Chapter 14: The Laird's Return

Claire's POV

We had arrived at Lallybroch a week ago and we all settled into daily life here rather seemlessly, Jamie had leapt into his new responsibilities as laird and everyone we came into contact with said how glad they were for the return of their laird. From my first full day at Lallybroch Jenny started to include me in the daily chores and explained the various way things in the house worked although I think she was using this time to test me in my ability to be mistress of this estate for she was understandably wary of me since I was an english stranger and was going to be more or less taking over her main role in this house but by the end of the week here Jenny and I were good friends and well on our way toward sisterhood as for Ian he accepted my being here with no hesitation I think he was just so happy to have Jamie back. Harry for the first few days was a little down, I think he was missing his friends at Leoch but he brighened up when Murtagh arrived on day three for despite Murtagh's rough attitude he and Harry really bonded which was lucky since mine and Jamie's time was mostly taken until dinner so the two of them were left in each other's company for most of the day.

It was on this particular day while I was helping Jenny in the kitchen when as if I could sense his presence I looked up to see Jamie just staring at me chopping vegetables with a sweet smile on his face. Jenny noticed him too but knowing that he was here to see me just went back to seeing to the rest of the meal.

"What are you looking at?" I asked him mildly irritated

"You Sassenach," Jamie answered honestly "I was hoping to steal ye away for a while, I wanted to show ye somethin'."

I turned to Jenny and asked "Jenny, do you mind?"

"Ye might as well, he werena leave otherwise." Jenny said shooing us off.

Jamie lead me outside until we reached a small outside building obviously unused but it looked soundly built, he turned to me then and asked "Well, what do ye think?"

"It need's abit cleaning up, what is it for?" I asked confused

"Well, I thought ye needed a good sized space for yer healing, it used to be a storage shed for the farming equipment but I can fit all of that in the barn and once it's all cleaned out ye can have it set up however ye want." he explained sounding a little embarrased by his thoughtfulness.

My eyes started to water and I threw my arms around his neck repeating 'thank you' 'thank you'.

Jamie's voice returned into it's usual good humour, put his arms around me and teasingly asked "So ye like it?"

I pulled away slightly and answered gently "I love it and I love you."

That night after supper we were all sitting by the fire with Harry playing with Young Jamie on the floor and I began to think that this must be what it must be like to have a real home with a proper family. I mean me and Chris had a good childhood and I loved our uncle but because of Uncle Lamb's profession we were always moving and were never settled in one place and though I can't speak for Chris but there was times growing up where I missed having a mother and a father. Even when I married Frank we were always travelling to a different college or university for him to lecture at and after he died Chris, me and Harry were back to travelling again so I never had the sense that I ever had a proper family home to ever go back to. Speaking of Frank we did have a happy marriage but being here with Jamie was different, loving Jamie was different. I loved Frank and part of me always will, he's my son's father but whenever I was with Jamie it was as if he filled up an empty space inside of me I never knew was missing and now I was here with him, Harry and rest of his family I knew I belonged here and this is my home now.

I was broken out of my revelations by Jenny's voice trying to get my attention I turned to her apologising and telling her I must have drifted off for a minute.

"I was just sayin' that it's lucky ye all arrived when ye did, quarter day is two days from now it will be a great opportunity for ye and Harry to properly introduce yeselves to all the tenants and announce yer engagement before we really get on with the wedding preparations." she informed me.

Harry, who began listening at the mention of his name beat me to asking, "Aunt Jenny, what's quarter day?"

"Ah, it's when the tenants gather here to pay the rents and there's a bit of socialisin'." Jenny explained.

"Speakin' of the wedding do ye have any idea when ye want it to take place?" Ian suddenly asked Jamie.

"As soon as possible," Jamie answered then turned to me and asked "do ye have any idea Sassenach?"

"Same as you sooner the better but I think anyone we invite from Leoch would need a couple months notice, wouldn't they?" I stated truthfully.

"Nay, I doubt that I mean they knew we got engaged before we left they would be expecting it and it will only be yer brother, Laoghaire and Dougal and maybe he can bring Hamish so I think the most they'd need would be a month." Jamie said.

"Aye, but it's nearly December wouldn't ye rather a spring wedding so we can get proper flowers and the guests can travel easier?" Ian asked Jamie sounding annoyingly reasonable.

"Aye, I suppose" answered Jamie reluctantly agreeing with his brother-in-law.

There was a short pause before Jenny said "So first thing tomorrow we should find something nice for yer to wear."

She then looked me over apprisingly which made me feel a little self-conscious then started saying softly as though thinking out loud "Yes I think our mother's yellow dress will do she was a tall woman like yerself so I didna think we'd need to adjust it much," then she turned to Jamie and asked "What do ye think Jamie?"

Jamie answered honestly with "Aye, it would look bonny on her."

"Are you sure I mean it was your mother's?" I asked carefully looking between the two of them.

"It's fine our mother would prefer her old things were made use of instead of being uselessly locked up in a trunk somewhere." Jenny said reassuring me.

She then turned her attention to Harry who had turned his attention back to Young Jamie when the subject of clothes first came up but looked back over to Jenny when he felt her staring.

"Aye, I reckon one of Jamie's old things will do fer ye, my lad, maybe the one with the silver buttons and his old buckle shoes might fit ye"

Harry then looked over to me looking a little scared and said trying to sound pathetic "Mommy!?"

Everyone apart from Jenny gave a slight snigger at this and I answered him with "You're on your own I'm afraid honey, if I have to dress up you do."

Endnotes: I realised I'll properly have to send Jamie and Claire to France for a honeymoon which I know is properly OOC for them considering Jamie's seasickness but I can't stand the idea of them not meeting Fergus.