Outlander: The Standing Stones

Unexpected, Unwelcome News

A New twist on the story, I think

I missed Claire very badly. Just as I had never felt comfortable amongst the ladies of Chateau La Mere, I didn't fit in with the ladies of Castle Leoch.

And what was worse, Laoghaire had attached herself to me. I don't know why, I was polite to her, but I certainly wasn't encouraging. I suspected it was because Jamie and I were friends and she saw me as a bridge to his attentions. I was sure she was picturing herself presiding over a brood of red-haired boys, and maybe a girl or two at his ancestral home of Lallybroch.

I wanted to tell her to forget it. If such a match were even to be considered, something would have to be done about the price on Jamie's head, as well as the fact that he hadn't much of a fortune, a fact that a father would take into consideration. And, to be blunt, she wasn't much in the brains department and was the type that a man would tire of quickly unless he married strictly for a broodmare and housekeeper.

Like the other girls, she had a bad case of baby-itis. There was always a girl who was willing to hold Callum, to watch him for a little while. In your teens babies seem like something magical until you actually have one and realized how much work they were.

Callum, though, had approached his three-month mark and had entered the "magic baby" stage. He was happy, gurgling, taking an interest in what was going on around him. And, fortunately, he wasn't prone to crying, unless he needed something—dry nappies, my breast, someone to entertain him. And he now had a head of curly dark hair and the dark brown eyes of his father. Like Georgie, my son would grow up to be a heart breaker.

I began to have uneasy dreams at night. I had felt safe and protected when Jamie brought me here, but now I was not so sure. No one really knew who I was, but even a relatively isolated keep like Leoch was not protected totally from the outside world. I was careful not to be seen about too often, but now that I was feeling better I was restless. I was almost ready to start riding again and had started taking walks, being careful to leave Baby in someone's care. As a matter of precaution, I did not want him to be seen with me.

I was conspicuous and I knew it. Tall, unusual color of green eyes, and pale yellow hair. If someone asked a stranger about me, they'd knew who they were speaking of.

The Campbell lairds would be concerned, and if I had to confront them, I would tell them why I left. Whether I would be believed would be another matter. Colin's father was a sweet man, a kind man, but I was sure my story would fall on skeptical ears.

And even worse, Colin was friends with Black Jack Randall. If he asked, I am sure that Randall would oblige him by having the troops have eyes and ears for any news of me. And if they did find me, I would leave with them before I would cause any trouble for the McKenzies who had been so kind and taken such good care of me. I wouldn't, however, settle for being cooperative, one way or the other I would try to escape.

I broached the subject to Colum. "Just how likely is it that they would come to Leoch looking for me?" This seemed to be a little backwater place that the British didn't bother much with. Of course, that made it a good place for Jacobite intrigue. Colum wasn't opposed to the idea of Scottish independence, but he seemed to have a good grasp on the situation. A hothead like Dougal was all for it, but Colum seemed to realize the rebels would be outgunned and outmanned. His condition made him long for a quiet life, I think, and if he were driven from his home, he wouldn't survive for long.

One day we received word that the party that had set out would soon be returning. Mrs. Fitz began preparations for the reception, cooking large amounts of food. They would be tired and hungry when they got home, thinking first of a meal, then of bed if they had that luxury. The accountants would be busy over the next few weeks, tallying what had been brought in.