𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 | 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 ✅

35 - Himself Will See Ye Now

I picked at a freshly baked bannock and sipped at a cup of ale, but I wasn't particularly hungry. In fact, the thought of meeting my husband's uncle, the great laird of Leoch, Colum MacKenzie was something that made me feel rather ill. Dougal had said that I could stay, but he was not laird. What if Colum disagreed?

Third Person POV

Dougal walked into his brother's study without waiting for an invitation. Colum glanced up from the letter which he was writing and sighed. Things were often like this with Dougal. "What is it, brother?" He asked in a tired tone of voice, "and can it wait until I've finished writing this?"

"It canna wait and it's important."
"Oh aye?" How many times had Dougal told Colum that something was important when it most definitely could have waited? Colum had lost count. "What is it, then?" Colum had learnt that it was best to hear Dougal out, deal with him and get him out of his study as soon as possible.

"There's a wee lassie downstairs. She's young Jamie's wife."
"Jamie?" Colum echoed in surprise, putting his pen down, "Ellen's son?"

"Aye. The one who was in Fort William for a period a few years ago... the one who was flogged."

"Ah yes, how many Jamies did Ellen have?" Colum mused, "I'm grateful to ye, brother, for narrowing it down to the one who was flogged. Most grateful indeed."
"Dinna be like that, man." Dougal crossed the study quickly, frightening several of the birds in their cages but he paid them no mind. He thrust the letter which he had taken from Ian Murray under the laird's nose. "This is what they came with. She said that she thought Jamie would be here -"
"He's not."
"Aye, I told her that." Dougal rescinded his offer of the letter when his brother did not take it and instead ripped it open, beginning to read aloud.

To the Laird MacKenzie, Uncle Colum,

I write to you with the hope that you will be able to give my sister-in-law, Lady Broch Tuarach, Eira Fraser, a home until my brother - her husband, Jamie, returns from wherever he is. He has a price on his head, and an awful part of me thinks that he has been captured by the Redcoats already, though I hope that this is not the case. Mistress Fraser is with child, around four months along, and quite determined - she would not stay at Lallybroch with us, and so I sent her and my husband north to you to await Jamie's arrival. If he is already with you, then please disregard this letter, however if he is not, then I beg that you give her the protection that you would any MacKenzie, that you would to Jamie and myself.

I am grateful to you many times over,

Janet Flora Arabella Fraser

"Janet..."

"Ellen's second born after William, God rest their souls." Dougal told his brother, making the sign of the cross against his chest, "and a lovely lass, as far as it goes. Stubborn as an ox, mind, so she wouldna be asking this of ye unless there was no other way."
"Aye, well..." Colum frowned, "I couldna turn a young lass away when she was child, could I? What kind of monster would that make me? Nay, whether it's a descendant of Black Brian's or not, it's a MacKenzie and MacKenzies belong at Leoch."

"Aye." Dougal nodded, "ye're right, brother."
"Would ye find Mrs Fraser and let her know that I want to talk to her?"

In truth, there were other things that Dougal MacKenzie had to be doing, but he would never pass up the chance to see Eira again - whether she was a Fraser or no, she was beautiful, though he would never admit it to anybody whilst he was sober.

"Aye. I reckon she and the one she came with will be in the kitchen, anyway. They had a long journey - made it in a single day!"

"And in her condition?" Dougal nodded, "aye, the poor lass must be exhausted. I'll make it short, then." Dougal nodded and left the room, heading to the kitchen.

Eira Fraser's POV

I saw Dougal enter the kitchen before he saw me. I was on my feet before he was in front of me, and Ian had scoffed the last of the meal which had been set before us. He stood beside me. Dougal joined us, "Colum said ye're welcome to stay." I smiled thankfully, "he'd like to speak with ye first, though."

I tried not to sigh as Dougal led Ian and I up to the laird, wherever he might be.

"I think ye should wait outside." Dougal said to Ian when we reached a door.

"But I told my wife I wouldna leave her side -"
"Aye, well ye canna sleep in her room, either, so ye best be making habits now." The larger man said, "ye can wait here, but ye canna go in with her."
"But -"
"I'll wait here too if ye'd like?" Dougal promising to wait outside of the room seemed to put Ian a bit more at ease, so he looked at me for confirmation that I would be okay.

"I'll call for ye if I need ye." I promised. Ian nodded and took a deep breath.

"I'll be right here."

I thanked him. Dougal opened the door and let me in the room.

The man sitting behind the desk looked to be no older than Brian Fraser had been when he had passed, but this man's skin was prematurely wrinkled and a pasty-grey colour. He looked up when I entered, his eyes a dove-grey. "Ye must be Mrs Fraser?" He asked, his tone gravelly but quite loud.

I nodded, bowing my head. "I am. Ye're the laird?"
"I am, Mrs Fraser." He stood up and limped around the side of the desk. As soon as I could see his legs, I tried to hide how my eyes widened but I knew that it was obvious. Both of his legs were bowed out to the side, and it looked terribly painful. He offered me a hand and led me to a chair in front of his desk. I sat down and then he went to reseat himself in the chair that he had vacated previously. "How was your journey?"
"It was rather pleasant, if quite long." I replied, "I thank ye for hosting me. Dougal tells me that ye're letting me stay?"

"Madam, what kind of man would I be if I didna extend shelter to a woman with child?" He paused, "and ye're our Jamie's wife, of course ye're welcome here. He isna here, though, and I dinna ken if he will be. We havena heard from him."

I frowned, "I was afraid ye'd say that, laird."

"Colum is quite fine, my lady. We are, after all, family."

"Eira is just as well for me, then." I gave him a small smile. He smiled in return.

"Nevertheless, ye're welcome to stay as long as ye like. Ye shall want for nothing while ye're here. There's a woman down in the village, I believe, who is somewhat practised in midwifery. I'll have Dougal ride with ye tomorrow to meet her, if ye'd like."
"Aye, that'd be marvellous."

"Well, if ye need anything, then come to myself or my brother directly. Ask Dougal to have a maid show ye to yer room in the north tower - it's the warmest part of the castle, and when the bairn is born, ye'll be glad of it." I smiled because he was so thoughtful.

"I thank ye, Colum... and for my companion?"
"Companion?"

"Aye. Jenny's husband, Ian Murray? He canna leave for Lallybroch tonight. I imagine he'll leave tomorrow or the day after -"

"He will have the room next to yer own if ye wish it." He paused, "tell my brother that, too." He paused again, "and when he is ready to set off, I shall see to it personally that he has fresh food, fine whiskey and a wickedly fast horse."

I stood up to excuse myself, bobbing a polite curtsy. "A thousand thanks to ye, Colum MacKenzie."