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"Forthe air in front of hih it were a tribunal, "I dinna want ye to bear another child I wouldna risk your loss, Sassenach," he said, his voice suddenly husky "Not for a dozen bairns I’ve daughters and sons, nieces and nephews, grandchildren--weans enough"

He looked at me directly then, and spoke softly

"But I’ve no life but you, Claire"

He sed audibly, and went on, eyes fixed on hif ye do want another childperhaps I could still give ye one"

Brief tears blurred ers were stiff I fuht

Even as we had spoken,possibilities, difficulties, blessings I did not need to think further, for I knew the decision had made itself A child was a temptation of the flesh, as well as of the spirit; I knew the bliss of that unbounded oneness, as I knew the bittersweet joy of seeing that oneness fade as the child learned itself and stood alone

But I had crossed some subtle line Whether it was that I was born myself with some secret quota eiance iven elsewhere nowI knew As a htness now of effort complete, honor satisfied Mission accoainst his chest and spoke into the shadowed cloth above his heart

"No," I said softly "But, JamieI so love you"

WE STOOD WRAPPED in each other’s ar the rumble of voices from the other side of the wall that separated the house from the lean-to, but silent ourselves, and content with the peace of it We were at once too exhausted to o in, and reluctant to abandon the tranquillity of our rude retreat

"We’ll have to go in soon," I ht here, and be found in the hter ran through his chest, but before he could answer, a shadow fell over us Soht

Jaht on rip relaxed, allowing me to step back and turn round

"Morton," Ja sort of voice "What in Christ’s na here?"

Isaiah Morton didn’t much look like a rakish seducer, but then, I supposed tastes h the shoulder, with a barrel-shaped torso and slightly bowed legs He did have rather pleasant-looking eyes and a nice h I was unable to tell the color of either, in the die at somewhere in the early twenties

"Colonel, sir," he said in a whisper "Ma’aive you fright, ht I best seize the day, so to speak"

Jaarded Morton narrowly

"So to speak," he repeated

"Yes, sir I couldn’t et Ally to coain, when I caught heed of you and your lady talking"

He bowed to h by reflex

"Morton," Jamie said, softly, but with a certain aus not tell ye that the militia is stood down?"

"Oh, aye, sir, he did, sir" He bowed to Jao, sir, not without seeing Ally"

I cleared hed and nodded to me

"ErI’lement," I said delicately

"Eh?" Isaiah looked blank, and Jamie made an irritable noise

"She means the lass kens ye’ve a wife already," he said brutally, "and if her father doesna shoot ye on sight, she may stab ye to the heart And if neither of the hiht, "I’m inclined to do the job myself, wi’ et her with child, and hiive it his naht

"With child?"