𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 | 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 ✅

34 - Castle Leoch

I knew from looking at maps in Brian Fraser's study as a child that Castle Leoch could be reached in one day if there was good weather, a willing wind and good horses. It was an eight or nine hour ride, I estimated, at a trot, but mine and Ian's horses cantered and galloped for a bit, and we didn't stop for lunch. We had left Lallybroch just after dawn, and so we arrived at Leoch in mid afternoon.

We were completely exhausted.

We had stopped only to relieve ourselves - I'd needed to go constantly, which had been quite irritating, but it hadn't added too much time onto our journey.

We went into the castle courtyard through a large arch and a set of gates that were made of thick wood. Ian got down from his horse first and then hobbled to help me, putting his hands on my hips and lifting me down.

An elderly portly woman hurried out of the castle and over to us. "Are we expecting ye?" She asked, looking both Ian and I over several times, her eyes settling on my cloak, which I fastened more tightly around myself, pulling either side together to conceal my belly.

"Nay," Ian said as he turned to the bag which he had fastened onto my horse. He fished about inside it, eventually coming out with the letter which Jenny had written for Colum MacKenzie. "I am Ian Murray, and this is mistress Eira Fraser - Lady Broch Tuarach."

"Broch Tuarach?" The woman raised an eyebrow, "I haven't heard of it."
"It's Fraser land." Ian told her.

"Fraser, eh?" She hummed thoughtfully, "of Lovat?"

Ian shook his head, "no, Fraser of Lovat's late son's estate. Lallybroch, as it is known to its locals. James Fraser is its laird now, but he is here, I believe."

"James Fraser?" Both Ian and I nodded, "there's no such man here."

I began to tear up, becoming increasingly frustrated with the woman. I turned to Ian, "just give her the letter, Ian, I don't feel like answering every question she throws at us." I glared at her.

"Speak about me as if I'm not stood right here, huh!" She crossed her arms against her incredibly large chest and frowned, "I'll see ye off from Castle Leoch now -"

"What the Devil's going on here!?" I jumped at the loud growl of Dougal MacKenzie from across the courtyard. He strode across the yard and reached us, "Mrs Fitz, when were ye made lady of Leoch?" She was silent, looking down at the floor. "Hm?" When she didn't answer, he said, "I didna think so. Be off with ye - mistress MacCraig and Mr Murray will be needing refreshment after they have spoken to Himself."

The woman, Mrs Fitz, nodded and rushed off without a second glance at Ian and I.

"Dougal, it's good to see you again." I said with a smile at him, trying to silently convince him to be kind to us and let us stay at Leoch, which I knew was the stronghold of his clan.

"And ye, wee lady." He smiled at me in reply, "what brings ye here? Lad's not in trouble again, is he? I would have thought he'd still be off in France - he would be if he had a lick of sense -" Dougal looked at Ian's amputated leg, "accident was it, then?"

"Musket ball." Ian answered with a slight cough to draw the attention back to the conversation.

"Dougal, if ye think Jamie's still in France, then does that mean that he isna here?"

"Here?" Dougal echoed in surprise, "at Leoch?" I nodded, "of course he's not here, mistress MacCraig. Why did ye think he would be?"
"It's Lady Broch Tuarach, now," I told him, a faintly amused tone to my voice, "Jamie and I were handfast. He left the next morning and said that he would be coming here - he's a price on his head, ye ken."
"Aye, I kent. I hoped that ye didna."
"He told me himself." I sighed, "that was four months ago." I paused, "if he's not here now, then I need to wait for him."

"The lad hasna been here since he stayed with me at Beannachd." Dougal snatched the letter from Ian's grasp. It had not been extended to him, but neither Ian nor I pointed this out to him, "is this for my brother?"

"The laird." I confirmed.

"Aye, I'll take it to him myself. Why don't ye settle and have a bite to eat?"

"Dougal," I said, catching his attention once again, "I canna go back to Lallybroch without Jamie."

"Aye, it is a bit of a long journey to undertake if ye have poor company," he shot a look at Ian, who frowned, not looking overly happy with his uncle-in-law's poor joke.

"No, Dougal," I said as I let the fabric of my cloak slip through my fingers. The two sides fell as they should, my belly revealed. Dougal looked down at it instantly and grinned.

"Dinna fash, lassie - pardon, Lady Broch Tuarach," he chuckled, "ye'll have a home here as long as ye need it." I thanked him. He gave us directions to the kitchen and then went to find his brother, Colum, who he would give the letter to.