Title: Charlotte's Tumbling TIme Travel

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on Outlander.

Author's notes: I hope you enjoy chapter 10. I've been continuously working on this chapter for some time and this is how it turned out.

CHAPTER 10

As the end of the school day was approaching Lottie had practised spelling and had arithmetics on Bearnard's slate without Fordyce having noticed she had forgotten her own slate at home. Her spelling really wasn't going well at all and every time he walked past her he'd snicker like he had never seen anything worse in his time as a teacher.

Lottie shighed. It was familiar to her. This was the way it had always been like for her in school. Well, perhaps not exactly like this because she had never had such a big brute and bully as a teacher as Fordyce. But it had been similar. She had always had trouble with her spelling and reading and never been able to improve at the same rate as the others in her class had.

She was just about to run for the door out into freedom when a familiar nasal voice made her halt in her tracks halfway there. She closed her eyes for two seconds in anticipation and dread. She heard Fordyce close the distance between them and she already knew what he was going to say before she opened her eyes.

"Dinna even think about walking out that door before ye've received this."

Lottie stared at the piece of yellow parchment in the schoolmaster's hand and sighed inwardly. Outwardly she wasn't about to show any emotions. She just took the note and put it in her pocket a bit too forcefully to make sure she showed him she didn't much care in what state it was presented to the adults at home.

"Make sure ye give my best regards to the laird of Broch Tuarach, Ms. Fraser. And dinna forget to give him my message. I suspect he'll have a few chosen words to say to ye," he said in a silky voice and wearing a fake smirk on his lean, pale face.

Lottie turned around without an answer. She wanted nothing more than to take Seoc for a long ride and forget about the note in her pocket and what had happened that morning, but she knew she couldn't do that. She had chores waiting for her at home and Mathanas needed to be fed. She knew he was already sitting by the archway waiting anxiously for her to get home.

Sadly she took Seoc's reins and hoisted herself up into the saddle.

"Let's go home to Lallybroch. No point in putting it off I guess."

Lottie put Seoc in the corall so he could move around freely for a while. She didn't want him to have to be cooped up in the stables when he had just spent half the day tied outside the school house.

She went inside the house and headed straight for the kitchen. There was Jenny, wearing an apron, busy helping the maids get dinner preparations started.

"Oh, hello there. How was school? No, dinna put that piece of meat there, use the other chopping board fer that. Good. Now get going so we stand a chance at finishing in time before Jamie and Ian get back from the field."

Lottie didn't say anything. She just walked straight to Jenny and fished the note out of her pocket and handed it straight to her.

Jenny looked surprised at her for a second but then it dawned on her what information the note probably held. She didn't say anything. Just opened it and read it quietly.

Lottie fastened her gaze at the window and kept it there. When Jenny had finished reading she put the note in her own pocket and looked at Lottie.

"So? What do ye have to say fer yerself, young lady?"

"Nothing," Lottie said in a quiet voice, stubbornly keeping her gaze on the window.

"We'll wait until Jamie gets home and then see what ye have to say. Ye obviously havena practiced yer spelling fer today's test, and I ken that ye were verrra much aware ye had a test today. This needs to stop, Lottie. Ye need to turn yer attitude around in school and stop getting into trouble. Do ye hear me?"

Lottie turned a blazing gaze on Jenny and leaned forward.

"I hate that idiot schoolmaster Fordyce! He's the worst teacher I've ever met! And he hates me right back! I don't care if you don't believe me but he does!"

Jenny crossed her arms over her chest and peered at Lottie.

"Oh, so ye're blaming him for yer failing, are ye? Not a very smart tactic to use. Ye are responsible fer yer schoolwork, Lottie, no one else. And ye'd better get rid of that tone of voice or I will go get a strap and give ye thrashing myself, do ye understand me?"

Lottie took a calming breath and a step back. This wasn't a fight she was going to win and she didn't want to get a strapping from Jenny before Jamie had even gotten to her. That would mean two punishments in the same evening. She knew Jenny didn't like a disrespectful tone of voice but she had actually never threatened to whip her before. A retreat was best now.

"Fine," she whispered with a frown.

"Good. I'm glad you understand me, lass. Now ye can go tend to yer chores and after ye've finished ye can go to yer room. Ye'll spend the rest of the day there until Jamie gets home to speak to you."

Lottie had finished her chores and spent the last two hours in her room feeling miserable. She was going to get in trouble again. There was no way around that. Jamie knew that she had known she had homework to do last night. And she hadn't done it. Or she had, but had known that no matter how much she practised she wouldn't pass that test anyway so she'd given up and played with Mathanas instead. How could she have been so stupid? She was mad at the whole situation. Stupid ass schoolmaster Fordyce who had it in for her so badly, and also her own stupidity when it came to schoolwork. Why couldn't she just skip school and learn what she needed to get by here from Claire and Jamie? It would be much smarter than learning from schoolwork.

Jamie entered the house in good spirits. The table in the dining room was set and he was starving and more than ready for a big dinner with the family. He was greeted by Claire who gave him a kiss and then lingered in his embrace for a while.

"Welcome home, " she whispered with a smile and he grinned at her.

"I'd like this welcome every time I walk through the door, please. Where's Lottie?"

Claire glanced around but neither one of them saw any trace of her.

"I haven't seen her. I just got in myself," she said with a puzzled frown.

"Och, she's probably around here somewhere," he said and focused his attention on the table again.

"If ye're talking about Lottie then she'll be up in her room contemplating her behavior at school today, " Jenny said as she entered carrying a platter filled with vegetables and chicken.

Jamie and Claire exchanged a knowing glance and Jamie wiped a hand across his face tiredly. This was the last thing he wanted to hear right now. Why couldn't she just stay out of trouble for at least a week? He loved that girl but she was a true menace sometimes. He was so sure he'd made his expectations clear to her last week out by the fence, and she had seemed contrite enough. But no. Now she was at it again.

"What did she do this time?"

Jenny handed him the note and he read it. It said she had not practiced her spelling and therefore without a doubt failed her test this morning. It also told him she had been punished for her slack and lack of effort.

"I see."

Claire took the note from his hand and read it.

"Strange. She was practicing when we came into the parlor last night, wasn't she? She spilled that ink on the sofa, remember?"

"Aye, that's true," Ian chimed in. "And she went upstairs to practice some more after Jenny was finished reading."

Jamie sighed again.

"Obviously it wasn' enough though. And now that I think about it I'm not so sure she actually did any practicing up in her room after she went upstairs."

Claire stroked his back consolingly.

"Ye also offered to help her practice last night, Sassenach, I heard ye. It's irresponsible of her to quit when she should have kent she hadn't learned her homework yet. I'll go up and deal with her right away."

"But Jame…" Claire protested knowing fully well he intended to punish Lottie with a tanning. "Don't be so hard on her. She's trying and at least he didn't write anything about her being disrespectful this time, right?"

"Sassenach, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm not gonna let that lass run wild. I will punish her if she does wrong and this is one of those times when I see it necessary to do so. It doesna mean I dinna love her any less."

They had had this conversation before but Jamie knew his wife well enough to understand that he was going to have to remind her of his opinion on the subject now and then. For reasons known to him, but not to Jenny and Ian, Claire had trouble accepting that discipline was necessary and that they would be carried out. He had also reminded her of the fact that discipline of children in the 18th century was standard, at least if ye cared about them, and that it would look quite suspicious if he never punished his ward the way others did in this time and place.

"Yes, I know. Can the two of you at least have dinner first while the food is still warm?" she asked.

Jamie thought of agreeing when he heard his stomach rumble, but then shook his head.

"No, I dinna think that's a good idea. Knowing the lass she'll be pretty nervous right about now as well as agitated. She'll just end up letting out her frustration here at the table and being rude, forcing me to act. I'll deal with her first, before we eat."

Everyone agreed that would be best and Jamie steered his steps towards the stairs.

Lottie sat staring out the window, nervously rolling her thumbs. She heard steps in the stairs and knew someone was approaching. She hoped it wasn't Jamie but recognized his heavy steps on the stairs.

"Damn it, " she cursed quietly to herself.

He was going to kill her. She put her face in her palms and groaned, but looked up quickly when he pushed the door open and

entered.

Their eyes met and she swallowed when she saw the grimness in his gaze.

"I didn't mean..." she started but closed her mouth. "Never mind. You won't listen to me anyway."

Jamie stood with his arms crossed, staring at her for some time. He remained that way, appraising her, for a couple of minutes until he spoke.

"So, ye're choosing that approach? Fine. I'll listen then. I'll listen when ye explain to me why ye failed the test and got in trouble at school again today. Go ahead, please," he said with a sarcastic voice.

"It wasn't my fault!" she snapped and threw her hands in the air.

"Lower yer voice," Jamie said sharply."Ye'll speak respectfully or not at all on this subject, lass. How could it not be yer fault that ye failed the test?"

"Because I...I practiced for it. I did. But the words wouldn't enter my head and stay there. I mean their spelling. You know what I mean! Don't you?"

Jamie nodded and gestured for her to sit on her bed. He then leaned against the desk himself.

"When did ye practice yer spelling, Lottie?"

"Last night! You saw me doing it when you came into the parlor, for darned sake!"

"Again, lower yer voice. That's yer last warning," he growled annoyed at her behavior.

Lottie took a breath and nodded.

"Yes, Sir. But I..."

"Answer the question, lass."

Lottie contemplated what to say and how to be as truthful as possible without giving him enough rope to hang her with.

"I..I..don't know."

Jamie raised a brow and she could see he wasn't having any of that.

"I did it after dinner."

He nodded.

"Aye, I ken that. Ye started practicing right after ye were finished with dinner while the rest of us cleaned up. We told ye that ye didna need to help since ye had homework. What's more interesting is yer answer to my next question..."

Lottie held her breath. What was his next question and how could she dodge it?

"What time did ye stop practicing spelling the words?"

Oh no! He was good. Really good. Why did he always have to ask such specific questions to everything?

"Later that evening," she answered with a grin. She found the answer quickly and felt really satisfied about it.

Jamie touched his chin thoughtfully and glared at her with a piercing stare.

"Oh, really. That answer just earned ye six more licks with my belt, lass. I want a better answer."

Lottie's mouth fell open.

"What?! That's not fair! It was later in the evening!"

"How MUCH later, Lottie. And ye'd better answer me now or ye willna like the consequences."

"I stopped when ye entered the room and it was time for Jenny to start reading. I really wanted to hear the story," she said sadly and felt her throat tighten and a tear roll down her cheek in frustration.

Jamie nodded again and spoke.

"Didn't we agree ye'd continue yer studying in yer room when you'd go upstairs if ye could listen to the story?"

She nodded miserably.

"Yes."

"Uh huh."

"But I did!"

He raised his other brow.

"How many times?"

"Half a time, I suppose," she whispered and he nodded.

"I gathered as much. And didn't I ask ye if ye were finished with yer spelling right before ye got into bed last night, lass? Ye lied to me."

Lottie looked up and locked eyes with her determined guardian.

"You did not ask me! You just assumed and said "I see you're finished with your spelling". I didn't say I was finished though."

Jamie had to keep himself from grabbing her and bending her over right away. He sighed inwardly. Sometimes she reminded him of himself as a lad and the way he used to reason with his father and uncles.

"Ye should ken verra well that's the same as lying. I assumed ye had done yer spelling and said so and you didna correct me."

"But I didn't lie!" Lottie exclaimed affectedly and shot to her feet.

"Like I said, Lottie: it's the same as lying. And dinna even try to weasel yer way out of it by bringing up triviality. It willna work with me."

Lottie balled her fists and glared at him with fire in her eyes.

"It's not fair!" she couldn't keep from yelling.

"What's not fair?" Jamie asked calmly and began to unbuckle his belt.

Lottie felt herself panic. He couldn't thrash her when she hadn't lied to him. It was completely unfair. A part of her knew that she had intentionally not corrected him the night before and that he was right about her not having practiced as much as she could have. But right now accepting that was far away for her.

"You can't thrash me when I did nothing wrong!"

Jamie raised his eyebrows at her as if to show her he knew that she actually knew better than what she claimed. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled, making her sit down on the bed again.

"Nothing wrong? Ye ken better than that, lass."

"But I didn't lie, Jamie! So you should take licks off. That would be fair."

Jamie contemplated that for a couple of seconds but then shook his head. She was trying to take control by clinging to unimportant trivial things.

"You kent exactly what ye were doing when ye avoided answering my comment about yer work. Next time ye try that approach it will do ye good to remember the lesson I'm about to teach ye about honor and truthfulness."

Lottie's shoulders slumped as he pulled the belt from its loops and folded it. He wasn't going to give in and she knew there was no point in fighting it any longer. Tears running down her face she got up and let him put her over his thigh. She looked back and saw him raise his arm and bring the belt down with a smack. She quickly hid her face in her arms and gritted her teeth for the first four licks. On the seventh lick she began to squirm. He was using a lot of force and meant business.

Jamie said nothing but simply carried out the punishment swiftly and with a continuous speed. Lottie let out a groan and couldn't help but try to wiggle out of the way.

"Be still," Jamie warned but didn't hold up the punishment.

He delivered ten more swats with the belt and then halted. Lottie's cheeks were so wet with tears she felt like they were sticking to her forearms. She made to stand up when she felt his hand on her back gently pushing her back down again.

"Sorry, lass but ye still have six licks coming."

Lottie groaned loudly and actually tried to get up anyway. Jamie pushed her back down determinedly though. He wasn't having any fuss.

"Dinna even think about it. Unless ye want to add to the ones ye already have, that is?" he threatened.

"Please, Jamie. No more. I won't do it again. I promise!" she pleaded.

Her pleas landed on deaf ears though and soon Lottie was reduced to a sniveling mess over his knee. When he was finished Jamie carefully set her back on the ground and gave her a tissue to wipe her face with.

"I'm sorry," she said and wiped indignantly at her tears and running nose. "I'll do better."

Jamie gestured for her to sit next to him on the bed but she declined and he accepted it.

"It's not about ye performing at the top of the class, Lottie. Me, Claire and Jenny and Ian will be satisfied with you doing yer best. But ye didna do yer best last night. I'm sure of it. And ye weren't honest with me either. That's why I punished ye."

She nodded.

"I know. But I really couldn't get the words into my head. That was the honest truth, Jamie. There's something wrong with me. I swear."

"There isna anything wrong with ye, lass," he said and held her close. "But perhaps next time ye can accept Claire's help when she offers it to ye?"

Lottie knew he was right and she vowed to herself that she would accept Claire's help with her next spelling test. A part of her wanted to tell Jamie about Fordyce way of humiliating her in front of the class by telling her to spell the words in English and giving her the younger children's words. But she decided not to. That was probably common behavior for schoolmasters in this time and he wouldn't understand. Maybe they were all "clot-heids".

To be continued

A/N: Please send a small review with just a thought about the chapter.