Scene 4

Jamie and Claire remain in the bed at Madame Jeanne's brothel. The sheets are tossed around them and all their clothes remain on the floor, they appear tired but happy. They are side by side staring at the ceiling and they reach out to touch each other occasionally not in a romantic way but in a reassuring way. Jamie stomachs grumbles and they both laugh.

"Suppose I'll be needing to get up eventually," He sighs still wearing a smile.

"Surely not quite yet?" Claire turns to face him and gives him an alluring smile while stroking his chest.

"I'm no longer a lad of twenty-three Sassenach, ye may very well kill me," his smile widens and he leans his head towards her kissing her softly.

"I remember at one point in time you told me if you died in my bed you'd die a happy man," she counters his argument further by moving the hand stroking his chest to below the blankets.

"Aye I suppose I did and breakfast can wait as well for that matter," he rolls on top of her exciting a squeal in response.

And of course, there's a loud knock on the door.

"Bloody hell!" Claire bolts up and frowns.

"Jamie, are ye in there?" we hear a male voice through the door.

"Ian?" Jamie replies, "a minute man."

IAN – Claire mouths her eyes go wide and she pulls the blankets up to her chin and brings a hand out to pat her hair down.

Jamie jumps from the bed and throws on his pants in one quick motion in less than a minute he's at the door but it's not quick enough the door opens and a middle-aged man walks in dressed in traveling pants, cloak and hat covered with dust. There is an odd thumping sound as he enters the room, he is covering his eyes slightly with one hand and immediately turns his back to the bed, from this new angle one of his legs is visible and you see it is in fact a wooden peg accounting for his shuffled and loud movements.

"Ian what is it brother?" Jamie asks moving to the wall opposite the bed to look at him face on.

"It's young Ian, I was away to market for a few days, appears Jenny thought he was with me when I returned two days later without him we searched his room found a note he was heading to Edinburgh to apprentice with his Uncle Jamie. Is he hear in this sinful place?" Ian looks exhausted furious and worried all at once.

Jamie turns slightly red but overall keeps his composure, "I'm sorry Ian I haven't seen him. I never told him to come here without the blessing of his parents I know he wants to be in the city he's not one to stay content at the farm always being the youngest and treated so. I told him maybe my next trip back we could talk to ye and Jenny about the lad coming to apprentice with me. I said it more to keep him from doing something yet more reckless, not to leave without word but I shouldn't have even told him that it appears." He shoulders sag as he looks at his poor brother in laws lined face. "If he had two plus days' head start on foot he likely here. I am sure he would have turned up at the shop, what lead ye here?"

"This house was the sent address on your last two letters. I was most astonished to find you reside in such a place and here yer sister worries herself sick ye are always without any women." Ian shifts on his one foot slightly and looks very uncomfortable.

"Aye, I reside at my printing shop but yed not be familiar with the address I'll take ye right away Ian knows where it is from his last trip. As for women, its naught but my wife and it was strange circumstances led us here last night, the place is run by one of my customers she's does the odd errands for me."

"Your wife? Ian chokes turning around without even thinking. "Dear! Why its yer wife Claire?" he looks back and forth from the disheveled female figure in bed wrapped in blankets and his brother in law who is now even redder in the face.

Ian appears somewhere between fainting and a heart attack.

"Sit down, I'll be ready to go in a minute," Jamie pushes a small table to Ian's side and hands him a glass of water placing the pewter from the table on the floor.

"It's really Claire," Jamie says.

"It is and it's good to see you Ian, though I realize it's a bit of shock just drink that and keep breathing." Claire tells him from her spot on the bed trying to sit up straight and seem dignified.

Jamie begins to put on his stockings and gathers his breathe to fill Ian in as quickly as possible. "I thought she was gone forever and she thought I was lost to her as well. I meant to die at the battle of Culloden, ye ken that I expect?"

Ian nods in response drinking his water as Jamie fetches his shirt. "I told Claire to go to her first husbands people in France and never look back. She was well known and thought to be a witch and a conspirator with Prince Charles. If caught she would be hung out right. She couldn't reach out to Lallybroch without compromising the safety of yer family and herself. Eventually she went to live in the colonies though I only learned that when she returned yesterday."

"The colonies? Yesterday?" Ian asked seeming even more surprised.

"I've been living in the city of Boston most of the last 20 years." Claire said sadness evident in her voice as if she missed the place and despised it for taking her at the same time.

"Aye, it was by chance she ran into a man that knew something of the Jacobite Rising and had access to documents of my imprisonment and eventual pardon. Claire shocked to find I had lived and not sure of where I was returned to Scotland leaving her family and friends behind." At this he looked at Claire and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "By the grace of God she managed to find me. Now ye will know more than most Ian, how I spent my time living like an animal, imprisoned, enslaved since Culloden Moore and I would not bring her to that life even if I had a way to reach her. I mourned her as if she was dead for I thought she was alive she was better without me, but she chooses upon learning I lived to sacrifice all to be with me again and if she's willing to do that I am willing to be her proper husband until the day I die." Jamie stated this with such finality all three of them were at a loss for words.

"I see," Ian managed eventually. "it is good to see you Claire but I am afraid it might not be so easy to for others to accept your return." He locked eyes with Jamie who gave a small nod of understanding. Claire whose heart was in her throat reliving their separation as he talked tries to put on a smile but its plainly false.

Jamie is now fully dressed and he kneels by the bed at Claire's side.

"I must go now and collect Young Ian, he's their youngest son and has a slight head for trouble, but a good lad we will find him soon I assure you. I beg of you Claire stay here, the Madame will take care of you and its as safe as any brothel on a Sunday morning" he smiles to her as he kisses her head in farewell.

She just squeezes Jamie's hand to acknowledge their parting and that she'll be obedient. The two men are out the door and Jamie looks back as he leaves a look of longing already on his face. Alone Claire pulls a robe from a hook by the bed and wraps herself in it. She moves to the table and finishes Ian's glass of water.

Suddenly the young girl that readied their room last night is bustling into the staring at the flooring and mumbling, "if ye'll come this way mi 'lady?" She turns and exits and Claire can hardly pop out of the room in time to see her duck into a door at the end of the hall. Claire follows and enters a small, dark room with a dress mannequin a small table adorned with ribbons, pins and bits. The young girl picks up a plate of food from the table and hands it to Claire gesturing to the one small piece of furniture a low backed chair. Claire sits and begins eating thinking of Jamie's growling stomach and hoping he feeds himself. She grabs her stomach not from hunger but from worrying and missing Jamie already. A half a day does not make up for 20 years of wanting someone you cannot have.

The girl exits and before Claire is done eating an older woman enters. She is dressed cleanly in finely cut cloth in a soft yellow that suits her dark skin, eyes and hair. The strings of measurement around her neck, the pencil behind her ear and the pins in her mouth announce her as the seamstress. She motions for Claire to stand up she does so placing the almost empty plate on the chair. The woman begins to measure and makes notes on a piece of paper on the table. She hands Claire an overskirt from a basket on the floor, mouth now free of pins she says, "This will do ye for now mam. Yer husband was right ye be about Miss Betsy's size."

Claire frowns at this, "So my husband is familiar with Miss Betsy's physique?"

"Yer husband? ye married the red giant?" She states shocked, "God bless you Lass. That man gives me the gooseflesh. I dinna ken him married, of course many men that come here are but they don't bring their ladies. Dinna fash yerself miss I've never met a man that pays less attention to the whorelets here than yer mister. I just thought maybe…well I wasn't sure yer purpose mam, but if ye a respectable lady come by me shop sometime basement of the hat shop down the corner I set ye up real nice, Margaret's the name. For now, we'll manage something."

Margaret disappears bringing back an armful of petticoats, overcoat and corset to finish the outfit and helps Claire dress. As the seamstress fashions on the last few items. The door bursts open with a mad shove and a young gentleman of a small stature but beautiful blue eyes and lush brown curl stands in the frame.

"Milady," he embraces Claire kissing each cheek then her hands pushing Margaret aside, "Ye've come back." He then beams at her with a charming smile to match his charming French accent.

If Jamie hadn't mentioned him last night she would have never guessed, "Fergus, my dear sweet Fergus how you have grown." And she insists on kissing him back taking in his appearance from head to toe. She grabs the end of his right arm that ends in a hook instead of a hand. "Oh Fergus, my sweet boy, I'm so sorry was it an accident or illness?"

"The Damn British!" He exclaims, "But no worry mi 'lady the fillies love it no?" He turns on his brilliant smile again. "You are a vision, time has not touched you, you must come down and join us in the parlor."

"Us?" Claire asks taking his arm and leaving with a nod to the seamstress.

"Yes me and young Ian, I found him lurking outside the print shop. I take it you have not met him, him being born since I last saw you. He is not quite as enjoyable company as his brother Michael, who lives in France now and is therefore tres civilized. But you will love him no?" he replies leading her down the stairs to the parlor.

"Young Ian, but Jamie and his father just went searching for him?" Claire exclaims. "We must go find them."

"Best to wait mi 'lady surely they will be back for you and if we all go and take a different route, why then we shall never meet up? Do not worry Madame the people around the shop saw us together my lord will know I bring him here they will be back shortly," Fergus assures her.

Claire enters the same front room she was in the night before now a teenage boy occupies a chair by the hearth, he appears tall and gangly even when sitting. He has dark hair the color of his mother Jenny but his face closely resembles his father and namesakes'. His mouth is hanging wide open as he stares at two of the establishments ladies who appear still in their night clothes whispering and giggling with each other across the room. One a young blonde and one a slightly older brunette who is eying Fergus and scorning at Claire.

"Ian, you slouch stand and greet your Auntie," Fergus commands. Young Ian brought out of his stupor stammers to his feet hat clutched in his hands and looks at Claire though he can't help but glance sideways at the two girls the entire time.

"Auntie?" He asks perplexed.

"Yes this is the Lady Claire but of course you have heard of her from birth, master Jamie's British wife." He states firmly presenting her to Ian obviously offended he hasn't already taking her hand.

"Claire? But Uncle Jamie…I mean I think I've only the one named Jamie and he's…" Ian scratches his head then lets out a grunt as Fergus not so slyly stomps his foot.

He takes her hand kissing and bowing. "Pleased to meet you Auntie?" He states though it's obvious he still has no idea who she is or what Fergus means.

"Please Auntie sit I will be sure some tea is brought to you." She sits has he exits bowing at the girls as he passes the brunette follows him to the kitchen.

"I am glad to meet you Young Ian, especially since your father arrived this morning announced you were missing." She states giving him an unapproving look.

"My father here in a whore house? St Bride and Michael! We'll be both be skinned by mum!" He semi jumps out of his seat wringing his hat in hand.

"Jamie and he both went in search of you, Fergus assures me they will be back shortly."

At this Ian goes white in the face murmuring to himself. Fergus returns trailed now by both the girls the blonde carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. She eits it down and all three join her and Ian in chairs around the parlor.

"So this is the red man's mistress?" the brunette now appearing less scornful as she lounges on the arm to Fergus' chair stroking his curls.

"His wife, this is lady Claire." Fergus speaks firmly.

"Pleased to meet you I am sure," Claire states giving the girl a look letting her know she is a wise and formidable opponent if the girl means to speak ill of her or Jamie.

The girl nods her head while the blonde somewhat more graciously curtesies from her chair.

"Well my lady I cannot wait to be reacquainted with you. I cannot tell you how much pleasure your company again brings unfortunately as the others will be returning soon I do have some business to take care of first. If you will excuse us two gentlemen." He stands taking the brunettes arm the blonde in tow heading towards the stairs, he looks back at Ian who is still as a statue staring after the group.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Fergus?" Says Claire tilting her head in Ian's direction, she can tell Fergus is no stranger to this place and these ladies though she still sees him as a boy in her mind, she can also tell this is all very new to the youngest Murray and that most likely his family would not approve.

"Ian, do come you fool. I assure you mi 'lady this is something I feel should be done for a number of reasons." He leans in to whisper in her ear as he passes, "Sometimes to get a young man to cooperate it's good to have a bit of leverage, Young Ian will perhaps listen to me and Jamie more if he has certain things to ummm look forward to." He winks and the four of them exit upstairs. Claire can't help but laugh as they leave.