Je Suis Prest – The Calving Shed Part II
Jamie took a drink from the ladle in one of the water buckets and straightened his back as he stretched. He set the sledgehammer he'd be using for the last several hours on the wall he was leaning against and looked around. The Macveys had many good friends. There had to be more than 20 men all working together to make this Calving Shed become real for them. He din'na think he ken half of them, but that was of no concern. He would ken them all by name afore St. Nicholas, as most were from Broch Mordha, and those with new faces he would make a point of learn'n quickly. Some were from other towns, shoppes or farms Seamus did business with so those would be a bit harder to learn, but he had a good mind for names and faces, always had. They would be important friends and allies for Lallybroch as well. John was to introduce him to William MacDonald, at some point today. He was the President of the Scottish Highlander Society and was sure to make an appearance. An event like this was too important for the man to miss. Jamie wanted verra much to meet with him.
It had been decided to build the shed using an existing foundation and walls from an old, dilapidated cottage that was already situated on Thistle Pond land. As luck would have it, the old cottage sat inside one of the smaller pastures that was situated close to the family home, so when the birthing time for one of the cow's became close, Tomas could place the animal in the smaller fenced area to keep a close watch on them. After the birth, when the calves were strong enough to venture outside the shed, they could roam the small pasture in safety, while building their strength. The farm had lost several calves last spring to predators; for a small farm like Thistle Pond, it was devastating to loose a single one.
It took them the better part of two hours and several sledgehammers for the inside to be gutted, but it was done. The plan was to have four separate birthing stalls. One for each corner. There were to be storage cupboards between each of the stalls as well. Each stall was to have it's own window, to bring in light and fresh air. The window framing was already in place, utilizing the existing cottage windows, they just needed to replace the glass and that would be taken care of tomorrow. Seamus said that Ewan Grant had offered to take care of the window glass. He and his twin brother Aiden owned the local hardware store in town. Both batchelors and John said to be in their mid 60's. They looked nothing alike. Ewan was tall and thin, Aiden was short and stout. They were knowledgeable and interesting to talk to; they finished each others sentences and told bawdy jokes. Murtagh and Jamie agreed to meet them for beers some night at the Lost Lamb.
Several men were in the process of enlarging what had been the cottage's front entrance into a large double door. They were using the lumber from the inside of the house to fashion the new doors. They would re-use the cottage's front door by hanging it, on one of the storage closets inside. They would use the rear door for the same purpose. They were salvaging everything they possibly could to save the Macevy's from spending their hard earned coin. Nothing would go to waste. Tomas's plan was coming true.
Jamie had been helping with the demolition of the interior. He rather liked knock'n the walls down. Matter of fact he rather liked the sledgehammer itself. Swinging it like it was an ax had felt natural and easy to him. One of the men had told him he split wood with a wedge and a sledgehammer; Jamie needed to inquire if Lallybroch had one, for surely John would have such a fine tool. The work was hard but satisfying; he enjoyed the physicalness of the labor and he was getting to ken some of the men from the area. There were so many tools, some new and some just adapted from the ones he and Murtagh were used to. Some Lallybroch had, wheelbarrow, metal shovel, metal hammer with a claw. He liked the screw drivers and wood screws as well. All verra cleverly crafted. He was trying to watch and learn all the names and uses. This was a grand time that Claire lived in and now it was his and Murtagh's home as well.
There were several men Jamie was working along side. All large, strong, capable men. Connor and Duncan MacLeod, father and son, were the town's blacksmiths. The father, Connor, was about Murtagh's height, with fiery, red hair and no neck; he looked as if his heid sat directly on top of his shoulders. Arms as big as his upper legs and strong too. Picked up support beams like the were sacks of flour. The son was exactly the same, just a few inches taller, almost matching bookends. They had made all the new barn door hinges, handles and other hardware needed, brought it all with them. Jamie had spent several minutes admiring their handiwork. Connor had invited Jamie and Mutagh to come by the shoppe and to have a look at their set up.
There was another set of brothers, from a nearby goat farm, helping inside. Chal and Beval Keir. Chal was the younger of the two, a year or two older than Tomas' brother Rabbie; right about Jamie's age and seemed to really take a liking to Murtagh. He was slight of build, brown hair, brown eyes and his tongue never stopped wagging. "He talked almost the entire morn'n. I don'na think he even stopped to breathe" Murtagh would comment later on the ride back to Lallybroch. The brother, Beval, was older and hardly spoke two sentences together. He was maybe older by ten years and Jamie had noted a hint of a French accent. Dark shoulder length hair and eyes that had reminded him of Claire's but with more yellow. Her's were like looking at a fine whiskey, he could get lost in them, and frequently had. The six of them, the two Keirs, the MacLeods and the Frasers had been working on shirring up the support timbers, when they all declared, at the same time, that they needed a wee break and some water.
"That roof will last another 100 years without collapsing," Chal said and his brother slapped him on the back, knocking him several feet forward.
"Is that what you say, Chal? Are you a master roofer now?" and Beval smiled at him.
Chal turned red, looked at the ground then back up to his brother's face with admiration. "Well, no, but I suppose I could be some day. I think it would be a handy thing to be able to do, don't you?" and he pushed his brother's shoulder. "I think it would be good if I could give our cottage a new roof. It leaked in two spots last heavy rain we had. Ma had to put pans on the floor to catch the drips."
"Well, maybe we can talk our new friends, the Frasers here, into helping us." Beval replied as he placed his younger brother in a choke hold and tosseled his hair. "The four of us could get it done in no time." Beval looked to Jamie as he spoke.
"Aye," Murtagh said with a nod. "We're no experts but we'd be glad to help ye patch a few holes, if ye ken what ye are do'n. Jamie and I are more familiar with thatched roofs, no these fancy wood shakes or slate tiles."
"Well, Tomas said he'll be putt'n a wood shingle roof up, so after tomorrow, we might all be able to make a living at it." Chal added and laughed.
"Jamie, are ye listen'n lad?" Murtagh asked and followed Jamie's line of sight. There was Claire, hand in hand with a young lad walk'n toward the barn. The big red knuckleheid was watch'n with a stupid grin on his face. Had'na heard a word they had been say'n either. The lad had it bad for the lass the was sure enough.
Beval and Chal turned to see what had caught Jamie Fraser's eye.
"Got a bit of a crush on her has he?" Chal asked Murtagh as he poke him in the side with his elbow. "He's got it bad. Look at the Lovey Dovey gaze on his face. Geeze." He turned to Jamie and said "Just go talk to her, Jamie. You can never go wrong with a Hello."
Jamie looked at Chal and smiled then back in time to see Claire and the lad disappear into the barn. He shook the fog from his head. "I'm sorry. What did I miss?"
"Boy, do you have it bad for the woman" Chal repeated and smiled. "I thought I knew all the local lasses but I guess I missed that one. Or maybe she's just visiting. I'll go find Rabbie Macvey, see if I can get you a name to go with the pretty face." and off he went in search of his friend.
Beval watched them enter the barn. He did not know the woman, but he recognized the boy... and he smiled as his eyes brightened. He gently sniffed the air. The dog was somewhere nearby as well...
"Jamie," Frank said as he approached.
Murtagh turned. Claire and the little lad had disappeared into the barn. No longer in site. "Randall. Sick of woman's work, are ye? Finally come te help the men?"
"What?" Frank said turning to Murtagh. "No. I came to tell Jamie I can not find Claire. Anywhere, though the Macvey's garden is suspiciously well weeded... Things did not go smoothly with the ladies this morning you see."
Jamie turned to look at Frank at the mention of Claire's name. "What do ye ken Frank? What happened this morn? I thought John said yoo two would look after Claire? Now ye tell me ye can'na find her?" His eyes glared at Frank. "How long was she miss'n? Do ye ken who the wee lad she went into the barn with is, at least?"
Beval could not believe his ears... Frank Randall was standing right in front of him.
The wolf had watched the truck, carrying the boy, drive away. His desire had been too strong. Travel through the stones always made him hungry and the sudden appearance of the large stag was too great a temptation, too easy a meal. It was almost as if the large bull had let himself be seen in order to lead him away from the boy. No, the wolf shook his head and rain drops flew from his fur in all directions. That was silly... all that he had seen and done in his long life gave him cause to ponder the possibility. Perhaps the Fairy's had protected the boy, kept him from harm because of his innocence. The locals did, after all, call it Fae Hill...
Just as well. Melisande had given explicit instructions. Find La femme (the woman) and report back. Nothing more. Start in Inverness. Claire, femme (wife) of Frank Randall. She should have come through the Stones on Samhain 1946. Trouve la simplement (just find her). He gathered she was of great importance to the sorcière (witch). That she should have arrived at Craig na dun in 1742 and didn't. The Comte lui avait ordonné d'aller (The Comte de St. Germain had ordered him to go). To do Melisande's bidding. He'd worked for his friend Paul Rakocsy for years. Never known him to allow a woman to give him orders or make demands. The fool was bewitched by the redheaded, manipulative sorcière. Granted she was beautiful, but hardly worth loosing ones head over. This relationship would come back to bite his friend. La sorcière avait l'odeur de la mort partout dans sa (that witch had the smell of death all over her). Il pouvait à peine être dans la même pièce avec elle (he could barely stand to be in the same room with her).
The wolf tipped his head back and let loose a Howl. Long. Throaty. Deep. He would take the deer back into the brush and eat one of the haunches. He would save the other to take home to his mother and brother. Yes, another reason he agreed to Rakocsy's request. His family was safely ensconced here; a small farm near Broch Mordha. They lived off the land, like they had always done. Raised goats and sheep mostly. A few chickens and a small garden. For their own consumption mostly. No one ever bothered them. Plus he could hunt in wolf form, if he was careful and did not kill any of the neighbors livestock. He had slipped up last Spring, killed a couple of new born calves. Couldn't resist the smell of so much blood. He had not been back for awhile, it would be good to see them. As he sunk his teeth into the freshly caught buck, it quivered and kicked weakly. Good, still alive the wolf thought. The blood would still be hot.
The woman. The woman was Claire, Claire Randall then. What a stroke of luck. While the big Scot and his Godfather were in a heated discussion with Frank Randall, Beval had backed away, turned and walked toward the barn. A few steps forward and he quickened his pace to a brisk walk.
"I thought I smelled blood mixed with a tinge of fear." The baritone voice said.
His eyes took in the boy and the dog with a glance. Most definitely from the Stones. His nose rarely failed him, got things wrong. Both were easy scents to identify and remember. Her's, the woman's was much different. Complicated. There was no actual scent that would tell him in a crowd, where she was. She had smells and odors about her... the hare, it's blood, soil, onions, garlic. Sex, recently; he could smell the male's scent all over her. It was not the woman's husband Randall either. No, he knew who the male was. Fraser, the big red headed Scot in the kilt he'd been working along side all morning. He sniffed again. They had mated in the past, several times in fact, but not today for some reason. Maybe because the husband was here. He smelled again. He smelled chicken's blood but it was old, yesterday or the day before maybe. The cows and heather were more recent. Last night, perhaps. Then there was the soap that was trying to camouflage it all, wash it away. But it was the scent that made up who she was, that she was missing... no special scent that would identify her as uniquely herself. He sniffed the air again. A child; she was with child. He wondered if the father was Fraser or Randall. No, she did not have that special scent. Why? And what was with the light blue glow from her hands when she was handling the hare's leg? He'd never seen that before either. She was not like anything he had ever come across. And he had been around, seen a lot in his lifetime. Everything had a special scent... except her. He focused on her, could not take his eyes off her.
"Ruff" Fred squeaked and grabbed Brom. "Wuffbed, Chair. Go. Run."
"Shoo boy. Take your little dog too, before I eat you." He snapped his teeth together with a click and smiled. His smile was pure evil, almost daring the boy to try to protect the woman. Oh, he remembered. He owed the boy.
Claire watched as the man licked his lips after he spoke. It sent a shiver down her spine and fear into her heart as it began to race. She helped Fred from the stool and pushed him behind her, somehow never taking her eyes off the man walking toward them, for even a moment. She could swear he had grown a light beard and that his ears were developing pointed tips as he strolled toward them. That could not be. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. His eyes were focused on her now and no longer on Fred.
He was just walking past the open barn doors, when Claire whispered to Fred "Run. Now." She felt the boy move and heard his footstep running away.
The man stopped and smiled at her. "Ah, protecting the boy are you now Claire. That's interesting. Do you know the lad then? And his dog?"
"I've only just met them today" she stated, then thought... "how did you know my name?"
"Lucky guess. You see I worked all morning along side two men by the name of Fraser... I find it impossible to understand why that buffoon of a husband can not keep track of something as precious as you" and his lips formed a half smile that showed an exceptionally long canine. "I suppose I should be a tiny bit grateful. His incompetence is now clearly my gain." Beval stated as he took another step forward.
Claire immediately took a step back. Another step and she would be able to look down the side of the barn to make sure Fred was safe.
"Flee. Go ahead and try. You'll never out run me." Beval arrogantly spoke. "I do enjoy a good chase."
Claire froze.
"Ah good. I like it when the food listens to me. It doesn't happen often." The box containing the hare began bouncing around the table top.
"Food?" Claire repeated. "Why would you call me that?"
He sniffed. Oh she was scared, almost as much as the injured animal. Her heart was racing. He could hear it pounding and smelled her blood heating from the fear. "Oh, not you," Beval lied with a croon and took another step forward. His hand now rested on the tabletop where she had applied aide the hare only minutes ago. The moment his hand touched the stand, the hare cage stilled, it's occupant frightened past fear. "I meant the hare." Beval ran his tongue slowly across his lips again as he spoke.
Claire took another half step back, praying the boy found safety. The man talked about the hare, but she knew he had really meant Fred. Why? He was here to help the Macevy family, wasn't he?
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye her fear was gone. He smelled a shift in her heart beat as it slowed, calmed. He sniffed again. She had a scent now. Why? What had happened? Then the answer. Fraser. The large, red headed Scot appeared behind her. She had sensed his presence and that had calmed her. Her non-existent scent had somehow combined with his... She smelled of lavender, soil, garlic. It was a clean, almost healthy scent was the only way he had to describe the new smell; a warm, blue, clean. It combined with Frasers... an oldness, heather, earth and animals. Strange he thought as he stood there looking at the two of them together. Touching. They must be touching. He stopped his forward progress.
Claire sighed and relaxed the moment Jamie came up behind her and placed his fingers against her fisted hand. It immediately opened, allowing him to hold it in his. She automatically stepped back against him. His body's warmth enveloped her, keeping her from the coolness of the shock that was trying to take her body. She closed her eyes as his hand released hers, slipped around her waist and pulled her against him. He must have sensed her fear.
They had been arguing, he and Randall. He had stopped to take a breath and raised his eyes to the sky as he did. That's when he noticed movement by the barn. Keir, Beval Keir. What was he doing? How had he gotten there so quickly and why? Jamie watched as he walked along the side of the barn and when he got to the corner he turned and leaned against the side of the barn like he was watching somethin'n.
"Shush, Frank." Jamie said with an inflection that would brook no argument.
That had made is Godfather look up. Jamie motioned his head toward the barn and Beval.
"What the hell?" Murtagh muttered to no one.
"Aye" Jamie said. "My thoughts exactly" and he walked away from Randall with no explanation offered, grabbing the sledgehammer as he headed for the barn. Before Jamie, with Murtagh in tow, had traversed half the distance, Beval disappeared around the corner of the barn. Jamie broke into a trot and made for the front of the barn and the open doors. He and Murtagh reached the front opening just as Beval, so focused on what lay directly in front of him, failed to notice Murtagh or Jamie, as he walked passed the opening at the other end of the barn. All Jamie's instincts told him Beval was after Claire, no the lad. He nodded at Murtagh and motioned for his Godfather to go though the barn and come up behind Beval. Jamie motioned that he would go down the far side of the barn and come out facing him. They'd box him in. Murtagh nodded and trotted down the aisle of the barn. Jamie rounded the corner just as the wee lad came flying up, carrying a rather large puppy in his arms. The lad was too busy watch'n where he was running from and no where he was go'n... as fast as his legs would move him. The boy and dog ran right into Jamie.
"Wuff. Help Chair. Peas!" Fred pleaded to Jamie.
"Aye lad." Jamie said as he dropped the sledgehammer, scooped up the lad and dog and turned to run. There was Frank standing just feet away. "Take the lad to his da. Seamus Macvey. In the field, Frank. Now." He did not wait for an answer as he pushed the lad into a surprised Randall's arms and rounded the corner at a run. He forgot all about the sledgehammer in his haste. He felt his heart pounding. Half way down the length of the barn, Jamie saw half of Claire's back step into view. She was alright. He slowed his pace, stilled his breathing and just before he stepped out into view, he reached out and touched her hand.
He felt her fear shift immediately to calm.
Then she was safe. His arm wrapped around her waist. Holding her tightly against him. He felt her relax into his body. The fear slipping away now that he had her. If need be, he could easily turn her, send her running toward the house and help. At the first sign of danger, he would do just that. When he looked up, he saw his Godfather standing a few steps behind the man they had worked beside all morning, in friendship. But that was no the same man that stood before him now. It was Keir, true enough, but how had the man grown the stubble of a day's beard on his face in the time it took to walk from the water bucket to the barn. And the man's eyes... somethin'n was off on them as well. They carried a look he ken too well. He'd seen that darkness in only one other pair of eyes. The dark, black eyes of that bastard Randall, Captain of His Majesty's Eighth Dragoons.
"Leave Claire be." Jamie stated in as even a tone as he could manage. "She has done ye no harm."
"No, you are correct. She has not. I do not know her not even of her. I was only required to find her. Another is seeking her whereabouts. I was given strict instructions to do nothing more." Beval informed them. What la sorcière's bidding did not include was to have no interaction with Claire.
"Beval. There you are. Ma is ready to go. She sent me to fetch you." Chal said with as much joviality as he could muster. He needed to defuse the tension, get his brother away from here and safely back home. He stepped forward, passing Murtagh and placed a hand on his brothers shoulder. He could feel his brother's magic recede. Chal was shocked. His brother had begun to change. Hopefully the Fraser did not pick up on the subtle changes his brother's body had begun. He had gotten here in time.
Beval looked to his brother, closed his eyes and nodded. He had done no irreputable damage. Another minute and things would not have ended well and he knew it.
"Did you find your brother, Chal?" a femine voice called from inside the barn. A woman of medium height with short cropped black hair stepped into the light. "There you both are. We have stayed too long. We need to be on our way. We have chores of our own we have put off long enough." She stepped forward with her hand extended to the only other woman present, Claire. "Hello" she said. I'm Magda Keir. I see you've met my boy Beval. I hope he has been behaving himself. Stangers do not take to him as a rule."
Claire extended her hand in courtesy. "I'm Claire. Claire Beuchamp." and she looked up and met Beval eyes. Surprise shot through them and was quickly gone. He wasn't looking for a Claire Beuchamp, she determined.
Beval adsorbed this new information. That explained a great deal. She did not go through the stones because she never married Randall, perhaps. Instead she had formed an attachment to Fraser and now, even though unmarried, found herself pregnant, with what, he would guess, was Jamie Fraser's child. No wonder the man had come running to protect her, sending the Godfather to take up the rear. The Frasers of Lallybroch were... Friend or Foe?
"You should keep a closer eye on your woman, Fraser. There are many people out there across time, continents and within orders who seek the Holy Grail. Some of them will go to great lengths to obtain that which they seek, including assassinating kings and toppling empires. There are many that seek la dame blanche pure et belle (the pure and beautiful white lady). I, myself, was commissioned to find her, and believe I have found the woman I search for. If I had be instructed to do so, all I would have to do now is reach out my hand and take her. I was not charged with that task and now do not believe I will be returning to France any time in the near future."
Beval, walked to the door of the barn, Chal right behind him. He turned. His mother was rooted in place. Just staring at Claire with her hand over her mouth.
"Ma" Chal said softly, walked back and took her by the elbow.
Magda immediately snapped from her reflective state. "It was very nice to meet you Claire. The next time we meet, perhaps we will have time to speak. I think I would like to get to know you better." The three Keir left, exiting through the barn together.
His brother Chal had talked him into coming today. He hadn't wanted to come. He didn't much care to be around strangers nor they around him. His mother had promised their help to Flora Macvey so they had no choice. They were trying to build friendships, trying to find a life, make a new beginning here. They liked Broch Mordha they both proclaimed that first night back, when he'd brought the venison. His mother had roasted it over the fire so she and his brother could eat. It had been a long time since he had brought them fresh game. Living only on what the farm produced while he was gone. Only he and his father could shift into wolf form and his father was gone. Dead. His mother and he heard the stones call. Chal was the reason they were careful. He was mortal and needed their protection. They were here today because Chal had decided on a particular young lady for a mate. His heart was set on Laoghaire MacKenzie. And having seen her today, he understood his brother's attraction. She was a pretty, young girl though did not seem very bright. He was not convinced she would be a good choice for their mother either. She seemed to like to help, but disliked being bossed around by the other women. She seemed a bit too curious for his liking as well. Not taking his vague answers about where he'd been and what he did without asking for more details than he was willing to share. She might just be cleaver enough to venture into the mist and see the secrets that lay hidden.
This woman, Claire, however, had made it a different sort of day...
Murtagh walked to stand beside Jamie and Claire turned and melted into Jamie's chest with a gasp. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, stroking her hair.
"Do ye ken any of them Claire?" Murtagh asked softly.
She shook her head No.
"No even from yer war? Beval spoke some French, it sounded like." Murtagh mentioned.
"Claire," Jamie said and placed a knuckle under her chin to lift her face to look at him. "I ken ye want te leave, but Murtagh and I need to stay for a while longer. I would take ye into the main house and ask the ladies to make ye a cup of tea but I heard things did'na go so well fer ye this morning. You will come back to the shed, where I can keep an eye on ye until we are ready to leave, aye?"
Claire nodded her head.
"I ken ye have a lot to tell me about what just happened. I can'na make head or tail of most of it but I do'na think here is the best place te have that conversation. We will speak more about it when we get back te Lallybroch." He kissed her lightly on the forehead and the three of them walked back to the calving shed.
Jamie sat Claire on the wall next to the water bucket. He scaned the men's faces, though he was sure the Keirs were gone. Frank was nowhere to be seen either. Jamie and Murtagh climbed up on the roof to check the timbers and mend or replace those that showed signs of weakness or rot.
Jamie never needed to climb down and check on Claire. By placing her next to the water bucket, she was never alone for long. The men were drawn to her like a moth to the flame. She smiled and laughed and if he did'na ken her better, he'd have said she was flirting, but he ken that to be just Claire's way. She had her wee black box with her behind the barn. Said she had been healing one of Fred's injured animals. So the men found this scrap or that splinter and went directly to his Claire to be healed. Jamie smiled.
"I wish it would been that easy for her with the women." Jamie said to Murtagh and nodded his head in Claire's direction.
"Maybe it can be, if she wins the men over, the women will follow their husbands lead." Murtagh replied.
As he climbed down to fetch more nails, he noticed Fred and Brom were sitting on the wall next to Claire. Rabbie Macvey was busy telling her a story, had her smiling and laughing. He motioned to the boy to come. He whispered instructions to the lad and Fred vigorously nodded his head and he and the dog scampered away. Jamie walked over te the water bucket and helped himself to some water. While Claire continued to listen, nod and laugh at Rabbie's tale, she gently ran her fingers though his hair. The same way he had calmed her with his touch, she calmed him. He closed his eyes and felt her comb the anger from him. He sighed. She could do this to him all day and he did'na think he'd ever tire of it. He moved his head so her hand stroked his cheek, and he turned into the palm and kissed it. She turned and looked at him with sated eyes.
"We are almost finished for today Claire. Just a few minutes more." He smiled. He turned to Rabbie and said, "would ye mind keep'n an eye on my lady? Murtagh and I are almost finished. Then we'll be heid'n home for the night."
"Aye, no problem Jamie. Claire and I are just talk'n, 'tis all. She is wonderful." Rabbie said and gave him a quick nod.
Jamie patted Rabbie on the back and climbed back up the ladder. True to his word, less than half an hour later he and Murtagh climbed back down. Done for the day. They were the last off the roof so they lowered the ladder and laid it on the ground next to the house. Murtagh took the hammers and the bag of nails and place them in one of the boxes beside the ladder. Jamie helped Claire down from the wall and she grabbed the water bucket and ladel as Jamie took her hand and they walked the path, along with all the other workers, and headed toward the barn and main house.
Claire sat the bucket on the bench outside the barn and turned to Jamie, as she brushed her skirt off.
"Clalre, would ye mind going into that pasture, and he pointed to one behind the main house. Seamus said someone left three milking stools there." and Jamie pointed. "See them hanging on the fence?"
Claire looked up and yes, there were three milking stools – two hanging on the fence on the far side of the pasture about twenty feet apart. The third was on the opposite side of the pasture almost directly across from the others. Why would someone do that, she wondered. She looked up and Jamie.
He was looking as her, smiling. "Come. Let's help the Macveys out, aye? We'll be off as soon as ye've collected them." He walked over to the pasture gate with her and opened enough to admit her. Frank came running over, carrying her wellies.
"Claire, wait." Frank said as he came to a stop. "You don't want to make a mess of your loafers." He set the boots down and offered his arm to steady herself as she stepped out of one loafer and into the wellie and then repeated the process with the other foot. She bent down and picked up both leather shoes and handed them to Frank.
"If you wouldn't mind holding these, while I fetch the stools." She gave Jamie a knowing look and stepped through the gate. Jamie closed it behind her but did not latch it.
Fred came running up with Brom and started to step through the rails to follow Claire. Jamie grabbed him by the shirt neck and pulled him gently back. "No Fred. You stand here with us. Claire needs to do this alone." He lifted the lad up and helped him to sit on the top rail of the gate. Jamie stood behind him as they watched Claire walk toward the first stool. There were several cows at the top of the pastures, grazing. They stopped and took a casual interest in what Claire was doing. When she reached the first stool, three started to walk toward her.
"Whatcha look'n at son?" Seamus asked as he came up and stood beside Fred.
"Watch'n Chair. Get coos da." Fred answered.
Jamie smiled.
Mutagh leaning on the gate beside Jamie, and chuckled. "Aye, lad. That she is."
When the first cow reached her, Claire stopped and scratched it's ears. The second bumped it out of the way and Claire scratched it's chin. She turned and walked toward the second stool. Half a dozen more cows appeared at the top of the pasture rise and started to walk down to greet Claire.
By the time she had collecte the second stool, and started toward the third she had almost fifteen cows following her with half a dozen more coming over the rise. She didn't stop this time, she picked the stool of the fence, mid stride and turned back toward the gate. The last cow was jogging down the hill to catch up with the rest of the herd.
Jamie nudge Murtagh. They looked behind them and just about every man still at the Macvey's was watching Claire lead the cows in from the pasture. Not one word was utterd, their mouths gapping open.
Jamie nodded to Murtagh and he left, disappearing into the barn.
Jamie, holding onto Fred swung the gate open as Claire approached. "Would ye mind putt'n the stools in the barn, Claire? It would be a great help te Seamus here."
Seamus just stood there staring, chin almost resting on the ground.
Claire snorted at Jamie as she passed and walked out of the pasture, up the barn ramp and into the barn, leading the entire herd in for the night. Murtagh was at the back of the barn. "Here lass. We'll leave out the back." And they closed the door behind them as they left.
They found Jamie, John and Frank waiting for them in the yard in front of the barn. Jamie kissed Claire, took her hand and Clan Fraser walked to the Lallybroch truck. Frank drove, Murtagh and John sat in front and Jamie held Claire in his arms the entire way back to Lallybroch. They all laughed quietly.
Leaving a stunned group of men, all contemplating what they had just witnessed. "Do ye suppose she can do that with sheep?" Father Brown asked.