Chapter 10 – Colum's Verdict

Lizzy reined in her mount as she looked down into the lush valley below her.

They had been riding since well before dawn to reach the low pasture and return back in one day. She yawned a little as she looked down. It was crisp yet, frost on the leaves about them. It had an odd beauty in the early light.

Jamie pulled his reins up next her and smiled. "Bonny isnae it?"

She nodded. They then moved picking their way through the soft trail toward the large herd of cattle that the MacKenzie were going to move from the low pastures they were now to the higher ones near Leoch.

The shaggy coats protected them from the winter that could be harsh even in the low valleys. They were mostly for meat, but Lizzy was rather found, since she had tried it, of the cheese made from the thick milk. She also liked the milk that was like drinking cream because of the high milk fat content.

Lizzy watched from a plateau as the men began to gather and press the cattle along. Jamie and the others were shouting to each other in Gaelic.

Lizzy found Jamie near the rear, watching for stragglers.

All of a sudden an arrow sailed up and then down, landing squarely before Lizzy on her saddle, going through her thick riding habit. She gasped. A shot so would have to have been fired straight up and then guessed where she would be. However, she was a moving target so it was, a very lucky shot not to have harmed her.

Jamie, as normal reacted faster than she did, since she stared. He barked orders and caught the attention of Dougal who was nearby.

Lizzy yanked out the arrow and looked about as suddenly several men charged into the cows, trying to separate a few from the herd.

A raid.

Lizzy gasped seeing the plaid. These were MacDonalds.

She gave a startled outcry as her husband jumped from his mount after a man nearby. Lizzy herself suddenly felt hands on her. She looked down into the painted face of a MacDonald she did not know. He pulled her down to the earth even as she struggled.

She cried out and kicked. The kick wasn't hard because of her heavy skirts, but it did gain his attention. She looked about and reached into her pocket for the medallion she had grabbed as nearly an afterthought.

She lifted it as the man loomed over her. "Take me to Andrew!" She barked at him.

He stared at her a moment.

She shoved it higher into his face.

He grunted, rising and then yanking her by her hair. She yelped as she was hauled backwards. He lifted her into the saddle and then mounted behind her on her own smaller mount. Thistle protested the added weight, but the man turned her from the fray and rode back toward a tree line.

Once there the man pulled Thistle to a halt, but vaulted free before she was fully stopped. He baked something at a tall man in a saddle.

The tall man blinked and then came closer as the man who had brought Lizzy lifted her hand to show the medallion she had kept.

The man was Andrew MacDonald, though he had aged it seemed.

He looked at her. "Elizabeth MacTavish." He said softly. "Whit urr ye daein' 'ere?"

"I could say the same about you." She said.

He nodded. He lifted his head then. "Ca' th' wee jimmies back. Thae mackenzie we wull gie a wide berth."

"Bit faither we kin mak' dosh fae sellin` th'..."

"Enough ah said." Andrew barked. He nodded to Lizzy. "Th' lassie saved yer brother's lee. Fur that, ah swore ne'er tae see her harmed or her clan. Noo gang!"

The man hissed in Gaelic before riding out screaming to those fighting to stop.

The injuries were minimal, though Jamie had a rather nasty cut to his thigh. Deep it was to the top and outside away from his artery on the inner part that could have meant death within minutes for him.

The MacKenzie looked about bewildered as the MacDonalds lifted their hands and backed away toward the tree line.

Andrew leaned forward and pulled Lizzy's reins sharply to make her look at him. She looked at him and he nodded to her. "Thank ye again, lass fur a' ye hae dane. Let it gang lads."

Lizzy then dipped her head and rode into the meadow as the MacDonald clan members moved passed her. A couple were bleeding as well. She could not believe it had been that easy to call them off, but then Andrew had promised her and a promise to a Highlander was an oath very few would venture to break to perhaps incur God's wrath.

She rode at a fast trot toward Dougal and Jamie who were standing together. They had been fighting back to back, a lethal combination.

They both looked at her as she came up.

"Whit th' hell did ye dae tae guide that?" Rupert asked to her left.

She smiled and hid the medallion. "Never think a woman is without charm." She said as she took a breath and dismounted. She saw the blood oozing down her husband's knee. She reached into her saddle bags and lifted a long bandage as she moved and knelt at his side.

"I will tend to this back at Leoch." She said firmly.

He nodded and lifted his kilt up to allow her to bind the wound. He tried to ignore the fact his wife was there, level with his half hard manhood after a fight that had his blood rushing. She took notice, but ignored it as his hand went to her hair as she wrapped the bandage. She pulled harder than she needed as she felt him consciously or subconsciously trying to direct her toward his aching maleness, but then his hand fisted in her hair showing pain. She heard his sharp intake of breath and she knew she had gotten the message across.

When she was done he helped her mount her horse, hands covered in his blood that she could not wash off yet. He mounted and grunted a little in pain before they continued to drive the cattle north to the higher pastures near Leoch.

It was just passed midday when the group arrived back at Leoch allowing the drovers to take the herd and move it.

Lizzy dismounted in the courtyard and then crooked her finger at her husband who had dismounted and hissed. The bandage had bled through, but he looked at his wife with an arched eyebrow.

Murtagh looked at her and then his godson. "Gang oan." He said.

Jamie nodded and moved to follow the lass as she walked quickly toward her surgery.

ZzZ

Jamie sat still with his kilt hiked up to the point of barely being modest. He held it, barely covering himself as he looked down at his wife stitching the wound closed.

"Dinna fash yirsel Lizzy. It's juist yin mair scar." He said looking down at her as she sat on a stool working. She had patched him several times, but she was having none of his attempt at humor. He tried again. "It cuid hae bin worse. Ah wis able tae dodge maist o' it. It nearly unmanned me."

She said nothing and frowned. She was about to comment that if he would have died, his manhood would have been a moot point. Still she worked and he winced a little watching as she wiped blood away.

She worked and finished looking at her work and then up at him as she wiped her hands free of blood.

He lifted a hand to her cheek. "Gently dane, lass. Thank ye."

She nodded as she then chewed some leaves as she made a paste with some various concoctions she had made. She then spat the leaves into the mix and then used her fingers to paint over the wound. Jamie winced a little, but then she wrapped his thigh with due skill as he lifted it to aide her.

She still said nothing as she cleaned up her work. He looked at the bloody water in the bowl and was once again grateful for her skills in healing him.

Ned walked into the surgery looking at Lizzy and Jamie.

Jamie was seated on a work bench still. As he saw Ned, he pressed his kilt down over the bandages and sighed.

"Jamie, Th' laird is asking fur ye." Ned said.

Jamie nodded and reached for his shirt which he pulled over his head.

Lizzy sighed as she dropped a clay bowl. Her hands had been shaking and she had not taken into account how worried she had been. She grunted as her eyes blurred with tears.

Ned took a breath. "He haes need o' th' lassie an' a'." He said looking at Lizzy.

Jamie went to her and gently put his hands on his shoulders. "Lass?" He asked softly.

She shook her head and put a hand to her lips.

Jamie turned her to him even as she struggled to clean the bowl. "Hush noo, mo ghràidh." He said softly. "A'm weel as urr ye."

She nodded as he caressed her back tenderly. Carrying a child made her unpredictable in her emotions. Jamie took it in stride.

After a few moments she hushed and he stepped back from her. She bent and cleaned up the bowl that had only broken in three pieces. He pulled on his vest and then lifted a hand to her.

"Come, Mo chridhe." He said softly.

They walked together, hand in hand. Jamie limped a little as Ned led the way to the laird office.

Ned then opened the door to reveal Colum pacing before Dougal who stood in the middle of the room.

"Ye wull return tae yer hame 'n' attend yer wife's funeral." Colum was saying as the three walked in. Ned closed the door behind them as Colum did not even look over at them as of yet. "'n' at hame ye wull remain 'til ah send fur ye." He continued.

"Ye'r exiling me." Dougal said. "Fur howfur lang?"

"'til ye come tae yer senses. If yer even capable o' sic a thing."

"Yer asking me tae dae whit ah cannae."

"Ah'ament asking ye tae dae anythin', ye half-wit, a'm ordering ye!" Colum said, his voice raising.

Colum looked passed his brother and saw Jamie standing to the side, hand on his leg, wincing and Lizzy curtsied so low, her skirts fanned out from her like a living thing, her head was down nearly to her husband's knees.

"Weel at least yin o' ye looks apologetic!" Colum barked. "Git up, Lizzy 'n' sit doon afore ye faint." He said.

She rose to her feet slowly, but easily. Even so Jamie had shifted to help, but she stepped forward, head down.

"'n' she is th' yin wha needs tae keek th' least o' th' lot o' ye! her ainlie crime is gaun alang oan th' drove 'n' bein' guidwife tae yin o' th' three o' ye weasels." Colum said watching as she sat down in a chair, back stiff, face holding concern, not the impassive mask she was known to adopt. Colum watched her a moment. His face softened a little, but his eyes clearly held anger. Hers held an odd fear, which he considered well. She feared him and his retribution. So much the better, but she had little to fear from his ire now.

"Ah wull nae spurn Geillis Duncan." Dougal said, breaking the reverie.

Colum's face whipped around to look at his brother. "Och, neither wid her guidman 'n' ye see whit she did tae him?!"

"That bloated bastard's bin dying fur years." Dougal hissed.

Colum then laughed, surprising everyone in the room. "By christ, ye actually loue th' bitch."

Lizzy winced.

"Or ye'r an even bigger numskull then ah thought." Colum continued smirking.

Dougal took a breath and shifted. "Ah dae loue her." He said quietly. "And wi' juist cause. Brother. She's carrying mah bairn."

Lizzy looked up. "Again?" She blurted before she could quite hold it back.

Every man in the room looked at her as she paled and pressed a hand to her mouth and looked at the fire, closing her eyes.

Colum looked at her. "Whit dae ye mean again?" He demanded. He looked at Dougal and back at his niece.

Lizzy shook her head, eyes closed in muted horror at what she had said. She took a shaky breath.

Dougal, however, took a breath and lifted his chin. "She means th' bairn she bore wis mines an' a'. She again carries mah bairn noo."

"Sae yer whore spread her legs often then." Colum growled. "She mist be ower guid in kip tae keep yer interest fur sae lang." He said, voice calm, but with an edge.

Lizzy winced again wondering why she was there to hear this. Jamie, across from her was thinking the same, though he said nothing.

"She is na whore brother. She carries mah bairn. Please. Ah wish tae mak' it 'n' th' ither yin legal fur..."

"Yer bairn?" Colum said looking back at him after staring at Lizzy's profile.

"Aye." Dougal said.

"Yer bairn?" Colum repeated.

"Whit, need ah tell ye howfur bairns ur conceived?" Dougal said smiling a little.

"No, no, no, no." Colum said waving a hand looking back at Lizzy who had dropped the hand from her mouth and it now rested on the swell of her own belly as she looked at the dancing flames, eyes open, though her complexion was paler than he would like.

He looked back at his brother. "Tis arthur duncan's bairn. Juist as th' ither yin is." Colum took a breath. "Juist as hamish is ma bairn."

Lizzy winced again and every man saw it. Jamie's head lifted as did Ned who was in the background listening. He looked over at Lizzy and then back before him.

"Aye." Dougal said softly.

"'n' if ye think ye'r aff tae be marrying that evil temptress..." He sucked in his breath between his teeth. "Ye'r gey sadly mistaken, sadly sae." He stepped back. "Ye wull lea this castle th'day. Angus, rupert, 'n' this yin..." He said waving toward Jamie. "Thay wull accompany ye."

Jamie shifted to speak up, but Colum turned to him, voice cracking like lightning.

"Ye haud yer gab!" Colum barked pointing to him. "Ye wull speak whin yer spoken tae."

Jamie shifted and winced, but looked down, properly chastised.

"Noo, oan na accoont wull ye stoap 'n' say cheerio the nou tae yer whore." Dougal looked down. "Efter th' funeral, ye 'n' yer companions, och ye kin dae whitevur ye lik'. Ye kin dram 'n' fornicate yourselves intae oblivion, bit ye wull dae it oan yer hame ground." He said pressing a finger into his brother's chest causing him to step backwards. "Nae mines!"

Dougal watched him coldly. There was a very uncomfortable silence as the brothers squared off. Jamie stayed put as much as he longed to go to his lass who looked out of sorts on the other side of the room. She looked at the pair nervously, fearfully even.

"Dae ye nae even hae a nod tae acknowledge th' orders o` yer laird?"

Dougal looked at him steadily and then took a breath after looking at Lizzy, seated, breast rising against her bodice in quick breaths. He realized she was worried one or the other would kill the other and he could not do that. Colum looked up and raised his eyebrows. He then took a breath and nodded, head dropping down sullenly.

Satisfied for the moment, Colum turned his ire to Jamie who was half leaning on the cabinet next to him. "Jamie Fraser!"

Jamie straightened and moved to take the wrath coming.

"Howfur dare ye shed macdonald blood wi'oot mah approbation!"

"Ah hud na desire tae cross swords wi' th' MacDonalds, bit..." He shifted. "We wur movin` th' cattle tae pasture 'n' thay raided th' group. Ah hud tae defend whit wis ours 'n' mah wife, uncle, thay wur trying tae mak' aff wi' her lik' th' grants hud 'n'..."

Colum shook his head angrily. "Ah'ament interested in yer stories, yer plots, yer bloody wounds!"

Jamie stiffened and he looked over at Lizzy who was shaking watching.

Dougal stood before her, eyes looking at the floor as she sat, knuckles white on the arms on the chair she was in.

"A'm sorry if ah hae disappointed ye." Jamie said softly.

"Disappointed me?!" Colum barked.

Lizzy winced at every word, breaths ragged.

"Na disrespect wis intended." Jamie said looking down at him. "Juist defense o' th' mackenzie 'n' mah wife's honor ." He stepped closer. "Bit if ye think sae poorly o' me, ye'll be chuffed tae ken ah will soon be returning tae mah hame at lallybroch wi' mah fowk."

"In time, ye kin dae whit yi'll waant, bit nae 'til ah gie mah allowed." Colum said. "'Til then, ye'll stick claise tae mah brother." He said pointing back behind him. "Ye see tae it that he follows mah orders in a' matters." He stepped closer. "'n' juist sae that ah ken that yer mynd is concentratit oan mah wishes, ye'll lea that guidwife o' yers 'ere." He said.

Whatever color that was left in her face left her. It was well enough that she was seated. Had she been standing she would have likely fainted dead away. She fought to stay upright and not slink downwards in the seat.

Jamie noticed her pale looked and looked at his uncle. "Ah see na reason how come..."

Colum thundered. "Ye flap that tongue at me again, laddie, 'n' ah will hae it cut oot at th' root!"

Jamie shifted back, stunned.

Lizzy took a breath as Colum hobbled back toward his desk. She rose to her feet. "Please. Don't make him..."

Her hoarse words only added flames to Colum's ire as he lifted a hand and slapped her across her face, knocking her head to the side, stunning everyone in the room, including Colum who looked at his own hand wide eyed.

It had been Jamie's turn to wince. He knew from experience how much power was behind that seemingly frail man's hand. Lizzy's look of bewildered hurt almost made him cry out for her.

Lizzy herself looked torn between jumping at Colum and running to her husband. She stood there, gasping in horrified shock a moment until the pain from her cheek spread.

Lizzy's hand went to her cheek where the red outline of Colum's hand had left it's mark. She looked at him in hurt betrayal as tears, which she had held at bay until then, sprang to her eyes. She shook then, eyes full of fear, no not even fear, terror as she shied backwards toward her seat, softly sobbing.

Jamie had taken a step forward, but Ned held his arm. "Don't." He said softly in warning.

Jamie knew well the laird of the MacKenzie was within his rights to strike anyone with in his clan for disobedience, but some small part of him snapped at the man hitting his own wife. The look on Lizzy's face made him grateful he was unarmed lest he run his uncle through for harming her.

"Gang. A' three o' ye!" Colum barked lowly.

Dougal had not moved even as Ned opened the door. Jamie looked at him a moment and then his wife. Lizzy moved to go, but Colum shifted, blocking her path with a stern look as he turned his back on the others.

Lizzy froze, fearing more she stayed put.

Jamie knew he could not help her, not just yet, but he laid a hand on Dougal's arm. Dougal looked up and then nodded, moving to walk out. Jamie looked at his uncle's back and his quaking wife before the laird one more time before leaving the room.

After the door shut, Colum's shoulder's sagged.

"Christ, God! A'm sorry Lizzy!" He said stepping toward her. He lifted gentle fingers up to her face and she jerked away as though she feared being struck again.

He shifted, bringing her other hand, the one not to her face, to his lips. She watched, stiffly as he kissed the knuckles and then held it gently. He lifted a hand again, this time his fingers brushed her unbruised, tear stained cheek.

"Kin ye forgive mah temper? ah didnae mean tae harm ye." He said softly, the anger gone from his voice.

She shivered and nodded. "Yes." She said closing her eyes. "Must you send Jamie away?" She asked, voice plaintive like a child.

He nodded. "Fur noo." He said softly.

She nodded and looked down, hand dropping from her face to her lap. He could see the bruising already forming and he felt like an ogre.

He then walked to his desk and lifted a missive.

"Forby, yer presence haes bin requested in Edinburgh." He said.

"Me?" She asked. "Why me?"

He took a breath and shrugged. "Ah dae nae think ye kin refuse this yin." He said setting it in her lap.

She lifted it. It was from King George himself. The royal seal was plain enough.

"Why?"

He shrugged dropping into the chair near her. "An envoy from your uncle is meeting with him. Since you now are known to live, perhaps they want some measure of what you know."

She nodded a little drying her eyes with her sleeve. "I will not betray my clans, family, laird, or home." She said.

He nodded. "Guid."

ZzZ

Lizzy walked back to the rooms she shared with her husband.

Her face ached dully, but nothing like her heart. She opened the door. Jamie was there, seeing to the bairns. He saw her and then kissed them both, whispering good night and to sleep well before Flόraidh took them in hand to get their supper.

Jamie watched them go and then sat down on the bed as the door shut quietly, but with the impact of a tomb being sealed.

He looked up at his wife as she moved about, nervously lighting candles with a reed.

"Lizzy..."

She turned to him. "Don't." She said. "Please." She whispered. "I cannot bear it."

He rose quickly to his feet and pulled her into his arms. "Ah kin bear mah ain pain." He whispered, feeling the wound on his thigh. "Bit ah cannae bear yers." He said softly. He embraced her and tenderly kissed her neck as he held her.

"I love you Jamie." She whispered.

"Ah ken." He answered and lifted her against him and then walked to the bed. He laid her back softly. "Open yer legs." He commanded.

"But your wound..."

"A'm braw." He gently pressed her back. "A'm waantin' ye tae mind me." He said.

As if she could forget her red haired husband. Tall and massive he was beautifully made and now he would leave her for a time. It was not only his exile, but her own.

And she was pregnant.

Her body betrayed her as he pressed a knee between her legs, yanking up the skirts of her dress, he was suddenly in her, moving and she was beneath him, arching to meet him.

It was languid and tender and she was happy, as he collapsed, his own climax washing over him even as her second hit her like a punch. It was good she were already with child. Who knew when he would return and coming home again to her with child would be too much. He panted and cupped her unbruised cheek.

He spoke softly in Gaelic and they relaxed for a time before he had to lift himself upwards and dress.

As he did so, he looked back at his wife as she lay on the bed, sleeping, the evening sun over body like a warm a cocoon.

ZzZ

It was nearing sundown when Lizzy was out in the courtyard with Jamie. Dougal was also saddling his mount.

Jamie was setting things right as Lizzy stood near.

"I hate that you're traveling with an open wound and I won't be there to tend to you."

"Na need tae fret lass." Jamie said smiling as he took another bundle of bandages from her. She had packed his bags with bandages and ointments. "Ye awready packed me enough fresh bandages tae cover me fae coupon tae feet." He said packing the others in as well.

He was dressed in breeches with his normal shirt, vest, and tweed jacket on. His plaid was wrapped about him as was his battery of weapons. She turned and caressed the neck of the great beast he was going to ride.

Donas turned his head, but did nothing else. He seemed to like being out of his small stall in the stables. She spoke to him gentle. "Take care of him. If wishes were horses, the Devil would ride." She smiled scratching the ear near her.

Donas nickered his approval.

Jamie watched her, looking at her swollen cheek with the blue/purple mark of Colum's hand.

"Elizabeth." He said quietly. "Afore ah gang, ah will advise ye tae bade weel clear o' Geillis Duncan."

She made a face. "Do you think Colum intends to punish her, too?" She asked.

"His wrath wull be aimed in her direction neist. Loveless or nae, her mairriage tae th' fiscal kept her safe. Wi' arthur gaen, there'll be na yin tae protect her fae her ain reputation."

Lizzy cocked her head at that. "Now with Dougal being sent away..."

"Aye." He said tightening straps. "There'll be na yin tae save her fae colum's ire." He took a breath as he stepped closer. He lifted a hand and gently touched the bruise with the backs of his fingers. He would not be there to save her from his uncle's ire either. He then took a breath, serious. "Bade awa' fae her, Elizabeth."

Dougal mounted and then rode behind them. "Winch yer bride, goodbye, jamie. Th' ithers await us. " He said. "A'm waantin' tae pat some solid miles atween me 'n' mah brother afore midnight."

Jamie looked over his shoulder and nodded. He looked back at his small wife. "Thae ur dangerous times, Mo ghràidh." He looked at her seriously. "Be careful."

She nodded. "I will." She promised.

He pressed a finger under her skin and then brought her face to his own as he stooped to her. They kissed once, then again, then the third time, their mouths devoured each other, as they sighed, his arms wrapped about her waist. Her arms wrapped about his neck, holding him close.

Dougal looked back at them and rolled his eyes. "Ah said kiss her, dinnae swallow her ."

Jamie smiled a little as he pulled back.

Lizzy leaned up, kissing him once, twice, and then he pulled back to look at her.

She pressed her brow to his. "Come back to me James Fraser." She said softly.

He nodded, face close as she looked at him. He pressed a hand to her belly and she took a shaky breath as she tried to rein in her emotions.

"As soon as ah kin." He promised softly to her.

She dropped back off her tip toes and he bent forward and pressed a kiss to her brow after smiling at her. He dipped his head once to her and shifted.

He then turned and mounted the great tall stallion as Lizzy freed the reins. Jamie pulled back and the great beast stepped backwards way from the area. Jamie looked down at his wife and then turned the head and clicked his tongue.

Donas trotted to Dougal's side where he sat on the large dapple he owned.

Lizzy walked forward, arms about her, crossed over the swell of the child she carried.

Jamie looked back from the gate as she stood there, looking forlorn. After he disappeared from view tears came to her eyes and ran down her cheeks in a torrent of emotion.

She felt cool on her face and looked up as the clouds that had gathered began to rain as well. She sniffled as it seemed even God himself wept for her loss.

She walked back into the castle and made it down a passage before her legs would no longer support her. She fainted dead away, landing in a heap there.

A serving girl found her thus and it was Ned who saw a tacksman carry her to her bed. There he sat beside her, watching over her as the women fluttered about.

Even when she came to, she just curled in a ball and wept.

Ned could hardly blame her.