The Outlandish Companion - Diana Gabaldon [69]
Going down to the inn’s kitchen to fetch up tea for Lizzie, though, she sees a sight that drives impatience and anger from her mind at once, to replace them with fear. Men are gambling in the taproom, and one man has among his stake a wide gold band—a woman’s wedding ring, with an inscription inside that Brianna knows well: From F. to C. with love. Always.
Whatever the strains of her marriage to Frank Randall, nothing would cause Claire willingly to give up that band. What has happened to her mother, and where did this man—this Bonnet, as he is called— come by that ring?
Her hand was trembling as she gave it back.
“It’s very pretty,” she said. “Where did you get it?”
He looked startled, then wary, and she hastened to add, “It’s too small for you— won’t your wife be angry if you lose her ring?” How? she thought wildly. How did he get it? And what’s happened to my mother?
The full lips curved in a charming smile.
“And if I had a wife, sweetheart, sure I’d leave her for you.” He looked her over once more closely, long lashes dropping to hide his gaze. He touched her waist in a casual gesture of invitation.
“I’m busy just now, sweetheart, but later… eh?”
The jug was burning through the cloth, but her fingers felt cold. Her heart had congealed into a small lump of terror.
“Tomorrow,” she said. “In the daylight.”
He looked at her, startled, then threw his head back and laughed.
“Well, I’ve heard men say I’m not a one to be met in the dark, poppet, but the women seem to prefer it.” He ran a thickfinger down her forearm in play; the red-gold hairs rose at his touch.
“In the daylight, then, if ye like. Come to my ship—Gloriana, near the naval yard.”
With no other way to discover what may have happened to Claire, Brianna goes to meet Bonnet next day, offering to buy the ring from him, and inquiring as to its past history. He tells her that the previous owner of the ring is in good health, so far as he knows, and agrees to sell her the ring. The price he has in mind, however, isn’t money.
LIZZIE’S FEVER BREAKS and then recurs on the journey upriver, and Brianna has neither time nor thought to spare for anything but the struggle to keep Lizzie alive until they reach Cross Creek.
Tired and grubby from the agonizing trip, Brianna cannot rest; Jamie Fraser is meant to be in town, and she must find him. Leaving Lizzie in safe hands, she ventures into Cross Creek—and finds what she is seeking in the backyard of a tavern.
She could scarcely breathe. His eyes were dark blue, soft with kindness. Her eyes fixed on the open collar of his shirt, where the curly hairs showed, bleached gold against his sunburnt skin.
“Are you—you’re Jamie Fraser, aren’t you:
He glanced sharply at her face.
“I am,” he said. The wariness had returned to his face; his eyes narrowed against the sun. He glanced quickly behind him, toward the tavern, but nothing stirred in the open doorway. He took a step closer to her.
“Who asks?” he said softly. “Have you a message for me, lass?”
She felt an absurd desire to laugh welling up in her throat. Did she have a message?
“My name is Brianna,” she said. He frowned, uncertain, and something flickered in his eyes. He knew it! He’d heard the name and it meant something to him. She swallowed hard, feeling her cheeks blaze as though they’d been seared by a candle flame.
“I’m your daughter,” she said, her voice sounding choked to her own ears. “Brianna.”
Jamie Fraser is all that Brianna had hoped for. Overwhelmed with emotion at finding her, he takes her and Lizzie to River Run, where Jocasta makes much of them.
Jamie has come down from Fraser’s Ridge to testify at a trial; Fergus has been arrested on false charges of attacking and defrauding a tax collector. Both charges and trial are the result of Sergeant Murchison’s machinations—a malicious attempt to damage Jamie both by imprisoning Fergus and by compelling Jamie to leave