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Ian stood looking down into the water that swirled past the side of the ship in s hands, broad-backed and browned by the sun

"Aye," he said "And at "

I was a bit startled to hear this I had known that the elder Ian had soldiered in France for a tione so early for a soldier--nor stayed so long Young Ian was just fifteen The elder Ian had served as a foreign e of twenty-then a cannon blast had left hirapeshot that it had been aood

Jahtly Then he ca backward, hands on the rail to balance himself

"I ken that, aye?" Jamie said quietly "For I followed him, four years later, when I was outlawed"

Ian looked up at that, startled

"Ye were together there in France?"

There was a slight breeze caused by our movement, but it was still a hot day Perhaps the temperature decided hi drop for athe thick tail of his hair to cool his neck

"In Flanders For more than a year, before Ian ounded and sent hoius ht with interest

"Is that where Fergus--our Fergus--got his name, then?"

His uncle smiled

"Aye, I nareat soldier, forbye He thought weel o’ Ian Did your Da never speak to you of hihtly clouded

"He’s never said a thing toin France--Mam told me that, when I asked--but he wouldna say a word about it, his’s description of aht it likely that the elder Ian hadn’t wanted to recall the occasion

Ja the sweat-damp shirt away from his chest

"Aye, well I suppose he meant to put that time behind him, once he’d come home and settled at Lallybroch And then…" He hesitated, but Ian was insistent

"And then what, Uncle Jalanced at his nephew, and one side of his mouth curled up

"Well, I think he didna want to tell tooon it and set yourselves to go for soldiers, too He and your ht the elder Ian had been wise; it was clear froer Ian couldn’t think of a

"That will ha’ been ust "She’d have s, did I let her"

Jarinned

"Oh, let her, is it? And d’ye think she’d wrap ye in wool and smother ye wi’ kisses if ye were home this minute?"

Ian dropped the pose of disdain

"Well, no," he adhed

"Ye know a bit about wolanced skeptically from his uncle to me, and back

"And you’ll ken all about the an answer to this, but Jahed

"It’s a wise e, Ian" He bent and kissed , "Though I could wish your own li bored

"I dinnaJah!"

Jahtfully

"Young Jamie has Lallybroch And wee Michael does i’ Jared in Paris They’ll be settled We did as best we ht for the two o’ them, but there was precious littlewhen they came to manhood There wasna much choice for theht

"But your parents dinna want that for you, Ian, if betterand influence; duine uasal, perhaps" It was a Gaelic expression I had heard before, literally "a man of worth" It was the term for tacksmen and lairds, the men of property and folloho ranked only below chieftains in the Highland clans

Such aBut not now

"Mmphm And did ye do as your parents wanted for ye, then, Uncle Jamie?" Ian looked blandly at his uncle, with only a wary twitch of the eye to show he kneas treading on shaky ground Jamie had been meant to be duine uasal, indeed; Lallybroch had been his by right It was only in an effort to save the property froally to Young Jamie, instead

Jamie stared at him for a moment, then rubbed a knuckle across his upper lip before replying

"I did say ye’d a fine h since ye ask…I was raised to do two things, Ian To mind my land and people, and to care for ht--and I shall go on doing therace to look abashed at this