#ch: alexander of sandringham

[bee-kathony]

McTavish & Beauchamp | Unexpected News

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Ch. 13 | Unexpected News 

Paris, France - 10 months later

We’d been in Paris for nearly two months and since our arrival, things had moved along rather swiftly. Jamie’s cousin, Jared Fraser, welcomed us into his home with open arms, with one condition. That being, Jamie helping him with his wine business. Apparently Jared was aware of Jamie’s skills in the area of charming his way through conversations, something I myself was very aware of.

Faith had finally adjusted to her new surroundings. She was crawling everywhere and the spiral staircase that led to the second story of the house gave me nightmares. In just six short weeks, she would be celebrating her first birthday.

She was with Murtagh now, I’m sure getting up to nothing good in the small stable. He spoiled her, as any godfather would. That left me on my own, since Jamie was with Jared down at the docks, accepting a new shipment of casks.

I sat down at the desk in the corner of our room, preparing to write a letter to Jenny and Ian, informing them of the comings and goings of our life here.

At first when we arrived, I hated it. I felt I had no purpose, other than raising Faith and keeping a close eye on her. But one day while I was out with Faith and Murtagh, we walked past L'Hôpital des Anges, and the cries of pain drew me inside.

“Hold still, ma petite, this will hurt only for a little while.” A woman with a very strong French accent said to a patient on a bed, as I stepped into the hospital.

The familiar scent of blood, was eerily welcoming as I took in my surroundings.

I watched from afar as the woman, with the assistance of another physician lanced a wound on the patient. My hands were itching to yield a knife again, touch herbs and medicines.

“How may we help you?” The French woman turned to me after she was finished bandaging the patient.

“I was drawn in from the street and I have some medical skills I thought might be useful here.”

“I am Mother Hildegarde,” she smiled, “Sister Angelique will find you something to do.”

It was as simple as that. I knew in this century how opposed some people were to the idea of women in such positions as I found myself now in. But I was born to be a healer, and since our return to Lallybroch and my pregnancy with Faith, I had pushed aside that desire.

We didn’t know how long we would be staying in Paris, if it was a short visit or if we would be here for years to come. I knew Jamie enjoyed the change of scenery, but he couldn’t stay away from Lallybroch forever.

As I signed and dated the letter to Jenny, I heard a childlike squeal from the foyer; that could only mean that Jamie had returned home.

Moments later, he walked through the door, holding Faith on his hip. She was babbling away, gibberish of course, but he was giving her his full attention until he saw me.

“Sassenach!” He crossed the room, placing a kiss on my forehead. “How was l’hôpital?”

“I set three bones today, so I would call that a rather successful day,” I placed the pen down on the letter, reaching for Faith and taking her onto my lap. “How was your day?”

“Fair enough, ran into a skirmish with a man called Comte St. Germain,” he rolled his eyes, “He sells wine as well, Sassenach, and I’m afraid he’ll prove to be stiff competition.”

Faith bounced happily on my lap, and I looked up at Jamie as he took a seat at the end of the bed sighing. “We can’t keep avoiding it, Jamie.”

He ran his hand through his hair, “Aye, I ken that. Ye told me Prince Charles would be here now, in Paris.”

“I just don’t want you to get caught up in it, I know the outcome of the Jacobite rebellion, as hard as it may be to stand by and let things happen…” Faith made a gurgling noise, and reached for my breasts. I would be glad when she was weaned, eighteenth century clothing was not the most practical for breastfeeding.

“Ye ken I canna just stand by and watch my clan, my people, Sassenach, be slaughtered by the swords of the British.” He rose from the bed, his body trembling with anxiety. We’d gone over and over this subject. I had explained to him as much as I knew about the Jacobite Rebellion and its fateful outcome.

We had come to the conclusion that we were to avoid Prince Charles at all costs, and that Jamie was not to get involved in the rebellion, but I could tell from his posture and attitude how much that decision was weighing on him.

“Ye ken I dinna care about who sits on the throne,” he muttered, facing away from us at the fireplace.

“Yes of course I know that, Jamie.” Faith latched her mouth onto my nipple, and I settled her into my lap. “But you can’t exactly be idle and watch your people die either.”

Jamie slowly turned to me, one arm perched on the mantle, “Aye. It pains me to think of goin’ in to battle. Culloden…” He shivered, at what could only be words I had spoken to him about the battle of Culloden that would happen in less than two years time.

“If it comes down to me fightin’, Sassenach… will ye hate me so if I chose to go?” He closed the space between us, bending to his knees in front of me, his hands resting on me and Faith.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I looked down at him, holding our child to my breast, “I would hate you.” I said softly, “but I will always love you, Jamie. If you feel you must fight, on that damn battlefield… so help me God.” Jamie brushed his thumb across my cheeks, collecting my tears as they fell, and his own eyes watered.

“I love ye, mo cridhe, I only want to protect ye and the bairn… and the many more bairns to come.” He kissed Faith softly on the crown of her forehead, and held us in his arms. I could not stop him from fighting for what he believed in, but I would be damned if I let him get caught up in the politics of it all.

++++++

We had surprisingly made connections during our short time in Paris and had been invited to the King’s Palace for a ball that evening.

I descended the stairs, maneuvering my red dress as I stood on the last step.

“I see were all ready to go.”

Jamie took a step forward, his face full of awe and some other expression I couldn’t quite place.

“Are ye… mad woman? I can see every inch of ye, right down to yer third rib.” His eyes went straight to my chest. It was rather low cut in the front, showing off my cleavage.

“No, you can’t.” I laughed.

He came closer, his eyes never leaving my chest, “Christ. I can see right down to yer navel. Surely ye don’t mean to go out in public like this?”

“I most certainly do.” I held my arms out to the side, “I’ll have you know, I helped design this dress.”

“Christ, Sassenach. First yer honeypot, now this.” He quirked his eyebrow up at me, making me blush. I had made friends with a woman name Louise de La Tour, a most eccentric woman who had suggested I wax my ‘honeypot’ as Jamie called it. When I had come home that evening, Jamie found it odd but not altogether unpleasant and spent the evening feeling and tasting from my honeypot.

“I suppose it’ll have to do.” He joined Murtagh near the front of the house and I took the last few steps. “Ye could cover up a bit.”

“Well I already thought of that,” I pulled out a matching red fan, opening it to cover my breasts.

“Yer goin’ to need a larger fan,” he smirked.

++++++

The ball was just as I had expected, plenty of people trying to impress one another. It came as a surprise to both Jamie and I to see that the Duke of Sandringham was in attendance.

“What are you both doing here in France?” The Duke kissed the back of my hand in welcome.

“Jamie has been employed by his cousin, Jared” I said.

“The wine merchant, what a serendipitous surprise. Tomorrow I go back to England, but when I return I would be very interested to sample some of that rare Belle Rouge port. I must have a case!”

Jamie raised his brow, “How much?”

“I’d be willing to pay twenty percent over the asking price.”

“Sold.” Jamie said.

“Jamie why don’t you take Murtagh to have a drink with our new friend, the minister of finance?”

The Duke of Sandringham always rubbed me the wrong way. As appreciative as I was for him granting Jamie his freedom back, I always sensed that he was playing both sides. I knew from Frank’s research about the Jacobite Rebellion, that the Duke was a known Jacobite supporter, but form my interactions with him, he claimed to know nothing of the sort.

That alone, made me wary of his true intentions when it came to Jamie and just why he granted his freedom.

Before I could speak with him on the matter further, a young man approached him, and immediately burst into a fit of coughing.

“Are you alright, sir?”

“Oh pardon me Madame, it’s chronic I’m afraid.” He sputtered.

“Oh where are my manners,” The Duke said and turned to the man who joined him at his side, “Claire Fraser, may I introduce my new secretary, Alexander Randall.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance Madame,” the young man bowed.

“I think you might know of his brother,” The Duke raised his eyebrows and then my world came to a screeching halt. Randall.  

“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.” I muttered under my breath.

“Do you know Jonathan, Madame Fraser?” Alexander asked me.

My heart was racing, and my thoughts were swirling around all at once. It wasn’t possible was it? He was sentenced to hang over a year ago. Surely we would have heard news of this.

“Your brother is Jonathan Wolverton Randall?” I asked for clarification. Please say no.

“Yes! He’s my older brother,” he stammered.

“I thought he was dead. Hanged for treason, if I’m not wrong.” I stared at him and now I saw the family resemblance.

The Duke piped up, “Oh yes indeed, he was sentenced to be hanged, Mrs. Fraser,” he half frowned, “but he apparently had some friends at the prison who helped him get out of it.”

“I haven’t spoken with him in quite some time, not since his escape.” Jonathan burst into another fit of coughs.

“Didn’t you tell me that he was last seen fleeing to Paris?” The Duke’s voice echoed around the room as my head began to spin.

I bowed my head, “If you two will just excuse me for a moment, I need to find my husband.”

Leaving without a proper farewell, I practically ran into the other room in search for Jamie. Christ almighty… Black Jack was still alive?!

Where the hell was Jamie?

“Ye see minister, I ken yer biased towards the French port, but I think ye’ll be verra surprised wi’ the whisky from Scotland.” Jamie was speaking to a group of men, but I interrupted, grabbing his arm and pulling him off to the side, and out of sight of the crowd.  

“Sassenach, I was just about to —“ he stopped, noticing my fear stricken state, “What? What’s the matter, Claire?” His eyes scanned the room around us.

“He’s alive,” I choked out, clutching on to his arms for dear life, “Jamie… Black Jack Randall is still alive!”

His mouth hung open, in shock of the news. “That canna be possible. He was hanged, I ken it. More than a year ago.” Jamie gripped my arms just as tightly for support.

“His brother, Alex, is here with the Duke of Sandringham, he said he escaped with help of soldiers at the prison.” Jamie’s knees wobbled and he brought us both down to the ground, on our knees.

“No.” Was all Jamie repeated for some time before taking my hands in his and meeting my eyes. “He’ll ken we’re here. I’m sure he’ll come for ye… if he still believes ye to be a spy, that is. Christ —“

“He’ll come for you too, Jamie!” I cried, “It’s our statement that sent him to the rope in the first place. Oh my God,” tears spilled over my cheeks at the thought of Jonathan Randall being alive. I had thought we had been rid of that horrible man. He had caused pain to our family and instilled fear into our hearts. With his death, we had been able to find freedom and a peace that we had only just grown accustomed to.

“Wee Faith,” Jamie whispered and my heart almost ceased beating. “We need to get home, Sassenach. Now.” He rose to his feet, helping lift me and my voluminous skirts.

“You don’t think he would harm a child do you?” I asked as we hurried back through the crowd to find Murtagh.

“I ken he is capable of anythin’, Sassenach.” He gritted his teeth and spoke to Murtagh who immediately raced outside to call for our carriage.

“I dinna ken where he is, but if he’s in Paris as the Duke has said… we must prepare for the worst, Claire.” Jamie cupped my cheeks with both his hands.

“Are you going to kill him, Jamie?” I said under my breath.

“Aye, if it comes down to it. I will end that bastard’s life with my bare hands.” Jamie slid his arm around my waist, leading me to the carriage. “He willna take my family away from me, that I ken.”

When we arrived back to Jared’s home, Jamie burst into action, warning the servants of the potential threat. I found it hard to believe that Black Jack would find us at our house, since he hadn’t so far in the short two months we had been here. But Jamie was right, the man was capable of anything. Running up the stairs to our room, I let out a sob I didn’t know I’d been holding when I saw Faith asleep in her cot.

Our precious baby, our miracle. Jamie said he would kill Black Jack with his bare hands if it came down to it. If that man touched a hair on my child’s head… it would be my hands at his throat.