The Strength of a High and Noble Hill (An Outlander Story)

Chapter 25: A New but Old Face

March 1770

Aunt Jocasta is demanding Brian and Ellen, now 7 months pregnant, attend some kind of party at River Run. They'd never been to an 18th century party, so Brian figures he should probably just go along with it. Make the best of it.

Murtagh has gone to Wilmington for business that he gave no more details on. But Brian knows it is to carry out a mission Da had given him; to find Stephen Bonnet.

Brian has been dressed exquisitely in a tailored, deep navy-blue suit with polished buttons. He'd never get used to the shoes though and just as bad as that, were the tall white socks that remind him of the compression socks worn by Mama's elderly patients to help with circulation.

Jocasta had pushed for Ellen to wear a new dress and instead of going for one that might cover her pregnancy, Brian's sister had decided to have her stomach boldly on display. He really loves his sister sometimes.

It's only when they arrive do they realise their Great Aunt's plan when Ellen is surrounded by different men and Brian with women. The women around him laugh and giggle at anything he says, earnestly agreeing with him. How has he thought Lizzie was bad? Brian finds himself wishing he'll be able to duck away into the kitchen and see if he can at least find Phaedra to talk to, so he can take a breath.

Finally, there is a lull in conversation long enough that he might get the chance, but just before he can, Brian hears his Aunt Jocasta's voice come from outside the room. "I would like to introduce you to someone, Lord John. Meet my nephew and my niece, Brian and Ellen Fraser."

Brian turns to see a gentleman following his Great Aunt. Lord John is a man of slight build and shorter-than-average height (about 5'6"), with thick dark hair and light blue eyes. Brian notes that unlike most of the men here, except for Brian, Lord John has declined to wear a wig and instead has his long hair bound back.

Immediately Brian feels like they could be great friends.

"It's good to make your acquaintance, Lord John." Brian greets.

"Yours as well." The man says. "I am friends of your mother and father. You both look very much like your father." Lord John swallows awkwardly causing Brian to frown

"How do you know our parents, Lord John?" Ellen asks, side-eyeing Brian.

As Lord John begins to speak, Jocasta pulls Brian away from other guests. Brian feels annoyed, hoping to stay with his sister and Lord John. He is forced into conversations with the men and women in attendance. One woman, Miss Forbes, keeps touching his forearm and laughing much too hard at things he says that aren't intended as jokes.

Brian has never felt so relieved as when Lord John sweeps up beside him to interrupt the attention of Miss Forbes. John turns to Miss Forbes rather than to him. "You're Miss Forbes, if I'm not mistaken?"

She nods. "Why yes, I am."

"I just wanted to inform you that there's a Mr. Whitley in the dining area and he was asking to speak with you."

"Oh." She says, not really paying attention to Lord John.

"It seemed urgent." Lord John adds.

Miss Forbes frowns, lets out a breath, but then bows to Brian. "We'll speak again."

"I'm sure." Brian replies, hoping he is wrong.

When Miss Forbes is out of sight, he and Lord John are left alone in the secluded corner of the study that Miss Forbes had cornered him into.

"There are quite a few available women here." Lord John says, lips tipped into an awkward smile.

"Yes." Brian smiles uneasily, finally ready to voice the concern that has been growing in him all evening. "I believe my aunt is attempting to make matches for me and my sister."

Lord John presses his lips together, his brow furrowing. "Do you think she..."

"What?"

"Do you..." Lord John's voice lowers to a whisper, "do you think she intends to leave you River Run and believes that if you have a wife and child maybe, you'd be less likely to turn down the offer?"

Brian is taken aback. "You really think she plans to offer me River Run."

"I shouldn't have mentioned it..." Lord John seems unsettled, though he'd seemed unsettled all night. "But I know she offered it your parents."

"Why did they turn it down?"

"From what your father said, they did not want to own slaves."

Brian let out a long breath, reality settling over him as he thought of Phaedra, Ulysses and the others. He has grown to consider some of them friends without considering they don't legally have a say in the matter of their friendship at all.

"I don't want to own slaves either."

"You may want to express that sentiment to your aunt before she starts measuring you for your wedding garments." Lord John gives him an unreadable smile, then walks away to join another conversation.

At dinner, Lord John had been seated in the group of single men that surrounds Ellen while Brian sits at the other end surrounded by the single women.

Later on in the evening, as Ellen plays her psychology game, Brian notices looks shared between Lord John and Judge Alderdyce. This combined with Ellen's comments about secrets, Brian realises what's going on.

——

September 1745

As John is led away, feeling the shame of revealing vital military information even if it was to save the English woman, when something catches his eye, a small boy, a toddler, staring at him wide eyed, as John is being carried away. He has red hair, and his eyes are strikingly familiar.

"Brian!" It's Red Jamie that yells, running over to the boy, casting a suspicious look at John. "Wha' yer doin', wonderin' off? I thought Fergus was watchin' ye." He scopes the boy up and strides off. The boy looks at John over Red Jamie's shoulder and John looks back until he can see them no more.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.