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"Cut hiet his attention, though it seems a bit drastic" I hesitated a moment, reluctant "Do you want me to do it?"

He stared at

"Nay, Sassenach, I dinna think cutting an eighteen-hand stallion is a job for a woeon or no It doesna really require the delicate touch, aye?"

I was just as pleased to hear this I had been working at the sponge with my thumb; it loosened a bit, and a tiny shell popped suddenly out of a large pore It floated down through the water, a perfect miniature spiral, tinted pink and purple

"Oh, look," I said, delighted

"What a bonnie wee thing" Ja the shell at the bottoe, I wonder?"

"I expect the sponge ate it by mistake"

"Ate it?" One ruddy eyebrow shot up at that

"Sponges are animals," I explained "Or to be more exact, sto edible as it passes through"

"Ah, so that’s why Bree called the bairn a wee sponge They do that" He sht of Jemmy

"Indeed they do" I sat down and slipped the shift off arment fall to my waist The fire had taken the chill off the rooh that the skin of ooseflesh

Jamie picked up his belt and carefully re out pistol, cartridge box, dirk, and pewter flask on top of the s eyebrow in my direction

I nodded enthusiastically, and he turned to find a cup amid the rubble of odds stuffed into the house, all of our own saddlebags, plus the bundles and bits acquired at the Gathering, had been carried up and du on the wall gave the charotto, lined with lurandson, I reflected, watching him rootle about, completely nakd and totally unconcerned about it He took in everything, and seemed able to deal hatever can to his experience Maniac stallions, kidnapped priests, hters, and heathen sons-in-lawAnything he could not defeat, outwit, or alter, he sie and its ey further, I supposed I was the shell Snatched out ofcurrent, taken in and surrounded by Jae currents that pulsed through this outlandish environ The shell lay still at the bottom of the basin--delicate, beautifulbut ee to the back ofthe tickle of ater down rets I had chosen to be here; I wanted to be here And yet now and then ss like our conversation about immunity made me realize just how much had been lost--of what I had had, of what I had been It was undeniable that soht didin one of the saddlebags, and the sight of his bare buttocks, turned toward me in all innocence, did racefully shaped, rounded with ht the light of fire and candle The long, pale coluhs framed the shadow of his scrotum, dark and barely visible between them

He had found a cup at last, and poured it half full He turned and handed it tohis eyes fro at hi the matter, Sassenach?"

"No," I said, but I must have sounded rather doubtful, for his brows drew ether

"No," I said,it slightly in acknowledg smile touched his lips

"Aye? Well, ye dinna want to do too htht about that" I sipped froood wine "Where did you get this?"

"From Father Kenneth It’s sacramental wine--but not consecrated, aye? He said the Sheriff’s ht shadow crossed his face at ht?" I asked The Sheriff’s men had not struck ulation, but rather as thugs whose prejudice was momentarily constrained by fear--of Jamie

"I hope so" Jamie turned aside, restless "I told the Sheriff that if the Father were misused, he and hisIf Jamie learned of any harm done to Father Donahue, he would indeed ht ood tie County wasn’t a good enemy to have

I looked up to find Jah noith a look of deep appreciation

"You’re in good flesh these days, Sassenach," he observed, tilting his head to one side