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The hail was short-lived As the rush and clattering lessened, though, the crunching noise of muddy boots came up the path Jamie, with Father Kenneth Donahue in tow, crusted hail on their hair and shoulders
"I’ve brought the good Father for tea," he said, bea
"No, you haven’t," I said, rather ootten about Stephen Bonnet, he rong about that, too
Turning at the sound of eration of startled shock at sight of me in my mobcap
"Is that you, Sassenach?" he asked into lean forward and peek under the drooping frill ofto the presence of the priest, I refrained fro Jamie in some sensitive spot, and contented myself instead with an atterave; la Medusa
He appeared not to notice, distracted by Ger theme and variations on my initial French expression, to the tune of "Ro Your Boat" Father Donahue was going bright pink with the effort of pretending that he didn’t understand any French
"Tais toi, crétin," Jah, but with the tone of one whose expectation of being obeyed is so absolute as not to admit question Germain stopped abruptly, mouth open, and Jamie promptly thuan concentrating on the otten
I reached for the kettle, using a handful of ain as pot holder Ja, and hooked the handle of the kettle neatly fro it
"Merci," I said, with a distinct lack of gratitude Nonetheless, I accepted the stick and set off toward the nearest rivulet, s a rock-studded pool, I dropped the kettle with a clang, ripped off the e, and stae, muddy footprint on the linen
"I didna , Sassenach," said an amused voice behind me
I raised a cold brow in his direction
"You didn’t , did you?"
"No It makes ye look like a poisonous toadstool Much better without," he assured me
He pulled me toward him and bent to kiss ht," I said, and the tone of my voice stopped him, a fraction of an inch froht just bite a s like a man who has just realized that the stone he has casually picked up is in actuality a wasp’s nest, he straightened up and very, very slowly took his hands off my waist
"Oh," he said, and tilted his head to one side, lips pursed as he surveyed me
"Ye do look a bit frazzled, at that, Sassenach"
No doubt this was true, but itinto tears to hear it Evidently the urge showed, because he took e rock
"Sit," he said "Close your eyes, a nighean donn Rest yourself anoises and athe kettle
He set the filled kettle at my feet with a soft clunk, then eased himself down on the leaves beside it, where he sat quietly I could hear the faint sigh of his breath, and the occasional sniff and rustle as he wiped a dripping nose on his sleeve
"I’ , to look up at h ye’ve refused my bed--or at least I hope it’s not co love just at the moment was absolutely at the bottom of my list, but I returned the half-s on the ground, I wouldn’t refuse anyone’s bed" His eyebroent up at that, and I laughed, taken off-guard
"No," I said again "I’riped low in riain, in sudden understanding "That kind of frazzled"
"That kind of frazzled," I agreed I poked at the kettle with one toe "I’d better take that back; I need to boil water so I can steep so time" It did; it would take an hour or more, by which time the cramps would be considerably worse
"The hellbark," he said, producing a silver flask from the recesses of his shirt "Try this At least ye dinna need to boil it first"
I unscrewed the stopper and inhaled Whisky, and very good whisky, too
"I love you," I said sincerely, and he laughed
"I love ye too, Sassenach," he said, and gently touched my foot
I took a mouthful and let it trickle down the back of h my mucous , aan to extend war tendrils round the source ofanother sip I closed my eyes, the better to appreciate it An Irishood whisky could raise the dead I wasn’t disposed to argue the point
"That’s wonderful," I said, when I opened et it?" This enty-year-old Scotch, if I knew anything about it--a far cry froe behind the house
"Jocasta," he said "It washt about that"
We sat in a coe to run a with the level of whisky in the flask
The rain had e dripped peacefully around us There was a stand of fir trees near; I could sent and clean above the heavier sy fabrics