𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 | 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 ✅

28 - The Bearer of Bad News

"Ho!" Dougal called from the front of the procession, the English soldiers stopping behind him and the carriage (which was being driven by two footmen) came to a stop behind that. Dougal got off of his horse and came to the carriage, opening the door and getting in. He sat down opposite me. I awoke to his voice. "We're back at your home now, lass," he told me, "I'll have the English put Brian in the chapel, and then I'll be in to tell Jamie's sister about them both." I nodded and he got out. I let him help me out of the carriage and to the steps which led to the kitchen door. I went in and Dougal went to instruct the English.

The chapel was an outbuilding, but not too far from the house - I had confidence that Brian would be okay in there overnight.

I went into the house. None of the maids were still awake - it was past eleven at night, so it stood to reason that they had gone to their homes. The cook was gone too, but the oven was still burning so I assumed that she had left some sort of food warm in there for Brian and I when we got home.

But it was only me. I went into the main hallway of Lallybroch and took off my cloak and shoes, hanging my cloak on a hook and making sure the shoes were left out so the maids would clean them for tomorrow. I then went up the stairs and into the living room of Lallybroch.

Jenny and Ian were waiting by the fire, the two of them didn't notice me when I came in. Jenny was reading aloud, and Ian was listening raptly.

I cleared my throat and they both looked at me, "Eira!" Jenny exclaimed happily as she closed the book and put it on the table beside her. She stood up and rushed at me, holding me tightly. "Christ, ye look a state! Is Fort William as bad as -"
"Oh, Jenny!" I sobbed, falling into her arms. She held me tightly and let me cry, not pushing what I had to say until I was ready. "What a day I've had! The ride both ways was treacherous, and it's rained all day -"
"Well tell me ye got to see Jamie, at least?"
I nodded, "aye, but he didna look at all well. He was flogged, Jenny, and then they flogged him again while we there!" I cried harder.

She gasped, patting my back as Ian poured three glasses of whiskey and somehow carried them all over to us, letting us take one each before he took a sip from his own. 

"Best pour another, Ian, we've -"
"Bloody English." Dougal walked in, cursing the English. Jenny's eyes widened when she saw him, and then she paled. I think that she knew in that moment what was to come, or at least she knew how bad things were.

Dougal had never come to Lallybroch before, save to escort Jamie when he was a lad, but even then he had never come into the house.

"U-Uncle Dougal..."

"Lass, ye'd better sit down." Jenny paled and nodded, going to sit in Jamie's armchair. Dougal poured himself a whiskey and then went to stand in front of her. "When they got to the garrison, they were about to flog yer brother -"
"Aye," Jenny nodded slowly, "Eira said -"
"Aye, well the shock was... well, it was a lot, lass. Not everybody's got the stomach - nor the heart for it, it seems - and well, yer da lasted longer than others have, to say the least, but..." Dougal bit his lip, "he's in the chapel."

Jenny let out a horrible gasp and then began to cry. I handed my glass to Ian and then went over to Jenny, sitting at her feet and leaning up so I could hug her. We cried into each other's shoulders, both for the man that was imprisoned in the garrison in an unimaginable amount of pain and for the father that we had both lost.

Dougal appeared uncomfortable at such a feminine display of emotion, so he cleared his throat. "I'll stay until the funeral." He looked up to the hallway at the top of the open staircase, "a bed, if ye would?"

"Ian," I cleared my throat, trying to be strong for Jenny, who had always been strong for me when her brother had gone away, "would ye show Dougal to the room at the top of the stairs?" The first floor held the bedrooms of myself, Jenny, Jamie and Brian, and the floor above that had some spares for when guests stayed.

Ian nodded and left, Dougal followed silently. As they went, I called up to them, "dinna think there's much food left, Dougal, but if ye  were wanting some bread then I'm sure I could find ye something!"

"I'm a'right, thank ye, lassie!" He called back.

I then went back to comforting Jenny.