Jeremiah McKenzie rode into his grandfather's stable, weary from work and an entire day in the saddle. He ran a hand through his untethered black hair, stroking the horse soothingly. He knew the stable lad would be asleep by this time and resolved to put the horse away himself. The thought made him groan, the horse would need to be unbridled and unsaddled, rubbed down, then fed and watered.

He had made up his mind to wake the boy and was headed towards the cabin where he knew the boy usually slept when something caught his eye. In an empty stall amidst a stack of hay, he had clearly seen a flash of movement. Thinking perhaps it was Colin, the stable lad, fallen asleep before he could reach his bed he went in.

the horse in the next stall over whinnied and bobbed her head, eyes rolling wildly. Not Colin then, surly the horse would not be upset over his presence in such a way if it were. The hay rustled again, a small hand reached out and pulled more hay on top if it's owner. for warmth, he concluded.

Whoever was asleep beneath the hay had no idea that they had been discovered. Jemmie sighed, all he wanted was his bed, not to have to deal with an intruder. He took some solace in the fact that the person was not a hose thief. else his grand sire's prize stallion would be missing and he would not be slowly approaching this sleeping form.

With a gentile hand Jemmy reached out to move the hay aside, and what he saw was not what he expected to see. He had been expecting some drifter or outlaw to be hiding out for the night. Instead, the sleeping form in the hay, was a young girl of about fourteen. Further more he dimly reconsigned her from the town that lay a good twenty miles to the east. He racked his tired brain for the girl's name.

he recalled seeing her on several occasions, having once actually walked into the child when not watching where he was going. She had been on one of the back streets... where the whore house he frequented was established. She looked to be about fourteen, a tall scrawny tangle of long limbs that had not yet filled out with the plumpness of woman hood. Her mass of dark hair was tangled, as usual, now full of hay as well.

It was her eyes he remembered best, he had helped her to her feet after having knocked her to the ground. She looked at him with the most unbelievable eyes he'd ever seen. They were purple! He had even asked his granny, who was a physician, what would turn a lass's eyes purple.

"genetics, Jemmy my lad." had been her answer. What had she said her name was? She hadn't! Mistress Lavisher had called out after the child as he entered the whore house. "don't come back till it is done Octavia!" that was her name.

"Octavia?" He whispered, gently shaking her solder. "wake up girl." those stunning lavender eyes fluttered open circled by long, luxurious, dark lashes. She blinked a few times, looking around the stable before recognition dawned on her pretty face.

"it's you." she looked surprised at seeing him, and her voice was breathy. Her lips, that were fuller and far more tempting than lips that should be on a girl of her age, spread into a smile. "i thought I'd never make it." Jemmie drew back at this.

"you've been looking for me lass?" his Scottish accent wasn't nearly as thick as that of his father or grandfather, but it was still there. She pressed her lips together and nodded. "what for?" she opened her mouth to respond then, seeing the grumpy look on his face, closed it again. Her face flushed red.

"i don't want to tell you." she whispered. Jemmie stood up.

"suit yourself, I've work to do lass." he held down a hand for her. Her eyes twinkled with excitement when she accepted it. "come along with ye, I'll see if my gram can loosen your tong with kindness. Suspect your hungry?" she nodded enthusiastically. When he would have let go of her hand she tightened her grip on his fingers.

Her hand was cold as ice and Jemmy suspected the rest of her was just as freezing. Jemmie dropped her hand and pulled his plaid from himself, wrapping it around her slender solders before taking her hand again. "come along child, my gram will be happy for some one to doctor to. Tho I expect she'll not be glad for being awoken."

Clair was in fact not pleased to open her eyes and find her fully grown grandson standing over her bed. " Jeremiah McKenzie if this is not an emergency I'll let your grandad throttle ya. I don't care how old you are."

"I've found ye a stray granny." he said pulling Octavia forward. Clair eyed the girl speculatively.

"she is a bit young for ye, don't ya think my wee cockerel?" she asked with a grin. She was all to aware that the boy had a sex drive as healthy as that of his grand sire. She knew he frequently visited the whore house in town, but never before had he brought a girl home with him. Especially not one who looked to be still to young to even have her monthlies.

The stars in the girl's eyes were clear, as she gazed lovingly up at Jemmie. Clair swung her feet over the edge of the bed, careful not to wake her husband. Jamie might be likely to actually make good on his wife's threat of a throttling if he woke to find Jemmy and the girl in his room. "what is your name then child?"

instead of answering the girl tried to hide behind Jemmie. She had come here to find him, not be interviewed by his grandmother. "her name is Octavia." Jemmie supplied.

"how did you come about bringing the girl here Jemmie?" Clair asked, slipping on her robe.

"found the poor wee thing under a hay stack in the stable. She's cold as ice, and probably not eaten in days. Think you can handle her? I've still got to put the horse away." Clair gave him a pointed look while leading them into the hall.

"if I can handle you and your own wild ways, not to mention your mother and grandfather, do you think one wee girl will be to much for me?"

"well you know, what with your old age and all." he teased, bending to kiss his grandmother on the cheek. Clair cuffed him on the ear. Jemmie held up his hand, still wrapped around Octavia's, and handed the girl off with out so much as an explanation to the child. The look of pure disappointment on Octavia's face as he watched him leave made Clair smile.

"he is a bonny man is he no?" Clair asked the girl who looked at her,startled. Clair winked. "it'll be our little secret. Come along now, lets see what we can do for you."