Claire winces at a particularly loud smack from upstairs. She looks over the faces of her children and their spouses – Fergus and Marsali, Ellen and Roger – and Jamie, all trying to make conversation and trying to ignore the loud bangs from upstairs, as they eat their meal. But, despite everyone's best attempts, the awkwardness lingers in the air. They are having their Sunday family meal. Most Sundays, especially since Alamance, they have all made an effort to try to have a family dinner. Brian, however, is nowhere to be found.
There's a particularly loud hammer. Fergus grimaces. Marsali, who is still early on in her new pregnancy, rubs her temples with her fingers as if trying to alleviate a headache.
"Wha' the devil is he doin'?" Marsali grumbles.
"The lad has decided we need a playroom fer the children. Fer when they visit." Jamie explains. "I believe young Keziah is wi' 'im now."
These days, Brian has thrown himself into working on the upstairs of the Big House. Claire is glad Brian is now putting his mind to doing things rather than sitting and staring off into the distance but he's still not talking.
"Does he have to do it now? Doesn't he know it is Sunday?" Fergus questions after finishing his mouthful of pork. "I imagine he could take a few hours off of his newfound hobby in woodworking, no?"
Ellen forces herself to smile, touched by the gesture of her parents. "It gives him peace, I suppose."
Claire isn't sure. She had found her son in the room he'd decided for the playroom to be, having stridden up there with plans in hand. Claire had gone up to see how he was doing and had found him standing over the toolbox and gripping onto some rope as his eyes were glazed over. She had gently interrupted him, his hands letting go of the rope as he blinked furiously as if trying to wipe away the images. That's the funny thing about psychological wounds, it glares up when you least expect it. She feels awful for Brian.
Claire instead says, "I said it would be nice to have a room of that sort but now it's difficult to keep Brian away from his new passion for carpentry."
"It would be nice for the lad to stop for a while…" Jamie remarks. His comments seem in jest but Claire can see the heavy set in his shoulders and the pull at the corner of his mouth. He's worried maybe even frightened.
"Milady says his throat has healed fine," Fergus says. "Why doesn't he speak?"
"Brian had a verra frightenin' experience," Roger tells him, cutting into his meat. "Everraone heals in their own time. "
Claire nods in agreement. "It's best you don't rush him." She decides to change gears to something that, at the moment, is more uplifting and turns to Ferguson and Marsali. "Germain's getting very good at reading now. Too good. He read my notes about lancing a haemorrhoid." Claire goes to take another bite, then winces after realising she is speaking about arseholes and put it down. Jamie and Ellen look as if they're trying to contain their laughter.
"Ah, thank ye verra much Claire," Marsali says warmly.
Claire nods, glad to gloss over her comment. "You've done well teaching him to read, but… you're doing the hard work, aren't you? Teaching him to write, too? Jamie and I were talking about getting a school of some sort going for the children. Find a teacher looking to settle. It'll be useful for Germain as well as Joanie and Jem along with the new little one in the future."
Marsali and Fergus share a warm look as the former gently strokes her stomach.
"It's a lot of children though," Ellen argues, taking a sip of her wine. "You know there's an alternative to you having to pay for all that work."
At this, Claire raises a brow. "What's that?" She asks.
"Me."
Claire looks at her daughter in surprise, glancing at Jamie who seems intrigued. "I… I guess it would save on our coins…" Claire agrees weakly. "But… do you know the first thing about teaching?"
"I can help her." Roger declares, looking eager that his teaching skills are coming into use. Ellen smiles thankfully at her husband.
"Well, if you're sure…" Claire doesn't want to stop her daughter but can't help but be concerned and it's not because she doubts her daughter's capabilities but more that this is another job above everything else. Ellen is already using her engineering degree by coming up with as many plans as possible to make life on the Ridge easier, looking after Jem and spending time with Brian, trying to encourage him into activities and into talking. But everyone else seems pleased for Ellen so Claire realises she must step back for now.
Jamie raises a glass. "Weel, a toast te yer new endeavour." He toasts and everyone joins in. The merriment is only disrupted by another loud bang from upstairs.