Title: Charlotte's Tumbling Time Travel: Homebound

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on Outlander, I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Author's notes: Again, I want to thank you all for your very encouraging reviews. Thank you so so much! Here comes chapter 3.

Chapter 3

Jamie and Claire had just sat down at the large rectangular breakfast table with Jenny and Ian when Lottie arrived. Jenny and Ian's son, Young Jamie, had already had his breakfast in the kitchen and was playing contentedly on the floor in a corner with several whittled animals in the shape of a horse, a dog and a fox. He certainly was a charming lad and Jamie was looking forward to getting to know him. He was planning on whittling a new animal for him as soon as he had the time. But settling Lottie in at Lallybroch had to come before that if any of the adults were to have any peace in the near future, he figured. Jamie looked over his shoulder at the sound of someone approaching the dining room. He was sitting with his back to the entrance but when his sister and brother in law's expressions changed from waiting to astounded he got a sinking feeling in his gut. He turned around on his chair to see for himself what had caused the looks on their faces. In the doorway stood his young charge, wearing a man's breeks and shirt. Slowly he wiped a hand across his face in exasperation. Why couldn't she simply avoid this sort of attention, he wondered.

"Uh, good morning, Lottie," Ian said, sounding like he was trying to sound casual, but not quite succeeding.

"Good morning," she returned his greeting.

With her head held high she strode right past Jamie and Claire and plumped down on an empty chair.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

The silence in the room was deafening. No one answered her question. Jenny and Ian couldn't quite shirk the expressions of surprise from their faces and Claire looked like she knew doom was approaching.

"What are ye doing in those clothes, Lottie?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously, sensing something was up.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked over at Jenny, avoiding Jamie's stare and at the same time telling him she knew she was doing something wrong.

"That's not the clothes that I sent up for the lass to wear," said Jenny, wearing a frown.

Jamie nodded, already aware of the gown she had sent up.

"Is this what ye're willing to let yer ward wear? What's next, brother?" Jenny asked acidly. "Her deciding when she's to help out around the farm? Deciding when meals are supposed to be served around here, maybe? Based on when she wants to eat?"

Jamie sent his sister a quick agitated look, wishing she would just be quiet. She could certainly be tiresome sometimes with her sarcastic remarks that wasn't helping things right now. Claire, who was sitting next to Lottie, seemed ready to intervene and shifted her weight so she leaned closer to Lottie at the table.

"It's not the proper way to dress here, Lottie," she said with a hint in her voice saying that she didn't mean Lallybroch, but rather the 18th century.

At that moment Mrs. Crook appeared carrying a big tray with eggs and bannocks and coffee. She was about to set a plate in front of Lottie when Jamie raised his hand stopping her. He was going to have to insist that the lass put on the proper clothes that his sister had provided, unless he wanted to send the entirely wrong signals to both Jenny and Lottie.

"You get yerself upstairs and change into the gown that Jenny has provided ye with before you eat anything at this table, lass."

Lottie apparently didn't have any intention of doing that.

"I'm going to wear this so I can explore Lallybroch without having to lift impractical skirts that're in the way. I'm twelve, damn it, I can pick out my own clothes," she spoke in a surly voice between slightly clenched teeth.

Jenny looked like she couldn't believe her ears, like someone had just spit at the breakfast table in front of them and refused to clean it up. That hadn't been the case of course, but Lottie had just cursed and that wasn't something that young ladies usually did in this time.

"Simply unbelievable this," Jenny said and threw her hands in the air. "I went to the trouble finding her a proper gown that would fit and this is how she acts…"

Lottie suddenly banged her fists against the table, eyes flashing with bottled up anger as she glared at Jenny.

"I never asked for anything from you!" she hollered. "I don't want it! I wouldn't wear anything coming from you if my life depended on it, you tyrant!"

Even Ian seemed to react to her behaviour now because he let go of his cup of coffee and dropped his jaw slightly. Jamie had reached his limit though and two seconds later he was on his feet and had crossed to Lottie's side of the table. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, which was easier now that she wore a shirt, and pulled her to her feet. With a gasp Lottie's feet connected with the floor and she was dragged from the room.

Lottie was dragged from the dining room so fast that her head spun. It was then that it began to dawn on her what she had just said and done. She hadn't planned on yelling at Jamie's sister but when the woman had started to interfere and, once again, insult her, she hadn't been able to stop herself. Soon she was upstairs in her room and the door was banged shut behind her. Jamie glared at her and she knew she was in deep trouble now.

"I'm gonna give ye a thrashing, lass, and I think ye're smart enough to ken why."

Lottie gulped. Her anger had been replaced by worry and she glanced at the gown and bonnet left in a unconcerned heap on the floor, looking very sad.

"I...I…"

"Yes? If ye want to speak then I advice ye to do it rrright now, because I swear I have a mind to just bend you over without questions," he said, looking very strict.

"I don't like the dress and you're going to punish me for it?" she asked innocently in a shaky voice, in an attempt to avoid the feel of his hand or belt on her hindquarters.

Jamie tilted his head and something dangerous glinted in his blue eyes.

"Dinnae even try it, lass. The punishment is not fer refusing the gown, and ye know it. It's fer insulting Jenny. Ye could have declined wearing that gown and we could have discussed it, but no, ye chose to yell and insult ma sister once again. And after she's tried to help give you something ye need. Because ye will need more clothes, there's no question of that. Almost everything ye owned was left at Leoch, after all."

Lottie gulped audibly. She was starting to see his point, and that was never good for her in this situation. It usually meant he was going to get his way and punish her like he had just promised.

"But I didn't like the dress…" she started but Jamie interrupted her.

"Och, nonsense. Ye just made it perfectly clear in the dining room that ye refused it because it was Jenny who had given it to you. Not because you didn't like it."

Lottie lowered her eyes and stared at the floor. And I haaad to say that, she thought and sighed. Truth was she didn't really mind wearing 18th century dresses so badly, but she hadn't been willing to wear a gown, accompanied by a stupid bonnet for children, where Jamie's sister had been the cause of both. She felt sure the woman had picked out a gown and bonnet for her just to make sure she wore something uncomfortable, because that was the way the woman operated.

"Or am I mistaken?" Jamie questioned her in an authoritative voice.

She shook her head but didn't meet his gaze.

"Then come here," he said and she could hear the swoosh of him pulling his belt from its loops.

Lottie looked around the room, not sure what she was looking for. Perhaps an escape route, but she knew there was no point in trying that. She was a fast runner but Jamie was faster and would catch up to her pretty fast.

Jamie had now crossed the small room and put his leg up on the bed. Lottie miserably scuffed over to him and before she had had a chance to think or dread any further Jamire had lifted her and deposited her over his knee. The punishment was delivered swiftly and with determination. Dreading the others downstairs hearing her howl or bawl Lottie tried for as long as she could to remain stoically silent. It didn't last long though and when the sixth smack of the belt landed she heard herself become vocal and beg him to stop. He didn't stop right away though, but kept it up a while longer. Finally, a full minute of bawling later, Jamie finally placed her back on her feet.

Lottie cried and wiped her tears on the sleeve of her shirt, which was hanging widely on her arm, having been too big for her from starters. Jamie grabbed a straight backed chair in the corner and placed it so it was facing the bed.

"Sit," he said calmly, pointing at the chair.

She sat down very gingerly and grimaced her already blotchy face as she did so. Jamie took a seat on the bed and locked eyes with her.

"No more boorishness towards ma sister, ye hear? She doesn't deserve this attitude from ye, lass. She really doesn't, even though I ken she can be difficult. Now, you act disrespectfully towards her again and ye'll answer for it, you hear?"

Lottie sniffed in response and blinked to drive the tears away. She knew he meant what he said. The trouble was just that she knew herself too, and she knew she couldn't just decide to like someone who acted the way Jamie's sister did. She could try to avoid her though and she promised herself she would. Maybe that way she could avoid trouble. She changed the subject quickly.

"It's not that I hate the clothes girls usually wear here. Accept the corsets," Lottie added, "I'll never wear a corset. I will wear the gown," she pointed at the heap of fabric on the floor. "But please, Jamie, don't make me wear that." She pointed at the bonnet next to the gown. "I'll die of shame if I have to wear it."

Jamie looked from Lottie to the bonnet and back again.

"She sent that up?" he asked with a small grin. "Well, Jenny does have a vindictive side to her."

Lottie frowned confusedly at him, not sure what he was getting at.

"Jenny used to hate wearing bonnets herself as a lass, however our father loved to see her in them and thought they made her look adorable. He made her wear them until she was finally old enough to refuse."

Jamie seemed to think it was amusing that his sister had sent it for Lottie to wear. Lottie didn't quite share his feelings but was too sore to object or care much at the moment though. Jamie stood up and moved towards the door.

"You won't have to wear it," he said to her relief. "But ye'll put the gown on right away and come down for breakfast while there's any left. And Lottie?"

She looked up.

"Like Claire said t's not common for lasses to wear breeks and shirts and ye'd best avoid attracting attention to yerself by walking around in unusual clothes. There'll be things that stand out about ye anyway that ye willnae be able to hide so's t's best not to help matters out, aye?"

She understood what he meant. She wouldn't be able to hide certain things that separated her from others here, even if she tried. She wasn't like most girls, just like Claire wasn't like most women. She hoped she would be able to convince Jamie at a later time to let her wear men's clothes on occasion though. They were usually more comfortable and sometimes certain situations called for more comfortable clothes.

Sighing as she pulled the gown over her head she looked longingly over at the bed. She wanted so much to just curl up there and deal with her pain and humiliation alone in her room, instead of having to go downstairs. She knew Jamie would have none of that though so she finished getting dressed and started to make her way to the dining room. She could only hope she hadn't completely fallen from everyone's grace as a result of her outburst. Well, perhaps she had fallen from Jamies sister's, Mrs. Murray's, grace, but that didn't really concern her. Especially since she was sure it had already happened before this morning.

To be continued

A/N: So, here we are again at the end of a chapter. Please let me know what you think.