𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 | 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 ✅

22 - The Lallybroch Christmas Eve Dinner Party of 1739

Christmas Eve 1739

We had told nobody of our engagement, instead preferring to appear to the world as if we were just friends - though I suspected that Jenny and Brian Fraser knew quite well how close Jamie and I were - we spent far too much time together to only be friends.

"Do ye remember," Jenny asked as she let me do her hair, "last Christmas, when I had to beg ye to come downstairs? When I gave ye the present from Jamie?"

I nodded, humming in reply, "aye. I thought I'd die if he didna come home."

"Well ye didn't," she paused, "though I did think ye might scream when Willie Faulkner asked ye to dance with him -"
"Aye, well I've got myself a new dance partner this year, ye ken." I smirked, grateful that she couldn't see because I was standing behind her.

"Aye, Jamie is a bonnie dancer," she paused, "what is it that ye both do all day in the fields?"

Jamie had taken up some additional chores at Lallybroch, and I had taken to doing a bit of extra needlework when it was needed - I usually packed up a basket with my needlework and some bannocks for us both and followed him up into the fields for the day, returning when he did for dinner.

"We just talk." I told her, not lying. Jamie and I did talk... about everything. He had told me all of his parents and how they had first met, he had told me every memory he had of his older brother William, who had died when Jamie was only five, and we had also talked about the future... when Jamie would be laird Broch Tuarach, and had reminded me that I would be his lady.

There was a knock at the door. Jenny and I both looked up and saw Jamie standing in the doorway, "father sent me to fetch ye both..." his eyes widened when he saw my dress - new, as it always was for the Lallybroch Christmas Eve dinner - and extremely low cut, the top of the dress showing clearly my breasts.

Theresa had arrived earlier that day with several wrapped packages laying her down, all of them something new for tonight. I had not ordered anything, but instead had been told that Brian Fraser had insisted that my entire outfit be new - right down to my shift, and to my corset.

I wondered why Jenny had only a new dress for tonight and nothing else.

The necklace which Jamie had given to me some four months before fit snugly between the valley of my breasts, the metal brushing against my skin with every step that I took. Jamie was staring at it, and I could tell that he was remembering the night that we had spent in each other's arms following him giving it to me.

Jenny cleared her throat, bringing both Jamie and me back to reality. "Actually, I just have to get something from my room, I could be a few minutes. Why don't ye both make a start downstairs and I'll follow ye shortly?"

I knew what she was playing at, and I was sure that Jamie did too, but we both didn't say anything, instead letting her think that she was tricking us both into making an entrance together. Jenny left the room and that left just Jamie and I. He came over to the fire, standing very close to me.

"Ye look bonnie tonight, my lady," he said in a quiet tone, similar to the one that he had used to whisper in my ear when we had shared a bed, "I should verra much like to escort ye to the party. Would ye allow me such an honour?"

I blushed, looking down at his outstretched arm and then at his gorgeous face. He had shaved for the occasion, and had cut his hair. Whereas once it had fallen past his shoulders, it now brushed his shoulder blades. He looked dashing, I could have lost my breath just taking him in. He too had a new shirt for the occasion of the Christmas Eve party, his boots had been polished and the Fraser tartan which he wore had been washed thoroughly - I had seen Morag from my bedroom window doing it just the day before.