “I’ll leave now, and I can make it to MacLean land by nightfall.”
“Because …” Lennox paused when the door opened, and Meg stuck her head around the corner. “He’s here already?” Lennox asked her.
“Who?” Rut asked, stepping forward.
Lennox said, “Dermot. I could see him coming up the path, Ingelram behind him.”
Meg nodded. “He’s here.”
“I’ll send Taskill out, but I’m going with him,” Lennox said.
“Nay, he wishes to speak with Rut.” Meg waggled her brow at everyone.
Taskill, Meg, and Lennox all gave their full attention to Rut to see her reaction.
“Oh, bring him in,” Rut said. “Taskill, get out. We’ll talk later.”
Taskill disappeared so quickly that Rut frowned. “Lennox, check on him. I don’t like his actions right now. He’s not acting stable, nor do I trust him.”
“Fine, I’ll follow Taskill, see how he is. Meg, bring Dermot to my mother.”
Meg left, Lennox behind her. Within moments, the door swung open, and Dermot stood in the doorway.
“Dermot? What is it?” Rut asked, not liking the expression on his face any more than she liked Taskill’s expression.
“Rut, you have to help me.”
“Why?”
“Because Ailis is gone and this is women’s business. I don’t know what to do.”
Rut closed the door, but Dermot couldn’t have surprised her any more than he did with his actions. She wished to yell and chastise him for all he did, for taking his beautiful daughter to a nunnery, but she had to stop herself.
Dermot Rankin fell into a chair and sobbed.