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

Chapter 45: Should auld acquaintance be forgot?

December 1770/January 1771

Brian stumbles, slightly drunken on the Fraser whiskey, laughing at Mrs Bug as she curses at Geordie Chisholm's younger sons, Thomas, Anthony and Toby, as they get under her feet, mucking about as the poor woman tries to carry trays of food and whiskey out to the guests. Brian knows the boys are all reverberating with the excitement at the prospect of staying up late tonight.

"Spawns of Satan!" Mrs Bug hisses. "Ye should mind yer hide, I might smack it!"

"Calm, Mrs Bug!" Brian cries cheerfully. "I'll keep an eye on them."

"Humph." She grumbles. "Just keep 'em away from the fire."

The fire being the lit bonfire sitting in front of the Big House.

Brian flashes a grin and salutes. Mrs Bug looks at him, baffled then glares, realising he's being cheeky. This sets off the boys into a round of giggles, trying to hide behind Brian's legs when Mrs Bug turns her glare to them.

"Right, you lot, you've got to listen to what Mrs Bug says," Brian says sternly. "You wouldn't want me to tell your parents and go to bed early."

The mischievous child inside him revels against it but he keeps his face firm. He remembers how these three had apparently ransacked the surgery and caused mayhem while the militia had been away. Mrs Bug had informed the boys, in the hopes of keeping them out, that Mama is a notable witch; a White Lady, who would undoubtedly turn them into toads on the spot should any harm come to the contents of her surgery, which, according to her, would be no great loss to society. That didn't keep them out. Quite the opposite, they are fascinated, but it had so far prevented them from breaking much.

"Aye, Mister Fraser." The five-year-old Thomas says, his tone full of awe as he looks up at Brian.

"Good. Now, who wants to melt some cheese on the bonfire?" It is no s'mores but Brian figured it's the next best thing and what kid doesn't find melting food on fire exciting?

All three grin with excitement.

Brian is happy to have returned to the Ridge, particularly to call in the new year, or Hogmanay to the Scots, for the second year. They'd returned from Hillsborough now that the militia had been disbanded to find a few surprises. A happy one was the Beardsley twin's successful operation with the use of Mama's first batch of penicillin. Brian is happy to hear that Lizzie had stayed with them, seems her attention has truly shifted, and he's glad. Another pleasing discovery was to find that Joseph Wemyss, Lizzie's father had arrived as well. It was good to father and daughter reunited.

The final surprise was one they brought with them. Adso, the kitten. Yeah, that was a surprise, the sudden meowing that had come out of Da's pocket on the journey back to the Ridge. He's given it to Mama as a gift, the name coming from the cat his Mother owned when he was a child.

Brian is broken out of his thoughts and where he'd be teaching and keeping an eye on the young Chisholm boys when there's a giggle and then someone grabbing his leg. He turns and looks down to find the newly turned 3-year-old Germain grinning up at him.

Brian grins at his nephew. "Now what are doing here? Where's your Mama and Papa?"

The young boy pouts. "They're no fun Uncle Brian, they're looking after Joanie and she doesn't do anything!"

"She will one day. She'll be able to do all that you can do." Brian says, arguing in defence of the three-month-old.

Germain grumbles, clearly not believing him. Brian chuckles, swinging him up in his arms causing the young boy to laugh.

——

Brian walks by and he hears giggling and laughter nearby. He turns and it's Eudora and Penuel MacEalair blushing and giggling. They stand in a group with some other girls including Marion and Agnes MacLeod and Aila Ceallach.

When he looks over, Aila Ceallach straightens and tucks back a stray hair, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Eudora and Penuel pout and frown at the older girl.

"Do I want to know what's going on there?" Brian remarks to John Lowry, a young farmer from Woolam's Mill, who's also watching the group with a bewildered look on his face as Marion MacLeod flashes her eyes at him.

The younger farmer shakes his head. "I dinna ken wha' they're about but I ken know we best leave the lasses to it."

Brian shrugs, letting it go and turns to John. "Care for more Fraser whiskey?"

"Aye, a wee glass can't hurt."

——

And of course, there's dancing. It begins with Kenny Lindsay bringing out his fiddle to accompany his brothers Evan on his bodhran and Murdo on his flute. Thurlo Guthrie hands his elderly father a set of small uilleann pipes. A drunk Ellen dances with Marsali who's equally on the tipsy side. Brian, feeling looser than usual, agrees to giving Eudora and Penuel MacEalair a spin after the two girls ask him to. He also agrees because he sees the look of displeasure on Grannie MacEalair's face.

Ronnie Sinclair brings out a drum and a new beat begins. The Lindsay brothers soon implore Da to perform the Highland sword dance, chanting 'Mac Dubh'. Brian laughs with Ellen as they both join in. It takes Fergus and Geordie Chisholm grabbing Da by the arms and pushing him to the centre of the circle, where a makeshift dance floor had popped up, that Da finally obliges them with a jig.

Da's feet hit the ground, to the north, east and west, skilfully chaining the steps between the swords. He dances with all the skill of a warrior. Brian watches, fascinated by his ferocity and the rhythm of the Scottish drum. The sweat now flows on Da's forehead, he looks at Mama, who smiles at him.

——

They all cheer, knocking their drinks together in celebration when it turns midnight, signalling the start of a new year. Brian can't believe that he's really here, in 1771, surrounded by the history he learnt at school. He shares looks with Roger and Ellen who share similar looks of disbelief.

"Get te the back, Frasers. We dinna need yer bad luck!" Nelson McIver yells as they all get ready to start what Brian has learnt to be first-footing, which is an event that starts immediately after midnight.

It involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts such as salt, coal, shortbread, whisky, and black bun, intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder and supposed to be good luck for the rest of the year. Food and drink (as the gifts) are then given to the guests. This may go on throughout the early morning hours and into the next day.

Brian rolls his eyes amicably, scratching the back of his head underneath his red hair. "Oh, you want me to take back our whiskey then."

Those around them begin to jokingly whine at Mclver, declaring he'd ruined everything. Da tips his head back and laughs.

Tomorrow they'll continue with saining ('protecting, blessing') another Hogmanay custom but for now, Brian happily joins in the merriment, reassuring everyone that they can keep the whiskey though they better watch it.

——

A/N: The title is the first lyric to Robert Burn's Auld Lang Syne written in 1788, traditionally sung at New Years.

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