Being married to John was different, to say the least. We had friendship, but even that seemed to be strained under the circumstances. I just couldn’t believe that Jamie was dead. It wasn’t that I was in denial; I didn’t know what to think.
The morning was bright, sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows upstairs. John was still sleeping, so I got up quietly and went down to make myself some tea. I sat down at the table and tried to make sense of everything that had happened. Ian was dead, that much I could believe. As soon as I saw him, I knew he wouldn’t last much longer. But now … No, Jamie wasn’t dead. I didn’t know how I knew, I just did. However, I’d play along until I had some sort of proof.
John came down fully dressed a while later and greeted me cordially.
“Going somewhere?” I inquired.
“Not particularly, but I like to be prepared. Anything could happen, what with the ‘revolution’ going on and all.”
As soon as he spoke the last word, there was a knock at the front door. One of the servants went open it.
“Is Lord Grey in? I’m a friend of his,” a voice came from the door. I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall. And he was standing there in front of us.
“Ja-” Grey stammered. “I thought you were -”
“Ye thought I was dead?” Jamie finished bluntly. “Haha, well, April Fool’s mis putas!”
I was shocked, but not surprised. I knew he’d be alright. Finding the energy to move, time seemed to slow down as I ran toward him, jumping in his arms. He caught me and we kissed fiercely.
“Mis putas?” I whispered in his ear.
“Roughly ‘my bitches’ in Spanish.”
I pulled back and looked at him quizzically.
“I kid, Sassenach, I kid.” He set me down and turned his attention to Grey, while I turned my attention to Jenny, whom I hadn’t noticed there before.
“Claire,” she began.
“It’s alright, Jenny, it’s alright,” I said, pulling her into a hug.
“I didn’t mean -” she tried again.
“I know. I forgive you.”
I said goodbye to John, left some instructions as to the post-surgery care of his nephew, Henry, and Jamie, Jenny, and I took our leave of the Grey residence, headed toward Fraser’s Ridge.
