I stayed put. Well, I moved downstream a bit so that I could get a drink of water without falling headfirst into the river. I was maybe thirty feet from where Jamie had unceremoniously dumped me from his horse before taking off toward the sound of gunfire. I could have very easily have crossed the stream and taken off into the wilderness, but truthfully that wasn't in my best interest. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I needed this group of Highlanders until I was safe from Captain Randall.
I mused that I could find refuge back home, in my own time, but I had no growing desire to return. I should have wanted to go back, right? Everything I knew was there. But the way I saw it, I had been given a second chance at life which most people only dreamed of getting. Who was I to reject such an offer, especially when it was truly my heart's desire. Even though I was on the run from the English with a group of Scottish Highlanders who didn't trust me, I had never felt so alive. I didn't know yet why fate had decided to show such favor on me, but I was determined to find out. Which meant I needed to continue down this path it had shown me.
Lifting my skirts, I ripped off a piece of my petticoat and thrust it into the river so that I could wash my face. I preferred warm water to wash, but it still felt quite refreshing. It was also better than rain continuously beating against my face. But I was likely going to have to get used to the rain once and for all unless I planned on taking a trip across the Atlantic soon. If I stayed in Scotland, that would mean I would need to somehow manage to stay free of Captain Randall's clutches.
Knowing I needed to enjoy the sunshine while I had it, I closed my eyes and lifted my face upward. I sang to myself as I basked in the sun. It felt good to have the sun's rays beating down upon me. Although, Jamie had been warmer. Speaking of Jamie, when I opened my eyes, I found him jumping from his horse with a sword in his hand. He didn't look happy staring down at the place where he had dropped me. He also looked to be muttering to himself as he stared across the river.
I smirked. He was trying to track me. He probably thought I had run. My decision to stay defied most logic. "Looking for me?" I called, standing to my feet so that he could see me from behind a bush that hid me from his view.
Jamie swung around with a brief glimpse of surprise on his face, but his facade quickly returned and he marched toward me holding his broadsword in his hand. He was covered in blood and his arm was still out of the sling. It was without a doubt going to pain him more than if he had just listened to me. He stopped a few feet away from me, still holding his sword out.
I folded my arms across my chest. "I would appreciate if you lowered the sword, please," I told him. "Not only for my benefit, but yours as well. I thought I told you not to use that arm. Typical man."
He seemed to ignore my words. Instead, he said, "Ye stayed." His tone was more questioning than a statement, but he lowered the sword.
I scoffed. "I did. You told me to."
His brow furrowed. "Why? Ye could have run."
I nodded my head agreeing with him. "I could have. Even thought about it." I paused to see if he would react to that, but he didn't. So, I continued. "But unless you've killed Randall just now, I'm safer with you and your friends than running into him again unprotected. I might have bested him once, but now he knows not to let his guard down around me so it likely will not be able to repeat my performance. Not to mention I'm a stranger in an unknown land and I'm fairly certain you know more about the area than I do."
Jamie nodded his head, but to my surprise, he didn't say anything and he still hadn't sheathed his sword. It still hung in his hand. He was still using the arm I told him not to. Men were stubborn creatures.
I sighed. "I'm not a spy, by the way. You could tell Dougal and the others that." It was obvious that was what he was thinking. While I had descended from spies, I was not one nor had I any desire to be one.
He smiled a little and then responded, "Sounds like something a spy would say, no?"
I rolled my eyes. "It also sounds like something someone who isn't a spy would say too. Besides, if I was a spy who am I spying for? Who would a colonist in Scotland be spying for?"
Jamie shrugged. I saw him wince and I looked at him with my best nearly-a-doctor look of disapproval. He then continued, "Dougal thinks you're an English spy."
"That's ridiculous!" I groaned throwing my hands up in exasperation. "You do realize that many colonists aren't so fond of the English either." I wanted to start to argue about taxation without representation and quartering soldiers, but if we were pre-Culloden, then most of the grievances against the English likely were not in effect. "Besides, if I were an English spy, why would I want to be on Randall's bad side? He's the vilest and loathsome man I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."
"Dougal thinks no one told Randall so it would be more believable."
I rolled my eyes. I couldn't help it. "Because obviously, I knew you'd be stealing a cow from Mistress Campbell and that Randall followed us through the woods back to her place after I got lost after Mistress Campbell happened to stumble across me and offer me some assistance." I was breathing heavily after that little rant. I took a deep breath and held head high before finishing, "It's circumstantial at best. Besides, as I'm certain you've surmised by now, I'm terrified of horses. I never would have ridden one unless my life was in danger...and even then, you had to force me."
Jamie smirked at that last bit, but he didn't say anything. That frustrated me. After all that and I wasn't sure if he believed me. I heaved a sigh and set my jaw. "What can I do to prove to you that I'm not a spy?"
"How about ye gi' me a name?"
"Ruthie. Ruthie Tallmadge. I mean, my given name is Ruth, Ruth Lydia Tallmadge; but my friends and family call me Ruthie." It was better that I kept my maiden name. If I went by my married name, they could bring me before the Arbuckle clan and none of them would know me, despite the fact that in my time, I truly had married into the Arbuckle family. They were very unlikely to trace down any Tallmadges. It would require too much work to go to the colonies and back to verify my story.
"And where are ye from Mistress Tallmadge."
"I've already told you I'm from the colonies. Not to mention that my accent gives away the fact that I'm from neither here nor England. But you must need more than that, I suppose." I paused for a moment and looked at him. He nodded his head. "Well, if you must know, I'm from Litchfield in the colony of Connecticut." I paused again and then took a giant risk, given the fact that I didn't know the year. "Tallmadges have been in the colonies for several generations and I guarantee you that should the colonies ever find themselves at war with England, my family would not be loyal to the king. I probably shouldn't have told you that, but I think the Scots know a thing or two about rebelling against the English. Hmm?"
I couldn't tell quite what he was thinking. His lips were pursed and he appeared to be thinking over what I said. I was trying to keep as close to the truth as possible, but there was one very important detail I needed to leave out-otherwise they really would think I was a witch.
Thankfully, it seemed he believed me. Well, he at least sheathed his sword, so he must not have found me too much of a threat. Jamie finally asked, "What are ye doing in Scotland?"
That was fair enough. I told him, "It's a long story, but in short, my husband became ill and wanted to come here, to Scotland. So, I came here with him and his sister, whom I was traveling with yesterday when we became separated. Which is how I ended up with Mistress Campbell."
Jamie simply nodded his head in understanding, but I was done talking. With my hands on my hips, I marched toward him. "Now, if you're done interrogating me, I'd like to see that shoulder. I can see you've been misusing it and you're covered in blood."
"It's no my blood," he responded and then paused for a moment. "At least no much of it anyway."
"How reassuring. Still, you ought to let me see. You could have done more damage by simply using the arm...even after I specifically told you not to."
He smiled slightly, but when my hands reached to move his shirt away for a better look at his shoulder, he side-stepped me. "Dougal and the others will be waiting. Let's go." He gestured toward his horse.
"Your shoulder..." I began as I reached toward him again, but he easily slipped out of my reach.
"Pay it no mind, Mistress Tallmadge." There was something odd about the way he said my name, but I couldn't quite place what it was.
Instead, I growled under my breath. "Are you always this stubborn?" I asked him in exasperation, my hands once again on my hips and my expression stern.
Jamie laughed. His laugh was infectious. I tried not to smile, but there was no use. I suppose the scene was rather comical. Me, a small woman barely over five feet tall trying to take on a big, strapping Highlander several inches over six feet. When he saw my expression soften he said, "It runs in the family. Now, if ye will, Mistress Tallmadge, we ought to be going." He gestured toward his horse.
I swallowed hard and moved my arms so that they were folded across my chest. I then looked to the ground in embarrassment, feeling my cheeks beginning to redden. "I wasn't lying when I said I was scared of horses."
"Aye, I know." He smiled slightly and moved to reach to touch me before he clenched his hand in a fist and slowly lowered his hand. "I willna let ye fall. I give ye my word."
I arched an eyebrow and stared at him rather incredulously. "Oh? Then what happened the last time?"
"That was different. I threw ye." He grinned broadly, almost laughing at his own response.
Even if I had wanted to stay angry with him about it, I couldn't. It just wasn't in me. "You could have warned me, you know," I told him, trying my hardest not to smile back at him.
He shrugged again with his bad shoulder and winced a bit. "I give ye my word not to throw ye..." he paused for a moment before finishing. "...unless absolutely necessary."
I knew that was about as good as I was going to get from him. So, I nodded my head and walked toward the horse. I looked up at the creature and shuddered slightly. While I had already been atop the beast several times, I still didn't trust it. I knew it to be a necessary evil. I then turned toward Jamie who was bent over beside me with his hands woven together for me to use.
"Your shoulder," I gently chided him.
Jamie shook his head. "I can manage a wee thing like you. I'm injured, not an invalid. Besides, ye can have a look at it when we get where we're going."
"Men," I muttered and rolled my eyes before I placed my foot in his hands.
He easily seemed to hoist me up onto the horse before climbing up himself. He reached for the reins and gave the horse a command. I braced myself against Jamie as I had before. He seemed a little stiffer than our last ride, his body more resistant to my presence. But I still felt safer with him there behind me, holding onto me as I desperately clung to him. And then we were off once again.
It wasn't long before we came upon Dougal and the other men waiting for us on a path. Like Jamie, they were bloodied up a bit and sweating, but it looked like everyone was still alive. Jamie hadn't mentioned if Randall had been a part of the party they ambushed, but it made sense to me that he likely had been. Nor had Jamie commented on Randall being dead, meaning he was likely still alive. I had a feeling that I was now just as wanted as these Highlanders, a reality that no one like myself could ever have prepared themselves for.
Dougal nodded at Jamie, but not a single word was spoken before our group began down the trodden path. Jamie and I were in the middle of the group. I couldn't help but wonder if my presence had gotten him knocked up or down a few pegs in the pecking order of things. But I didn't say anything on the matter. We simply rode.
A few hours into our ride, the rush of everything seemed to finally be wearing off and my stomach grumbled. Loud. I flushed in embarrassment when I heard and felt Jamie chuckle behind me. I flushed, even more, when Rupert, who was riding beside us said, "Hey, then Jamie-lad! Hungry, are ye? Or have ye a set of bagpipes with ye?" He had mistaken my stomach's complaints for Jamie's.
I expected him to pass the blame back onto me, where it rightfully belonged. But he didn't. He surprised me by gallantly assuming the blame himself. "Hungry enough to eat a set of pipes, I reckon."
I looked up at him over my shoulder to see him looking down at me with a smile on his face. Thank you, I mouthed to him. He nodded his head. Rupert then handed a flask to Jamie. Jamie nodded his head in thanks as he accepted it. He took a swig of the alcohol before he passed it to me. "Better have a wee nip," he whispered in my ear sending shivers down my spine. "It willna fill your belly, but it will make ye forget you're hungry."
I wanted to ask him if he spoke from experience, but surrounded by all these other men didn't seem to be the place to ask. I much preferred speaking to him alone. He fascinated me. While he behaved very much as one would expect of a man, there was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on. But I didn't tell him that. Instead, I lifted the flask to my mouth and swallowed a drink of the liquid.
When I was finished, I licked a dribble from my lips and then wiped my lips with the back of my hand. Jamie then reached out with his good hand and grabbed the flask again before calling to Rupert. It was strange that it seemed like he could anticipate my needs. I wasn't sure whether it was the 18th-century thing or whether he was just that observant. I reasoned the former because I had never met a man quite so observant of my needs before...besides my father.
Darkness finally fell and we were still atop the horses. I ached terribly. I was fairly certain long distances like this on horseback weren't advised for amateurs like myself, not that I really had a choice. I would much rather have my backside ache from a horse than whatever it was Randall had planned for me. The men talked amongst themselves, but never once made any attempt to include me in the conversation and I was fine with that. I wasn't sure what I could have contributed to their conversation anyway. I wasn't a warrior nor was I a raider. I did wish that Jamie would have attempted with me. Although, he didn't make much of an attempt with the men either. He even ignored a good nature rib from Rupert. Rupert's face confirmed my suspicion that it wasn't normal for Jamie to stifle a retort.
I looked at Jamie over my shoulder. While I only had the light of the moon to see, I was certain that he looked paler than the last time I looked at him. His jaw was clenched and he kept blinking to try and stay awake before almost nodding off. He seemed to wobble from side to side. My first thoughts were to wonder if he was drunk, but that didn't make sense. If I, as someone who rarely drank, wasn't drunk, then surely a man his size and of his heritage couldn't be.
The only other logical option was...
I didn't have time to finish that thought because Jamie began sliding from the horse, still holding onto me. So, I was dragged from the beast with him. I squealed as we fell to the ground. Thankfully we landed in tall grass which seemed to break our fall a bit. When I managed to catch my breath, I asked him if he was all right. But he didn't respond.
Quickly, I whirled out from beneath his arm and crawled on top of him. I leaned over his head. I lowered my ear toward his mouth and pressed against his carotid artery for a pulse. His pulse was rather rapid, but it was strong. I also watched his chest rise and fall as I felt his breath against my ear.
I straightened. He was alive. Thank, God. I brought a hand to my chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "I think he's just fainted," I announced to the men. "Bring the saddle-bags and put them under his feet," I ordered. "And if anyone has water, he could use some."
I was surprised by how quickly the men reacted. I reasoned that Jamie must be someone important to them. My fingers quickly tugged at the collar of his shirt, pulling it aside to reveal a bullet hole. Because of course there would be one there. What kind of person rode for miles with a bullet hole in his shoulder? His bad one too.
Jamie's eyes finally fluttered open. They were quite beautiful in the moonlight. His hand reached out and grabbed my hand which held his shirt.
"I'm all right. Just a wee bit dizzy," he said, trying to sit; but I held him back.
"Lie still," I commanded him.
Reluctantly he did as I told him, which I think surprised both of us. I tried to stifle a smile of satisfaction. So, I focused myself on his wound. "You know, we could have avoided such dramatics if you'd have let me look at your shoulder when I asked you, you stubborn man," I told him without looking at him.
"I did warn ye," he grimaced as I continued to examine his wound.
"That's not an excuse," I muttered. "At least, not a good one. Now, it looks like the bullet went through and missed anything vital, thankfully." I gently released the cloth of his shirt and looked down at him rather sternly. "So much for promising not to let me fall," I told him, folding my arms over my chest.
He forced a chuckle. "I do believe that I promised ye that unless it was absolutely necessary."
"And was it? Absolutely necessary?"
"You're on the ground with me, are ye no?"
I rolled my eyes before I gently punched his good shoulder. He looked slightly bewildered at me before I punched him again. He then reached out and grabbed my hand with his good hand.
"What's that for?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
I looked at him rather incredulously, despite the darkness shielding my expression from him."For nearly scaring me to death, that's what. Be thankful I promised to do no harm, otherwise, I would have punched the other one."
"Threats is it? And after I shared my drink with ye too!"
I scoffed. "Now let's see about fixing you up. Is there anywhere else I ought to look? Unless you'd prefer a repeat performance."
Jamie looked at me rather hesitantly before he lifted the hem of his shirt up to reveal a stab wound on his abdomen. It was a shallow wound and hadn't torn through the muscle. I looked at him and shook my head. "Stubborn man," I muttered again and he chuckled despite the pain.
I then turned to look for Rupert. He was standing to my right. "Is there still alcohol in that flask?" I asked him. "I need to clean his wounds before they become inflamed. The alcohol cleans it of all the dirt-the same thing I did to your leg."
But it was Murtagh who thrust a flask in my hands. I knew better than to ask if they carried any sterile bandages. I should have thought to made strips last night when I bandaged Rupert. I looked around and then remembered I had layers of clothing beneath my skirt. I reached to hike it up when I caught Jamie looking at me quizzically.
I was then reminded of 18th-century modesty measures. So, whispered to him. "I should warn you, you might accidentally catch a glance of my ankle. Try your best not to be utterly scandalized."
I was surprised when he shut his eyes as I raised my skirt to show my petticoats. I found the area I had ripped earlier and tore away several more strips before lowering the petticoat. "It's safe to look now," I told him.
He smiled slightly. "This might hurt a bit," I warned him before I poured some alcohol on his bullet wound. He hissed, but still held rather still. I was surprised that he had hardly reacted. In my experience, men could be big babies when it came to such measures. I quickly pressed a piece of my petticoat against the wound.
I then used another strip of my petticoat to tie down the one pressed against his shoulder. "You better listen this time when I tell you not to use this," I muttered more for my own benefit, but Jamie must have heard me because he gave me a curt nod.
I then attended to the wound on his abdomen, which he confessed came from a bayonet. He really should be thankful. A bayonet could have inflicted far greater damage than a deep scratch. It could have punctured his organs and he could have bled to death internally. I found myself saying a silent prayer of thanks that it hadn't been worse.
I crawled back on top of him to get one last look at the bullet wound. I poured alcohol on it once more just to be sure I had rid it of any germs before returning the bandages. "Don't you dare take those off unless I tell you. Do you hear me?"
"I hear ye," he managed. "Threats again, is it?"
"If that's what it takes," I responded before I exhaled slowly. I then turned to Dougal. "He's going to need rest."
"We've got fifteen miles yet," he told me rather gruffly.
"Until we're safe from the redcoats?" I asked.
Dougal shook his head. "We're far enough from them. It's the Watch we need to look out for."
I wasn't sure what the Watch was, but if whatever it was concerned Dougal, then it couldn't be a good thing. If Dougal was concerned about them, then I knew I should be as well. "It would be better if he rested, but I take it that isn't going to happen, is it?"
Dougal then looked at Jamie. "Think ye can manage, Jamie-lad? Can ye ride?"
Jamie looked at me and smirked before looking back up at Dougal. "Aye, if ye'll get the lassie off my chest and fetch me a clean shirt."
Thankfully the near darkness hid my furious blushing as I scrambled off Jamie. The men laughed. At my expense no doubt. Dougal tossed Jamie a shirt. I turned my head, so he wouldn't think I was watching him, but in the moonlight, I could help but do so. I tried to be discreet as I watched him pull his shirt off revealing a toned physique. I mean, I had basically seen as much when I had bandaged him; but I couldn't help but notice him now. I couldn't help but watch him and that made me blush.
I brought my hand to rub my flushed cheeks and dropped my gaze to the ground. "It's safe to look, lassie," Jamie said in a teasing tone which made the other men laugh.
He moved to get up.
"Wait!" I called.
He stopped and looked at me rather quizzically, but he obeyed my request.
I pulled my hair behind my ears. "I have one last test to administer before you get up."
One more test to see if he had hit his head during the fall. I was fairly certain that he hadn't, but this test would also allow me to get at least one crucial answer I desired. It wasn't exactly like I could come right out and ask what year it was without them thinking me insane.
Jamie nodded his head in agreement. I cleared my throat. "These questions might seem silly to you, but they help me determine if you did damage to your head when you fell."
"What is the year?"
In the moonlight, I could see his expression wasn't amused. "I told you they'd seem silly. Just answer them." I paused for a moment before tacking on, "Please."
"1743," he said rather gruffly.
I inhaled sharply and held my breath. I offered him a smile as I quickly tried to process what I had already reasoned. 18th century hadn't been a bad guess. Spot on. Neither Ben nor Lydia were alive yet. Ben wouldn't be born for at least another eleven years and Lydia about fourteen. Thankfully, the Tallmadges were already in the colonies, so I hadn't lied about that.
Dougald cleared his throat behind me. Right. Other questions. I had gotten the most important one answered. So then I asked, "How old are you?"
"Twenty-three."
I don't know why, but I smiled at that answer. He wasn't much older than I was. I looked up at one of the men for verification. Murtagh nodded his head.
"Do you remember what happened?"
"We fell from a horse, or do ye no remember that?" The men around us chuckled and Jamie grinned at me.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Your head appears fine."
"I could've told ye that my head's as hard as a rock." He grinned proudly.
I couldn't help but smile back. "Given your stubbornness, I suppose it really shouldn't surprise me, huh?"
Jamie was about to say something to me when Murtagh leaned in close to us. "If ye two are all well and done, the rest of us would like to get going. Unless you'd rather we leave ye both here." He feigned a smile and then walked away.
I probably would have laughed if I didn't think he was actually serious about leaving us. So, I stood up and then offered Jamie my hand to help him up. He looked at my outstretched hand for a moment before he accepted my offer. I tried my best to help pull him up, but I knew he was doing most of the work. He was certainly a solid man. I probably would have toppled right on him if he hadn't done most of the work.
We then walked back to his horse. This time it was Murtagh who helped me up. He also helped Jamie too. I was surprised how much Murtagh always seemed to be the first one willing to help Jamie. I wondered what their exact connection was...they were likely related somehow, I mused.
Once Murtagh was out of earshot, I turned toward Jamie. "If you're going to go over again, please let me know in advance this time," I warned him. I could feel the rumble in his chest from a silent chuckle. "I"m being perfectly serious. And if either of your wounds are giving you trouble. You tell me that too. Do you understand?"
Jamie nodded his head. "Aye."
I knew that was likely the best I was going to get. Chastising him any farther, especially in front of the other men would be pointless and probably make him less likely to tell me. So, I nodded my head and tried to sit up straight in the saddle and hugged myself, not leaning against him out of fear of hurting his injuries. I inhaled slowly and exhaled, trying to mentally prepare myself for the journey.
He must have known what I was doing because he said, "Ye willna hurt me, lass. Lean against me if ye please."
"Thank God," I whispered before I leaned against him as I had on our earlier trips. Jamie's body didn't seem quite as resistant as the last time. And he was warm, for which I was thankful for while the rain beat against us again. Careful of his injuries, I managed to lean against him and gripped his leg. He covered us with his plaid and I unintentionally sighed against him.
"Have you figured out where we're going yet?" I asked.
He answered, "Leoch, I expect."
I exhaled. Well, at least it was somewhere I had technically been before...or at least would one day visit.
Author's Note: Here's some more Jamie and Ruthie for y'all! I'm really enjoying their buildup. :) They're fun to write. So, Ruthie revealed quite a bit to Jamie. She trusts him already. We'll have to see how they keep developing! :) I truly hoped you enjoyed this. I've been kinda struggling this week with real life, so your support means the world to me. To all who read/reviewed/followed/favorited/kudos/etc...it means a lot. Thank you.