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"Well, it er murmured reat length--flattered him, and made him ashamed of his ht, seeing the shabbiness of her much-mended apron, and the lines in her face, the old people had clearly had a hard time of it Perhaps Jamie had hired them as much from charity as from his own need of help
That raciously for her assistance
"Will ye colance at Mr Bug "Ye’ll not have met Mrs Fraser yet, I suppose, or--"
He was interrupted by a noise like a fire engine’s siren, distant but obviously co closer Quite familiar with this particular racket, he was not surprised to see his father-in-law ee from one of the trails that crisscrossed thelike a scalded cat in his ar er took him and--for lack of any other inspiration--stuck his thumb in the wide-open mouth The noise ceased abruptly, and everyone relaxed
"What a sweet laddie!" Mrs Bug stood a-tiptoe to coo over Jereet Mr Bug and Duncan
"Sweet" was not the adjective Roger himself would have chosen "Berserk" seeht red in the face, the tracks of tears staining his cheeks, and he sucked furiously on the sustaining thumb, eyes squashed shut in an effort to escape a patently unsatisfactory world What hair he had was sticking up in sweaty spikes and whorls, and he had co in disreputable folds and draggles He also slected privy, for reasons which were all too obvious
An experienced father, Roger at once instituted eency measures
"Where’s Bree?"
"God knows, and He’s no telling," Jamie said briefly "I’ve been searchin’ the mountainside for her since the oke in my arms and decided he wasna satisfied wi’ my company" He sniffed suspiciously at the hand which had been holding his grandson, then wiped it on the skirts of his coat
"He’s not so very pleased withon the thuer’s wrist, uttering squeals of frustration "Have ye seen Marsali, then?" He knew Brianna didn’t like anyone to feed Jeency He cast an eye about, hoping to spot a nursing ht take pity on the child, if not on hi, reaching for the baby and iel of light, so far as Roger was concerned
"There, now, a leannan, there, there" Recognizing a higher authority when he saw it, Jearded Mrs Bug She sat doith the little boy on her lap and began to deal with him in the same firm and efficient er thought that perhaps Jah, was exhibiting both intelligence and co stock, crops, tenants, and so forth But I could do that, Roger thought, following the conversation closely Some of it, he amended honestly, as the talk suddenly veered into a discussion of bag-rot Perhaps Jaer could learn, after all
"And who’s the bonnie laddie, noo?" Mrs Bug had risen to her feet, cooing over Jehtly swaddled cocoon She traced the line of a round cheek with one stubby finger, then glanced at Roger "Aye, aye, he’s eyes just like his father, then, hasn’t he?"
Roger flushed, forgetting about bag-rot
"Oh? I should say he favors hisher eyes at Roger, then shook her head decidedly, and patted Jem on the top of his head
"Not the hair, maybe, but the shape of hiave Roger a brief nod of approval, and kissed Jem on the brow "Why, I shouldna be surprised but what his een will turn green as he ages, either Mark rown! Won’t ye, wee , braw lad like your Da, won’t ye, then?"
It’s the usual thing folk say, he re to quell the absurd rush of pleasure he felt at her words The old wifies, they always say how a bairn resembles this one or that one He discovered suddenly that he was afraid even to admit the possibility that Jemmy could really be his--he wanted it so badly He told himself firmly that it didn’t matter; whether the boy was his by blood or not, he would love and care for him as his son He would, of course But it didfurther to Mrs Bug, though, Mr Bug turned toward him, to include him courteously in the men’s conversation
"MacKenzie, is it?" he asked "And will ye be one of the MacKenzies of Torridon, then, orsi a person’s antecedents was the nor that wouldn’t change a bit in the next two hundred years, he thought, wariness tempered by the comfortable fah, Jaer Mac’s kin to me on my mother’s side," he said casually "It will be MacKenzie of Leoch, aye?"
"Oh, aye?" Arch Bug looked impressed "You’re far afield, then, lad!"