2 March, 1744
Jared's House, Paris, France
I woke up alone again and rolled over to find a perfectly made side of the bed beside me. Jamie hadn't come home yet. He hadn't come home yesterday, either, likely having stayed over wherever Charles was staying… or seeing a lass at Maison Elise. I got up and wrapped myself in another one of those ostentatious robes, not wanting to hear it from the servants, and went out to find Francesca exiting a guest room down the hall. That was strange, we had no one staying over, and Murtagh and Cailean didn't have that room. "Francesca, what are you doing?" I asked the maid in French, who startled slightly.
"Oh! Bonjour, Madame! " she said to me. "I am bringing Monsieur Fraser breakfast."
"Breakfast? In there?" I asked.
" Oui, Madame, " said Francesca. Without another word, I pushed past her and threw open the door, finding Jamie getting dressed for the day with a tray of food on the table beside him. He startled when I threw open the door and turned to find the source of the disturbance.
"Christ, Catrìona! Ye gave me a fright!" he said rather nonchalantly, given the circumstances.
"What are ye doin' in here?" I demanded, cutting immediately to the chase, and Jamie hesitated before speaking.
"I didnae want te wake ye," he said to me.
"Bullshit, that never stopped ye before. What are ye doin' in here?" I demanded of him.
"Staying in this room, fer now," Jamie said honestly and a bit firmer. "I hope that is all right with you."
"No, it isnae all right! I want ye with me! Why do ye want te stay in this room and not ours?" I asked him defensively, now terrified that my worries were coming true.
"Because ye keep pushin' me away, Catrìona, and I dinnae want te be in yer way!" Jamie told me rather loudly, and I was quite taken aback by that.
"Me? Pushin' you away? Yer the one pushin' me away! Jamie, I miss ye! Terribly! I never see ye anymore and when I do, yer here fer a minute and then yer gone! Not te mention, I've no' felt yer touch in well over a month!"
"I dinnae have time te argue with ye right now, Catrìona. I have to go," Jamie said firmly, turning his back to me.
"Is that all ye have te say aboot this?" I asked him, and he didn't answer me. I could feel my heart tearing into two as I realised my worst fears were coming true. He didn't want me anymore. He probably had some mistress somewhere, maybe at Maison Elise or he went to her house. That's why he was never here anymore. "Fine," I said quietly. "Do what ye like." With that said, I turned and I left what had become Jamie's new room, forcing myself to hold back my tears until I was in the privacy of my own solitary room.
3 March, 1744
L'Hôpital des Anges, Paris, France
After moping about for a day, I finally decided that I wasn't going to give Jamie the satisfaction of knowing he broke me. I wasn't going to sit around while he ran about with whoever the hell his mistress was, I was going to make myself useful. So I packed Beth, the lads and Murtagh into the carriage and we were on our way to L'Hôpital des Anges . When we arrived, Murtagh stepped down and glanced up at the building, which was a part of the cathedral itself.
" This is what ye harried me out of bed fer this mornin'?" Murtagh asked me with disgust in his voice. There were sick men and women on the front steps, and the stench of illness wafting out from inside.
"Ye dinnae have te come inside. Ye can stay here with the carriage, keep an eye on the lads," I said to him as I looked up at the hospital. It was a familiar stench, one I had smelled before on the battlefield. Some of the victims here, or so I've heard, were wounded that had come from the war with Austria.
"Jamie willnae like this," Murtagh told me with a warning tone.
"I dinnae care what Jamie does and doesnae like," I said bitterly, apparently surprising Murtagh a bit. He knew there were some tensions between us, but likely didn't know how far they stretched. I nodded to him, then glanced back into the carriage at Beth, who was tending to the lads. "I won't be long, unless I'm needed. Watch the lads fer me, will ye?" Murtagh didn't say anything as I turned and climbed the steps, entering the building.
I was overcome by the stench of illness, but it wasn't an unfamiliar scent to me. There were cots everywhere, set up similarly to the field hospital at the Battle of Bloody Bush, where there were hundreds of wounded Scots being tended to. I glanced around in search of one of the nuns to speak to when I felt a light touch on my arm, and I turned to find myself face to face with a young nun.
" Bonjour, Madame. Can I be of some assistance?" asked the young nun in French.
"I'm searching for whoever is in charge," I said, also in French. "I am a healer. I want to offer my services."
"Then I shall bring you to Mother Hildegard," said the young nun, and she led me between the cots of the sick, then stopped at an older nun bent over the cot of a young woman who seemed very pale and unwell. "Mother Hildegard."
"Sister Angelique," said the older nun, turning to face us, and then she noticed me. "And who is this?"
"Catrìona Fraser, Lady Broch Tuarach," I answered. "I am a healer. I wish to offer my abilities."
"A healer?" said Mother Hildegard with a tone of disbelief, glancing up and down at my appearance. "You do not look like a healer."
"Looks can be deceiving," I replied. "I know a considerable amount of human anatomy, as well as various uses of herbs of all kinds." She still appeared to doubt my word, so I removed the glove on one of my hands and held it up with the back of my hand facing her, then began to point to various bones in my wrist. "Scaphoid, lunate, trapezium, pisiform, and if you think all I know is the wrist, I can also point out the metacarpal bones, the distal and proximal phalanges…" Mother Hildegard held up a hand for me to stop.
"It is not often we have injuries of the hand. In the case of this young lady here, what ails her does not originate in the bones," she told me. "Do you think you can identify her ailment?"
"Hmm," I said, and then I got closer to examine her. She had a dark ring around her already pale neck, and she was very skinny, as if she had lost a lot of weight. I lifted her weakened hand and pinched the skin lightly on the back of her hand, finding it to stick up - normal hydrated skin was more elastic and should have snapped back into place. "What is your name?" I asked the young girl.
"M-Marie," the young girl muttered weakly.
"Tell me, Marie, do you feel thirsty?" I asked, finding a full bowl of water beside her.
"All the time," she answered me. "Even when I… I have drank more than my fill."
"I see," I said, reaching for her neck and feeling for swollen lymph nodes, finding some swollen glands near her mouth. I then moved down to her feet and lifted the blanket, removing her shoes to reveal her darkening toes. "Can you wiggle your toes for me?" She couldn't. From my examination alone, I could conclude that this was some form of diabetes. A dark ring around the neck, excessive thirst and loss of circulation in the toes all were signs of diabetes, but the most certain test of all in this century was something that sounded worse than it actually was - tasting the urine. Urine, when it came out of the body, was completely sterile. I doubted there were any pathogens in the girl's urine, but I still had to be wary. I lifted the pot of urine from the girl's bedside - it was still warm, meaning it was fresh and likely not that contaminated, if at all. I dipped my finger into the deeply yellow liquid - another sign of dehydration - and touched it gently to my tongue. Sure enough, it was very sweet, which came from the excess sugars in the body that the kidneys couldn't filter out. "It's just what I thought," I said, turning to look back up at Sister Angelique and Mother Hildegard. What was the old name for diabetes again? "Sugar sickness."
"You are familiar with urinoscopy," said Mother Hildegard. "Can you tell whether she will recover?"
"I'm afraid she won't last the month," I said quietly to Mother Hildegard, not wanting to upset young Marie.
"Hm. That is what Monsieur Parnelle said. Urinoscopy is uncommon for a woman. Perhaps we could use your skills after all," said Mother Hildegard, and I smiled at her. She continued with her stern expression, but had clearly softened to me. "How are you with wounds?"
"I am from Scotland, Mother Hildegard. I've treated several wounds from small battles among highlanders as well as wounds on my own husband," I said, deliberately leaving out the part about how I'd seen hundreds of wounds on hundreds of wounded soldiers in my own time.
"Excellent. We will need your help with the men coming from Austria. Help Sister Angelique with the young boy with Scrofula, and then go to the wounded soldiers at once. Sister Angelique will direct you," said Mother Hildegard, and then she looked down at her feet, where I realised suddenly a small dog sat faithfully. "Come, Bouton," she said to the dog, and then she and the small dog had moved onto the next patient.
Maison Elise, Paris, France
JAMIE POV
Jamie was sipping wine at yet another insufferable meeting with Prince Charles. Cailean, this time, had an errand to run involving the wine, so Jamie was left to deal with the bastard on his own. "Tell me, James," Charles began to him, "has the Minister of Finance given you a day that he can meet with me?"
"I'm afraid no', Yer Highness," Jamie told him, setting down the wine glass. "Monsieur Duverney had to travel to Spain, as he is meeting with the Spanish Minister of Finance to discuss the war with Austria."
"I have heard rumours that my cousin has seen fit to approve the Spanish crown's request for a sizeable loan," said Charles suspiciously calmly.
"Yes, many merchants, myself included, have started te consider takin' their businesses out of the country te avoid the tax increases," Jamie told him. "Wars can be verra expensive, both in gold and in blood."
" Exactly, James, which is why I would never approach my cousin with empty pockets or promises! So rest assured, as I have already secured the vast majority of funds for our cause!" said Charles gladly, and Jamie felt his stomach drop. Charles did what?
"You… you have?" Jamie asked him, his eyes wide. This wasn't part of the plan. Catrìona never mentioned anything about this. Was this a sign that the uprising was inevitable no matter what they did?
"Oh, yes," said Charles. "Funds nearly sufficient to finance our entire campaign."
"I see," Jamie replied, taking a sip of wine to mask his discomfort. "Perhaps I have misunderstood yer position, Yer Highness. Do forgive my error."
"I have been in secret negotiations with several wealthy and highly influential members of both the British and the Scottish aristocracy. Those who believe that my father is the rightful heir to the throne," Charles told him. "Mark me, these patriots are willing to fund his return to glory, and have already pledged an amount to the cause nearly sufficient to accomplish that divine purpose."
"And what of Monsieur Duverney?" Jamie asked him. "What of France?"
"I will speak with Monsieur Duverney in due course," Charles told him. "Should my cousin support our cause, then I shall offer an alliance between our nations in the aftermath of victory."
"An alliance between Britain and France? That would be… significant," Jamie said, taking another sip of wine.
"It would change the world, James," said Charles. "But only if France chooses to stand with the rightful king." Suddenly, Charles glanced up over Jamie's shoulder and smiled. "Ah, here is one of my supporters now!" Jamie glanced up, shocked to find none other than Alasdair Fowlis having entered the establishment and sitting down beside Jamie at the table.
"Good afternoon, Laird Broch Tuarach," he said to Jamie rather nonchalantly.
"Mr. Fowlis," said Jamie as politely as he could muster, unable to fully mask the shock on his face.
"My friend, James, is astonished!" said Charles proudly. "I cannot tell you how happy I am to see the look of shock and relief upon your face, James."
"Those are… the verra words, Yer Highness," Jamie said to him, settling back into his seat. Charles snapped his fingers at a young boy who was bringing a bottle of wine to a nearby table.
"Fill up three glasses, boy," he said to the young boy, who obediently refilled Jamie's and Charles's glasses and filled a fresh one for Alasdair. "May I propose a toast to the rightful king and to his cause, for which we are the noble servants of."
" Slàinte mhath, " said Alasdair, raising his glass along with the prince.
" Slàinte mhath, " said Jamie more quietly, also raising his glass, and then the three of them sipped. What was he to do now? With Charles in possession of the funds, this rebellion could start even earlier than Catrìona had predicted. He would have to rush home to her and ask her advice on what to do next, because he certainly didn't know.
Jared's House, Paris, France
Jamie came home in a hurry, barely even having time to remove his coat before he began to search the house for his wife. "Catrìona!" he called, but received no answer; she must not have heard him. "Catrìona!" He went up to her bedchamber, but there was no sign of her. He then went to the nursery in search of her, but she was not there, nor were Beth and the lads. Had she gone to Louise's? He knew that often, when she went to visit with Madame de Rohan, she brought the lads. Suddenly, Francesca passed by the nursery in the hall, so Jamie quickly stopped her before she disappeared. "Francesca! Do you know where my wife has gone?" he asked her in French.
"She has not returned since she left with Monsieur Murtagh this afternoon, Milord," said Francesca respectfully.
"With Murtagh?" Jamie repeated. " Merci… " If Catrìona had taken Murtagh with her, then surely, she wasn't at Louise's. Where the hell was she then, and why did she choose now of all times to just disappear without leaving word of where she had gone? Had she forgotten how important this mission they'd put themselves on was? Oh, she'd be hearing from him about this for sure. He had no choice but to wait for her, so he thought it best to try and clear his head a bit by looking over the finances for the wine business, only to find that his anger clouded his mind too much. Where the hell was she?
CATRÌONA POV
It was several hours later when I'd finally returned home, not having intended to stay so long but finding that my assistance was greatly needed to tend to the soldiers from Austria. Some had been badly wounded, while others only scratched or had a broken bone. Some didn't survive, but many did, thanks to my efforts. My knowledge of battle wounds certainly helped, giving me purpose once more. Magnus, the footman, met me at the door to take mine and Beth's coats from us. "Monsieur Fraser awaits you in his chamber," said Magnus to me as he took my hat as well.
"Monsieur Fraser? He's home?" I asked.
" Oui, Madame, " said Magnus.
"And in his chamber," I said neutrally once I'd digested that part of his statement.
"Yes, Madame," Magnus said again.
"Thank ye verra much, Magnus," I said, and then I turned to Beth. "Take the lads up te the nursery, I'll be in shortly."
"Yes, Mistress," said Beth, and the pair of us went our separate ways. I was still so excited by the day that I quickly brushed off the thought of Jamie in his separate chamber - nothing could ruin my good mood now, and it was improved by the fact that Jamie was actually home. I climbed the stairs, pulling off my gloves and tucking them into my pannier pockets, then came to the door of the bedchamber that Jamie had claimed for himself, taking a deep breath and knocking.
"Come in," Jamie said from inside. He sounded firm, but to be honest, I was just glad he was home during the day - he hadn't been home during the day in ages. I thought maybe he thought I was one of the servants, so when I pushed open the door and found him with his back to me hunched over a desk, I couldn't help but smile.
"Jamie!" I exclaimed, entering the room. "I'm so glad yer home! I had the most wonderful day and I cannae wait te tell ye all aboot it!" I crossed the room to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, bending down to kiss his cheek, but he didn't budge. "I lanced some boils, changed filthy dressin's, helped tend te soldiers wounded in the war with Austria and even saw my first case of Scrofula! Ye ken, scrofula doesnae even exist in my time-"
"Where have ye been?" Jamie asked firmly, not turning to look at me. Detecting his firm tone, I let go of him and stood up, my hands on the back of his chair.
"I was at L'Hôpital des Anges ," I replied. "Do ye ken it? It's a charity hospital. They badly needed my help, and havin' been a field medic in my time, my skills were highly useful-"
"And why were ye there?" Jamie asked, still not looking at me.
"They were in need of help. A few days ago, I went te the apothecary te replenish my herbs fer Brian and get somethin' fer Suzette - ye ken she and Murtagh are shaggin', aye?"
"Shaggin'?"
"Having sex," I cleared up. "So I went te get her somethin' te prevent pregnancy when Master Raymond told me about L'Hôpital. The nuns there rely heavily on volunteers with medical experience. I have medical experience, so I volunteered. The matron there, Mother Hildegard… She's a true force of nature, tha' one," I said with a chuckle. "She was a musical prodigy in her youth, and the goddaughter of King Louis's great-grandfather. She'll no' make it easy fer me. Ye ken women dinnae really do medicine in this time, but I think I gained her trust when I tasted the urine of this lass who was diabetic - er, had sugar sickness. In my time, it's called diabetes-"
" Tasted urine?" Jamie interrupted me.
"It's one of the best ways te diagnose diabetes in this time without proper testing equipment and such. The urine will be sweet, and it's from the excess sugars in the blood that the kidneys cannae filter out," I explained. I saw his hands clench, and I could sense that something was wrong. "Is everrathing all right? What is it, Jamie?"
"Charles has informed me that he's obtained funding from several significant prominent Englishmen and apparently Scots, too, with which te fund the rebellion, one of which was yer ancestor, Alasdair Fowlis," he told me, and then he turned to look at me; his face was laced with fury. "And ye'd ken tha' if ye were here."
"If I were here? Jamie, I've no use here durin' the day. I've finally found somethin' that I love doin' and that helps others. I thought ye'd be happy fer me."
"Did ye now?" He stood from the desk, his posture indicating that an argument was about to ensue. "We have a sick child, Catrìona. Ye said it yerself, bairns are more susceptible te illness, Brian even more so. Ye could catch a filthy disease and pass it onto him. Have ye not thought of that?"
"I have, actually, which is why I dinnae work with patients who have diseases. I worked with those who have injuries," I told him.
"What about this… diabetes? Is that no' an illness?"
"Not a contagious one," I replied. "Diabetes mellitus is developed over time, or ye can be born with the condition, but it's no' a pathogen that can be passed from person te person."
"Why take the chance? How do ye ken any of those people dinnae have illnesses that are contagious?"
"It's been quite a while since I've felt useful, Jamie. I need te feel a sense of accomplishment - of purpose."
"Purpose? I thought our purpose in this godforsaken city was te stop the rebellion - the rebellion that I dinnae even ken fer sure is true."
"Ye jus' said Charles has secured funds fer it. How can ye doubt its existence? Unless yer doubtin' me? "
"I'm no' doubtin' ye. I asked ye fer the truth and I trust that what ye gave me was the truth."
"So then why doubt it?" He was silent for a moment.
"Just tell me how lancing boils and tastin' urine will help us te save Scotland?"
"It's more than tha'," I told him. "What would ye have me do, Jamie? Go te Maison Elise with ye? Speak te Charles, tell him his rebellion will be a bloody failure? Tell him I'm from the future and grew up livin' with the consequences of his failed rebellion?"
"What I want ," said Jamie, firmly and loudly, "is that when I come home with a problem, I can turn te my wife for help." I stared at him rather incredulously for a moment. "Charles has secrets, and he willnae tell them to me, and I dinnae ken what te do aboot it."
"Jamie, I'm sorry I wasnae here today, but in my defence, yer never here durin' the day. How could I have expected ye te come home with a problem?"
"Ye could have been here." I slightly narrowed my eyes at him.
" Listen . I ken that this was all my idea. I ken that stoppin' the rebellion, changin' the future, all of it, was my idea. And I ken that tha' all falls on you right now. I cannae help the fact that I was born a woman, nor can I help the fact that this century is bloody rigid as hell and believes a woman should only speak when spoken to. I am doin' all that I can te help ye wherever I can."
"So I believed," Jamie told me firmly. "That's why I came home lookin' fer ye, but instead I find that ye've gone out indulgin' yerself in poultices and potions."
"There's no indulgin' involved! I was helping people, Jamie, and savin' lives! And that's good! It makes me feel good, it gives my day meanin'-"
"You are a mother. That should be enough te 'give yer day meaning'. And what aboot me? When do I get te feel good? When do I get te find meanin' in my day? I spend my days and nights wheedlin' and flatterin' a man so I can gain his secrets and undermine his cause."
"Yer a father, is tha' not enough te give yer day meaning? Yer fightin' everraday te give yer sons a better future. I cannae do that like you can because of the restrictions that this bloody fucking society puts on me. If I thought fer a moment that I could swindle Charles meself, I would in a heartbeat, but I cannae, can I? So what the hell am I supposed te do?"
"Be here te support me-"
"I have been nothin' but supportive of ye! Where's yer support of me ? I gave birth te yer sons and the verra next day, I rescued yer arse from one of the most difficult prisons te escape from! I did tha' on my own! Ye dinnae ken how painful childbirth is, do ye? Or what to does te yer body? But I set all of tha' aside te save yer life so that our sons could grow up with their father! And fer what? Fer what did I do tha' for? Apparently nothin', because yer never home te even spend time with them, Jamie! Ye never see them!"
"Because I'm too busy trying to put a stop to your rebellion!"
" My rebellion? It's your people I'm tryin' te save! Your men! Ye didnae have te agree. I've brought down plots before, and I've even orchestrated plots against the bloody English. Need I remind ye who successfully sieged Berwick?"
"How am I te ken tha's even true?"
"Has Cailean told ye? Because if he hasnae, then he can easily! My point is, Jamie, that when we came here, homeless with two newborn lads, I didnae expect te be doin' everrathing alone! Ye said my brother even noticed I was different after the birth. Well, maybe I am, because it was a traumatic experience te go through alone wonderin' if ye were even alive! And now I'm still goin' through it alone! I have te sit here and watch Brian die before my verra eyes, unable te do anythin' te save him, all while yer off doin' God kens what!"
"Ye ken exactly what I'm doin'!"
"Do I?" I spat back at him, pausing only for a moment. "Ye willnae touch me. Ye willnae even share my bed, nor my room. Ye dinnae look at me when we are near and I cannae even remember the last time ye kissed me. Ye spend all yer time at a damn brothel. How am I te ken what ye do and dinnae do there?"
"Are ye accusin' me of somethin'?"
"All I'm sayin' is ye've made it cleare ye dinnae want me, and yer constantly surrounded by women who want you ."
"Catrìona-"
"Ye do what ye like, but I'll no' be accused of not carin' fer this cause. Ye dinnae ken what I've done, ye dinnae ken what I do everra day fer you, fer the lads, fer the cause, fer anythin' . But ye willnae stop me from goin' te the hospital. Yer makin' yer differences, and I'm makin' mine. If ye want te discuss what we should do aboot Charles then fine, but I'll not speak te ye when yer bein' an arse." He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. I gave him only a moment, and then I turned on my heel and left. As I strode out of the room, I suddenly thought of something my Aunt Bonnie once told me when she noticed a young couple that was known for being in love constantly arguing in town:
How can there be love in a marriage when love has left the marriage bed?
I was tucked up tightly in bed later that evening, unable to sleep, but finally finding myself drifting off. My mind was buzzing from the conversation I'd had with Jamie earlier. It had been several hours since then, and Jamie had not sought me out to speak to me. Well, I wouldn't speak to him, either.
A loud banging on my door caused me to startle and my heart to race, and I sat up in bed staring at the door. "Mistress! Mistress, come at once!" came Beth's panicked tone on the other side of the door. I grabbed my Fowlis tartan, which was draped over the settee that faced the fireplace, and threw it over my shoulders as I crossed to the door, throwing it open to find Beth in her shift and shawl, her mousy brown hair braided down her shoulder, looking pale and frightened. "It's Brian! He's no' breathin'!"
I felt my heart leap up into my throat and I pushed past her, immediately running to the nursery to grab Brian from his cot. He was coughing and his lips were slightly blue, and I heard Beth at the door huffing and puffing. "Alert the servants," I told her. "We need boiling water, a large sheet and a lot of chairs. It's the croup!"
"Yes, Mistress. Shall I fetch Mr. Fraser?" Beth asked me as she caught her breath.
"Dinnae fash," I said as I brought Brian to the middle of the room and laid him on the floor on his back. A flat surface would help to open up his airways a bit. "And bring me my medical kit!" Beth brought it to me quickly, then quickly ran to awaken the servants to start some boiling water. I burned some thorn apple in a pipe and made a tube out of paper, covering Brian's face with one end and blowing the smoke into the other. The servants came with chairs and a large sheet, creating a tent that I quickly got Brian into, and shortly after, the first of the hot water came. "Beth! Open the window, and then go to Master Raymond's apothecary, he lives above it. Tell him I desperately need somethin' fer the lad's lungs."
"Yes, Mistress," said Beth, and she quickly raced out of the nursery after opening the window while I closed up the tent and poured the hot water into a porcelain bowl. It began to steam up very quickly, but Brian was still struggling to breathe.
"Shh, shh, mo chuisle, mo ghille… Ye will be all right, a leannan," I told him as he fussed. "Yer so warm, my lad…" He was indeed; he was feverish and clammy.
"Wha's happenin'? Wha's goin' on?" I heard Jamie's voice outside of the tent. Someone must have alerted him, or he heard the fuss from the servants. "Catrìona?"
"In here," I called to him. The tent opened and Jamie poked his head in, dressed in a pair of breeks and his shirt with his hair tied back.
"What's happenin'?" he demanded.
"Brian has the croup, he cannae breathe. Come inside and close the flap!" I told him, and he obeyed me, crawling inside and closing the tent tight and then settling beside me.
"Will he be all right?" he asked me sincerely.
"I dinnae ken," I replied, wiping a bit of sweat from my brow. "I kent this might happen eventually, but I wasnae prepared… I've done all I can fer now, but one of the best things is te use steam. Francesca? Suzette?"
" Oui , Madame?" Suzette responded.
"Can ye get me some salt? A lot of it, I need it fer the water," I told her.
" Oui , Madame," she replied, and then her footsteps disappeared.
"What will the salt do?" Jamie asked me, his large hand covering mine as we jointly cradled Brian.
"It'll help clear his airways. Saltwater works wonders fer a number of things. It helps wounds heal quickly, promotes healing not only in wounds but in things like breathing. It's why when someone has asthma, it's suggested they live by the shore," I told him. "Comin' from the islands, we use saltwater fer almost anythin' medical."
"Then I'm glad ye ken aboot it," he said, his worried expression directed at Brian. "Why did ye no' alert me sooner?"
"I'm sorry, I was focused on gettin' his throat clear," I told him, and then I glanced up at him. "Really, I am. I should have sent a servant te get ye."
"It's all right," he replied. "I'm here now."
"Aye, ye are," I told him, and then I looked back down at Brian. Suzette soon returned with the salt and I mixed it into the boiling water, adding fresh hot water to the bowl and steaming up the tent some more. Brian coughed some more, so I leaned him up against my chest and patted his back to help him clear his throat. When Beth arrived with Eucalyptus leaves from Asia perhaps and hour or so later, I handed Brian to Jamie and cut them up, mixing them into another bowl of salted hot water and brought that into the tent. "I should have kent Master Raymond would have somethin' like eucalyptus."
"What's tha'?" Jamie asked me, handing Brian back to me so I could examine him. His lips were, thankfully, beginning to pink back up, but he was still pale.
"A leaf, native to Australia and the Pacific. It's verra good fer inflammation, which is what's likely causin' Brian's airways te close up," I replied. "His fever is still up… If we could get a cool cloth, maybe soaked in the snow, I could get his fever down." Jamie put the order in with Suzette, who returned with it ten minutes later. When the coolness of the cloth touched Brian's forehead, he began to cry. "Shh, shh…"
"He must be so uncomfortable," Jamie said quietly.
"My mother used te sing a silly song te us, when we had the croup," I told him. "It was aboot a knight who was wounded in a pub - not badly, he just cut his finger, and instead of dealin' with it, they decided te jus' bury him."
"A song aboot a knight who gets cut and buried fer it?" Jamie asked me with a cocked eyebrow.
"It doesnae make much sense, especially not in English, but it was a silly song that always made us laugh."
"Can ye sing it now? It might soothe him," Jamie told me.
"Aye, it might," I agreed, and cleared my throat.
"Latha bha 'n ridire ag òl,
Hò rò hùg a hùg o,
'San taigh-òsd', e fhèin s' a bhean,
Hùg a bhi a, seinn tug hò rò.
'San taigh-òsd', e fhèin s' a bhean,
Hò rò hùg a hùg o,
Ridire gun ghèarr e mheur,
Hùg a bhi a, seinn tug hò rò…"
It helped a little. Brian finally stopped crying, but continued to fuss, and though his breathing still sounded laboured, it slowly cleared up, and he began to calm down.
"Ridire gun ghèarr e mheur,
Hò rò hùg a hùg o,
Gus na rànaig e cnàimh glas;
Hùg a bhi a, seinn tug hò rò.
Gus na rànaig e cnàimh glas;
Hò rò hùg a hùg o,
Dh'fhalbh an fhuil na' struth gu lar,
Hùg a bhi a, seinn tug hò rò…"
I watched as Brian fell asleep in my arms, his small hands grasping one of my fingers in one hand and one of Jamie's in the other. His breathing began to level out; the saltwater and eucalyptus steam was helping him.
"This isnae somethin' from the hospital, is it?" Jamie asked me suddenly after a moment, and I had to steel my face and my voice; I didn't want to wake Brian.
"'No, it isn't," I told him firmly, but calmly. "Even if it was, it wouldnae have acted so quickly."
"Do ye see now why it's better if ye dinnae go? What if ye do bring somethin' home to him?" Jamie asked again, and I took a deep breath. He had to ruin a nice family moment we were having, didn't he? All because he just had to be right and refused to admit when he was wrong.
"I won't," I told him.
"But ye might-"
"Get out," I said firmly, and he froze, not saying another word. I then turned to look at him, my steeled eyes firm and, clearly, very angry. "Ye heard me. I said get out."
"He's my son, too," Jamie began.
"Get out ," I hissed at him. He locked eyes with me for a moment, seeing very clearly that I wouldn't budge.
"All right," he said, and then he slowly and gently withdrew his hand from Brian's. "All right…" I watched as he made his way out of the tent, and as he paused to give me one final, and evidently hurt, look, he crawled out of the tent, leaving me alone with Brian fast asleep in my arms.