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I dinna much listen to her either. Got me into trouble more than I'd like to admit, but she fixed it up, always. Though she wasn't always gentle wi' it.

[Just like now, when she pinches his hand and he pulls it away with a smile and a soft ouch. He remembers how angry she could be when he got stabbed or got himself stepped on by a horse, or something like that. Sometimes she wasn't all that gentle but she made sure he lived.]

[Claire's moved, but she's quickly distracted by Jamie's comment. So, he gets pinched.]

The both of you'd better listen, now. I've less patience these days. [Not true.] No skinned knees, no broken arms, broken toes, or anything that makes my blood pressure go up.

[Good luck.]

[ Brianna ducks her head and laughs softly. ]

I'll promise if he promises.

[ Now, she eyes Jamie, raising an eyebrow. ]

[Jamie, popping a grape into his mouth, lifts both his brows and looks between the two women.

He can only give a playful shrug of his shoulder. The man doesn't make empty promises.]

[That just earns Jamie an audible kick under the table.]

Already a terrible influence.

[ Bree's laughter is loud and bright at the kick, and it's so genuine, a moment between a daughter and her parents being ridiculous as she tears off a piece of bread. And from there, information pours out of her. She tells him about the horse riding of course, about being so unsure about school and what she wanted to do or be. About her imaginary friend as a five-year-old, going on trips, how much she loves bunnies and always wanted one, and about going to the beach. It's so easy once she gets going and she very carefully omits Frank. It's hard, but she doesn't want to make the lightness leave either of their faces. ]

[Bree has Jamie's entire attention. The food and drink is forgotten as he takes in every word, every expression. He's an active listener, making little noises here and there, nodding, and asking questions when she might mention something he doesn't understand. He knows there will be a lot of that.

He tells her some of himself. Of his studies in Paris, of when his father taught him to ride, of getting into trouble with his mother, of getting lost in the woods and Jenny scolding him worse than their parents.]

[Claire could interject with her own commentary but for once, doesn't. She's happy to let Bree and Jamie talk. Catch up on lives that never got a chance to cross before now. It's everything she's wanted. It makes so much of the pain and suffering simply not matter in this moment.

She listens, unable to stop smiling.]

[ She decides to circle back to this whole Paris thing. ]

How old were you when you went to Paris all alone?

[ She's so intrigued, not getting any ideas at all, no, not her. ]

A bit younger than ye are now. Sixteen? [A small shrug.] My father insisted I get a proper education, ye ken. Learn to be a man, and a man knew his Latin, Greek, so on and so forth.

[He can't guess at her getting any ideas. She's just gotten here, after all.]

[Claire, however, knows her daughter.]

I hope you're not planning any overseas trips so soon, Bree. Maybe--one day, we can visit, but you're going to have plenty to learn here in Scotland.

[And Claire isn't keen on visiting Paris anytime soon.]

[ Brianna makes a disappointed face and sits back in her chair. ]

I can't believe at sixteen you went to a totally different place to study, all on your own.

[ She sounds a little wistful at the idea. She's not going to be doing any traveling soon, probably. She can't imagine how long it would take to get to Paris from here, no thanks. ]

Well, if there are things to learn here, maybe you could get Fergus to show me around Edinburgh at least. I can get to know my new home one city at a time.

[Jamie's not big on the idea of Bree going anywhere, especially by herself. But when she mentions touring the area, well, he's much more at ease with that.

And it might give him and Claire a moment.]

Aye. We can see if he's willing, after introducing ye.

[And a stern word from Jamie to behave. He knows how Fergus is around pretty girls.]

[She knows they can trust Fergus to keep Bree safe. He always took great pride in looking after Claire when Jamie wasn't around.]

Do you need to tell him where you are, Jamie?

Do you need to tell anyone? We've sort of taken you away from your entire evening.

[ Though she has no regrets for bogarting his time. She does know she has to let her mother have her time to tell him everything she wants. She figures that will wait until they're alone at some point. ]

[Fergus and young Ian would be wondering where he was, if they needed him in the late hours of the night or early morning, expecting him to be at the brothel. If there was an emergency--ah, hell. He can't in good conscience disappear on the boys like that.

Slowly, he nods.]

I should go leave word of where I'll be in case I'm needed. I can go get us that room, and then it's only a quick stroll from here. I can be back within the hour.

[He looks like a dog about to be put out in the rain. He doesn't want to go.]

[She'd say he could bring Fergus here, but the sleeping arrangements would be very cramped, then. Even with two beds. Claire takes a breath, nodding.]

All right. We'll wait up for you. [She musters up a smile.] It'll take Bree about an hour to figure out how to get out of her dress.

[ Brianna shoots her mother a look because now look who's throwing who under a cart. Then, she looks back at Jamie with a sheepish smile. ]

I'm sure it won't take an hour. But, mama, why don't you go with him? That way I can prove to you I can do it alone after we're in the new room.

[ Because now she's just determined. ]

[As much as Jamie would like some time alone with Claire, to probably break down again and cry about how Brianna is everything is could have imagined, he's hesitant. Not just for leaving Brianna alone, but to take Claire to where he's been staying.]

Ah, no, it's all right. It's getting late and ye mother and ye should be getting into bed.

[Jamie stands.]

I'll go see what they can find us. Back in a moment.

[And off he goes.]

Jamie--

[Well, that was abrupt. Claire looks a little puzzled, and that look is turned towards Bree.]

He mustn't like the idea of you on your own here. He'll calm down. [Probably.]

When this all stops being so new, it'll be okay. I think.

[ They can't possibly always be together all the time, so one of them is going to have to convince the other at some point. But now isn't that time, and Bree starts helping to clean up the dishes and food. ]

I didn't think I should mention daddy in any of my stories. Do you think that was the right thing to do?

Here. Just put these aside by the door, they'll come collect them later.

[And they'll hopefully be in a new room by then. Standing, Claire loosely crosses her arms over her chest. She did notice the dance around Frank in some of the stories where he was there.]

Did it feel right?

[ After putting their dishes outside, Bree studies her hands intently for a moment before looking up at Claire. ]

Partly yes and partly no. I didn't want to make it awkward, referring to a father when one is sitting right there. It seemed like it would be rubbing it in his face, everything Jamie missed.

He'll understand. He knows Frank raised you... and I don't think he'll feel like you're rubbing it into his face. He knows you're happy to meet him.

[She's doing a lot of speaking for Jamie, but she can't help it.]

But we can always ask him.

[ That seems fair, and Bree begins working on being as independent as possible, taking off these clothes even as she keeps speaking. ]

He promised he wouldn't ever leave us again. That he would be here for me as long as I wanted him to be.

[ Or something like that, she's paraphrasing. ]

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