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I was on edge, keeping an ear out for any noises that ht portend the return of Mr Lillywhite and the Sheriff, envisioning just what sort of brouhaha ht ensue if they did come back to discover Father Kenneth in the midst of ould surely be considered an illicit "cere at ht was likely meant for reassurance If so, it failed utterly; I knew hirandchildren baptized, and he would see their souls safely given into God’s care, if he died for it--or if we all went to gaol, Brianna, Marsali, and the children included Of such stuff are ed to lump it
"Do-you-believe-in-one-God-the-Father-the-Son-and-the-Holy-Ghost?"
"Stubborn man," I mouthed at Ja in with his firm, "I do believe" Was that a footfall on the path outside, or only the evening wind,the tree branches crack as it passed?
The questions and responses finished, and the priest grinned at ood eye closed briefly in a wink
"We’ll take it that your ansill be the same for the others, shall we, ma’am? And ill be this sweet lad’s baptis his rhythm, the priest took up the whisky flask, and dribbled a careful strea, "I baptize thee, Germain Alexander Claudel MacKenzie Fraser, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen"
Germain watched this operation with profound interest, round blue eyes crossing as the ae of his nose and dripped froue to catch the drops, then made a face at the taste
"Ick," he said clearly "Horse piss"
Marsali made a brief, shocked "Tst!" at hi Germain off the table, and beckoned to Bree
She held Jemmy over the table, cradled in her arms like a sacrifice She was intent on the baby’s face, but I saw her head twitch slightly, her attention drawn by so outside There were sounds on the path below; I could hear voices A group of enial but not drunken
I tensed, trying not to look at Jarab Gere of the tent, and run for it I took a preparatory grip on the collar of his gown, just in case Then I felt a gentle nudge as Bree shifted her weight against er and Fergus" She nodded toward the dark, then returned her attention to Jemmy
It was, I realized, and the skin of my temples prickled with relief Now that I knew, I could us’s voice, raised in a lengthy oration of soer’s A higher-pitched titter that I recognized as Mr Goodwin’s drifted through the night, followed by solance at Jamie this time He still held the dirk, but his hand had fallen to his side, and his shoulders had lost a little of their tension He sain, and this time I returned it
Jemmy ake, but drowsy He made no objection to the oil, but startled at the cold touch of the whisky on his forehead, eyes popping open and arh-pitched "Yeep!" of protest, then, as Bree gathered hiainst her shoulder, screwed up his face and tried to decide whether he was sufficiently disturbed to cry about it
Bree patted his back like a bongo dru hilowering suspiciously at the asse whisky on the sleeping Joan, held low in Marsali’s arhaire Claire Fraser," he said, following Marsali’s lead, and I glanced at Marsali, startled I knew she was called Joan for Marsali’s younger sister, but I hadn’t knohat the baby’s other na Marsali’s shawled head bent over the child Both her sister and her haire, were in Scotland; the chances of either ever seeing this tiny naly small
Suddenly, Joan’s slanted eyes popped wide open and so did hershriek, and everyone started as though a bomb had exploded in our o fast!" Father Kenneth said, his fingers already ni away all traces of the ceremony Down the path, I could hear voices raised in puzzled question
Marsali was out the tent flap in a flash, the squalling Joan against her breast, a protesting Gerh to put a hand behind Father Kenneth’s head and kiss him on the forehead
"Thank you, Father," she whispered, and was gone in a flurry of skirts and petticoats
Ja me out of the tent as well, but stopped for a half-second at the door, turning back
"Father?" he called in a whisper "Pax vobiscum!"
Father Kenneth had already seated hi sheets of blank paper spread out once htly, and his face was perfectly at peace in the laht, black eye and all
"Et cuers in parting benediction