Chapter Text
Claire gave an exasperated sigh of frustrated resignation and said, “I'll never get out of here.”
Once again Jamie had been enjoying his time spent with Claire. However, when he heard these words the smile left his face and his heart sank. She really wanted to leave. Was there nothing he could do to make her stay? He felt deep in his bones - in his very soul, that she was meant for him. The energy between them whenever they were together was so tangible. He was certain there were times when she could feel it too. Her husband was dead. What did she have to go back to? He decided that for as long as she remained at Castle Leoch he would keep trying.
……….oOo……….
Jamie awakened one morning, in the same way he did most mornings as of late, thinking of Claire. Dreams of her were the reason he woke with his lips smiling roguishly and his cock standing up by itself. He wondered if the day would ever come when he would be able to remedy the latter problem in the most agreeable fashion he could think of.
As he stretched his muscles, his thoughts ran back to the evening the previous week when he dragged Claire, not at all unwillingly, across the room to sit next to him during the concert. He enjoyed interpreting Gwyllyn’s songs for her. It gave him an excuse to lean close to her and whisper in her ear.
He loved to watch the goose flesh rise on her cheek and neck as his warm breath danced over her silky skin. At least it looked silky to him. He had yet to touch it but, oh, was it tempting. He greatly enjoyed the smell of her hair and he often leaned in close enough to feel the softness of her curls against his cheek. Sometimes he might even witness a blush rise in her cheek or her breath hitch if his lips, ahem, accidentally brushed her ear (his fault or hers he was not always certain). From his greater height, leaning over to whisper in her ear, he had a nice view of the beautiful swell of her breasts, rising and falling with each breath, moving faster if the words he whispered were those of a love song.
Claire always seemed to enjoy the music but that night she was inexplicably ecstatic after hearing “The Woman of Balnain.” She even asked some questions when it was over. She displayed a very childlike excitement. It was probably just Colum’s Rhenish. Although, thankfully she had not consumed as much of it then as she had at the previous concert.
That particular night he had to escort her back to her room while she could still walk upright. There was a great deal of that tangible energy between them then. The evening ended with her undressing him – just partially, to check his bandage, of course. But the feel of her, in such close proximity, removing his neckerchief and unbuttoning his shirt…
Jamie had to forcibly shake himself back into the present at which point he looked down and decided that an early morning dip in the river (yes, it was November) would be necessary before he began his day.
……….oOo……….
There was nothing like a freezing cold bath to shock the body back into reality. His hair was still wet but he was dressed for the day and his plaid was draped around his shoulders for warmth. Jamie walked through the woods back to the castle. On the way he thought about Claire and the wonderful time he had spent with her the previous week. Unfortunately, his mind finished the reminiscence with the expression of her desire to leave. He chastised himself then for dwelling on memories when he should be thinking ahead and plotting how to get her to stay.
What could he do to make her life here more enjoyable? What would put a smile on her face? What could brighten her day? Forcing his mind into this train of thought he remembered the dark and dank surgery where she spent much of her time. There must be something he could do to enliven it and make it a room more befitting of a lady such as herself.
Just then he spotted on the forest floor a patch of late blooming flowers: forget-me-nots, their bright blue petals and golden centers winking at him in the early morning sunlight. He gathered a handful of the flowers and tied them in a bundle with a piece of grass. Carrying them in his hand he resumed his walk back to Leoch. As he emerged from the woods however, he realized it would be embarrassing to be caught with the posey by the other clansmen. They would give him such a ribbing. So he tucked it gently into the drape of his plaid. This action, however, did not go unnoticed.
……….oOo……….
Laoghaire had been watching for Jamie to return from the woods. She always rose early to help out in the kitchens and that morning she had seen him leave heading toward the stream. She knew he must have been intending to bathe and longed to follow him (what a sight that would be, quite the fine figure indeed!) but she had to attend to her duties in the kitchen. Her grandmother, the housekeeper, would surely notice if she were missing and no gallant highland warrior would be able to save her from her punishment then. Instead, she kept stealing glimpses out the window, watching for his return.
Finally, she saw him emerge from the trees with what looked like a bunch of blue flowers in his hand. She saw him stop and place the bundle in his plaid before resuming his path to the castle. He must be bringing her some flowers. How sweet of him! He would surely come in through the kitchen door so she abandoned her work and went to wait for him in the alcove.
……….oOo……….
As Jamie approached the castle, he was alarmed to see Claire on a mad dash out of the gates. Was she seriously trying to escape in that manner? She wouldn’t get far. However, just as he was about to run after her in lieu of the guards, a gaggle of bairns burst through the gates in hot pursuit. Claire looked back at them, laughing (oh, how he loved to hear her laugh). Her followers, led by his young cousin Hamish, he noticed, redoubled their efforts with shouts of “We must catch Mistress Claire” and “The beast is getting away!”
A broad grin split his face and he began to laugh as well. She must have heard him for she glanced his way and made a quick spin in her tracks waving in his direction before resuming her run. He happily waved back. Hampered by her voluminous skirts, however, the wee hunters were gaining on her. Jamie watched until they disappeared into the woods.
He stood there smiling and staring after her for a few minutes. He didn’t know she had made friends with the children of the castle. What a kind and loving heart she had. She would make a wonderful mother, he was sure. That thought conjured up others that he needed to push aside.
Jamie was glad that she was having fun, maybe she was finally embracing her fate that she was meant to be here… meant to be his. He wished he could have joined in the chase; with his long legs and powerful stride he could have caught her easily and then… He needed to stop having such thoughts or he would have to go back to the river.
He remembered the flowers in his plaid and realized that now was the perfect opportunity. While she was gone playing chase he could sneak into the surgery and leave the brightly colored bouquet there for her.
A minute later he entered the castle and took the corridor past the kitchen to get to the surgery. However, as soon as he reached the alcove someone grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
“Laoghaire!” said he, surprised to see the lass. He looked about to make sure no one saw him and asked, “what are ye doin’?”
“I was waitin’ for ye,” she said flirtatiously, as she sashayed closer to him.
She tried to press her body against his, but he maintained his distance, placing his hand protectively over the bundle in his plaid. She remembered the flowers he put there and stepped back expectantly, waiting for him to pull out the posy for her.
“Oh. No lass. I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, taken aback by her forward behavior, “I-I have somewhere to be.”
This confused her because she thought he was bringing her the flowers and she wanted to kiss him in return. Instead, he strode off down the hall.
Laoghaire was devastated. If the flowers were not for her then who were they for? Was there someone else? Oh, if there was – the wench would pay! Frustrated and fuming, she returned to her duties in the kitchen, chopping the stew vegetables with a newfound vehemence.
……….oOo……….
Jamie tentatively entered the surgery, looking around to make sure no one was there. He found a glass jar and filled it with some water, too bad there was no vase. He pulled the flowers out of his plaid and put them in the jar. He placed them in the middle of her worktable and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Or should he say, ‘God’s handiwork,’ all he did was pick the flowers.
Yes, the little splash of color was definitely an eye catcher in that dreary room. Claire was sure to notice them as soon as she returned. Would she like them? Would she figure out who brought them? Jamie smiled to himself and left to go get breakfast. He would be spending the rest of the day away from the castle and would sleep in the stables that night, in order to avoid the gathering and the oath taking ceremony. After the oaths were done, he would be able to participate in the festivities.
……….oOo……….
Claire had been inspired by Gwyllyn’s song the other night “The Woman of Balnain.” Since the concert she had recalled the lyrics over and over again:
I am a woman of Balnain.
The folk have stolen me over again,
the stones seemed to say.
I stood upon the hill, and wind did rise, and the sound of thunder rolled across the land.
I placed my hands upon the tallest stone
and traveled to a far, distant land
where I lived for a time among strangers who became lovers and friends.
But one day, I saw the moon came out
and the wind rose once more.
so I touched the stones
and traveled back to my own land
and took up again with the man I had left behind.
This song had given her hope that she would be able to return through the stones to her own time. One line, however, kept recurring to her, “I lived for a time among strangers who became lovers and friends.”
As she was returning to the castle after playing the hunting game with Hamish and his pals, Claire’s thoughts returned once more to this line. She did seem to be making friends here (besides the children) like Mrs. Fitz and Geillis. Would she find a lover here too? She closed her eyes and her mind conjured up the memory of strong muscular arms wrapped around her in a comforting embrace. Her eyes sprang open. Of course, she shouldn’t think such things! She had Frank back in her own time. But the woman in the song had a man she had left behind as well…
As she came down the stairs into her surgery her eye was caught by the little bouquet of flowers on her worktable. She gasped and launched herself off the last step toward the table to examine the spray.
However, a few steps into the room, Claire was startled half out of her wits when she heard her friend Geillis say, “I brought the port ye asked for.”
“Christ, Geillis,” she said, as her hand flew to her breast in surprise.
“Mrs. Fitz told me I might find you down here,” her friend said, to explain her presence.
Geillis walked over to Claire at the worktable and handed her the bottle of port. Claire was staring at the flowers wondering where the colorful offering had come from.
As she took the bottle from Geillis she thanked her and asked, “Did you bring the flowers as well?”
“No,” replied Geillis, “they were here when I arrived.” Noticing the confused look on her friend’s face, Geillis leaned in and teased, “Do you have a secret admirer, Claire?”
“Pardon me?” replied Claire, somewhat defensively, “Do you think that simply because there are flowers here, I have a secret admirer? Maybe Mrs. Fitz brought them, or one of the children.”
“Mmm-hmm,” said Geillis with a knowing look, “Perhaps it might be that ginger-haired laddie. Can’t seem to tear his eyes from you or keep the smile off his face whenever you’re around.”
“Nonsense,” replied Claire, pretending to busy herself with her herbs so she didn’t have to look her friend in the eye, “I can assure you; Jamie is just grateful to me for tending to his wounds, that’s all.”
Reaching for the flowers, Geillis fingered one. “Forget-me-nots,” she declared, “how appropriate. Not only do they symbolize remembrance but also never-ending love.”
‘Forget-me-nots,’ thought Claire. She glanced over at them again for confirmation and sucked in her breath. That was the flower she had returned to the stone circle to find. Forget-me-nots were the reason that she was here. Was this some sort of a sign?
Later, after Geillis left, Claire picked up the bouquet of flowers. The little blue blossoms were bright and cheerful. They gave off a pleasant, albeit faint, scent and Claire smiled. As she tried to figure out who put them there, she concluded that Geillis was probably right. Jamie was the only person thoughtful enough to go to such effort for her.
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and her heartbeat quickened at the thought of the ginger-haired laddie. Unbidden, her mind played through some of her favorite memories of him: the smile that spread across his face when he spotted her within a crowd, the warmth of his hand when he took hers and pulled her to a seat across the hall for the concert, the feel of his skin under her fingers any and all of the myriad of times she tended to his wounds, and, of course, his arms wrapped around her when he comforted her that first night in this place.
A pleasant shiver went all through Claire’s body and butterflies fluttered frantically in her belly. She felt a strange magnetic draw toward Jamie, greater than any draw she had ever felt toward anyone, even Frank. Was he the reason the stones brought her here? Fate seemed to be conspiring to make her stay after all. Maybe there was some reason she was meant to be here. Maybe that reason was the tall, ruggedly handsome, red-headed highland outlaw.
No! She was out of her own time. This was not normal. She had to get back to 1945 – back to – to Frank. However, looking at the flowers again, she had to admit to herself that the idea of going back to her own time did not excite her as much as the thought of seeing Jamie again. She shoved that thought aside though and set the flowers back down. She had built her plan of escape and she intended to follow through with it. She needed to go about making her final preparations.