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He dressed slowly, his e his stockings out fro in the tue of the pillow He reached out slowly and picked it up The "auld wifie"--the tiny fertility charly heavy in his hand

"I will be da at it for a ently back beneath the pillow

BRIANNA HAD PUT the visitor in Jamie’s study--what er stopped for ato be sure all his bodily parts were present and attached There hadn’t been time to shave, but he’d coht expect, under the circumstances

Three faces turned toward the door as he caht to warn him that Christie had outriders Still, the elder entleray, was obviously Thoer man was no more than twenty, and just as obviously Christie’s son

"Mr Christie?" He offered the older er MacKenzie; I’hter--you’ve met my wife, I think"

Christie looked h expecting Jaer cleared his throat; his voice was still thick from sleep, and thus even more hoarse than it usually was

"I’m afraid my father-in-law isnot available at present Could I be of service to you?"

Christie frowned at hier’s hand, and shook it fir both faainst his knuckle of a Masonic greeting He had not experienced that in years, and it was more reflex than reason that caused hin Evidently it was satisfactory; Christie’s severe expression eased slightly, and he let go

"Perhaps ye may, Mr MacKenzie, perhaps ye er "I wish to find land on which to settle with ht feel hi suitable in er replied cautiously What the hell? he thought Had Christie just been trying it on at a venture, or had he reason to expect that sign would be recognized? If he did--that presunize it, and thought his son-in-law ht had never so er’s mind, and Jamie himself had certainly never spoken of it

"Please--do sit down," he said abruptly, irl who hter or the son’s wife--had risen as hen Roger ca behind the paterfa potentate

Feeling er waved them back to their stools, and sat down himself behind Jalazed jar, hoping this would ht he to ask a potential tenant?

"Now, then, Mr Christie" He smiled at them, conscious of his unshaven jaws "My wife says that you were acquainted with my father-in-law, in Scotland?"

"In Ardser a sharp look, as though daring hiain; healed as it was, it tended still to be clogged and rasping for so Christie appeared to take it as an adverse cohtly He had thick brows and proht yellowish-brown color, and this, coupled with feathery, close-clipped dark hair and the lack of any visible neck, gave hie, irascible owl

"Jamie Fraser was a prisoner there as well," he said "Surely ye knew as er said mildly "I understand that several of the e ca the owlish impression

"Ahthe Lindsays--that’s Kenny, Murdo, and Evan," Roger said, rubbing a hand over his brow to assist thought "Geordie Chisholm and Robert MacLeod I think--yes, I’m fairly sure Alex MacNeill was fro this list with close attention, like a barn owl keeping track of a rustling in the hay Now he relaxed, settling his feathers, as Roger thought