Je Suis Prest || Outlander

Chapter 9

I awoke to the sound of Jamie and Fergus speaking in the print shop below. The dim light coming in through the window told me that I had slept through the afternoon and it was now late in the evening. I fixed my dress and made myself decent to join them. They sat on two stools passing a flask of whiskey back and forth. Fergus was already half slumped over, leaning on his elbows and looking all around miserable.

"How would I ever work a press by myself? Something like today could happen again."

"Aye, it could. But you canna let that stop you. When you have a wife one day, ye need to provide for her and the bairns."

"A wife," he snorted, taking another long pull of whiskey. "I do not think that is in the cards, Milord."

"You will meet somebody. I promise ye that." Fergus took another swig and passed the flask back over to Jamie, who capped it and set it on the floor next to him. "I never thought I would marry either, until I met Claire. Nobody in their right mind would want me, a wanted man with a bounty on his head."

"At least you were whole though."

"No, lad. I wasna whole. Not then. It was Claire that made me whole again." Fergus nodded soberly and stood up. "Do ye think Marsali is awake? I could go for some supper." 

"Yer always hungry, lad," Jamie chuckled. "I'll go get her."

I made my way forward as if I had just ran down the stairs. "Here I am, Da. I am starved! Fergus, I think you should have bought me two macarons instead of one," I said with a smile that I hoped will heal him at least a little bit. Together we made our way to an inn across the way. I ate more than I had in a long while until I began to feel tired again at the table.

"Is this where you eat every night?"

"Aye. When we are done working for the day this is about as far as we are willing to walk in search of food."

"Milord is lying. He just likes the whiskey here." Jamie grunted in affirmation.

"The owner distills it himself, he was telling me all about their operations."

"Really? Have you ever thought to make your own whiskey?"

"Now there's an idea, Fergus. Then we wouldna have to smuggle it anymore."

I perked up at that. "Smuggle? Does Ma know you're a smuggler?"

"Hush, lass. Of course not, and she's not about to find out, is she?" I shook my head.

"I told you your father and I were engaged in a side business. Printing does not pay for your dowry."

"I never asked for a dowry in the first place, ye blockheid. How was I supposed to know what side business ye meant?" Jamie chuckled and paid our bill. "What if you get caught? You could go to prison again."

"Jesus, Marsali," Jamie hushed me and glanced around nervously. "Dinna fash, Fergus here is too clever to get caught."

"Then Fergus would end up in prison!"

"You would not want that?" Fergus raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well, of course not. Why would I want that?"

"Enough now, both of ye. We have a long day tomorrow. Fergus, ye'll man the shop while I show Marsali around Edinburgh." My heart sank a bit when I heard Fergus would not be joining us. I had imagined walking around the beautiful buildings with him.