The Outlandish Companion - Diana Gabaldon [239]
“Not a chance,” I said, grunting as I hoisted a well-nourished Jemmy, now peacefully comatose in his own wrappings, into a more comfortable position. “I think he’s gained a pound or two on the way uphill.” I was flushed from exertion, and held the baby a little away from myself, as a sudden wave of heat flushed my cheeks and perspiration broke out under the waves of my disheveled hair.
Jamie took Jemmy from me, and tucked him expertly under one arm like a football, hand under the baby’s head.
“Ye’ve spoken wi’ the priest, then?” he said, eyeing Roger skeptically.
“I have,” Roger said dryly, answering the look as much as the question. “He’s satisfied I’m no the Antichrist. So long as I’m willing the lad should be baptized a Catholic, there’s no bar to the wedding.”
Jamie grunted in reply, and I repressed a smile. While Jamie had no great religious prejudices—he had dealt with, fought with, and commanded far too many men, of every possible background—the revelation that his son-in-law was a Presbyterian—and had no intention of converting—had occasioned some small comment.
Bree caught my eye and gave me a sidelong smile, her own eyes creasing into blue triangles of catlike amusement.
“Very wise of you not to mention religion ahead of time,” I murmured, careful not to speak loudly enough for Jamie to hear me. Both men were walking ahead of us, still rather stiff in their attitudes. The formality of their demeanor was rather impaired, though, by the trailing draperies of the babies they carried. Jemmy let out a sudden squawk, but his grandfather swung him up without breaking stride, and he subsided, round eyes fixed on us over Jamie’s shoulder, sheltered under the hooding of his blanket.
“Roger wanted to say something, but I told him to keep quiet.” She waved at Jemmy, and fixed a wifely look on Roger’s back. “I knew Da wouldn’t make a stramash about it, if we waited till just before the wedding.”
I noted both her astute evaluation of her father’s behavior, and her easy use of Scots. She resembled Jamie in a good deal more than the obvious matter of looks and coloring; she had his talent for human judgment and his glibness with language. Still, there was something niggling at my mind, something to do with Roger and religion.…
We had come up close enough behind the men to hear their conversation.
“… about Hillsborough,” Jamie was saying, leaning toward Roger so as to be heard over the wind. “Calling for information about the rioters.”
“Oh, aye?” Roger sounded both interested and wary. “Duncan Innes will be interested to hear that. He was in Hillsborough during the troubles, did you know?”
“No.” Jamie sounded more than interested. “I’ve barely seen Duncan to speak to this week. I’ll ask him, maybe, after the weddings.”
Roger turned, shielding Joan from the wind with his body as he spoke to Brianna.
“Your aunt’s told Father Donahue he can hold the weddings in her tent. That’ll be a help.”
“Brrr!” Bree hunched her shoulders, shivering. “Thank goodness. It’s no day to be getting married under the greenwood tree.
A chestnut overhead sent down a damp shower of yellow leaves, as though in agreement. Roger looked a little uneasy.
“I don’t imagine it’s quite the wedding ye thought of,” he said.
Brianna looked up at Roger and a slow, wide smile spread across her face. “Neither was the first one,” she said. “But I liked it fine.”
Roger’s complexion wasn’t given to blushing, and his ears were red with cold in any case. He opened his mouth as though to reply, caught Jamie’s gimlet eye, and shut it again, looking embarrassed but undeniably pleased. “Mr. Fraser!”
I turned to see one of the soldiers making his way up the hill toward us, his eyes fixed on Jamie.
“Corporal McNair, your servant sir,” he said, breathing hard as he reached us. He gave a sharp inclination of the head. “The Leftenant’s compliments, and would ye be so good as to attend him in his tent?” He caught sight of me, and bowed again, less abruptly. “Mrs. Fraser. My compliments, Ma’am.”
“Your servant, sir.