Luceo Non Uro || Outlander

Chapter 16

Fergus

I was not pleased to hear what Milady had asked of Marsali. It pained me to think of my wife helping Milady with her physician's work, when our baby was due in a few months. And from the uncertainty in Marsali's voice, I could tell she was not being honest about the type of work she was doing. She said she was mostly taking notes and cleaning Milady's instruments, but when she returned from the surgery, there was often blood caked under her nails. She also spoke of experiments with bread and mold. I worried for the health of her and the baby. I wished I was the type of husband that could command her to stay home, but of course I could not do that to her. She was stubborn and willful. Not unlike Milord.

His return to the Ridge was a welcome relief. I had been toiling away at the still, not quite sure what I was doing was right.

"Grand-père!" Germain squealed when he first saw Milord after the weeks of separation. 

He knelt down and handed a biscuit to the boy. "Your friend Thomas is here, go share that with him. Dinna tell yer Ma." I leaned against the frame of the house. Milord turned his back to me. he knew what was coming. Word traveled fast on the Ridge.

"I saw Ronnie at the still, he says you are gathering the militia."

"Aye. I'm glad yer here, perhaps you could deliver an advertisement to the printer in Woolam's Creek?"

"Let me fetch a pen and some paper." I knew Milady's surgery would be the place to look. I found some parchment that had so many lines crossed out from it, I figured it was of no further use to Milady. I was too distracted at the prospect of being sent on a mission away from the Ridge to make an attempt to read her writing. It was filled with medical words I did not understand. I was not an ignorant man, but sometimes it felt as though Milady, and even Brianna, were speaking another language entirely from the English I knew.

"Commencez."

"Colonel James Fraser, in command of a militia company for Rowan County raised against the Regulators to all good and able men between the ages of sixteen and sixty. I'll be passing through the county commencing on the 21st of this month to recruit men."

"So soon?" My pen stopped at the end of the final line.

"Aye, have them print a dozen broadsheets. We'll post them at the settlements hereabouts. I sent Roger Mac to tell the men of the Ridge we'll be leaving in a week. Ye'll be back in time to join us. We'll be taking yer whiskey wi' us, share it with the men who enlist. It's the finest I've tasted since leaving Scotland."

"I'm grateful, Milord."

"As am I, go now." I took the advertisement and immediately set out to follow Milord's orders. I heard him say behind me, "Hurry home."

~~~

The printer in Woolam's Creek was more than willing to print the broadsheets I requested, and gave Milord a hefty discount. I thanked him heartily, although I was worried at the growing discontent with the Regulators that had begun to spread through the county. Murtagh's men had been going too far recently, and people were scared. 

I made my rounds through the surrounding settlements, and posted the broadsheets as Milord had asked before turning Phillipe towards home. The three nights away from Marsali were agony. I was sleeping rough for the first time in a long while, and realized that it was not as freeing as I remembered it to be. I only yearned to be home with my wife in our warm bed.

The Big House was much changed by the time I returned. Men had already started pouring in from the settlements on the Ridge, and our ranks would soon swell with settlers from all over the county. On the day we were set to depart, I was filled with sadness at the thought of leaving Marsali again so soon, although this time it would be more than three days. I kissed her, refusing to let go until Milord pulled me away. He was fortunate to have Claire by his side. I would never ask such a thing of Marsali, but her presence would have made the long days and nights ahead more bearable.