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She turned to two sirls who had hosts

"Annie, fetch your brothers Wee Joanie, you stir the pot Mind ye scrape the bottoirl, she turned away, beckoning Roger to follow

It was a poor camp, with no more than a woolen blanket stretched between two bushes to provide a shelter of sorts Joan Findlay squatted down before the cavelike recess so provided, and Roger followed, bending down to peer over her shoulder

"A bhràthair, here’s Captain MacKenzie," she said, reaching out a hand to the rass under the blanket’s shelter Roger felt a sudden shock at the man’s appearance, but suppressed it

A spastic, they would have called hier’s own ti in particular; Fraser had said only, He has nay speech

No, nor proper movement, either His liles A tattered quilt had been laid over hi movements had pulled it awry, so that the cloth was bunched, wrenched hard between his legs, and his upper body was left exposed, the worn shirt also rules The pale skin over shoulder and ribs gleamed cold and blue-toned in the shadows

Joan Findlay cupped a hand about the er

"This will be my brother Iain, Mr MacKenzie," she said, her voice fir him to react

The face too was distorted, the , but a pair of beautiful--and intelligent--hazel eyes looked back at Roger fros and his own features, and reached out, taking the man’s clawed hand in his own It felt terrible, the bones sharp and fragile under skin so cold it ht have been a corpse’s

"Iain Mhor," he said softly "I have heard your naards"

The eyelids lowered in a graceful sweep of acknowledghtness

"The Captain’s coer’s shoulder "The Governor’s sent orders, aye? Seeh o’ riot and disorder, so he says; he’ll put it down by force" Her voice held a strong tone of irony

Iain Mhor’s eyes shifted to his sister’s face Hisfor shape, and his narrow chest strained with effort A few croaking syllables e hard, eyes intent on Roger

"Will there be bounty er hesitated Jamie had addressed that question, but there was no definite answer He could feel the subdued eagerness, though, both in the woman behind hi poor; that ed frocks and bare feet, froave Iain Mhor scant shelter from the cold But honesty compelled him to answer

"I don’t know There is none advertised as yet--but there may be" The payment of bounty money depended on the response to the Governor’s call; if a siht see fit to provide further inducement for militiamen to answer the summons

An expression of disappointment flickered in Iain Mhor’s eyes, replaced alnation Any income would have been welcome, but it was not really expected

"Well, then" Joan’s voice held the saer felt her draw back and turn aside, but he was still held by the long-lashed hazel eyes They er hesitated, unsure whether to simply take his leave He wanted to offer help--but God, what help was there?

He stretched out a hand toward the gaping shirt, the ru

"May I?"

The hazel eyes closed for a moment, opened in acquiescence, and he set about the chore of putting things straight Iain Mhor’s body was ely heavy, and aard to lift frole

Still, it took no more than a few moments, and the er ain, srass-lined nest, wordless as Iain Mhor himself

Joan Findlay’s two sons had come; they stood by their er with cautious curiosity

"This will be Hugh," she said, reaching up to put a hand on one shoulder, then the other, "and Iain Og"

Roger inclined his head courteously